If you have not heard, AOL posted their listening party on KOL for The Distance sometime during the night last night. I am sure they have not received any complaints for debuting it early.
If you haven't done so, be sure to bookmark the site on AOL and stream your music from there. The music industry and radio definitely watch what a CD or single does on AOL Music. In fact, Billboard actually publishes a weekly chart of the top 10 Audio Streams and Top 10 Video Streams on AOL along with their other industry charts.
AOL Music draws more than 20 million unique visitors per month, so getting Taylor Hicks and The Distance seen on AOL is great promotion.
If you don't have your own playlist on AOL, they are easy to do, and you can fill one up with Taylor's music. Be sure to try that feature. You can also listen to other playlists people have created.
Stream the album, let's make Taylor Hicks heard on AOL Music.
http://kids.aol.com/KOL/2/Music/article/taylor-hicks-the-distance
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
The Newest Numbers - And A Look at Amazon
Mediabase
Last Week 26 This Week 26 Spins 111 Last Week 110 +1 Aud 0.153mil
Radio and Records A/C Chart
Last Week 26 This Week 25 Plays 102 Audience 0.097 mil (30th)
Amazon
In preorders
#4 in pre-orders releasing on March 10
#96 all new release pre-orders
New and preorder combined ranking
#4 a/c new and pre-orders
#8 A/C vocal pop
#70 pop
Overall music
#299 music
#76 movers and shakers
Last Week 26 This Week 26 Spins 111 Last Week 110 +1 Aud 0.153mil
Radio and Records A/C Chart
Last Week 26 This Week 25 Plays 102 Audience 0.097 mil (30th)
Amazon
In preorders
#4 in pre-orders releasing on March 10
#96 all new release pre-orders
New and preorder combined ranking
#4 a/c new and pre-orders
#8 A/C vocal pop
#70 pop
Overall music
#299 music
#76 movers and shakers
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Numbers
Taylor Hicks - What's Right is Right
#26 on Mediabase 110 spins +35 from last week. 0.134 aud/mill
#25 on Radio and Records A/C Chart
#25 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks Chart
#26 on Mediabase 110 spins +35 from last week. 0.134 aud/mill
#25 on Radio and Records A/C Chart
#25 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks Chart
Friday, February 13, 2009
Jake Davis - The Perfect Frame III
Just one more please !!
Jake Davis, the incredible videographer on the new video, who I'm sure every Taylor Hicks fan knows by name, has found us one more frame !
THANK YOU JAKE !
http://jakedavis.typepad.com
Jake recently did several interviews to let us in on a few more things about the making of the video, as well as Jake himself.
Watch for these interviews starting today, and again on Monday
Jake Davis, the incredible videographer on the new video, who I'm sure every Taylor Hicks fan knows by name, has found us one more frame !
THANK YOU JAKE !
http://jakedavis.typepad.com
Jake recently did several interviews to let us in on a few more things about the making of the video, as well as Jake himself.
Watch for these interviews starting today, and again on Monday
Thursday, February 12, 2009
How do Radio Stations Decide What to Play?
According to the Federal Communications Commission, there are 13,814 radio stations licensed as of September 2005, 4,761 AM radio stations, 9,053 FM radio stations, and 1,745 broadcast television stations in the country. How do those 13,814 radio stations decide what to play?
According to several studies, 95% of everything on the Billboard charts is major label, and the majority of the remaining 5% is major-indie (major indies have a marketing budget of $50,000 minimum per release, and this does not include making the CD).
Who Does Decide What to Play
All of commercial radio is now driven by playlists. The days when you could actually call up your DJ and tell him what you wanted to hear and 15 minutes later played are long gone. In fact, your DJ can't even play what he wants to hear. Except for those rare celebrity-based request shows, and the occasional local station that has a request hour, ALL commercial radio is pre-formatted by playlists. In fact, for a number of stations, if you tell me your favorite, I can tell you what they played for the past 24 hours, and sometimes even what they are going to play for the next 24, and in order, by the hour. AND....the DJ does not determine this, there is one Program Director for the station who does the entire schedule for all DJs. In the case of the large chains like Clear Channel, this may be done at the corporate level, so the programming for 50 stations may be done by one person.
How Do They Choose What to Play
Most Program Directors generate their playlists primarily from the Billboard charts (which reflect the playlists of the monitored stations, and in the case of the Hot 100, Pop 100 and BB 200, airplay and sales)..... About 95% of this weeks programming will be the most popular stuff from last week across the country. THEN, they will look at all of the available songs "going for adds" and decide whether they will add any of them to their mix, and if so, how many times (daily, hourly, weekly, etc), and what segment of time they will play. (A lot of times if they introduce a "wildcard" that is not at the top of the charts, they may place it on the overnight schedule where listening numbers are lowest.
Now.....it becomes a "self feeding" process. The highest songs on the chart automatically go back on the playlist, and how do you get on the chart - by having the most airplay.
Program directors have a number of tools available when making programming decisions that help them better understand their market.
-Software applications that rank core audience performance of stations in the same format, same market, or nationally
-Software applications that track radio listening and trends in specific markets
Audience-analysis software
-Arbitrends service, which delivers ratings updates between standard quarterly surveys
Deciding what to "add"
Knowing the audience is the key to a PD being able to identify the best music to add to playlists. To stay on top what their audience likes, PDs watch the charts and playlists from other stations in the same genre. They also have access to Radio & Records weekly charts of songs that were added by the most stations the previous week (they can also see if those stations are keeping the song in their rotation this week) Most Added" report, which it generates from data it collects from radio stations in major markets according to genre. In the past few years, many have also found new music on TV.
Radio stations (sometimes working with recording companies, distributors, promoters, artist managers or retailers) also conduct market research to see what listeners either want to hear and/or are already listening to. A newer version of this type of research involves Web surveys by which listeners can vote and comment on music. Check your local station's website and see if they have a club for listener's to join. Often they will allow this group to review new music, or offer suggestions, and if you are already a member, it is makes your opinion more valuable than joining the day you want to request something.
There are several online music sites that were developed to provide a listening focus groups, and they allow listeners to rate the music. They often will pit 3-4 partial clips of tracks, and the listener rates them. Often, a label will use this when deciding which track to make the single from the new release. These services are considered valuable enough that their weekly "top" charts are also listed in Radio and Records. Two of the most tracked are Promosquad and Rate the Music.
Online P2P networks can also influence playlists. Clear Channel owns BigChampagne which tracks the songs most frequently downloaded in the P2P networks such as LimeWire and others. The program sorts this data by geographic region and reports it to radio stations, giving the stations a more accurate feel for what is "hot."
Clear Channel also has a Web site, Clear Channel Music Network, dedicated to new music. New groups can register and post their music for PDs and consumers to listen to. If PDs like it, there is always the chance they'll add it to their playlist
According to the Federal Communications Commission, there are 13,814 radio stations licensed as of September 2005, 4,761 AM radio stations, 9,053 FM radio stations, and 1,745 broadcast television stations in the country. How do those 13,814 radio stations decide what to play?
According to several studies, 95% of everything on the Billboard charts is major label, and the majority of the remaining 5% is major-indie (major indies have a marketing budget of $50,000 minimum per release, and this does not include making the CD).
Who Does Decide What to Play
All of commercial radio is now driven by playlists. The days when you could actually call up your DJ and tell him what you wanted to hear and 15 minutes later played are long gone. In fact, your DJ can't even play what he wants to hear. Except for those rare celebrity-based request shows, and the occasional local station that has a request hour, ALL commercial radio is pre-formatted by playlists. In fact, for a number of stations, if you tell me your favorite, I can tell you what they played for the past 24 hours, and sometimes even what they are going to play for the next 24, and in order, by the hour. AND....the DJ does not determine this, there is one Program Director for the station who does the entire schedule for all DJs. In the case of the large chains like Clear Channel, this may be done at the corporate level, so the programming for 50 stations may be done by one person.
How Do They Choose What to Play
Most Program Directors generate their playlists primarily from the Billboard charts (which reflect the playlists of the monitored stations, and in the case of the Hot 100, Pop 100 and BB 200, airplay and sales)..... About 95% of this weeks programming will be the most popular stuff from last week across the country. THEN, they will look at all of the available songs "going for adds" and decide whether they will add any of them to their mix, and if so, how many times (daily, hourly, weekly, etc), and what segment of time they will play. (A lot of times if they introduce a "wildcard" that is not at the top of the charts, they may place it on the overnight schedule where listening numbers are lowest.
Now.....it becomes a "self feeding" process. The highest songs on the chart automatically go back on the playlist, and how do you get on the chart - by having the most airplay.
Program directors have a number of tools available when making programming decisions that help them better understand their market.
-Software applications that rank core audience performance of stations in the same format, same market, or nationally
-Software applications that track radio listening and trends in specific markets
Audience-analysis software
-Arbitrends service, which delivers ratings updates between standard quarterly surveys
Deciding what to "add"
Knowing the audience is the key to a PD being able to identify the best music to add to playlists. To stay on top what their audience likes, PDs watch the charts and playlists from other stations in the same genre. They also have access to Radio & Records weekly charts of songs that were added by the most stations the previous week (they can also see if those stations are keeping the song in their rotation this week) Most Added" report, which it generates from data it collects from radio stations in major markets according to genre. In the past few years, many have also found new music on TV.
Radio stations (sometimes working with recording companies, distributors, promoters, artist managers or retailers) also conduct market research to see what listeners either want to hear and/or are already listening to. A newer version of this type of research involves Web surveys by which listeners can vote and comment on music. Check your local station's website and see if they have a club for listener's to join. Often they will allow this group to review new music, or offer suggestions, and if you are already a member, it is makes your opinion more valuable than joining the day you want to request something.
There are several online music sites that were developed to provide a listening focus groups, and they allow listeners to rate the music. They often will pit 3-4 partial clips of tracks, and the listener rates them. Often, a label will use this when deciding which track to make the single from the new release. These services are considered valuable enough that their weekly "top" charts are also listed in Radio and Records. Two of the most tracked are Promosquad and Rate the Music.
Online P2P networks can also influence playlists. Clear Channel owns BigChampagne which tracks the songs most frequently downloaded in the P2P networks such as LimeWire and others. The program sorts this data by geographic region and reports it to radio stations, giving the stations a more accurate feel for what is "hot."
Clear Channel also has a Web site, Clear Channel Music Network, dedicated to new music. New groups can register and post their music for PDs and consumers to listen to. If PDs like it, there is always the chance they'll add it to their playlist
Climbing on Mediabase
Mediabase 7 Day Adult Contemporary Chart (rolling)
#24 Taylor Hicks What's Right is Right
110 spins
up +57 from last week
Audience 0.129 mil
#24 Taylor Hicks What's Right is Right
110 spins
up +57 from last week
Audience 0.129 mil
Monday, February 9, 2009
Jake Davis, Our Preeminent Videographer, Does it Again
He has done it again! Quietly slipped in and posted another incredible bait, um, I mean frame, from the What's Right is Right video. You can tell he enjoyed himself picking just the right one to string us along.
I'm not going to post the picture, let's go over to Jake's blog and thank him for taking the time to do this. He is advertising the video sure, but it's not like we weren't going to watch it 30 seconds after it goes up anyway, so he really is giving us special treatment.
While you are there, take a look at his music video gallery, it looks like he has worked it all, from acoustic to rap to heavy metal (at least I think it's heavy metal, I'm a bit weak in that genre), and now he will be the only person to have shot a video in the whomp genre. How about that !
http://jakedavis.typepad.com/jakedavis/2009/02/the-perfect-frame-taylor-hicks-whats-right-is-right-part-two.html
Oh.... and if you are looking to attire the well dressed man, he can help you there too !! He has gone from Birkenstocks to pea coats, so there is something for everyone.
I'm not going to post the picture, let's go over to Jake's blog and thank him for taking the time to do this. He is advertising the video sure, but it's not like we weren't going to watch it 30 seconds after it goes up anyway, so he really is giving us special treatment.
While you are there, take a look at his music video gallery, it looks like he has worked it all, from acoustic to rap to heavy metal (at least I think it's heavy metal, I'm a bit weak in that genre), and now he will be the only person to have shot a video in the whomp genre. How about that !
http://jakedavis.typepad.com/jakedavis/2009/02/the-perfect-frame-taylor-hicks-whats-right-is-right-part-two.html
Oh.... and if you are looking to attire the well dressed man, he can help you there too !! He has gone from Birkenstocks to pea coats, so there is something for everyone.
Don't Forget Our Loyal Internet Radio Stations
When you are tuning in to hear WRIR, don't forget our great friends on internet radio. Gregg and Uncle Shag have been a source of great ongoing support for Taylor, and they were two of the FIRST to play WRIR.
If you haven't kept up or aren't familiar with what has happened in internet radio in the last few years, this will give you an idea of how important the support of these two stations are.
The number of internet radio listeners jumped considerably last year, according to figures released by Bridge Ratings & Research. The group pointed to a year-end total of 72 million monthly listeners, up from 45 million at the tail end of 2005. On a weekly basis, that figure was 57 million, or 19 percent of all people above the age of 12.
Gregg at RADIOIO
http://www.radioio.com/channels/idols
Uncle Shag at Longtown Sound WLSO
http://wlso.fm/wordpress
If you haven't kept up or aren't familiar with what has happened in internet radio in the last few years, this will give you an idea of how important the support of these two stations are.
The number of internet radio listeners jumped considerably last year, according to figures released by Bridge Ratings & Research. The group pointed to a year-end total of 72 million monthly listeners, up from 45 million at the tail end of 2005. On a weekly basis, that figure was 57 million, or 19 percent of all people above the age of 12.
Gregg at RADIOIO
http://www.radioio.com/channels/idols
Uncle Shag at Longtown Sound WLSO
http://wlso.fm/wordpress
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Request Directly From Mediabase
YOU CAN REQUEST “WHAT'S RIGHT IS RIGHT” STRAIGHT THROUGH MEDIABASE
Most importantly, NEVER REQUEST FROM A RADIO STATION IF YOU ARE NOT IN THEIR LISTENING RANGE. Stations monitor demogtraphics, they see IP addresses with every e-mail, they see phone numbers, and you will not be helping.
This is a great resource for requesting WRIR since it goes to the station via Mediabase, one of the most important resources in the radio industry. However, abuse of this has the potential to really harm Taylor's chance of a station choosing to EVER play his single..
PLEASE read through this, and be VERY careful when making your requests. Abuse will result in a station never playing Taylor's single, and can actually cause the on air personalities to start taking shots at him or fans. This is not a guess, it's been proven repeatedly by prior AI fan bases after the stations considered them "spamming" Since that time, the radio stations are very sensitive to AI fans spamming them.
First, and most importantly, you should never request from a station that is not in your listening area. They are interested in serving their customers, and they consider anything else a nuisance. Because they use IP information to chart their demographics, they have easy access to where e-mails come from (and proxy's are red flags). Remember, a radio station has another very important customer...their advertisers, and they have chosen that station because of their target market.
If you really want your request to be as credible and effective as it can be, and if your e-mail address is IWANTTOMARRYTAYLORHICKS@gmail.com, think about opening another one to use for requests.
I do not know how many stations are available through Mediabase access. I would expect all of the monitored stations are, but try checking the A/C stations in your hometown just to see ... there may be some on here that are not listed as monitored.
You will use this link AND REPLACE THE XXXX with the 4 call letters of the station you want to request from... (starting with K or W) ... then paste it into your browser and go !!
http://www.mediabase.com/mmrweb/7/stationplaylistrequest.asp?c_let=XXXX-FM
Example: One of my primary A/C stations is 96.9, lite 96, WRSA so I would edit this to read
http://www.mediabase.com/mmrweb/7/stationplaylistrequest.asp?c_let=WRSA-FM
If the station is in there, it will pull up their current format list with 2 columns, one Newer Music and one Past Favorites....
There are check boxes next to each song on the list. You can choose up to 5 to request. For me, WRSA already has Taylor in their rotation (we train em young) ... so I have a check box. However, they have a place at the bottom to request songs that are not currently in their format. If your station doesn't have him listed, add WRIR to the list.
Be sure to actually request at least 3 songs, preferably 5 ... if you only request Taylor's, they will not think you are a dedicated listener to their station.
I would not fill one of these forms out more than ONCE PER WEEK. That is more than enough given how little room there is for them to add requests, and it is better to not risk alienating them.
Most importantly, NEVER REQUEST FROM A RADIO STATION IF YOU ARE NOT IN THEIR LISTENING RANGE. Stations monitor demogtraphics, they see IP addresses with every e-mail, they see phone numbers, and you will not be helping.
This is a great resource for requesting WRIR since it goes to the station via Mediabase, one of the most important resources in the radio industry. However, abuse of this has the potential to really harm Taylor's chance of a station choosing to EVER play his single..
PLEASE read through this, and be VERY careful when making your requests. Abuse will result in a station never playing Taylor's single, and can actually cause the on air personalities to start taking shots at him or fans. This is not a guess, it's been proven repeatedly by prior AI fan bases after the stations considered them "spamming" Since that time, the radio stations are very sensitive to AI fans spamming them.
First, and most importantly, you should never request from a station that is not in your listening area. They are interested in serving their customers, and they consider anything else a nuisance. Because they use IP information to chart their demographics, they have easy access to where e-mails come from (and proxy's are red flags). Remember, a radio station has another very important customer...their advertisers, and they have chosen that station because of their target market.
If you really want your request to be as credible and effective as it can be, and if your e-mail address is IWANTTOMARRYTAYLORHICKS@gmail.com, think about opening another one to use for requests.
I do not know how many stations are available through Mediabase access. I would expect all of the monitored stations are, but try checking the A/C stations in your hometown just to see ... there may be some on here that are not listed as monitored.
You will use this link AND REPLACE THE XXXX with the 4 call letters of the station you want to request from... (starting with K or W) ... then paste it into your browser and go !!
http://www.mediabase.com/mmrweb/7/stationplaylistrequest.asp?c_let=XXXX-FM
Example: One of my primary A/C stations is 96.9, lite 96, WRSA so I would edit this to read
http://www.mediabase.com/mmrweb/7/stationplaylistrequest.asp?c_let=WRSA-FM
If the station is in there, it will pull up their current format list with 2 columns, one Newer Music and one Past Favorites....
There are check boxes next to each song on the list. You can choose up to 5 to request. For me, WRSA already has Taylor in their rotation (we train em young) ... so I have a check box. However, they have a place at the bottom to request songs that are not currently in their format. If your station doesn't have him listed, add WRIR to the list.
Be sure to actually request at least 3 songs, preferably 5 ... if you only request Taylor's, they will not think you are a dedicated listener to their station.
I would not fill one of these forms out more than ONCE PER WEEK. That is more than enough given how little room there is for them to add requests, and it is better to not risk alienating them.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Make the Widget Seen
We will keep this blog updated with the latest information on What's Right is Right as it climbs up the radio charts, and then follow The Distance as numbers start to come in.
Help share the excitement and the news for everyone to see. Let's spread it everywhere.
Please take the widget for your blog, your MySpace, Multiply, website, board, wherever you can put a widget. Let's see if we can spread the word about The Distance.
This blog is not connected to any sites, it is just temporary to share information across the fan base and unite us in supporting Taylor and The Distance, If you have positive news about the single or the CD that you would like to share, feel free to comment on it.
If you are having trouble locating which radio station in your area you should be listening to or requesting from, we can point you in the right direction.
Thanks.
Help share the excitement and the news for everyone to see. Let's spread it everywhere.
Please take the widget for your blog, your MySpace, Multiply, website, board, wherever you can put a widget. Let's see if we can spread the word about The Distance.
This blog is not connected to any sites, it is just temporary to share information across the fan base and unite us in supporting Taylor and The Distance, If you have positive news about the single or the CD that you would like to share, feel free to comment on it.
If you are having trouble locating which radio station in your area you should be listening to or requesting from, we can point you in the right direction.
Thanks.
Climbing the Charts
What's Right is Right #29 on Mediabase chart for 2/6/2009
WRIR #5 on Radio and Records Most Added chart for A/C
WRIR #5 on Radio and Records Most Added chart for A/C
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Mediabase A/C Chart
What's Right is Right #34 on the Mediabase Adult Contemporary chart for 2/5/2009.
WRIR is #3 out of 598 on Amazon A/C preorder sales chart for March 10 releases.
WRIR is #3 out of 598 on Amazon A/C preorder sales chart for March 10 releases.
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