Sunday 12 June 2011

Boring daytime radio playlists

A few months ago my team at work moved offices. One of the plus points of moving was being able to listen to the radio again - or so I thought.

After three months I'm beginning to hate commercial radio as a result of their boring and predictable playlists.

Predictable in the sense that you could safely bet your entire life savings predicting what songs will be played everyday.

Capital FM is the station of choice in our office, which usually means listening to a Groundhog day selection from the likes of Rhianna, Adele, more Rhianna, Black Eyed Peas, and Lady GaGa.

What’s worse is that even stuff I like, I’ve started to hate. I love Adele and bought her second album when it first came out, but I don’t want to listen to her at home anymore because I hear her everyday at work.

As for Rhianna, I’m sick of hearing this girl! I was always pretty indifferent to her, but I’ve reached a point where everytime one of her songs comes on, I stop working, start shaking my head, before muttering to myself:

“For gods sake, you only played her 10 minutes ago!”

It got me thinking, is this what commercial radio is all about these days - playing the same 15 tunes all day everyday? It’s pathetic!

When did commercial radio become so boring?

I'm picking on Capital FM a bit, but they're not the only culprits. Heart FM and Magic are no better.

As for the supposedly ‘alternative’ radio station xfm, that’s just Heart FM for Indie kids. Safe and predictable indie with the same 10 records played everyday.

I don’t remember commercial radio being like this. Is there really such a lack of records out there that means stations have to continually play the same thing?

Thankfully there is an alternative and it comes in the form of Radio 2. It’s funny as when I was growing up Radio 2 always had an image of being a bit safe and middle of the road. It was a station for people who thought everything on Radio 1 and in the charts was for the kids.

Maybe it’s a sign I’m getting old, but I love Radio 2. Don’t get me wrong, I still like to think I’ve got a bit of an edge when it comes to my music tastes.

Even in my mid 30s I still love my Hip Hop and I’ll never get tired of underground House music, but Radio 2 ticks just about every box I want ticking when it comes to daytime radio.

Compared to commercial Radio, Radio 2 is pretty radical with a playlist that’s like a breath of fresh air. Their playlist is described as ‘Adult Contemporary’ or AOR. Well maybe I’m an AOR type of guy these days.

When I listen to the radio I want to hear stuff that’s around today, but I want to hear older stuff as well. Records I grew up listening to in the 80s and 90s along with older classic tracks. This is Radio 2.

I want records that make me think: ‘Yes… this is exactly what I want to hear right now, or ‘I haven’t’ heard this record in years!’

Not ‘I just heard this song 10 minutes ago, and it’s the 5th time today I’ve heard it’

Commercial radio doesn’t do this, well not the stations I’ve been listening to.

Thank god for Radio 2


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