I just had a conversation so ridiculous with a DJ that it actually is funny. I called "Power 92" in Peoria, Illinois, and asked if they had the new Prince song. The DJ was immediaitely cross with me. He said, "Yeah, but we're not gonna play it."

I was in shock-- "Why not?"

"Because it's Prince," he said, sounding annoyed. "He doesn't fit our format, dude. Sorry."

"Doesn't fit your format...?"

"We're not gonna play the Eagles, or Jimi Hendrix, because they don;t fit our format."

"Have you heard the new song?"

"Yes, I have."

"What is your format?"

"Uhh, hip-hop, R&B."

"Well, it's funk and R&B..."

"Well, sorry, dude."

At one point he said, "Unless he starts jammin with Lil Jon or something..."

Okay, but this station plays Beyonce, the new Britney Spears song TOXIC, and tonight debuted the new Jace Chavez or whatever his name is. He can't spin the new Prince song on his little "Battle of the Beats" and let listeners vote on which song is better? This is ridiculous. Doesn't fit their format!?! I bet if the song starts rising on the charts he'll have a different story.

I'm not surprised @ all - bullshit reigns Oh, and he never did fit any format (for the most part) - what happened to playing a song b/c it's good? Not b/c there's corporate $ being shoved up your ass to spin it

Sounds like this guy just dosen't like P and will make up any excuse not to play his music.

It doesn't fit the format of Urban radio, but that's not a bad thing. Sade's singles on her last album weren't played on urban radio and it didn't affect her sales. Realistically, what artist 40 and up are getting airplay on the mainstream urban market. That market caters to teens and Prince's music is for grown folks. It may get play on the urban adult contemporary stations, but I can't imagine 'Musicology' being played on the same station that's playing music by Lil' John, Ying Yang Twins, Usher, Beyonce and Ludacris....

crenshaw said:

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I think that is the reason Prince is giving the CD away. People are going to have a chance to hear. He knew he had no chance of getting radio airplay. It is pay for play.

crenshaw said:

CHUCK D. !(1988)

MADE ME MAD WHILE I WAS ON TOUR THAT I DECLARED WAR, ON BLACK RADIO!

This is why I'm curious to see how Columbia handles this. It's their job to hire "promo" guys to do whatever is necessary to get a song on the air. I hear LA Reid spent 15 million to force radio to play "Hey Ya" not because he thought it was a good song that needed to be heard.

"Don't Play Me...It ain't the type of stereo you're tryin' to feed."

I've noticed that Urban radio has seemed to have no use for P until it comes time for tix or promos for them, then its mad love. LOL

Part of the reason you don't hear much P is due to the guitar. Rarely if ever do you hear any electric-guitar based music on black radio. Now they play the mess out of his ballads (Quiet storm programs LOOOOVE them some P), but otherwise, he definitely doesn't fit their format.

I am not surprised at all by that response.....
[This message was edited Wed Mar 31 19:39:54 2004 by codshort]

I called in to a few local stations about a week ago. One Top 40, and the other Rock. The Top 40 station told me they'd only play the "classics" -but not during peak hours, because that's all people want to hear.

The Rock station told they wouldn't play Prince because he's not rock. I told the DJ he was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and if Prince isn't rock, what would you say he is?

He couldn't give me an answer.

I bet they'll be playing it within the week.

It's the hottest new song on R&B radio right now - by far


#1 on the Urban taking off chart (doing the best at new stations):
http://www.mmr247.com/mmr...?chart=U1R

#11 on the urban jump chart (shows the most overall new plays)
http://www.mmr247.com/mmr...p?chart=U1


#1 on the Urban AC taking off chart:
http://www.mmr247.com/mmr...?chart=U2R

#2 on the Urban AC jump chart (it'll be #1 on the next update):
http://www.mmr247.com/mmr...?chart=U2R

What's amazing about these standings is that the majority of the spins are in the past 48 hours - watch the numbers climb dramatically as these charts are updated over the next 5 days to fill out a full week. It looks like most Urban AC and half Urban stations are playing the song right already.

codshort said:

I've been hearing a lot of urban R%B songs and even rap with acoustic guitar..

friggin moron, yeah keep playing sample happy hits like usher, that will last about 8 months

codshort said:

SO true

Boooo! Party poop!

I played Musicology at my club 2night and it's a hip-hop crowd...they danced to it.


:"I'm slow" edit:
[This message was edited Thu Apr 1 0:12:36 2004 by DJ506]

These radio DJs are so clueless,it ain't even funny.That's why I rarely listen to the radio these days.Urban radio stations only care about hip-hop,or R&B songs that sound like hip-hop.Years ago,I had a lively "discussion" with one of our local radio DJs about why they never play Prince.It's useless trying to get through to these people!

CalhounSq said:

Exactly!! Here in the Bay Area,stations like KYLD,KMEL and KDON never play new Prince music.They ignore him totally.But when he comes to town for a concert,all of a sudden they become huge fans/supporters.They show up at his concerts,acting as if they got alot of love for him.

DavidEye said:

Do they actually play new music to promote him though? I know radio here ignored him until he came around in 1997, but then it was all about "Little Red Corvette" "1999" "When Doves Cry" and maybe "Let's Go Crazy" (the rock station actually promoted that concert).

But he toured here in summer 2002 and I don't know that it was promoted by anydambody?

I haven't heard new Prince on urban radio since "Somebody's Somebody" on Energy 108 in Ontario.

that's sad and rather surprising
he tried to get on those stations with the rave album, had little to no success then years later makes a better album and they don't give him the time of day

oh well I'm going to the tour and it'll be tight, I'm not black therefore not contractually bound into listening to their moron music aka rap

c'mon america the whole rap game is kinda retarded if you ask me, who's with me?

i don't know i heard a figure where 88% of all rap is bought by white people

HEY NOW!! Be a little easier on the DJ's. Do you really think the DJ has say on what gets played on the air???? They are given a play list and if they stray from it they will catch hell from the PD who catches hell from the consultant and the GM. How do I know? Because I am a DJ on the local country station US 93.9. I can't go in and say "I'm gonna play this song tonight because I want to." If that were the case, I'd never play a Dixie Chicks or Shania Twain song because they suck. I'd only play George Strait and Alan Jackson...get my point?

Now as for Prince not fitting the Urban format, I agree 100%. His music is real, rap and hip-hop (which I love) is all produced electronically. It is the stuff Prince is talking about (along with pop like Britney Spears) when he says about his music "It's real music played by musicians". Would Prince really want to be played side by side with these songs? If there is any format he is suited for, it would definitely be Adult Urban. Maybe even CHR to a small degree.

Holy Sour Grapes, Batman!

I mean, who cares if radio stations don't play Prince?

As long as you enjoy the music, and can buy the CD that's all that counts.

I'll never understand why some folks are so interested in whether or not Prince makes money, gets respect, gets airplay, sells out arenas, etc. Who cares??

oooh folks.....urban ac will play it. 18 to 34 demo??? Wake up call folks! kids don't know about prince...sorry charley. Of course they won't play it.....duh.
It's called "narrow focus for broad success" when you appeal to everything under the sun, you lose and then there is no outlet for you or anyone, period.

as far as payola goes....you don't think warner was spendin $$$ to schmooz radio for Prince in the 80's? Were we crying then? You were enjoying the fruits of their labor. I find it quite funny.

It kills me when purists get up in arms talkin about how it should be. It is, it's called internet radio and public radio. The 12 and up demo is not feeling prince like that. They want to hear beyonce, jay-z, lil jon. Now, how abour Tom Joyner's show??? I'm sure he will play it. I know that the Urban Ac Program Director out here was telling me about Musicology. But you know what? Columbia gotta get on the ball if it is to be in rotation. And it's not abour money, it's about phone calls and emails.

Get off the high horse and play by the rules. Yeah, we may be duped but I'm not gonna cry about why this or why that. I'm gonna play it and make mine, honey. ok, that was a soap box moment. I apologize for my rant

PurpleCharm said:

We have urban stations here in DC and they all play Prince. There was something else behind dude not playing Prince.

This is what happens when other people "think" they know what will sell to a black audience, or what constitues black music. It's no mystery that today, the word "urban" in a euphomism for "black". This is the same type of ish that Prince had to deal with when he first started out back in the day. It was Prince that really broke down that barrier on radio, as he was the first black artist we had EVER heard being played on non-black station here. It just wasn't done. With him, all of that started to change. People started listening to what they liked.

The song stinks and it's out of date. Why should they play a 3rd rate James Brown crap song?

KatSkrizzle said:

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It is about the money. Try commenting on something you know about. Mr. Liggins the CEO of Radio One got on Prime Time live last year and admitted they play songs based on payment.
If Sony pays for play you will hear Prince on the air.

In addtion, surveys have shown that 88% of rap is purchased by white people. In Wash D.C the highest rated station is WHUR and that don't play any rap.

oh well I'm going to the tour and it'll be tight, I'm not black therefore not contractually bound into listening to their moron music aka rap


First of all, rap music is not "our" MORON music. Most black people over the age of 25-27 don't even LIKE rap music as it is today. The images that you see being passed off as "rap" nowadays are being pushed by people who have a really narrow view of what black is. It's not an accident that the biggest idiots on the planet who can barely read are given the most airtime on radio and TV, while more varied and conscious rap artists aren't. These are the people who control who gets signed, what gets promoted what doesn't.

They're also the same people who will think thrice about playing a Prince song on the radio because he doesn't fit the stereotypical profile.

at least 2 more R&B stations added the song yesterday. That makes 74 out of about about 110 R&B stations already playing, most of them starting within the past 3 days.

laurarichardson said: