for the love of god, single ladies just put a goddamn ring on it
I think that my big problem with pop music isn’t so much the continual release of cookie cutter artists who sound like someone who stole their sound from someone else who dressed and rocked like someone else who… you get the picture.
My problem with pop music is the radio stations whose job is to promote these artists through relentless play and re-play.
Before I moved to Chicago, my only contact with radio was through the satellite receiver in my car. There was one station that only played indie and college rock music, which was perfect for the music snob that lived deep inside me. Terrestrial radio, to me, was a place where less talented and less obscure artists had their music beaten into the ground by DJs (HA!) who had the voice, but not the puss, for TV. All that crappy music, all those commercials, all those endlessly boring “personalities” begging people to call in to discuss their topic du jour – it wasn’t for me.
Once I moved to the Windy City™, I discovered that FM radio, much like network television, is made for the lowest common denominator, and shouldn’t be taken seriously. Whether I was in the car with my roommate, or listening to the waterproof radio in the shower (best invention ever?), I slowly became OK with Chicago’s finest pop stations. Afterall, it was free.
Then I discovered how eerily similar their playlists are. It’s almost as if one station is listening to the other to see what song they’re playing, then decide to follow-suit. Not only do they continuously play the same songs, I’m convinced that both pop stations in town only have 8 - 10 songs in their stable.
Here’s a sample of a block of songs from 103.5 KISS FM:
Wednesday, January 14, 2008
Beyoncé – Single Ladies
Lady Gaga – Just Dance
Britney Spears – Womanizer
T.I. & Rihanna – Live Your Life
Kevin Rudolf & Lil’ Wayne – Let it Rock
Britney Spears – Womanizer
Beyoncé – SIngle Ladies
Katy Perry – Hot & Cold
Lady Gaga – Just Dance (Remix)
Seriously. That’s not even a joke.
-pat
