I heard a comment on SA Idols recently - something about the most popular music is determined by the buying public. Now this is [if you think about it for half a minute] a totally misleading statement. [In fact it's a load of crud!].
Why do I say this?
The radio stations will tell you that they play what the public wants, and that the 'playlists' they base their programs on are garnered from 'sales' stats gathered from a select number of music vendors ie. the dj's are given lists of songs / artists that they must adhere to while on air and strict guidelines regarding these are enforced. Deviations from the playlists are severely frowned upon, so their hands are tied [unless they don't mind losing their jobs].
Now it is quite obvious that the 'buying public' will only buy what they hear, so in fact, by slanting the choice of music the radio stations determine what is bought, not the other way around. It's a joke. The radio stations, not the vendors push the music on the public, then their marketing statisticians collect info on what was sold and, wonder of wonders, it's closely matches the playlists that have been foisted on the public over the past 8-16 weeks.
Only certain artists / types of music are allowed on the A-list and who knows what goes on in dark back rooms / alleyways / conference rooms / hotel rooms in the fight to make it onto this list!
This close-fisted, tightly controlled parody of what the music industry could be was instrumental in the emergence of the indie labels in the late '80's and '90's. They saw the light, and it was not good!
The base fact is that the buying public would change their buying patterns if they were exposed to a better [by this I mean broader] selection of music on radio and TV.
My question is simple: Who determines what ends up on the playlists? [ie. who decides who makes it onto the A-list].
My request is equally simple: Let the buying public actually have a real say in what they hear on radio and TV. Use the internet as a means to allow the buying public real choice for a change. It will change the industry world-wide. It would also take a large measure of control away from those who control the industry today, and they don't want this. At all. No more gravy train - and they might actually have to work for a change.
Like I said - It's a joke, and we're paying for it by having to suffer through [literally] mindless crud on music radio and TV all day. That's why I don't listen to the radio or watch music TV anymore. I get to choose my own playlists. I make my own destiny!
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