A few weeks ago, I spoke to a 62-year-old who felt that Top 40 radio was too slow on new music and launched his own streaming radio station. A few minutes after our conversation, a 69-year-old radio veteran posted on my column page that he had never heard a Taylor Swift song.
The former was Eric Fliegel, whose post-college-radio career has been tech support in other industries. Fliegel relaunched his HitBound Radio last November. HitBound, which has jingles, sweepers, and even some back/frontsells, gives its heaviest rotation to brand-new music, including a daily new song that plays once an hour.
The latter was a comment from former Radio & Records AOR editor and rock-radio veteran Harvey Kojan. In response to my column about the 43-year-old who had never heard Bob Seger’s “Night Moves,” Kojan posted that he had not only never heard a Swift song but couldn’t name one. (To be fair, Kojan later added that he follows new music, just not pop.)
Staying current on new music is the other side of the Seger conversation — both stem from the alleged unlikelihood of having favorite music that is either before one’s personal frame of reference or after age 35. In our industries, the decision on whether to stay current often takes place at least a decade later, but still confronts many eventually, whether because of an empty nest, a move to Classic Hits radio, or not working in radio at all.
Pop music’s up cycles have long depended on adults wanting to be able to share music with their kids. That’s been tested in recent years by the rise of streaming, the quality of available music, and the option for a 15-year-old of staying under the earbuds, thus eliminating a parent’s incentive to grapple with the hits. Given the industry belief that music has improved recently, any possible Top 40 rebound starts with our own interest in it.
I asked Facebook friends over 35 about staying current. The majority still do (and those who do so professionally still enjoy it). But there are those who have moved on, don’t find much they like, or find it mostly outside the pop mainstream (e.g., Triple-A or non-radio indie music).
“Even when I was out of radio, I always kept up with new music Personally, I love a lot of the new music out in both Top 40 and Country.” – Scott Evans
“I’m 45 and yes, I still follow new pop, [mainstream] Country and Alternative … I think it’s important to stay current [professionally] but I also enjoy it on a personal level. Always have. Besides, I don’t want to get burnt on the classics.” – Jamie Turner
“Mid-50s here. I love looking for new artists and staying up to date on a number of different formats. To be honest, I often prefer more recent music, since I got burnt out on what I listened to in high school and college.” — Ben Reed
“I listen to new releases every week, and usually find a song or two in each week’s pile that is truly inspiring. There is amazing music being made today, but it’s mostly by indie bands and singer-songwriters.” — Veteran rock programmer Dennis Constantine.
“I can’t tell you how many of our listeners over 45 specifically say they love us for discovering new music.” — Matt Donahue, PD Triple-A WNRN Richmond, Va.
“I’ve always loved contemporary music, and yes, I want to stay current … Music is better than it was two years ago. I’m lucky to have WIFC Wausau, Wis., as my top station [since, like sister WIXX Green Bay, they] play great new music that doesn’t always follow the charts.” — Tony Waitekus, who programmed WIFC.
‘It’s always been my job to keep up with new music in several formats in several countries. But I’ve always loved doing that. It doesn’t even feel like a job, because I love it.” — Consultant Bob Perry
“I listen to every new release and follow iTunes, Shazam, Billboard, TikTok, Spotify, and Mediabase. And I’m 67.” — Veteran PD Brian Burns, who has his own streaming station.
Burns and Waitekus were among radio’s most industrious programmers, so it would not bode well if they had given up. But at least one longtime PD (and reliable Song of the Summer predictor) is straining a little.
“I still enjoy pop music, although I’ve taken the last few months off to give myself a break from the recurrents. The quality of new stuff has left me wanting a bit, so I might not mentally Shazam a mid-charter from February as quick as I used to.” — Jerry Noble.
“It makes me sad [if men stop listening to new music after age 35]. They’re missing out. There’s a lot of great pop right now. I think the Top 40 format is on fire lately.” — Former AC/Hot AC PD Mike Nelson
“I find myself more intrigued by the Canadian Country and Rock charts, and have already discovered plenty of nuggets that don’t get exposure on this side of the border.” — Longtime AC PD Rob Sidney.
“Turning 60. Listening to new music of all genres is my day job, so I usually find something interesting each week in several formats, including CCM, Eurodance, international pop, singer-songwriter, Alternative, and R&B. For core stuff, I have a playlist called ‘indie’ of new stuff that I hear on SiriusXM XMU, Spectrum, and Coffee House.” — Michael Pelaia, Hooks Unlimited
“Listening to stations like No Shoes Radio and Radio Margaritaville expose me to great new music all the time that I never would have found on my own. On the Pandora side, ‘the robot’ (my affectionate term for the algorithm) finds new stuff all the time.” — SiriusXM’s Al Skop.
“That I am connecting with ‘Espresso’ and ‘Please Please Please’ at age 61 certainly means I’m as thirsty for new music now as 20 years ago.” — Longtime Billboard writer Chuck Taylor.
“Larry Lujack said it best. ‘To tire of rock ’n’ roll is to tire of life.’ The same can be said for staying on top of current music.” — WHBC Canton, Ohio, PD Joel Murphy.
“I enjoy staying current, but the other day I [played] the Spotify USA top 50 [for] seven of my closest friends and all of them were in disgust more often than not.” — A&R veteran Marc Nathan.
“After almost 20 years of trying and not finding anything that contributes to the evolution of rock-based music, or the grand scheme of things, I no longer find it important to stay current. I’m sure if anything comes along of value, I will certainly hear about it.” – Veteran rock PD Alan Sells
“The past year has been the first of the last 25 that I’ve not been on at least one current-based format. I honestly don’t miss it … I do hope it turns around. It always has before, but I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever go back.” — Robb Reel
At least one reader, Jason Steiner, says that in his 50s, he’s happy to be galvanized by both the new music he likes (“every Doja Cat song I ever heard”) and the current sub-genre he dislikes, which he dubs “tortured soul” (Jelly Roll, Teddy Swims, etc.). “Perhaps I shouldn’t be so passionate at my age, but it keeps me interested.”
For his part, Fliegel says that Jelly Roll’s “I Am Not Okay” is actually a recent favorite — particularly because of its emphasis on emotional well-being and the artist’s “inspiring” story. As the sort of person who listened to American Top 40 growing up particularly for the debut songs, Fliegel says that he still likes most of the seven songs he adds each week. “At least 60% of them make it to the charts within 60 days,” he adds.
Here’s Hitbound Radio at 8 a.m., July 23:
- Gracie Abrams f/Taylor Swift, “Us”
- Teddy Swims, “Lose Control”
- Mr. MooQ, “Wow” — with an artist intro
- Jelly Roll, “I Am Not Okay”
- Dua Lipa, “Illusion” — with a “here’s another song you heard first” stager
- Jax Jones, Jason Derulo & Joel Corry, “Tonight (D.I.Y.A.)” — an interpolation of Cutting Crew’s “(I Just) Died in Your Arms”
- Eminem, “Houdini”
- Taylor Swift, “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”
- Florrie, “Looking for Love”
- Artemis, “I Like the Way You Kiss Me”
- Jessica Baio, “Bite the Bullet” — with artist intro; today’s once-an-hour Hitbound Debut song
- Mico, “Good Luck Have Fun”
- Sigala, Trevor Daniel, 24kGoldn, “It’s a Feeling”
- Post Malone f/Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help”
- Tove Lo & SG Lewis, “Heat”
- Lisa, “Rockstar”
- Astrid S, “Joyride”
- Dasha, “Didn’t I”