Re: Rolling Stones Fight for Radio Play, Hire Expert

Now, thanks to Clear Channel, radio is so fractured into genres that there’s almost no place for an "oldies" act with new material

Not quite. Thanks to Clear Channel, stations are now limited to such short playlists — in an attempt to reach a particularly narrow demographic via unwavering repetition — that traditional radio completely sucks. Meant to be a carrot dangled in front of advertisers, this scheme is backfiring because the public really doesn't want to hear limited, one-dimensional programming.

Broadcast industry execs are so ignorant of what their own kids actually think is cool that they would also assume they wouldn't be interested in hearing the latest from the Rolling Stones — the World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band's best work in two decades.

Where Clear Channel has said, 'No thanks,' the public — more in control of their aural surroundings than ever before — has given 'Rough Justice' the thumbs up.

More kids have heard — and liked — the new Stones single than traditional radio stations want to know; those kids didn't hear it one of those 407 times it was spun on Clear Channel-dominated airwaves. They listened to it and bought the whole album on iTunes (the place where more and more of today's youth are hearing and buying the majority of their music). As a result, 'A Bigger Bang' currently sits at #2 on iTunes top selling albums, second to only to the this year's ubiquitous (and super-talented) rap artist Kanye West. 'A Bigger Bang' is actually an iTunes sales leader to releases by younger — and supposedly 'hipper' — acts such as the Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, and Green Day, which rank #5, #7, and #9, respectively.

As far as hiring an expert to increase spins, what superstar-level recording artist doesn't? It's the music business, and that’s how it works. Too bad radio execs only see it as the advertisement business. If traditional radio thought a bit differently, they might not lose so many listeners to satellite radio and iPods.