User Generated Playlisting? by Ben Jones

17Jul

Remember when they first put TV cameras in the Houses of Parliament? Remember when DVD’s started coming with all the behind the scenes footage? Remember seeing how your favourite magic trick was done? All things that happened and we, the public, were never used to seeing or being part of it.

But being part of something gives you a sense of having your say, being involved, having an opinion, and someone actually listening to it. Which is why we on those 6 desks on the 1st floor want you involved in something that has never normally been an open event.

PLAYLIST!!

Let’s be honest, everyone has an opinion on the music currently played by Virgin Radio. Good opinions, bad opinions and the occasional “have you only got 6 CD’s” comments that never go unnoticed. So why does Virgin Radio play what it does? I don’t really know, lots of reasons I guess, some of which have already been discussed on this blog. What I can tell you is the new station, the new brand WILL be different.

Part of that difference could come from you. You can shape the sound of the new station. You listen already, you will spend lots of time listening and talking about the new station. Chances are you like music, and you have favourite tracks and songs you loathe. Classics you want to hear more of and new bands you think should be heard by the masses.

So we in programming want to invite you to join us on that most secret (but not so anymore) of meetings, ‘Playlist’. Clive is very keen to get as many of you involved as you would like. Each week we’ll pick a different person from all sides of the business to come to the meeting, listen and debate the songs available. You’ll get an insight in to why some decisions are made or not made and help us mould this exciting new brand, whose primary product is what comes out the speakers. Rest assured we want your positive AND negative thoughts on the songs being discussed.

I think this is a fantastic idea, and look forward to hearing your thoughts. If you would like to be involved please email me directly:

Ben.jones@timlradio.co.uk

Comments (4)

Matt D @ July 18, 2008 at 12:19 pm | Permalink

Hello,

Why not stream the meeting (or a post-meeting edited version)?

Matt.
Anonymous @ July 18, 2008 at 2:00 pm | Permalink

Snow Patrol and James Blunt should never, ever, make up part of a radio station’s playlist. Ever.
Matt D @ July 20, 2008 at 9:12 pm | Permalink

@anonymous

Looks like a few people like Snow Patrol/Chasing Cars – and like it still – have a look at the shoutbox:
http://www.last.fm/music/Snow+Patrol/_/Chasing+Cars
Jason Bourne @ July 21, 2008 at 9:23 am | Permalink

I fully understand the reasoning for the selection of tracks; they have to be well-known and recognisable so that the majority of listeners will be happy with their choice of station.

What does annoy me that Virgin (like a lot of other stations) do play the well-known songs from particular bands and artists but they tend to ignore lots of other well-known songs from them as well which could easily be played and add to the variety of the music played.

Franz Ferdinand have more than the 1/2 tracks that Virgin play. Take Me Out and Do You Want To? are excellent tracks but what’s the problem with playing Matinee, Walk Away and Michael? Surely for a station that claims to have listeners that know about their music, it’s concievable that the station play tracks by artists which may not get the air-play they should fully deserve.
They surely won’t tune out and wonder who is being played. I could easily cite a number of other bands and artists which only have 1/2 songs according to Virgin when the number of well-known tracks by them are far greater.

I also wonder about their policy on new music. Core Virgin bands/artists seem to get overlooked when they have new music out for reasons which I have no idea about. A prime example currently is Primal Scream. We’ve all heard them play Country Girls, Rocks etc but where is the airplay of the new single: Can’t Go Back? Is there also something wrong with Lookout Sunshine by The Fratellis, Mansized Wreath by REM, Steve McQueen by The Automatic that they haven’t been playlisted either?

I also hear tracks that could fit really well on Virgin but are overlooked too. The Last Shadow Puppets are an example of this too. Standing Next to Me would fit well and surely would fit better than a band such as The Script or artist Gabriella Cilmi who have no history in the UK music industry. I had never heard of them before they got played on Virgin and I don’t think they fit well whatsoever.

I’m not gonna be too big-headed to demand that Chasing Cars is taken off. I don’t mind a few Snow Patrol songs but I have grown to hate Chasing Cars. I don’t think it’s a great song anyway as would much rather hear some more upbeat songs. I even thing Set the Fire to the Third Bar deserved more airplay.

Anyway, that’s my scribbling of thoughts on a Monday morning..