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Music industry troubles caused by radio?

Apparently the music business is in trouble. For the first time since the Beatles, sales are diminishing. Some people think it's because of internet downloading and perhaps that is part of the problem but I think it's more because there's not much new worth listening to. The thing is, I'm sure there are amazing musicians out there who we're just not hearing. They probably fall outside of the narrow range of music that most radio stations choose to play.

I can remember discovering FM in the '70s. It was amazing. Low key, huge variety, minimal commercial content, and whole album sides sometimes. In the '80s, I enjoyed a paricularly cool modern rock station where once again, variety ruled. Then along came the '90s. The bean counters took over and issued an edict that the same 40 songs should be played over and over ad nauseum. Pick a genre and you can almost predict the song that will be played based on the time of day. With less variety, there are fewer opportunities to introduce new artists and a bland, homogenized form of radio pap results.

Maybe I'm just becoming an old fart but I can't think of many bands worth mentioning that actually came on the scene in the '90s. The artists that I find are still worth listening to emerged in the '60s, '70s and '80s and continue to record today.

There might be reason for hope. If XM can offer a more diverse pallate of music, maybe some of the fun of radio could return.
jlambrick
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ncarv
983 posts
 
I think you're right on target with regard to where the music industry problems come from. It doesn't help that Congress passed the telecommunications act a few years ago that allowed ownership of more than six stations. That meant station were worth a lot more money and large companies could come in and consolidate -- like Clear Channel and others. I know a guy who owned an FM rock station that was valued at $6 million during his divorce a year before the act was passed. Less than a year after the act, he sold if for $60 million. More cost means less risk and the need for greater mass appeal, which doesn't comport with a more diverse and segmented market.
As for new artists, there are some terrific ones, only because of radio, they're hard to find. I absolutely love Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Alejandro Escovedo, Wilco and a bunch more, but haven't found them through radio.
There are a number of radio stations that are available online and do play music out of the limited range of most stations. Try this public radio show from L.A.: http://www.kcrw.com/show/mb
I just heard about it on NPR last Saturday, haven't had a chance to listen yet, but sounds promising.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
on the FM radio there is more than 99% pop and in NY is 70% hip-hop.
i prefere to listen something on vinyl or cd that is not heard on the radio.
tok20000's avatar
tok20000
608 posts
 
If you want to pay the $10/month for XM radio...

I do not know if the XM business plan is a good one. People have been getting free radio for nearly a century, and paying for it is much like swallowing a bitter pill.

However, people do pay more for cable and satelite TV...

KF
hockey
32 posts
 
As with most posts here all of you bring up great points but in the end the blame has got to come down to the record industry itself. There may be other things that affect their sales but inevitably it comes down to to their lack of response to these conditions.
Very stupid recording industry executives are quick to blame the internet for declining sales. If the Internet provides exposure to a product and sales decline is it the Internet's fault or does it have everything to do with an inferior product? Is a free download nothing more than a free sample? If you hear a great song or album aren't you very likely to seek out- and pay to see or buy other releases - from this artist? I know I do.
But if you plan much more short-sided where you shove a "hit" song by the next "great" new artist down the public's throat via airplay along with the 450,000 airing of "Sympathy for the Devil", and then try to sell their album with 45 minutes of noise, people get leary. Bottom line - people will buy, and more importantly come back and buy again, a good product. Sorry but I can ramble on about this forever.

Kevin
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