What's Playing Where You Are?

[ACcountryFan]

And you were going to play "Invisible" in July 2003??? That's when the AI2 tour was in Worcester. That's odd because it didn't even go for adds until September.

===================

Did you notice in his curt little response that he completely skipped over this one? Previous to this reply, he responded to her questions item by item - until this came up. He conveniently left this item without a response. Hmmmmmm!! BUSTED!!

===================
: I've said it time and time and time again. Those DJs and PDs simply are not aware of how much the ClayNation keeps track of and is on top of things. They assume ClayFans can be lied to or given a BS story and we'll eat it up, believe it, and be happy. there is probably no other fan base that even knows what "add date" means! I'm sure that PD thought he could talk shop or talk over someone's head with mumbo-jumbo and the recipient believe it all :

i'm glad you caught that! He definately is busted or else he's so inept and forgetful that he can't recall which month or day that Clay pissed him off and what song he was going to start playing before he had his Diva moment and threw a hissy fit because "peasant" Clay didn't bow down and praise "king" MAGIC 106.7!

If anything, he should've been playing This is the Night or at least Bridge Over Troubled Water and not a song that hadn't even been decided yet as a single!!
=====================

This is nothing more than a PD that thinks his station is the mother of all stations, and Clay had the balls to tell them "NO" - so now he is gonna PAY.

 
====================
That's the childish part of it all as i was saying : with the peasant and king scenario.

All radio stations, large and small, want "bragging rights" if a single becomes a hit. They want to be seen as the station that "broke" the song nationally. that PO'd PD knows how popular Clay is and he was wanting to brag how his station 'broke' "Invisible"!! This is common. It's usually not talked about that much. I know a little bit about radio because i've researched the subject and the writings of Ralph Emery on the subject have proven valuable!!

A little story: there's a radio station in Columbus called WTVN. It's talk-radio now but back in the '50s they played Top-40 pop. Conway Twitty's career was launched into orbit when WTVN started playing "It's Only Make Believe" and soon, other stations jumped on the song and the rest is history...and for years, WTVN bragged about how they "started" Conway's career...even decades later when WTVN switched to talk-radio, and Conway went country, WTVN is still known among historians as the station that started his career. So, that's where the childish nature comes into play. Individual Program Directors {PDs for short} and DJs like to brag about their station's ratings and power, etc. and in Clay's case, that MAGIC station was and is pissed {even though RCA apologized...don't forget!} because they didn't get patronized because of them being "a big, powerful station" according to the MAGIC PD

[Pamela]

Artists like Madonna and Paul McCartney understand this. Clay Aiken evidently does not.

 
Have you ever thought to ask him again?? You know, send a reporter to where Clay is at in concert and get him to record the precious liner...would this guarantee airplay??

Probably not.  There is a clear bias evident in his words and his tone that nothing will change.  As much as we may want to hear Clay on the radio, it has been and will continue to be an uphill battle.  It's a catch-22.  If we request him, we're 'pestering' the DJs.  If we don't, they say there is no interest.  Either way, they win and Clay doesn't get played.

What to do about it - be positive.  Don't engage your local radio people in any kind of mass emailing or phone requesting campaigns.  Don't argue with them.  Don't tell them aobut Clay's awards or multi platinum sales. They know, and if they don't; they don't care.  

Do patronize the advertisers on any stations playing Clay, and then tell them why.

Do sign up for music rating research, participate in telephone music surveys, vote on countdowns and contests at your local stations websites and call in or email them 'thanks!' for playing the song when you hear it.  

If I could make one more suggestion -- if you request the song on your local stations, please keep your request focused on the song itself.  We may love Clay for all his many attributes, but no DJ or PD is going to play IWCY because Clay loves children, or because he is a nice guy, or because he is a studmuffin.  Just sayin!

[snarkasm]Also, you may want to either try to sound about 15 yrs old when you call in, or maybe drop your voice a couple of octaves.  It may help.  8) [/snarkasm]

[Pamela]

These are the CHR/Pop stations monitored by Mediabase for airplay numbers. Spins at these stations count!  If you are in the market of any of these stations, please give them a listen if you can and let us know if you hear IWCY!

Rank Market Station Owner

1 New York WHTZ-FM Clear Channel Communications
2 Los Angeles KIIS-FM Clear Channel Communications
3 Chicago WKSC-FM Clear Channel Communications
5 Dallas KHKS-FM Clear Channel Communications
6 Philadelphia WIOQ-FM Clear Channel Communications
7 Houston KRBE-FM Susquehanna Radio Corporation
8 Wash DC WIHT-FM Clear Channel Communications
9 Boston WXKS-FM Clear Channel Communications
10 Detroit WKQI-FM Clear Channel Communications
10 Detroit WDRQ-FM ABC Radio Incorporated
11 Atlanta WSTR-FM Jefferson-Pilot Communications
11 Atlanta WWWQ-FM Susquehanna Radio Corporation
12 Miami WHYI-FM Clear Channel Communications
14 Seattle KBKS-FM Infinity Broadcasting
16 Minneapolis KDWB-FM Clear Channel Communications
17 San Diego KHTS-FM Clear Channel Communications
18 Nassau-Suffolk WBLI-FM Cox Radio Inc
20 St. Louis KSLZ-FM Clear Channel Communications
21 Tampa WFLZ-FM Clear Channel Communications
22 Denver KFMD-FM Clear Channel Communications
23 Pittsburgh WKST-FM Clear Channel Communications
24 Portland KKRZ-FM Clear Channel Communications
25 Cleveland WAKS-FM Clear Channel Communications
26 Cincinnati WKFS-FM Clear Channel Communications
27 Sacramento KDND-FM Entercom
29 Kansas City KCHZ-FM Cumulus Broadcasting Inc
29 Kansas City KMXV-FM Infinity Broadcasting
30 San Antonio KXXM-FM Clear Channel Communications
30 San Antonio KELZ-FM Cox Radio Inc
31 Salt Lake City KZHT-FM Clear Channel Communications
31 Salt Lake City KUDD-FM Millcreek Broadcasting LLC
33 Milwaukee WXSS-FM Entercom
34 Providence WPRO-FM Citadel Communications Corporation
35 Columbus WNCI-FM Clear Channel Communications
37 Charlotte WNKS-FM Infinity Broadcasting
38 Orlando WXXL-FM Clear Channel Communications
41 Indianapolis WNOU-FM Emmis Communications
42 Austin KHFI-FM Clear Channel Communications
43 Greensboro WKZL-FM Dick Broadcasting Company Incorporated
44 Raleigh WDCG-FM Clear Channel Communications
45 Nashville WRVW-FM Clear Channel Communications
46 New Orleans WEZB-FM Entercom
47 West Palm WLDI-FM Clear Channel Communications
49 Hartford WKSS-FM Clear Channel Communications
50 Jacksonville WAPE-FM Cox Radio Inc
50 Jacksonville WFKS-FM Clear Channel Communications
51 Monmouth Ocean WBBO-FM Millennium Radio Group
52 Buffalo WKSE-FM Entercom
53 Oklahoma City KJYO-FM Clear Channel Communications
54 Rochester WKGS-FM Clear Channel Communications
54 Rochester WPXY-FM Infinity Broadcasting
55 Louisville WZKF-FM Clear Channel Communications
55 Louisville WDJX-FM Radio One Incorporated
56 Richmond WRVQ-FM Clear Channel Communications
57 Birmingham WQEN-FM Clear Channel Communications
58 Dayton WDKF-FM Clear Channel Communications
58 Dayton WGTZ-FM Radio One Incorporated
59 Greenville, SC WFBC-FM Entercom
61 Tucson KRQQ-FM Clear Channel Communications
64 Albany, NY WFLY-FM Pamal Broadcasting Ltd.
64 Albany, NY WKKF-FM Clear Channel Communications
65 Tulsa KHTT-FM Renda Broadcasting Corporation
66 Grand Rapids WSNX-FM Clear Channel Communications
67 Ft. Myers WXKB-FM Beasley Broadcast Group
68 Fresno KWYE-FM Infinity Broadcasting
69 Wilkes-Barre WBHT-FM Citadel Communications Corporation
69 Wilkes-Barre WKRZ-FM Entercom
70 Allentown WAEB-FM Clear Channel Communications
71 Albuquerque KKOB-FM Citadel Communications Corporation
72 Knoxville WWST-FM Journal Broadcast Group Incorporated
77 Wilmington, DE WSTW-FM Delmarva Broadcasting Company
79 Harrisburg WHKF-FM Clear Channel Communications
80 Syracuse WWHT-FM Clear Channel Communications
80 Syracuse WNTQ-FM Citadel Communications Corporation
82 Toledo WVKS-FM Clear Channel Communications
83 Baton Rouge WFMF-FM Clear Channel Communications
84 Greenville, NC WERO-FM NextMedia Group
84 Greenville, NC WRHT-FM Eastern Carolina Broadcast
85 Little Rock KLAL-FM Citadel Communications Corporation
88 Gainesville WYKS-FM Gillen, Albert J
89 Charleston WSSX-FM Citadel Communications Corporation
90 Columbia, SC WNOK-FM Clear Channel Communications
92 Des Moines KKDM-FM Clear Channel Communications
93 Mobile WABB-FM Dittman Group
93 Mobile WYOK-FM Cumulus Broadcasting Inc
94 Daytona Beach WVYB-FM Black Crow Broadcasting
94 Spokane KZZU-FM Morgan Murphy Stations
95 Colo Springs KKMG-FM Citadel Communications Corporation
97 Madison, WI WZEE-FM Clear Channel Communications
99 Melbourne WAOA-FM Cumulus Broadcasting Inc
101 Lafayette, LA KSMB-FM Citadel Communications Corporation
102 Lexington WLKT-FM Clear Channel Communications
105 York, PA WYCR-FM Radio Hanover Inc
106 Chattanooga WKXJ-FM Clear Channel Communications
108 New Haven WKCI-FM Clear Channel Communications
109 Augusta WZNY-FM Clear Channel Communications
112 Roanoke WXLK-FM Mel Wheeler, Inc
112 Roanoke WJJS-FM Clear Channel Communications
114 Youngstown, OH WHOT-FM Cumulus Broadcasting Inc
114 Youngstown, OH WAKZ-FM Clear Channel Communications
115 Lancaster WLAN-FM Clear Channel Communications
117 Portsmouth, NH WERZ-FM Clear Channel Communications
119 Huntsville WZYP-FM Cumulus Broadcasting Inc
120 Boise KZMG-FM Citadel Communications Corporation
120 Boise KSAS-FM Clear Channel Communications
121 Modesto/Stockton KHOP-FM NONE
122 Lansing WHZZ-FM MacDonald Broadcasting Company
123 Jackson WYOY-FM New South Communications Incorporated
125 Ft. Collins KSME-FM Clear Channel Communications
126 Flint WWCK-FM Cumulus Broadcasting Inc
129 Canton, OH WZKL-FM D A Peterson Inc
130 Saginaw WIOG-FM Citadel Communications Corporation
132 Shreveport KRUF-FM Clear Channel Communications
132 Beaumont  KQXY-FM Cumulus Broadcasting Inc
136 Atlantic City WAYV-FM Equity Communications LP
138 Biloxi WXYK-FM Triad Broadcasting Company
139 Burlington, VT WXXX-FM NONE
140 Trenton WPST-FM Nassau Broadcasting Partners LP
142 Quad Cities WHTS-FM Mercury Broadcasting Company Inc
142 Quad Cities KBEA-FM Cumulus Broadcasting Inc
148 Tyler, TX KISX-FM Clear Channel Communications
162 Poughkeepsie  WSPK-FM Pamal Broadcasting Ltd.
187 Green Bay, WI WIXX-FM

[ACcountryFan]

Pamela: You don't have to write all the AC stations if you don't want...but speaking for Ohio, what AC stations should i be listening to?? There's several AC stations here and only two Top-40s i can pick up. Everything else is talk-radio or country radio. I know WNCI in Columbus 97.9FM is Top-40. I hate them : because the DJs are jerks : and so i stay with the calm and soothing AC DJs.

so, i'll be listening to the AC radio format. Is anyone surprised?? My name says it all :

The AC stations for people below I-70 are: WRRM/Cincinnati, WLQT/Dayton, WSNY/Columbus, WMMX/Dayton, WBNS/Columbus.

i'm not holding my breath on WNCI. That's the station that makes fun of Idol any chance they get...and the station that plays Usher every hour!

i don't know which AC stations are "important" with regards to airplay. i imagine WRRM is. WMMX is Hot AC as is WBNS...WRRM and the other two are regular AC/Lite Rock.

what i do know is there are TONS of Clear Channel stations : one doesn't grasp the concept until you see back-to-back-to-back stations with Clear Channel listed as the owner and the sick feeling that New York radio is playing the same songs as L.A. radio even though each coast should have their own local flavor based on the tastes of the audience in that market.

[lorraine]

Just as an FYI on that Hartford station WKSS-FM when I use to listen to it all they ever played was Kelly and Ruben and use to down Clay all the time so I stopped listening to it.  I even emailed them a couple of times about their negative comments.  But maybe I will try again.


Lorraine

[playingclay]

I'm wondering if that radio station just showed up without calling first or making any kind of arrangement and expected Clay to drop everything and do the liner.  I've never heard a liner with background noise so I'm sure that there is more involved than shoving a mike in Clay's face and he says a sentence and bing bang 30 seconds later it is done.  He probably didn't have the time.

The radio interview was probably already arranged, especially since it was the town he was playing in.  I'm guessing that if Clay has agreed to do something, he is not going to change his mind because some one who thinks they are more important shows up.

[Pamela]

Here are the monitored AC stations as reported at the Radio & Records website:

Station   -   Market
KBAY-FM - San Francisco, CA
KBEE-FM - Salt Lake City, UT
KDAT-FM - Cedar Rapids, IA
KEFM-FM - Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE
KESZ-FM - Phoenix, AZ
KEZA-FM - Fayetteville, AR
KEZK-FM - St. Louis, MO
KGBX-FM - Springfield, MO
KGBY-FM - Sacramento, CA
KGFM-FM - Bakersfield, CA
KISC-FM - Spokane, WA
KJOY-FM - Stockton, CA
KJSN-FM - Modesto, CA
KKBA-FM - Corpus Christi, TX
KKCW-FM - Portland, OR
KKDJ-FM - Bakersfield, CA
KKLI-FM - Colorado Springs, CO
KKMJ-FM - Austin, TX
KLSY-FM - Seattle-Tacoma, WA
KLTI-FM - Des Moines, IA
KLTQ-FM - Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE
KMGA-FM - Albuquerque, NM
KMGL-FM - Oklahoma City, OK
KMXZ-FM - Tucson, AZ
KMZQ-FM - Las Vegas, NV
KOOI-FM - Tyler-Longview, TX
KOSI-FM - Denver-Boulder, CO
KOST-FM - Los Angeles, CA
KQXT-FM - San Antonio, TX
KRBB-FM - Wichita, KS
KRNO-FM - Reno, NV
KRTR-FM - Honolulu, HI
KRWM-FM - Seattle-Tacoma, WA
KSBL-FM - Santa Barbara, CA
KSFI-FM - Salt Lake City, UT
KSNE-FM - Las Vegas, NV
KSOF-FM - Fresno, CA
KSRC-FM - Kansas City, MO
KSSK-FM - Honolulu, HI
KTDY-FM - Lafayette, LA
KTRR-FM - Ft. Collins-Greeley, CO
KTSM-FM - El Paso, TX
KUDL-FM - Kansas City, MO
KVIL-FM - Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
KVKI-FM - Shreveport, LA
KVLY-FM - McAllen-Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
KWAV-FM - Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz, CA
KXLT-FM - Boise, ID
KXLY-FM - Spokane, WA
KYMG-FM - Anchorage, AK
KYMX-FM - Sacramento, CA
WAFY-FM - Frederick, MD
WAHR-FM - Huntsville, AL
WAJI-FM - Ft. Wayne, IN
WALK-FM - Nassau-Suffolk, NY
WARM-FM - York, PA
WASH-FM - Washington, DC
WBBE-FM - Baton Rouge, LA
WBBQ-FM - Augusta, GA
WBEB-FM - Philadelphia, PA
WCRZ-FM - Flint, MI
WDEF-FM - Chattanooga, TN
WDOK-FM - Cleveland, OH
WEAT-FM - W. Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL
WEBE-FM - Bridgeport, CT
WFMK-FM - Lansing-East Lansing, MI
WFPG-FM - Atlantic City-Cape May, NJ
WGFB-FM - Rockford, IL
WGNI-FM - Wilmington, NC
WHBC-FM - Canton, OH
WHOM-FM - Portland, ME
WHUD-FM - Westchester, NY
WIKY-FM - Evansville, IN
WJBR-FM - Wilmington, DE
WJKK-FM - Jackson, MS
WJXB-FM - Knoxville, TN
WJYE-FM - Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY
WKJY-FM - Nassau-Suffolk, NY
WKTK-FM - Gainesville-Ocala, FL
WKYE-FM - Johnstown, PA
WLEV-FM - Allentown-Bethlehem, PA
WLHT-FM - Grand Rapids, MI
WLIT-FM - Chicago, IL
WLMG-FM - New Orleans, LA
WLQT-FM - Dayton, OH
WLRQ-FM - Melbourne-Titusville-Cocoa, FL
WLTE-FM - Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
WLTJ-FM - Pittsburgh, PA
WLTM-FM - Atlanta, GA
WLTQ-FM - Milwaukee-Racine, WI
WLTW-FM - New York, NY
WLZW-FM - Utica-Rome, NY
WMAG-FM - Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point, NC
WMAS-FM - Springfield, MA
WMEZ-FM - Pensacola, FL
WMGC-FM - Detroit, MI
WMGF-FM - Orlando, FL
WMGN-FM - Madison, WI
WMGQ-FM - Middlesex-Somerset-Union, NJ
WMGS-FM - Wilkes Barre-Scranton, PA
WMJX-FM - Boston, MA
WMJY-FM - Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula, MS
WMTX-FM - Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
WMXC-FM - Mobile, AL
WMYI-FM - Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
WNIC-FM - Detroit, MI
WNSN-FM - South Bend, IN
WOBM-FM - Monmouth-Ocean, NJ
WOOD-FM - Grand Rapids, MI
WOOF-FM - Dothan, AL
WPEZ-FM - Macon, GA
WQLR-FM - Kalamazoo, MI
WRAL-FM - Raleigh-Durham, NC
WRCH-FM - Hartford-New Britain-Middletown, CT
WRMM-FM - Rochester, NY
WRRM-FM - Cincinnati, OH
WRSA-FM - Huntsville, AL
WRSN-FM - Raleigh-Durham, NC
WRVF-FM - Toledo, OH
WRVR-FM - Memphis, TN
WSHH-FM - Pittsburgh, PA
WSLQ-FM - Roanoke-Lynchburg, VA
WSNY-FM - Columbus, OH
WSPA-FM - Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
WSRS-FM - Worcester, MA
WSUY-FM - Charleston, SC
WSWT-FM - Peoria, IL
WTCB-FM - Columbia, SC
WTFM-FM - Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
WTPI-FM - Indianapolis, IN
WTVR-FM - Richmond, VA
WWDE-FM - Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, VA
WWLI-FM - Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket, RI
WWLW-FM - Morgantown-Clarksburg-Fairmont, WV
WXKC-FM - Erie, PA
WYJB-FM - Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
WYSF-FM - Birmingham, AL
WYXB-FM - Indianapolis, IN
WYYY-FM - Syracuse, NY
WZID-FM - Manchester, NH

[Pamela]

And in the latest news...

AC Most Added©  Artist Title (Label)  
Adds
 Clay Aiken I Will Carry You (RCA/RMG)   18
 Josh Groban Remember When It Rained (143/Reprise)   8
 Cherie Older Than My Years (Lava)   8

I Will Carry You is the most added song on AC stations since Monday!

YEAH CLAY!

RADIO & RECORDS

[Pamela]

I wrote a long boring post about radio and requesting, but 'poof' it disappeared.  I take that as a cosmic signal that I need to not be so wordy and convoluted; so given a second chance I'll be briefer this time.

 :D

I have received lots of emails and PMs about requesting IWCY on the radio.  The ClayNation News newsletter has even suggested that we don't request at all right now.  Personally, I don't appreciate being told what to do unless Clay is doing the telling.

But, in a way he is.  I've seen two concerts so far and he never mentioned that IWCY is the next single.  He never asked us to request it.
He may be taking a more low key approach or he may just be protecting us from the DJ meanies, but I hear what he's saying in his silence.

Per the above message, IWCY is the most added song on the AC format so far this week.  The song has been picked up at 18 stations so far.  Yay! Have you requested?  I haven't either.  

I'm not going to tell anyone what to do (see above.) But I will share what I am willing to do.  If I see that my local stations have a song vs song contest with IWCY, I will vote.  If I notice a poll on their websites with IWCY, I will vote.  If they ask for requests, I will make one.  But just one.
If I hear them play IWCY, I might drop them a brief email and tell them thanx.

Invisible is still being played on at least 24 stations across the country nearly 10 months after it's release, in large markets such as Denver, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Memphis, Salt Lake City and Indianapolis. I haven't checked, but I would venture a guess that most of these stations are AC format.  AC stations are not so trend oriented like pop stations are.  

IWCY is a great song.  It's one of those songs that is whatever you want it to be.  It's a love song, an inspirational song, a song of support and friendship.  It's a hopeful song, with a catchy riff and a killer bridge. Guys seem to like it, and it's easy to sing along.  I think this song could have a long run on AC radio and do well for a short time on pop radio as well.

Requesting is an individual choice we each will make.  Only you know your local stations, their personnel, their attitude, how they operate.  Think about it then make your own choice.  Then cross your fingers and hope for the best!

Links to the Radio & Records and Mediabase airplay chart sites can be found in the CLAY DIRECTORY thread.

[ACcountryFan]

that does make sense. i've often suggested that we wait until our local AC or Top-40 station plays Clay's song before we start requesting it or whatever. i don't think requesting the song too early helps anything and perhaps that's what Clay himself is thinking??? maybe he's experimenting and seeing if low requests are the way to get over the radio hill.

i guess what i'm saying is radio is suspicious if they get requests for a song before they even have a chance to air it. this makes them draw the conclusion that there's a fan-base campaign requesting the song because the public at large has no clue that it was even a single yet...

[heater]

I think that makes sense too.  If we wait a little while to see who else picks up IWCY and then start to request it it will be better.  I still find it hard to believe that these radio stations have so much trouble playing Clay...it makes no sense to me!

[Pamela]

GEORGIA RADIO ALERT-LOCAL LISTENERS ONLY

Radio Alert for W GA and E AL listeners--------------------------------------

...Q107.3 will have a pump it or dump it on IWCY tomorrow night. This station is in Columbus, GA and has about a 50 mile radius listening area (does not stream). Tonights song was the new Kelly Clarkson song and it seemed to have done very well with the comments I heard. Personally, I love it.

The radio station phone number is 706-322-1077 and tonight's was done at 8:30. I don't even know what made me turn the radio on because I haven't listened to them in months. However, the evening DJ is very Clay friendly, so help us out if you are in the area please.

[claylady]

I usually don't post much anymore but I just had to share this bit of information with you.  I've been amazed and annoyed by the resistance of radio to play Clay's music.  I wasn't sure if I should post this in the radio thread or the concert thread since it applys to both.  
Anyway, here goes.  I listen to WDOK in Cleveland, Ohio.  It's a very good lite rock station.  I've always thought that Clay would fit in perfectly with their format but as most stations they were resisting him.  They did play TITN ocassionally when it was first released but that soon stopped.  I did notice that WDOK is on the list that Pamela posted of monitored AC stations.  WDOK sends out a newsletter.  In a recent one I was excited to see the following.  WDOK and SBC, which is our phone and DSL provider, are sponsering a contest to win tickets to see Clay in Cleveland.  Here is a portion of what they wrote.

Quote:
How would you like to see Clay Aiken in concert at Scene Pavilion, Tuesday, August 24th from the first row!  Keep listiening to Trapper & Robin in the morning on Soft Rock 102.1 WDOK this week for your chance to win front row tickets courtesy of WDOK and SBC!  SBC-your connection to the best tickets that Cleveland has to offer.

The two DJ's mentioned, Trapper and Robin, have always been Clay friendly even during his days on AI.  I know that they would have played Clay's music if given the chance but as we all know the DJ's have no say in what is played.  For me, this was very exciting and encouraging.  Radio is slowly but surely starting to take notice and maybe this will lead to a break in the lack of airplay for Clay.  I'm hoping that this is a step in the right direction as far as WDOK is concerned.  I also liked that last line by SBC "best tickets that Cleveland has to offer"  That's were Clay belongs, listed with the best of them.

[Invisible Touch]

OMG! OMG! OMG!   :!:  I just won tickets to the MN State Fair Concert from KS95 radio station in Minneapolis.  I don’t know what row yet, but the promotions dept is going to call me.  I was so excited, I forgot to ask.  They have to be good ones, right?  I won them by calling in, playing and winning a non Clay related game called “Know The Show.” The story doesn’t stop there, that is actually where it ends, but I had to shout that out first!  

KS95 is a Hot AC Station who doesn’t play Clay.   :  They barely mention him, but when they do it is usually neutral to positive (at least on the afternoon show).  On Monday they mentioned they were playing a lot of new music, so I sent an email from my work email to say that since they were playing new music, they should play Clay’s new single.  I got an email back from one of the DJs (Staci) saying that they don’t make those decisions, but she would forward on my request to the Music Director.

Then, yesterday (Thurs), the same DJs mentioned that they were going to have Clay Aiken Tickets on Friday’s show.   Since I didn’t want to seem like I was really bothering them I emailed them from my hotmail email rather than my work email again. Well, I didn’t want to sign my real name cuz I had signed the one on Monday from Molly in Bloomington. So, I signed it Renee in Golden Valley : (my middle name and the city I work in).  In this email I said that I love the banter between the DJs on this afternoon show and that I was excited for the Clay Aiken tickets on Friday.  I also said that I hoped that they were working on getting an interview with him because he was very charming and witty.  I also threw in a request for IWCY.

So, I am of course listening this afternoon and they read most of my email on the radio!!!!   :  :D  And said it was from Renee in Golden Valley.  :  The DJ then said that they had sent info to Clay’s people and Clay’s people had sent info back, so they were working on it.   :D  They also mentioned later they would be playing a game for Clay Tickets.  Then I decided to email them from my work account saying that I was crossing my fingers that “their people” and “Clay’s people” could get things worked out.  I signed this one Molly in Bloomington.

Later in the show, I somehow got through on the phone and got to play the game and won!!!!!!  :  They asked if I was a Claymate (and even though like Clay, I am just now coming to terms with that label) I said “Yeah!”  When Staci came back on the phone to get my info, she asked if I was the Molly that had just emailed them.  I said yes, thinking if you only knew! (I am really Renee in Golden Valley too!)

What I don’t understand is the fact that they still didn’t play any of Clay’s songs!  But all in all a very good Clay Day for Me and KS95!

After writing all this, it really makes it look like I am kind of deceiving with my different email addresses.  Really I’m not.  It just happened to work out that way!  What are the chances that they would actually read my email on air (which I was totally thrilled with) and that I got thru to play the game and win?  All in the same day!!!!

Sorry that this got so long, but I I can't believe that I won tickets!!!  OMG!!  Now I just have to wait to find out what row they are in!!!!

[houstonclayfan]

Molly, I am sooo excited for you !  And thank you for your kind efforts to get Clay on the radio !  Did you already have tickets to the fair ?  Keep us informed with what seats you have !   Yay !

[ANGELA]

mOLLY,
SO HAPPY ONE OF OUR PEOPLE WON TICKETS---SO THRILLED FOR YOU.

ENJOY & PLEASE TELL US ALL ABOUT IT.

ANGELA

[Pamela]

Congratulations Molly!  Awoohoo!  You deserve it.  Thanks for helping Clay on the radio!  I hope you get front row... :

[Pamela]

RADIO AIRPLAY 101

The Add Date

Unless you have worked for the radio department of a label, or else you have worked for an independent promoter or radio magazine, you probably have never heard of an "add date". But the "add date" is probably the most basic building block of both commercial and college airplay, and it is used in every successful airplay charting campaign there is, so we better cover how it works.

The closest analogy there is to an add date is the "street date". A street date is when a CD is "available" to the public. It is supposed to tell retailers when to "make available" the release to customers. That is where the similarity ends, however; radio goes on to be far more complicated.

A radio "add date" is supposed to tell stations when to add a record to its playlist. It is completely separate from, and has little else to do with, the street date. The add date can be before, the same as, or after the street date. Regardless, an add date simply MUST be used with any serious airplay attempt. A negative side effect, however, surfaces: You have one chance... and one chance ONLY... to make a particular song or album go at radio. After all, the date is printed right there on the package. You cannot come back next year and ask a station to reconsider it (and, we are talking here about new artists/labels.)

Everything a radio promoter does when talking to stations centers on the add date...

Four weeks before the add date, the promoter is describing the package to the stations (and for commercial stations... the consultants are handled too,) giving the stations a rough idea of what to expect musically. Also, a fax goes out, showing the release.

Three weeks before the add date, the promoter is describing the artist and the music in more detail, describing the spine of the CD, and scheduling resends for stations with changed personnel/addresses.

Two weeks before the date, the promoter solicits PDs/MDs for their initial interest/non-interest, and continues resends. Also, the details of any pertinent tour dates, press articles, or retail events/carriage are presented. It is also at this time that the first trade ads (advertisements, not "adds") will run... scheduled and worded by the promoter.

Finally, one week before the add date, the promoter fishes for commitments from the most-interested stations; re-words the next trade ads; sends a second round of faxes; re-affirms to each station that they know the correct add date; does a final round of re-sending; scans for possible early adds; and finally, makes one last contact/message with each PD/MD in hopes that the station can be swayed at the last minute... while stations are deciding on which record to add. This is done with 25 to 2000 stations every week, depending on the campaign.

That's the easy part. Now the real work starts... getting spins to occur after the add date; being "added" does not necessarily mean you are being "played". Being added simply is the step you have to go through, "officially", before spins occur. That's why the "add charts" are separate from the "spin charts" in radio magazines. Your goal for the first charting week of every radio campaign is to get on the "most added" chart first, and you have only one week to do it. Thereafter, your focus becomes the main spin chart. And one by one, every week, the promoter contacts/messages each PD/MD, and attempts to get more and more of them on the bandwagon. Artists with bad music, or with no support, will struggle to get new stations, and probably won't be "most added". Releases with great music and good support will easily make the most added chart, and will then jump onto the main chart, with several new stations coming on each week (again, assuming we are working a new artist/label.)

The promoter's work then continues: A non-commercial campaign may go 5-10 more weeks; A commercial campaign (for a single song) may go 3 to 12 more MONTHS, depending on results.

RADIO-MEDIA.COM

We don't need to be radio experts, but I thought this was interesting.  DJs and other radio people don't want or need to hear about 'add dates' or 'Mediabase' or 'spins' from a listener.  I don't think they want or need to hear about what a great guy Clay is either.  All they want to hear is 'this song rocks!'  Just sayin.  :mrgreen:

[lorraine]

VERY INTERESTING ARTICLE.  AFTER READING IT ALL I REALIZE HOW COMPLICATED THIS WHOLE RADIO PLAY IS.  I DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING NEW HAPPENING HERE WITH OUR RADIO STATIONS IN CONNECTICUT BUT WILL HOPE AND PRAY THINGS CHANGE FOR CLAY HERE.  IF AND WHEN I HEAR IT BEING PLAYED WILL BE THE TIME I CALL AND REQUEST IT.  UNTIL THEN I WILL NOT CALL ANY OF THE STATIONS.

LORRAINE

[Pamela]

IWCY is now on the Mediabase CHR/Pop chart at #129.

YEAH!

Only 31 spins though.  But it's a start!  I'll keep checking and posting any updates.

It's also on the Jump Chart for AC.  This reflects the biggest 'jump' in spins.  It's #14 with + 49 spins.

OH YEAH!

Everyone think good radio thoughts!  :mrgreen:

ETA - Look who is playing IWCY...
WAYV-FM Atlantic City NJ
WXXX-FM Burlington VT
WKGS-FM Rochester NY  
WERO-FM Greenville NC  
WSSX-FM Charleston SC  
WRHT-FM Greenville NC  
WLKT-FM Lexington KY
These are all CHR/Pop stations. If you are in the listening area of any of these stations...start listening!

ETA - quynn, thank you for posting your experience with Rate the Music.  It's actually kind of interesting to participate.  As much as it's irritating sometimes to participate in polls when they call or ring your doorbell or stop you in the mall, it is one of the best ways to get your opinion out there.  Marketing is not about products or services, it's
about people.  Make your voice heard!