26th May 2010

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This Will Never Happen →

I agree with more or less everything Novoselic says in this column, but commercial radio is never going to turn people on to anything. Not the way it is now.

Break up the corporate media plutarchy, and then maybe we’ll see some interesting radio. But until that happens, don’t expect to hear anything but the same 40 songs you already know, especially on classic rock radio. The whole format is based around playing shit you remember.

In other formats, it’s not much better. It’s all about not being noticed. When you play something new, interesting, or different, you freak people out. Novoselic says “If it changes one person’s life, then it’s all worth it,” and I agree, but corporate media doesn’t operate on ethical directives. It’s not about making people’s lives better, it’s about not driving anyone away.

The sad truth is that most people don’t want to hear something they don’t already know (or, at least, that’s what they think). So, if you want to turn people on to new, interesting, different stuff, it won’t happen on commercial radio. That’s not what it’s for. Their listeners change the station when they hear something they don’t recognize or understand. Most people actually interested in the kind of experience Novoselic suggests quickly tire of commercial radio, because it can’t really promote the personal musical growth we’re looking for much longer than 40 songs worth. After that playlist runs out, you look elsewhere.

Tagged: wait when did this get political