July 2019 – The UnConsultant

Monthly Archives: July 2019

WAS MAREN MORRIS – “GIRL” A # ONE RECORD?

Music Library / tagged Columbia Nashville, consultant, country radio consultant, Dr Jada Watson, Fake Charts, fun factor, fun factor in radio, higher ratings, Jada Watson, Keith Hill, Maren Morris, muisc logs, music logs for radio, music scheduling, Musicmaster, Nielsen ratings, On the Verge, radio consultant, radio consulting, radio programming, radio station remotes, stop sets, Tenille Townes, tomato gate, unconsultant, uOttawa, WSFD / July 31, 2019 / by Keith Hill

Was Maren Morris – “Girl” a # ONE record?

Well, Yes AND No.

Yes, it was manipulated to the #1 spot.

Had Columbia not called and asked stations to hold back on spins on Luke Combs – Beer Never Broke My Heart the song “Girl” by Maren Morris would probably never reached the #1 spot on any chart.

Now Columbia can do what it wants.

Including calling stations and asking them to play a song LESS!

Ironic.

I thought record “promotion” fundamentally was about getting more spins and exposure on their records.

Did Columbia want the Luke Combs record to be played less?

Was there an underlying agenda?

Without Columbia asking radio stations to spin Luke Combs less would Maren have had a #1 with Girl?

Know how to read the charts every week. For help navigating the fake charts and record company landmines the UnConsultant can help.

252-453-8888 unconsult@aol.com

BREAK THE RULES????? CRS 360

Music Library / tagged consultant, country radio consultant, Dr Jada Watson, fun factor, fun factor in radio, higher ratings, Jada Watson, Keith Hill, library, music, music logs, music logs for radio, music scheduling, Musicmaster, Nielsen ratings, On the Verge, radio consultant, radio consulting, radio programming, radio station remotes, stop sets, Tenille Townes, tomato gate, unconsultant, uOttawa / July 26, 2019 / by Keith Hill

BREAK THE RULES?

Yesterday was another CRS 360 Webinar. Let’s play what did we learn!

Joey Tack is new to the Country format.

Chris Huff has been in the Country format his entire radio career.

Cumes in Country are atrophying.

More share erosion is on the younger end nationally.

There is speculation that the “sameness” is a sound problem.

The chart speed is an issue for radio and records.

Tack said, make your station exciting. (Homer Simpson says doh!)

I didn’t expect Huff who is a smart programmer to give up any secrets. But I’ve noticed that after being the bride’s maid several times (APD who didn’t get the PD nod) that now as PD of KILT for the first time KILT is beating KKBQ.

I’ve listened online, I hear why KILT is now winning. Bravo Chris!

But can I posit an idea?

Let’s go back to something really basic.

Define “Country” as a music genre.

25 years ago at Country Radio Seminar Moon Mullins stood up and said, “it’s songs that have some twang, with themes of a country lifestyle about real-life and that folks could relate to. AND we’re still a format where you can hear the words.”

I think the “sameness” argument masks the REAL PROBLEM.

First. There is cume atrophy because we are the big fish and there are lots of smaller fish nipping at us. Lots of DSP online choices now compete with us for attention and time. Hence, some of the cume erosion is real. For the fix please see the “make your radio station exciting” suggestion above.

Second. Too much of what is purveyed by Nashville doesn’t match the expectation of the country music consumer.

There are sonics that they expect in country music.

Third. Take Chances YES! But don’t be stupid. I’m amazed that so few radio folks do not understand that Spotify, YouTube, and purchasing music product is a very different experience from listening (using) radio. Streaming and Shazam data are about as helpful to radio as a thermometer would be to measure linear distance. Great tool. Wrong application.