
Dear Terrestrial Radio – An Open Letter for Improvement
Hi. I still listen to you. Not as much as I did in college while working at a bakery, listening to KROQ and K-EARTH. But I still do, when streaming audio gets choked by unreliable Wi-Fi. Or the perils of selecting literally any song becomes my Sophie’s Choice. You are a passive listening experience, but I can’t just sit back and consume obediently anymore.
Look, I understand your audiences are increasingly looking to other media for music, and you need those advertising dollars. So you desperately play new and popular songs ad nauseam. But what about those who peddle the so-called classics? You’re close-minded gatekeepers. And you make assumptions based on the archaic idea that most people pigeonhole their ears. Or that women artists scare off listeners.
Here’s some news for you that Arbitron won’t admit: Folks listen to everything these days. So before you DJs at the oldies or classic rock stations play “Don’t Stop Believin’” for the 90 millionth time, consider Buddy Holly. Or Johnny Cash. Or Elvis, for Pete’s sake. When’s the last time you kissed the king’s ring? He is still an icon. Treat him as such.
And don’t act as though artists like Tom Petty didn’t have hits outside of “American Girl.” Dare to play “You Don’t Know How It Feels” or “The Last DJ” (or is that one too prescient?).
Learn from KCSN, a Los Angeles-area college station. They air new and old songs, dusting off forgotten gems that put a smile on commuters’ faces. (“Dizz Knee Land” by dada? Heck yes!) And they have the balls to play female artists. How about a little love for Dead Sara or R&B divas not named Beyoncé?
You’re still alive, terrestrial radio. But I’m thisclose to kicking you to the curb unless you go to rehab.
Photo by Strecosa/Pixabay/Creative Commons
More from Melissa Bobbitt (See All)
Davey Von Bohlen Might Be Rock's Cleverest Lyricist
Melissa Bobbitt 0Milwaukee supergroup Maritime, which merged emo cheerleaders the Promise Ring and the Dismemberment Plan, are blessing us with their newest album, Magnetic Bodies/Maps of Bones on Oct. 16 via Dangerbird. A standout trait of this...
Oct 12, 2015Album reviews - '90s angst edition
Melissa Bobbitt 0Despite the turning of the page, the '90s are still all the rage. Coincidentally, two of that decade's biggest ragers, Fiona Apple and the Smashing Pumpkins, release new albums this week. One has...
Jun 18, 2012Comments
Recent posts
Subscribe!
Receive updates on what's going on in live entertainment, events, and music.