CHR: At Issue: Assessing Pop’s Music Position

The past fifteen months have been a bull market for Pop music with no let up in sight. Exploring the trends, tendencies, research implications and status of the label promo relationship are: KHKS’ Billy The Kidd, WLDI’s Kobe, WRVW’s Rich Davis, KHTT’s Billy The Baby DJ, XM Satellite’s Jon Zellner, WIXX’s Tony Waitekus, WSPK’s Skywalker, WFBC’s Natalie Randall and WHBQ’s Karson With A K.

The Pop music format has been enjoying some of its best music in years as of late. It began in 2006 and remains stronger than ever today. The CHR landscape is diverse with sounds from many different genres including Pop, Hip-Hop, Rock, R&B, Modern/AC, and even County. Each genre is delivering hit songs from superstar acts and it’s putting big smiles on the faces of our panel of CHR programmers who help us assess the position of Pop music today.

eQB presents excerpts from the April FMQB magazine CHR At Issue: Assessing Pop’s Music Position

Rich Davis on the trend of Pop music…where it’s been and where it’s heading… It has been great for my station; mainstream and not polarizing. Over the last twelve months some of my biggest songs have come from artists like The Fray, Justin Timberlake, Nickelback, Nelly Furtado,Pussycat Dolls, Akon, Hinder, and even Rascal Flatts.  If that’s not the definition of mainstream CHR I don’t know what is. The next twelve months look to be shaping up in much the same way with more hits from Justin,Christina, Avril Lavigne, Beyonce, Hinder, and Fergie. Plus new projects from Maroon 5, 50 Cent, Kelly Clarkson, Enrique and more.

Jon Zellner on the trend of Pop music… Pop has been pretty balanced over the past year…every time it seems like it’s leaning more Urban, some great Rock product emerges and vice versa. I have always maintained that Pop music should encompass the best of all formats. Top 40 loses relevance when it strays too far in any one musical direction, but ebbs and flows are essential to the format’s success depending on where the trends take it. The key is maintaining balance on the air.

 

Billy The Kidd on the direction of Pop music… Pop has had a big resurgence, and where its headed is anybody’s guess. It’s so hard to forecast because you never know what will become Pop. A year ago I would never had guessed My Chemical Romance would become a Pop record but it did. Our research is telling us that the audience is a little more accepting of broader genres of music.

Kobe on the genres of music that are researching best… Research is very song driven. It seems like theNickelback’s, Fray’s, Hinder’s and that genre is doing really well. It also seems like the songs that have good scores, have good scores forever. We just moved Beyonce out of power, and we put that record into power before Christmas.

Karson With A K on what genre isn’t researching all that well… Hip-Hop records are not resonating with our online research right now and I think a year ago that was not the case.

 

Skywalker on the importance of using your gut… We have always had room to “go with gut”. While we may not have all the access to certain research methods being on the smaller end of things as far parent company is concerned, but on the other hand we have total autonomy with music selection. If we feel a record is right for K104 we can go with it…no strings attached. That’s a great freedom these days.

Kobe on the use of research and gut… No matter how you cut it, you have to use your gut. Callout is a tool, but you can’t overplay your hand with it. Part of it is local callout, part is Clear Channel consolidated callout, part is downloads from itunes and Wal-Mart, part is market play. We look at it as a big pie, and gut does play a role in the mix.

Billy The Baby DJ on reading records and knowing your market… You have to pick the correct Rhythmic tracks to make your station successful. Since the world of Hip-Hop and R&B is growing everyday, we need to be careful not to let our personal feelings about a song get in the way of playing a hit. If you don’t know the market you are in, get out there and ask!

Jon Zellner on the importance of the 18-24 demo cell discovering music on radio… One of Pop radio’s biggest challenges is keeping 18-24s interested in finding the music on the radio. We live in an on-demand world and I wonder if the model needs to be adjusted. Are 18-24 year-olds really finding new music on the radio anymore? Is call-out and AMT info relevant at all? I have always maintained that radio in some form will always win out over theiPod because of the element of surprise and the element of discovery. Music fans need to hear the music first before they download or buy it.

Tony Waitekus on the biggest changes in the radio/record promotion relationship versus 1-2 years ago… You almost need a lawyer to get a box of CD’s to give away. There are fewer releases, so the pressure for labels to bring home the releases they have is intense. Although that pressure has always been intense, it’s now as high as it’s ever been.

Natalie Randall on the record/radio relationship… First I must figure out if I should answer this on the blue sheet or the pink sheet of paper provided… Everything has changed for us. It’s a different day and age when it comes to radio and record companies working together. Everything must be documented and double checked. It takes a lot more time to get things done now, but the extra paperwork is worth keep the relationships alive and well.

** QB Content by Bob Burke & Fred Deane **

Also in the April Issue:

Q&A with WNOU (Radio Now 93.1)/Indianapolis APD/MD Tim Rainey The Nevada native has passion for the music he plays, respect for his listeners and his understanding of the future of not only his radio station, but radio in general, far surpasses his young age. He has set the bar very high to succeed and brings to the table a fresh and positive attitude.