You are exactly like me. I can't cherry pick songs. I always delve deeper and listen to albums at a time. I end up licking the entire library of an artist most of the time, and the closest thing to cherry picking would be liking a single entire album of some particular artist.
Is it just me or has radio gotten much, much worse...
- Thread starter Baraka in the White House
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You are exactly like me. I can't cherry pick songs. I always delve deeper and listen to albums at a time. I end up licking the entire library of an artist most of the time, and the closest thing to cherry picking would be liking a single entire album of some particular artist.
IISANDERII
Member
I hate the radio so much, it irritates me to no end. DJs and their useless and uninteresting anecdotes, callers calling in with generic, valueless praise, endless commercials and of course, playing the same songs to death.
Big radio stations are often owned by the record labels and I'm guessing they all come to an agreement to play each other's music, creating one big circle jerk to drive up record sales and concert attendance. There's nothing ever new, and it's sort of a brainwash.
Having said that, I love CBC Radio 2. It's a government owned station with no commercials, DJs with very interesting stories about artists or the specific song.
In the day time, they play mostly classical and it's alright, but they often play film scores, which blows me socks off.
I was actually reminded about this thread because on Mondays[right now] they have Molto Mondays where they select a composer and devote an hour or two to him/her. Today it's John Williams and his work for Star Wars. Hearing this on public radio is amazing.
There's also requests on Fridays and a month ago somebody requested The Asteroid Field from Empire Strikes Back. Hearing that brought a tear to me eye.
edit: And I plan on making a strong case to them and request a Final Fantasy theme by Nobuo Uematsu. And if they actually play it, that would be spectacularly brilliant
Big radio stations are often owned by the record labels and I'm guessing they all come to an agreement to play each other's music, creating one big circle jerk to drive up record sales and concert attendance. There's nothing ever new, and it's sort of a brainwash.
Having said that, I love CBC Radio 2. It's a government owned station with no commercials, DJs with very interesting stories about artists or the specific song.
In the day time, they play mostly classical and it's alright, but they often play film scores, which blows me socks off.
I was actually reminded about this thread because on Mondays[right now] they have Molto Mondays where they select a composer and devote an hour or two to him/her. Today it's John Williams and his work for Star Wars. Hearing this on public radio is amazing.
There's also requests on Fridays and a month ago somebody requested The Asteroid Field from Empire Strikes Back. Hearing that brought a tear to me eye.
edit: And I plan on making a strong case to them and request a Final Fantasy theme by Nobuo Uematsu. And if they actually play it, that would be spectacularly brilliant
Choke on the Magic
Banned
Just look at this fucking asshat and tell me your blood doesn't boil.
This asshat is going to be my halloween costume this year.
Jezbollah
Member
(UKer here)
I only really listen to the radio in the car (and my job involves a LOT of driving to customer sites) - so recently my experience was enhanced by fitting an AutoDAB unit. It allows me to receive digital radio - and have been enjoying superb quality BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 6 Music, which is a fantastic station.
Got some other stations available to me now that I couldnt get with FM (total of 79) - the first time I listened to Planet Rock they were playing Black by Pearl Jam. I smiled.
I only really listen to the radio in the car (and my job involves a LOT of driving to customer sites) - so recently my experience was enhanced by fitting an AutoDAB unit. It allows me to receive digital radio - and have been enjoying superb quality BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 6 Music, which is a fantastic station.
Got some other stations available to me now that I couldnt get with FM (total of 79) - the first time I listened to Planet Rock they were playing Black by Pearl Jam. I smiled.
SonicMegaDrive
Member
Shoot, I remember saying that in 1997. I'm sure it's much, much worse now, not that I would know.
True Underdog
Member
I think the selection in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area is decent. I still usually listen to things on Spotify in the car but sometimes I listen to NPR and the public radio music station (it's a branch of our local public broadcast). They play some really good music that you wouldn't hear on the mainstream stations. I still listen to the two mainstream rock stations from time to time.
As someone else said earlier in the thread:
Vocal effects have been used for decades.
Choke on the Magic
Banned
I think it depends where you live. STL has radio stations for just about everything. FM stations for just about every genre. Talk radio radio for lefties and righties, good AM and FM radio sports coverage. Plus with Sirius radio has just about everything for everybody. So in my opinion radio has never been better as far as variety.
Davey Cakes
Member
I've been off radio for a while. I'm all MP3 player, now. Way better since.
And if I didn't have my iPod, I'd use Pandora on the iPhone.
Repeating playlists are bad. The way some radio stations are turning into pop stations (when there were already plenty of pop stations to begin with) is bad. The way that hit singles get played on several stations is bad. Radio is just a "beat you over the head" experience now. It's probably been that way for a long time, though.
Even the Classic Rock stations, which I used to love until I expanded my tastes, only venture out of the typical songs once in a while. Sometimes they'll give a particular artist a rightful due and play new material or alternative versions or live versions. I found that to be uncommon, but at least it's there.
I don't think I ever want to hear Hotel California or Free Fallin' ever again.
Some of the best stations are the college ones, honestly. You get some decent indie music on there but also a variety of old and new. Art students actually have decent taste, but even then it's still redundant when I have so many songs on my iPod and can just make a hefty playlist, or turn on a high-variety Pandora station.
I would like to see an artist like Katy Perry make music specifically tuned for her inability to sing.
And if I didn't have my iPod, I'd use Pandora on the iPhone.
Repeating playlists are bad. The way some radio stations are turning into pop stations (when there were already plenty of pop stations to begin with) is bad. The way that hit singles get played on several stations is bad. Radio is just a "beat you over the head" experience now. It's probably been that way for a long time, though.
Even the Classic Rock stations, which I used to love until I expanded my tastes, only venture out of the typical songs once in a while. Sometimes they'll give a particular artist a rightful due and play new material or alternative versions or live versions. I found that to be uncommon, but at least it's there.
I don't think I ever want to hear Hotel California or Free Fallin' ever again.
Some of the best stations are the college ones, honestly. You get some decent indie music on there but also a variety of old and new. Art students actually have decent taste, but even then it's still redundant when I have so many songs on my iPod and can just make a hefty playlist, or turn on a high-variety Pandora station.
Vocal effects have been around for a while but they've been used well. Autotune as abused today is really, really bad. That's the way of pop, though. Making you sound "better" because the pop-listeners with untuned ears wouldn't listen to the music otherwise. There are plenty of artists with "merely okay" voices who make very entertaining music. I don't even listen to Bob Dylan that much but he's quite the legend for someone with a bad (or at least unconventional) singing voice.I was being sarcastic thoughPoking fun at an all too common viewpoint here on GAF.
I would like to see an artist like Katy Perry make music specifically tuned for her inability to sing.
here in Italy we have a different problem, no music at all!!!
The playlist usually is:
then they pretend to change name of the show, they put a different speaker wich do the same pattern for the next two hours.
There was a radio called RDS here that only played music and some random ads, the radio-mob forced it to put speakers beccause everybody was just listening to that radio!!!
The playlist usually is:
- Speakers introduce the argument of the day (usually a news of the day, in particular gossip or news about sex).
- Spots (10 minutes)
- a song (put coldplay/rihanna/adele song title here)
- they read some message they have received about the argument (at first it was SMS, then email, then Facebook, now twitter) they make a 2 second comment about the message.
- repeat the last three steps
then they pretend to change name of the show, they put a different speaker wich do the same pattern for the next two hours.
There was a radio called RDS here that only played music and some random ads, the radio-mob forced it to put speakers beccause everybody was just listening to that radio!!!
The radio on the east coast is a stinking pile compared to the west coast stations. Before, I could tune in to all kinds of old, new, mainstream or even some local bands. Big Sonic Chill on late nights introduced me to some of my now favorites, like the xx and Zero 7.
Here it's just rap, pop, and one rock station that all play the same top 100 hits on a loop. Is payola back? Cause this sucks.
Here it's just rap, pop, and one rock station that all play the same top 100 hits on a loop. Is payola back? Cause this sucks.
What about artists like T-Pain or Kanye who use auto-tune to purposefully sound unnatural?
Baraka in the White House
2-Terms of Kombat
Among others, you, apparently.
Also, holy thread necro.
I've pretty much moved on to mp3s and news radio on occasion, although I still run up and down the dial sometimes to see what's being played to death now. These days it seems like that goofy new-ish Bruno Mars song is on track to be this year's We Are Young. Eugh.
On the subject of rock and alternative radio, I've also noticed an unsettling surge in songs with really folk-y sounds to them. Hearing lots of acoustic guitars, soft/reedy vocals and riffs that seem like they'd be more at home on a happy-go-lucky/non-offensive workplace radio station than a rock one.
Nope, that's just the east coast radio. If you're in the south, add in about 2 - 5 country stations depending on market size....yes, they all play the same songs.
I just don't see the point in complaining about something that you have so much control over.
I get complaining about, let's say, the MTA hiking up fares in NYC. This is something I have no control and I have no choice but to pay. But this? You have so much control over what you listen to: how, when and for how long. You can make playlists, you can use pandora/grooveshark/spotify to discover new music that is in line with your taste. "Radio" is a giant step back that you don't even need to concern yourself with.
So who cares? It's like complaining that there are too many reality tv shows on tv. I'm so good at not watching them and it's really not that hard.
Quityerbitchingaf.
IISANDERII
Member
Addendum: CBC Radio2 Tempo has been fantastic today, far surpassing my expectation! Music from Star Wars, The Single Man, Lord of the Rings, The Godfather, The Hours, The Artist and more. I wish the station devoted more to film scores everyday.
Baraka in the White House
2-Terms of Kombat
Dude, I got no cause to dislike you or anything but I'm pretty sure this kind of thing gets folks banned these days...
krameriffic
Member
That song is so fucking bad. I'm sorry, but how many ways can you describe a person as being on fire?
But as I was saying. I just don't see why it's a valid complaint. Radio's are like magazines. They are slowly going away so I don't see the point in complaining about their quality especially when the alternatives are so much better and easily accessible.
The only stations I listen to out of Portland, OR is an alternative station and occasionally a classic rock one. There was another rock station, but they fired all their DJs(they made better podcasts anyway), brought in a bunch of asshats to replace them, and then killed the station later on and turned it into right wing talk radio.
We have a local staion that goes back and forth to all classic rock, to pop music every few years.
I like my Satellite radio enough, although there's only one punk rock station(Well, station that plays some punk rock, mostly alternative with some hip-hop) and it spends 95% of the time airing Jason Ellis or "best of" Ellis and he's the worst.
When they are playing music, it goes through phases of repeating one badn a lot. Lately they've been on a fit of Rage Against the Machine.
Other than that, I only got 7 of the 10 programmable buttons programed. So I guess that says something about the selection.
I like my Satellite radio enough, although there's only one punk rock station(Well, station that plays some punk rock, mostly alternative with some hip-hop) and it spends 95% of the time airing Jason Ellis or "best of" Ellis and he's the worst.
When they are playing music, it goes through phases of repeating one badn a lot. Lately they've been on a fit of Rage Against the Machine.
Other than that, I only got 7 of the 10 programmable buttons programed. So I guess that says something about the selection.
DjangoReinhardt
Thinks he should have been the one to kill Batman's parents.
At some point 10+ years ago, I realized that I couldn't remember the last time I got into a new artist that I heard on the radio so I stopped listening to music stations altogether. I haven't missed it at all and I can't imagine that the additional Clear Channel consolidation has improved the situation. On top of that, the ways to discover new music have only improved since then.
NPR is great, at least.
NPR is great, at least.
Baraka in the White House
2-Terms of Kombat
But as I was saying. I just don't see why it's a valid complaint. Radio's are like magazines. They are slowly going away so I don't see the point in complaining about their quality especially when the alternatives are so much better and easily accessible.
Well pack it up, everyone. There's nothing to discuss here.
Baraka in the White House
2-Terms of Kombat
I try not go as far as to say "Top 40 sucks" because that sounds too much like, "I hate what's popular" and that's definitely not the case with me. I will say, however, that Top 40 seems to have become much more homogenous lately. But it's not just Top 40 that's guilty of this, i.e. all of my local rock/metal/classic rock/alternative stations sharing playlists. Those genres are distinct enough for there to be little overlap.
NRK and KGON by any chance?
Duane Cunningham
Member
I'M GOOONNA MAKE THIS PLAYCE MY HOOOME
Also bugs me: Commercials that repeat the phone number three consecutive times.
Also bugs me: Commercials that repeat the phone number three consecutive times.
NintendoRev
Member
Just had a mildly horrifying moment where Rihanna was playing on 5 different stations at the same time. It.. I couldn't escape ;__;
Yes. This is THE main reason why listening to the radio starts getting on my nerves real quick.
I don't dig mainstream pop music. Or hip-hop. Or R&B. But I've found a rock station I like. Only problem? They play the same damn 15-20 songs all day, every day. After a few days of that, I'm sick to the core, not only of the songs, but of the whole principle of having playlists so mindnumbingly stagnant and boring.
God, you have 50 years worth of great music to choose from. I can understand having a focus on new music to focus on actuality, but radio just loses me when it becomes too predictable. I like to be surprised, musically, when listening to the radio. I don't mind listening to the same artists, but at least mix up the songs played by those artists.
I don't dig mainstream pop music. Or hip-hop. Or R&B. But I've found a rock station I like. Only problem? They play the same damn 15-20 songs all day, every day. After a few days of that, I'm sick to the core, not only of the songs, but of the whole principle of having playlists so mindnumbingly stagnant and boring.
God, you have 50 years worth of great music to choose from. I can understand having a focus on new music to focus on actuality, but radio just loses me when it becomes too predictable. I like to be surprised, musically, when listening to the radio. I don't mind listening to the same artists, but at least mix up the songs played by those artists.
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
Same. Only time I hear any current mainstream stuff is when I pop into a store or something like a Subway. I always question how these people maintain their sanity when they're forced to listen to the same shit day in and day out
GraveHorizon
poop meter feature creep
I hate pop stations for playing every hot "new" song all the fuc*ing time. There's like a 50% chance when I turn on the radio to one of the 12 presets in my car that one of them will be playing Taylor Swift's Trouble song. Just last week it was playing on two stations at the same time. That and the "Toniiiiiiight, we are young!" people with their other song, and a bunch of other shit that apparently needs to be aired at least once every couple hours.
I sometimes wonder what's worse, pop stations or Christian stations. Both have limited and repetitive playlists, with high odds of hearing any given song more than once in a day. Both play songs with pretty dumb and uninspired lyrics. But the edge in quality goes to pop, because at least all the songs they play aren't about one thing. And Taylor Swift repeating the same word/non-words over and over isn't supposed to be heard as some grand message, as opposed to every single Christian song. However many times Nicki Minaj repeats every other word in one of her songs, I could get down to the beat without feeling like she's trying to convince me her music is a path to enlightenment.
I sometimes wonder what's worse, pop stations or Christian stations. Both have limited and repetitive playlists, with high odds of hearing any given song more than once in a day. Both play songs with pretty dumb and uninspired lyrics. But the edge in quality goes to pop, because at least all the songs they play aren't about one thing. And Taylor Swift repeating the same word/non-words over and over isn't supposed to be heard as some grand message, as opposed to every single Christian song. However many times Nicki Minaj repeats every other word in one of her songs, I could get down to the beat without feeling like she's trying to convince me her music is a path to enlightenment.
Davey Cakes
Member
T-Pain is hard for me to listen to. I actively dislike him. That said, at least I could deem that "unnatural autotuned music" and keep away from it specifically. When autotune leaks into everything else though? That's a bit annoying, because then it's hard to avoid.
I will admit that I just don't like the sound.
It's better than terrestrial but I'd argue it's not as good as it once was. XM back in 2003-late 2008 was a thing of beauty. Huge amounts of genres covered, incredibly deep playlists, not as many talk show DJs on music channels. I swear they used better encoding back then too.
That can be worse than driving drunk for some people.
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