I've recently heard the feature Track 7 on 94.7, which I believe is new. I guess "Track 7" is supposed to refer to a track on the album that is not often heard on radio. So far I have heard Radiohead, REM, Tom Petty (odd choice for "new rock" bug good nonetheless), and Soundgarden.

It makes me really excited to hear these deep traks and makes we wonder why don't more radio stations play album tracks? I remember a lot of "Album Rock" stations in the 1980s, but it doesn't appear that anyone is playing this stuff anymore. Why must we be subjected to the same 200 songs?

Because it has been proven over and over again. That the tighter the playlist. The better the ratings. If it were not so you would hear more than about 800 songs on any given radio station.

I would listen to a radio station that has an 800 song playlist.

Hey Larry I agree. I love hearing the deeper tracks instead of the same overplayed hits. Pearl Jam for example, they have so many great songs that were minor hits or not hits at all that get limited to no airplay. Im tired of hearing "better man" or Daughter" Play some deeper Pearl Jam tracks!

I like this program too. Liked live Saturdays too. Got a nice batch of listening time a coupla weekends ago. It was a nice change.

One idea occurs to me regarding the tight playlist = ratings dilemma.

Use the deeper ones for promos and such. The problem with deep tracks, at least one of the problems I believe is a problem, is lack of context.

The deep track might be good, but it's not familiar and familiar is something attractive, comfortable, listenable.

So, make them more familiar, one at a time.

"You've all heard this [track] before, and we know you like it. Why not give this one a chance?

Introducing [track]! Tell us what you think. Got a story, memory, or impression to share? Do it online or on the phones at [contact].

[play it]

You've just heard [track] from the best selling album, featuring [familiar track] on KXXX.

Return to safe and comfy playlist again for a while.

At the end of the day, week, weekend, hold a just what did we play? contest, or something.

Over time, some context can be built up that listeners can relate to and suddenly, you've got deep tracks that are familiar deep tracks and connections that are not shared with the other stations in the region.

(until they lame ass try and dupe the idea, then it's a straight up marketing problem. Either way, those tracks do become familiar, even if fought over)

I recently heard a liner on 94/7 referring to the music as "World Class Rock"...which is a common positioner for Triple A stations.

The River used it.

105.9 The River was "First-Class Rock."

KSKD, you are right about Live Saturdays....I wish they did it every Saturday.

Some of the ideas you put forth are interesting in terms of developing context. Of course, it has to be organically developed or I doubt it will work.

Totally has to be organic. I can't see it working otherwise either. Can't just plop them out there and hope for the best.

(Though that worked with Baz Lutherman!)

One interesting thing about doing that is failures make for good radio just as much as successes do. I remember quite some time back, I was working late nights and one of the KGON DJ's gave "So Alive" - Love and Rockets a spin.

Of course, for that crowd it failed big time. He came on after the fact and said, "I'm sorry, you will never, ever hear it again!" Remember laughing when he did it, and laughing harder afterword, seeing my thoughts confirmed!

So, the take away is that I remember that particular evening out of a lot of safe and researched ones. With that memory comes the brand KGON. I like that brand, listen regularly, and enjoy the occasional adventure from time to time. KGON has been around long enough to totally carry a little risk, from time to time, with few to no worries. IMHO, that's something the less enduring, flash in the pan stations, just don't have. I think it's got value that can be leveraged. I also think it took a long, organic time, to build.

On the flip side, I absolutely loved it when somebody at KNRK just decided to play Baz Lutherman. It was so Portland. Nailed it, and soon he got airplay on a lot of stations.

The difference between the two is that now Baz Lutherman is just cool here, but I doubt that people remember that KNRK started it. So, that's an investment that carries risk, and not too much longer term return --if establishing the brand is the goal.

Leading those with an introduction, where the connection is made for people, dots connected and feedback taken, does cement the station brand, while building a content pool that's somewhat unique.

Perhaps, done correctly, a station brand can be associated with some sounds and not others and thus own that, like big companies try to own single words. Volvo = safe, for example. That kind of thing carries very longer term value.

And that's gotta be key. The occasional off beat hit, can be just spammed over the dial and everybody gets a share. A constant positioning, building and then owning a sound just can't because everybody will know where it comes from.

Just don't know if that's worth more, or pays more than just churning the hell out of things.

I know I like it more than I do flash in the pan stuff.

Anyone ever run the numbers on doing the format churn "the new KXXX" every 9 - 24 months compared to building a more established one over the same time?

Who came up with the idea for 94/7 to do "track #7" was it a PD decision or a music director decision. And with the departure a couple of months back of Jaime Cooley who is 94/7's current music director? Anyone know?

There are so many great albums from the 90's that only had one or two actual radio hits, when in reality the whole album was full of radio hits but only one or two songs saw the light of day. So "I'm very excited to hear some deeper album tracks. This was a cool idea. I've been hearing some cool Green Day songs on NRK that I haven't heard before and I Love it!

Who came up with the idea for 94/7 to do "track #7" [...] And with the departure a couple of months back of Jaime Cooley[...]?
I dunno either question, but that does remind me of how much I enjoyed "Something Cool..." you knew that for an hour you'd hear unfamiliar music, and she really did take feedback on what she was playing.
Also makes me wonder what happened to her, as I listened to her on the radio all the way back in her "All-Request Saturday Night" sidekick/co-host to Rick Taylor days; and when I met her she was one of the ones that at least faked being nice to me even though she didn't have to.

A show similar but, IMHO, better (also on 94.7) is the Bottom 40...unfortunately it is only on Sunday nights. I think at 8:00PM Sundays.

There is music on that show that I have never heard and probably will never again. It is certainly an adventurous show.

Yes it is.

I find I have to be in the mood for that one. When it works, it works, but when it does not, it's really bad.

No pain, no gain kind of radio.