The Great Disconnect

I wanted to include this in the book because I think it best

describes the relationships between artists, their audience and

radio. On the surface there should really be no issues because

radio and the artist's intended audience are not mutually

exclusive. Radio needs an audience, artists need radio to reach

their audience (mass broadcast), radio needs artists to produce

more hit songs, it's a giant loop, and everyone needs everyone

so what causes this great disconnect? What causes this need

for artists or radio to decide that one can bypass the other or at

the very least snub the other?

I find it strange that after years of deejaying on Power FM

Zimbabwe I still get WhatsApp messages from artists saying that

they don't need radio because they want to release their video

on YouTube first. YouTube? How in the world does a free to

upload YouTube download interfere with your giant loop? Artist,

Radio, Audience – how does YouTube weigh in in all of this. It's

odd that an artist will deliberately limit radio access to their music

and unfortunately mute themselves on radio. In my opinion, if

your track is hot, there is no point in holding onto it until you finish

your music video – drop the track and let your audience hear and

support your music. The misguided notion that limited access to

your music generates a craving for your music and makes your

song all the more sought after is ludicrous. Trust me – no one

looks for music they don't know. Now I have your attention, if no

one looks for music they don't know then where do all these hits

come from? They come from a massive corporate marketing

machine! These so called worldwide hits are projected and made available on so many platforms that they are near impossible to

ignore. Look closely at the scenario I have just presented – the

music is blasted on thousands of platforms – not just free to

upload YouTube. The music is on TV, radio and online platforms

simultaneously. Endorsement deals are made in advance and

the visuals become part of a deliberate marketing strategy. The

rest of the world is continually expanding its reach making sure

their product (the music) is heard everywhere and yet YOU are

without prompting deliberately limiting access to your music.

An artist even said to me that they wanted their music to be

played on Wednesday. The song was a good song in my opinion

but not a monster hit song, just a good song. So before quizzing

them on why it must only be played on Wednesday, I was already

wondering if I had any intention of even playing it in the first

place. A lame lukewarm production with a predictable chord

progression and the artist demands exclusive placement on the

Wednesday playlist. What this artist was saying was please

come rain come thunder do not consider my music today

because it is not yet Wednesday. Why would any right thinking

artist do that? That's got to be some sort of self-sabotage. "Hey

deejay, here's my music – please make sure you don't play it

today".

The disconnect is real, it's not a fantasy. Artists lock themselves

out with the misconstrued idea that an air of mystery will help

propel their careers forward.