breaking songs off radio

[nino]

I saw this on CBS Sunday Morning (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/26/sunday/main1346174.shtml)...

"The turning point came in 2000 when Sting released a new song called 'Desert Rose' and radio refused to play it. The radio programmers showed Sting research that supposedly proved that listeners did not want to hear this song. So Sting went over the radio experts' heads. He licensed 'Desert Rose' to Jaguar for a TV commercial.

"The ad ran everywhere and people started demanding the song. Radio had to give in and start playing it. 'Desert Rose' became Sting's biggest hit in 10 years and he forced radio?s hand by appealing to the public through a car commercial.

"After that, a lot of artists; Sheryl Crow, Counting Crows and even Paul McCartney used commercials not to capitalize on old hits, but as a launch pad for new ones. The theory is that while it's suspect to sell out the emotional connection an old song has with its audience, a new song deserves any help it can get."

 

[OldiesCat]

breaking songs

Makes sense. Back in "the day" (gosh I hate using that phrase, but), record guys used to go around buying up copies at record stores to inflate sales numbers, thereby forcing radio to take notice. And, it worked.

Whatever works. Radio Programmers like or dislike of a song that their listeners might actually want to hear has held back many a potential hit over the years. I salute these artists who choose to be pro-active in getting their songs out there- then, they can let the audience actually decide what's a hit.
>
> "The turning point came in 2000 when Sting released a new
> song called 'Desert Rose' and radio refused to play it. The
> radio programmers showed Sting research that supposedly
> proved that listeners did not want to hear this song. So
> Sting went over the radio experts' heads. He licensed
> 'Desert Rose' to Jaguar for a TV commercial.
>
> "The ad ran everywhere and people started demanding the
> song. Radio had to give in and start playing it. 'Desert
> Rose' became Sting's biggest hit in 10 years and he forced
> radio?s hand by appealing to the public through a car
> commercial.
>
> "After that, a lot of artists; Sheryl Crow, Counting Crows
> and even Paul McCartney used commercials not to capitalize
> on old hits, but as a launch pad for new ones. The theory is
> that while it's suspect to sell out the emotional connection
> an old song has with its audience, a new song deserves any
> help it can get."
>

 

[leethalweapon]

Re: breaking songs

> Makes sense. Back in "the day" (gosh I hate using that
> phrase, but), record guys used to go around buying up copies
> at record stores to inflate sales numbers, thereby forcing
> radio to take notice. And, it worked.
>

These days in Australia, the charts are based on WHOLESALE buys. So a record company wants a hit, large chain stores buy up big. Of coarse this sometimes (and quite a few time recently) fails, and the chain stores are stuck with a heap of product that nobody wants.

 

[OldiesCat]

breaking songs

ooh- that bites. What a dopey (and deceptive) way to do business.

>
> These days in Australia, the charts are based on WHOLESALE
> buys. So a record company wants a hit, large chain stores
> buy up big. Of coarse this sometimes (and quite a few time
> recently) fails, and the chain stores are stuck with a heap
> of product that nobody wants.
>