April 29, 2005

New Rock Radio: Passé?

Again, the debate rekindled.

"The format in the last couple of years has gone through an identity crisis. You have stations that are too cool, that move too quickly and are only playing the coolest music, which doesn't at the end of the day attract enough of the audience. Or you have the other extreme, dumb rock, red-state rock that the cool kids just flat out aren't into." - Kevin Weatherly, program director of KROQ

Channel Z was definitely the station that moved quickly. Too quickly is debatable. I will say it was a struggle at times to keep up with new music, as sometimes they seemed to stay on a 'new music rotate' for a week or so, then put into the mash and 'lost' - especially tracks that would have had legs. It seemed like those songs just vanished after a month. By that time, it'd made the ZM/Edge playlist and Channel Z was already onto the followup single.

Its a reflection of how much priority the record companies put into rock music, when released alongside artists like Frankie J etc..

Its a reflection that if ZM/Edge are playing the song, it may no longer be perceived as 'cool' by a Channel Z audience (or programming). I know that GeorgeFM keep an eye on ZM when they playlist artists like Armand Van Helden, or that shocker by Eric Prydz. As soon as its on ZM, its off George (or a low rotate if its unavoidable).

Perhaps it would have been better to age these singles and build a stronger back library? Im not saying thin out the pickings of new singles and keep the same d-dates for songs in categoeirs, im saying keep recurrents on longer. This may strengthen a rock format?

The only other comment id have about rock formats would be its message, aside from the music. Are their personalities boofheads, or knowledgeable. Is it entertaining and progressive or liner/sales/promo driven radio shows?

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