Comments on: James Otto - “For You”

By: hairandtoenails

hairandtoenails — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:00:12 +0000

I wouldn’t want it on my conscience either, but I’d also want a paycheck!

I don’t think I could last more than a few years in a job where I had to play music I despised, as I’d have a hard time living with myself after a while. But I could do it for a year or so maybe.

I imagine many radio people play music they hate. One DJ who hosts a local “hot talk” show in my area used to work for a country station. He has said on air that he doesn’t like country music, and he didn’t like the listeners either, but he wanted to be in radio so badly that he took the job until something more to his liking came along.

It makes me wonder how many country DJs and PDs secretly hate country music and the listeners too. I’d bet a good bit.

By: Chris N.

Chris N. — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:44:48 +0000

Still don’t know that I’d want that on my conscience.

By: hairandtoenails

hairandtoenails — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:07:36 +0000

I understand Frozenphan’s position too.

Believe me, while I think “Bob that Head” is a horrid song, if I worked at radio, I’d be playing it multiple times a day, as soon as it landed on my desk.

By: Jim Malec

Jim Malec — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:02:26 +0000

Frozenphan, I completely understand and I don’t blame you (or others in your position) when I talk about radio not wanting to take chances. It’s true that I don’t think the format is in a very healthy state right now, but there’s no single factor which makes that the case.

By: frozenphan

frozenphan — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:25:33 +0000

We go by our ears. If it sounds like a hit, we’ll track it. We’ve been playing “Chicken Fried” for a month already.
And RF is a core artist. Just like Kenny C, it’s an automatic add. And frankly we’re not programming to snobs here, we need to get big numbers to make a living.

By: leeann

leeann — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:16:06 +0000

I’m gonna have to agree with Matt B here (you know how I hate to do that:)) and question the upbeatness of “Just Got Started Lovin You.” Everytime I heard it on the air, I considered it to be mid-tempo at best. While I’m not loving this song, I don’t see how it has to stall his career. It definitely doesn’t seem like something that stations have to “refuse” to play. I’m assuming you played “Everyday” by Rascal Flatts before the consultants forced you to? I hope your answer is no though. I’d feel much better about radio stations in that case.

By: Jim Malec

Jim Malec — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:03:06 +0000

I think it’s telling that within four comments of each other, we have two different radio professionals voicing very different takes on the same track.

That doesn’t bode well in a format where programmers aren’t taking a lot of chances.

By: frozenphan

frozenphan — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:55:10 +0000

I’m talking the impact it had here at our station. Great testing record. And still one of our top requests.
The new song ain’t goin on the air until the consultant makes us.

And yes, it sounded uptempo on the air.

By: Matt B.

Matt B. — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:20:53 +0000

Frozenphan,

When was “Just Got Started Lovin’ You” a ‘great uptempo song?” Great? yes. Uptempo? Did you listen to the same record as I did? This will be a slow climb but it shouldn’t ’stall his career.’

By: frozenphan

frozenphan — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:59:44 +0000

Labels think if they have a hit with a great upbeat song, they get a pass for that artist to release a boring ballad next.
So James Otto’s career stalls for a second time.