You are currently browsing the category archive for the 'Guest Bloggers' category.
I am in love with music.
From my early years of Shaun Cassidy posters strewn upon every wall, dancing with a leotard to mimic Olivia Newton John, and getting ready in Rob’s room after he left for school…just so I could listen to his Loverboy album.
I carried a Bee Gees lunchbox, and sang Linda Ronstadt songs in the shower. I ripped my sweatshirts and believed I would live forever. I held the line and I fought the feeling. And oh Mickey…you really were so fine.
I remember Matt tripping over his roller-skates asking me out to the song “Truly”. I remember Mike giving me a Madonna cassette at my locker in Jr. High. I remember Julie weeping because we were in the same room with John, Nick, Simon, and whoever those other two were.
My first concert was Elton John. My favorite was The Kinks. But the best memory had to be toasting with tequila in the scorching sun as the sky opened up and the rain soaked us down to the sound of Eddie Vedder singing the lyric “sheets of empty canvas…” at Lollapalooza.
I danced with Dan to Etta James and drove with Dave to Steely Dan.
Greg thought I was the one after he saw me in blue jeans with my pearls. Jim thought that too after a night with Annie Lennox. And didn’t we all make out in the car to Fleetwood Mac at some point in time?
From “Wonderful” to “Witchy Woman” the music has made my mood. And Alanis must have been reading my mind to have gotten those lyrics so right.
I steal the jukebox with 17 picks of classic rock and own the atmosphere with Boston, Journey, Heart, and Robert Plant. Miles and Muddy, Rod and Jethro, Frank & Dean and Aretha too…they all get a spin sometimes.
I’ve played the “Wicked Game” and I’ve bet on “The Gambler”. I’ve even traveled down the “Red Dirt Road” just to find myself “Home” again.
I’m your biggest fan and your loudest cheerleader. Your most appreciative target. Thank you for hitting the bull’s-eye.
You’ve flown me to the moon and made me go a little crazy sometimes.
Through purple rains, down yellow brick roads, up solsbury hills and into jungles…you’ve shown me the way.
You are the soundtrack of my life and my stroll down memory lane. You inspire, encourage, and strengthen me through the strum of your guitar.
Some enjoy a painting, others a sculpture or two. I live for the tune that turns through my head over and over again.
Chord after chord after chord, you wake me and chill me and turn me on. Song after song after song you nail my emotion to the wall and cause me to cry out loud.
Every lyric, every melody, every hook…gets me every time.
And I love you.
Elizabeth Grattan is a freelance broadcast talent/writer and owner of RADIOELIZABETH. Her clients have included Sirius Satellite Radio, Clear Channel Communications, Salem Communications, Relevant Magazine, & Curb Records, among others. For demos and links to additional writings, visit www.radioelizabeth.com.
The recent news that Wal-Mart is demanding a CD price cut from record labels sent ripples throughout the music industry. Wal-Mart is the nation’s largest music retailer, and they are threatening to pull out entirely from selling CD’s to make room for more profitable product lines (such as iPods, video games, DVD’s). The chain’s recent success selling the Eagles CD exclusively (bypassing traditional labels and music distribution) gives them even more leverage in a rapidly changing music retailing landscape.
Other music retailers watching from the sidelines will await the outcome of this latest skirmish and will also demand concessions of their own to remain competitive. With the costs of doing business at the labels (including finding, launching and developing new artists) on the increase the pressures mount on several fronts. Labels and artists are being pressured to perform like never before.
If Wal-Mart decides to stop selling CD’s it will not have a significant impact on their sales, as they maintain music only accounts for about 1% of their sales volume. Unfortunately the labels (especially certain genres like country) rely on Wal-Mart to the tune of about 40% or more of their sales base on every release. Imagine the quantum shift Wal-Mart’s exodus would create for the music industry. Labels are struggling as-is to not only break new artists but maintain sales bases for their established acts at retail.
Digital sales, while on the upswing do not offset the losses on the physical side at retail. Another trend is the consumer’s desire to pick and choose only the hits, or the songs they like and not the entire album. The next generation of music consumers will not be tied to the prior generation’s album-mentality when it comes to their buying habits. Labels and artists have to develop new sales models to maintain revenue streams and incentivize consumers to step up for their product. Many are experimenting with product exclusives, such as bonus tracks and video content. Some are attempting to drive customers to their web sites for bonus material or opportunities for fans to obtain early access to concert tickets.
The emergence of Live Nation (who recently inked several high-profile deals with the likes of Madonna and U2) as a powerhouse in the music industry indicates the savvy artist is taking more control over key aspects of their careers. The labels are seeking new models and partnerships with retail and radio, along with Internet vehicles to expose artists to consumers. The competition for the entertainment dollar is fierce in the marketplace, as today’s buyer has many more choices than their predecessors.
MySpace, Facebook and other web-based environments are finding their foothold as launching pads for new artists to grow and cultivate fan bases. The marketing gurus in this new arena are seeking and finding alternatives to traditional radio and TV outlets to expose their art. Consumer-driven and designed content is the new conduit. The music and entertainment customer wants to make their choices and have their individual stamp on the finished product, whether it’s picking their own songs to burn to CD or designing their blog pages.
Another challenge this creates for the labels is the artist development process. How long can a company stick with a new artist until they see payoff? What costs should be shared by the artist in this plan? Look at the development of classic artists like Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, et al (neither of which had early commercial or radio success) and wonder if they would have stood a chance in today’s environment. Where is the next generation, and who is passing the baton? The future of the industry will evolve at its own pace, but hopefully the “gatekeepers” will make the right decisions and there will continue to be viable artists.
Meantime, the retail landscape will continue to be a challenge for the labels and the artists, regardless of who is in charge or picking up the checks…
David Sanders is Nashville Label Manager for Koch Entertainment Distribution
KYGO Denver PD Joel Burke has authored another great piece to share……..
TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD!
By Joel Burke
I flipped on the television the other night and began clicking through the endless channels. My choices were either reality shows or one program after another featuring bad news or trashy gossip. It made me wonder if there’s anything good happening!
So, in my next round of weekly meetings with each person who works for me, I started off by asking them to tell me something good that had happened to them in the past week, no matter how big or how small!
One person after another gave me a blank stare. Each one tilted their head and looked away like a dog that hears a high-pitched sound. It was as if I was asking for the solution to a chemistry problem. After some prodding and asking questions, I finally began to hear a trickle of thoughts, dripping out like a slow leaky faucet.
This weeklong experiment showed me that if I asked people to talk about “something bad” that had happened in the past week, the responses would be swift. I’m sure I would hear every detail, and that water faucet would be turned on full blast.
Why do we remember and dwell on every bad experience that comes along no matter how big or how small? And why, at the same time, can’t we remember when someone at the grocery store let us cut in line because we had fewer items?
Read the rest of this entry »
RADIO IN 3D
by Daniel Anstandig
Radio cannot grow if its operators insist on constricting the delivery of their brands to the sense of sound. Sure, there is no way around the fact that “speakers to ears” is our primary delivery method. Still, listeners and advertisers are now challenging radio stations to “think outside the speakers” into the interactive world. They want three-dimensional radio.
Many advertisers are now convinced that an audio ad is no longer enough to reach their customers. New Media has opened up new options to reach consumers—outside of television and radio, and local direct advertisers are buying campaigns that are “diversified” in nature. Radio/advertising companies that offer a multi-dimensional solution to advertisers (including audio, online showcasing, online lead generation, etc.) are more likely to win the lion-share of the business. Many of the radio companies we consult on building their digital marketing/sales strategies have reported that the street-level enthusiasm for radio buys with an interactive bend is at an all-time high.
McVay New Media’s 2008 Interactive Revenue forecast is calling for a 9% increase in this year’s spending on local banner ads alone. Across the United States in 2008, we will see approximately $10 Billion spent on local internet advertising by local direct buyers. Last year, radio is estimated to have pulled a whopping 1% share of that revenue.
These numbers concur with a study done by Borrell and Associates, which estimates that only 1.1% of last year’s $8.5 Billion spent in local online advertising (banners, audio/video streaming, and paid search engine placement combined) went to a radio station. Approximately $1.2 Billion dollars in streaming audio/video advertising alone will be placed online by local advertisers in 2008 (up 317% from 2007). It is estimated that $6.3 Billion will be spent by local advertisers on banner ads alone.
Broadcasters now stand at a cross-roads on whether to further include interactive media into their advertising-product-portfolio or not. The operators that effectively include interactive media in their strategies for audience and revenue growth will see returns this year. The operators without a vision for including interactive in their plans will leave money on the table—and sacrifice dollars to local internet portals.
Tell Me a Story
By: Daniel Anstandig
Music legend Ray Charles once said that he “was born with music inside” himself. It could be said that the best loved songs in history are the ones that resonate and harmonize with the music inside of us.
Country music is best known for producing these songs that reach into the souls of their listeners. The stories told by many Country songs can make your heart race, put a lump in your throat, and send tears down your face. They’re the songs and stories that have turned country radio stations into empires.
The world’s most powerful and best loved radio stations aren’t without persuasive stories themselves. Case in point: KLBJ in Austin… not just another radio station. It’s the radio station that was rescued from bankruptcy in 1942 by young entrepreneur, Lady Bird Johnson. KLBJ does a terrific job of summarizing their rich history at www.590klbj.com/History. WMMS is known in Cleveland (and beyond) as a way of life for Clevelanders more than a music service. Its logo (the Buzzard) and the many bands it made famous have kept it alive in Cleveland pop culture for years. WSM in Nashville catapulted its way into music history with the Grand Ol’ Opry. Read the rest of this entry »
WHO’S COMING OVER TO DINNER?
By Joel Burke
It was a hot and dusty day in May of 1927. An 18-year old dreamer was graduating from Oak Cliff High School in Dallas, Texas. He was already enrolled to attend Rice University in Houston to study architecture. He wrote about his hopes and wishes, in his high school scrapbook.
On one page he wrote about his experience while riding a mule, in the mud, to a party. He had a fun night that included chicken for dinner with homemade ice cream for desert. His college years at Rice were fulfilling and he was close to graduation. His dream of becoming an architect was getting closer and closer.
During the summer of 1931, he met a young lady who was a senior in high school. Read the rest of this entry »
