Music research…big thing I always get asked about by listeners and non-listeners, that and what time do I get up and why aren’t I as funny as Chris Moyles!

Radio 2 told me about some research they did.
Played a very new unknown song, one group heard it with a dj saying how much he loved it and they might too… next group heard to cold no intro

You already know the results, sure this is radio 2 and the jocks are mostly household names but its raises an interesting point

If we have presenters who we value and trust on air and hope the punters do as well I think sometimes it would be good for them to take a chance on pushing a new song, in the right show and right artist, even if it never became a big hit. Its all about the perception and the audience become more involved.

I remember asking an old head of music about playing a song by a band called the White Stripes, I’d imported it from the States, they had never heard of them and said ‘no’. This was back on Xfm. Three weeks later John Peel played it and they repaid his belief by sticking him in a bloody video!! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME!!

I know there is an art in science involved, as there is in what I do but…we invest so much in music testing yet when a text or email comes in from a punters moaning about a certain song or artist its “bloody idiot”. weird huh?

I remember me and Andy Ashton (Former PD XFM) thinking about once a week letting them vote off a playlsited song and vote in a new one, pretty radical in a way. We never did it, I wonder what would happen if we did that?

One of the many exciting things about whats happening with you guys getting involved is the chance to pressure test and look at not only our audience and non-audience perceptions of us but also our own preconceived ideas of how we do radio. Giles Squire used to hold his playlist meeting and drive them all nuts but getting up and checking emails and make calls whilst the songs were being played

“Giles what the f**k are you doing” the poor head of music would moan..”listening like our audience do, what was the last one, I think I liked it..?”

back to my book and word count

Christian