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Charlie wonders aloud about Atlanta Top 40 Radio
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Date: Oct 06, 2099 I'd like to take a moment to step up on my soapbox so please hear me out. This issue goes far beyond just the Backstreet Boys but because I am a BSB fan first and foremost, I'd like to share my problem with my fellow fans. When I have attended concerts in the past, I have often heard artists thank the fans in attendance for buying their albums and also calling radio stations and requesting their songs. I'm no expert on the music industry, but it is clear to me that album sales are not the only deciding factor in song ranking on top 100 charts. Radio airplay has a lot to do with this ranking. I currently live in Atlanta, Georgia, which I believe has the 6th largest radio market in the country. You would think that a city that has multi-national corporations, championship sports teams and that has hosted the Olympics would have a radio station that has some knowledge of what the listening public wants to hear. Now Atlanta does have a radio station which considers it's format to be "top 40" however, myself and others have faced hostility when calling this radio station to request not only BSB songs, but also songs of a similar genre (i.e. Nsync, 98 degrees, Christina Aguilera, etc.) It angers me to know that songs and artists that are in the TOP 10 are never heard on top 40 radio. Some examples of problems I have encountered with Atlanta radio are as follows:
At the time "All I Have To Give" was a top 5 single, I never once heard it played on the Top 40 station. (The Adult Contemporary stations played it, but not the Top 40 station.) When I called to request AIHTG, I was told that the station had the song, but was choosing not to play it. This was followed by the DJ all but hanging up on me. This situation not only happened to me, but also to others I know. AIHTG was finally played on Top 40 radio in Atlanta but not until about a week before "I Want It That Way" was released. My radio listening is not limited to a few short hours each day. I work in an office 8 to 10 hours a day with Top 40 radio playing constantly and of course the radio plays in my car during my daily commute. I can count on one hand the number of times I have heard songs played in the last year by other groups or individuals who can be considered "peers" of the BSB. (One exception is Brittany Spears, she seems to be played at least a half a dozen times a day.) On a positive note, I am happy to announce that Atlanta has just recently acquired an alternative Top 40 station. 95.5 "The Beat" only went on the air on October 1st, but I can already tell that they will make a huge difference in Atlanta radio. In the first two hours I listened, I heard IWITW and LTL! This of course is a great achievement in my opinion! It's wonderful to hear not only BSB, but also other Pop acts with hit songs that deserve to be played on the radio. Fans of such music shouldn't have to beg for it to be played. There is a place on the radio for Pop and R&B musical acts that don't necessarily play instruments! I would be interested to know if my problem is an isolated one, or are fans of Pop music in other cities having similar experiences. There is no excuse for it. We constitute a very large part of the music buying public and deserve to be heard and treated with respect. I would appreciate any feedback anyone would like to share with me. Thank you for listening.
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