Anyone surprised and maybe dismayed to see Awolnation's "Sail" now climbing the CHR charts?
Yes, I know there's some on these forums who have criticized Alternative for becoming "CHR2" with fewer electric guitar oriented artists, but I'm one who begs to differ on that feeling that format is actually becoming more like it once was when it started (a mix of electronic, folk, punk, rock and other genres that weren't necessarily "pop" at the time).
I can understand groups like Fun., Imagine Dragons, Mumford & Sons and even Capital Cities crossing over to CHR (although I still would argue they were "alternative" when they broke). But Awolnation? And a year-and-a-half-old single (might be close to two years old now). I think it's getting to the point where labels for a lot of Alternative artists are starting to take advantage of the recent cross over just to make a buck. I guess I can't blame them. But when a group like Awolnation is open to crossover (admittedly it was a big Alt hit but still is a strange fit for CHR), I start to worry.
Personally, I like the direction that Alternative has gone. For years, it was becoming so indundated with Active rock that there was barely any difference between the two. And I HATED it. Alternative never was and never should have been all about just harder rock.
If more and more electronic/folkier acts cross over to CHR, I fear that Alternative stations may go back to that more Active leaning sound to differentiate themselves. It hasn't happened yet as almost everything on the Alt charts is NOT on the Active charts where there was much more in common a few years ago.
Now, however, even newer Alternative hits like Lorde's "Royals" and AVCII's "Wake Me Up" are going to both Alternative and CHR similtaneously.
I, for one, don't want to start having to listen to Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke and One Direction to hear the bands I like. And also don't wan't to go back to the head-banging state of affairs Alternative was becoming with the Active crossover.
Not sure what the future holds but the first time I heard "Sail" on my local CHR, which used to be very conservative and stuck to the mainstream pop/rhytmic hits, I cringed.
Yes, I know there's some on these forums who have criticized Alternative for becoming "CHR2" with fewer electric guitar oriented artists, but I'm one who begs to differ on that feeling that format is actually becoming more like it once was when it started (a mix of electronic, folk, punk, rock and other genres that weren't necessarily "pop" at the time).
I can understand groups like Fun., Imagine Dragons, Mumford & Sons and even Capital Cities crossing over to CHR (although I still would argue they were "alternative" when they broke). But Awolnation? And a year-and-a-half-old single (might be close to two years old now). I think it's getting to the point where labels for a lot of Alternative artists are starting to take advantage of the recent cross over just to make a buck. I guess I can't blame them. But when a group like Awolnation is open to crossover (admittedly it was a big Alt hit but still is a strange fit for CHR), I start to worry.
Personally, I like the direction that Alternative has gone. For years, it was becoming so indundated with Active rock that there was barely any difference between the two. And I HATED it. Alternative never was and never should have been all about just harder rock.
If more and more electronic/folkier acts cross over to CHR, I fear that Alternative stations may go back to that more Active leaning sound to differentiate themselves. It hasn't happened yet as almost everything on the Alt charts is NOT on the Active charts where there was much more in common a few years ago.
Now, however, even newer Alternative hits like Lorde's "Royals" and AVCII's "Wake Me Up" are going to both Alternative and CHR similtaneously.
I, for one, don't want to start having to listen to Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke and One Direction to hear the bands I like. And also don't wan't to go back to the head-banging state of affairs Alternative was becoming with the Active crossover.
Not sure what the future holds but the first time I heard "Sail" on my local CHR, which used to be very conservative and stuck to the mainstream pop/rhytmic hits, I cringed.