Why do radio stations play the same songs over and over again?

Question

Why do radio stations play the same songs over and over again?

Answer 1

because those in management at the stations are complete buffoons. i never could understand why b sides are ignored when they could be at least thrown in for some variety. that's why i have turned to talk radio.

Answer 2

Fox and Duh had it right to a point.

It's still done today, but instead of just the most popular top 40, radio stations pay money to outside companies (as well as by listener requests) to see what songs that have fallen outside the top 40 are still being listened to by people. Hince we have stations that specialize in songs that are older but still popular

Answer 3

Because the record companies pay them to do it that way. They think if you hear it enough it gets in your head, you go buy the cd, Their sales go up......

Yeah so i know you guys did not want to hear that but its the truth.... one day you will all know it so sucks it open your eyes and see that the record companies are not honest adn do really pay to have the songs played

Answer 4

Most people don't listen for very long - but it's more than the 15 minutes quoted above. At the #1 station in New York the average time spent listening is 8-1/2 hours a week, so that's a little over an hour a day. The ratings company (Arbitron) measures based on 5 minutes - they report based on 15 minutes. Perhaps that's where the confusion came in.

When people do tune in, they expect to hear their favorites, so the stations play them over and again. Some misconceptions:

Record companies do not pay radio for airplay;

Radio and record companies are not playing well together these days;

Record labels want RADIO to pay them and the artists more than they are already paying thru ASCAP & BMI;

Payola is not very prevelant, despite what other members may think. No offense, but it's just not like it used to be. There are too many corporate decision makers involved in the music, so local folks can't promise record labels airtime as they used to. So the labels don't give out the things including $$ that they used to. Not saying it never happens - just way less than in the past.

Funny to find two mentions of Todd Storz in one night (different questions). Here's the text from another question I answered today. I think it tells the story pretty well, as does another member a couple answers up from me:

This goes back to the old days when AM was ruling the airwaves. A couple of radio geniuses were in a bar and noticed that people kept plugging their quarters in the jukebox, but mostly played the same 30-50 songs. They called it at mid-point: 40. One of the guys was Todd Storz who had a station in Omaha. He aired this new format they had in mind (anything that might get back some business from this new television thing) and went on the air with the 40 most popular songs of the week.

All day and all night, 24 hours a day with very little DJ interaction they'd play those songs over and again. they understood (as most radio people didn't) that the main reason people listened was for the music. That they wanted to hear their favorites during the odd times they tuned in. And they didnt want a lot of chatter.

These new Top-40 stations would change their playlist once a week when "Billboard" came out.

Short version of a long story.

Top-40 referred to the 40 most purchased records weekly as compiled and reported by "Billboard Magazine."

-a guy named duh

Answer 5

it started with a man named todd storz. he is the one who discovered that people want to hear the same songs over and over again. he would stay at a restraunt all night and realized the people would play the same songs over and over. this is where top 40 radio comes in and the belief that you want to hear a song till the point that your sick of it. thank mr. storz and the people who loved his format idea for radio

Answer 6

No matter what they say about payola being stopped that's c**p. All you have to do is listen to the garbage they put on & push worse than a dealer to school kids.

MONEY TALKS BULL SH$T WALKS & EVERYBODY ELSE RIDES THE BUS.

Ah for the days of the original FM radio No commercials great music played albums at a time who cares if these guys may have indulged in some hemp.The music was worth it, it just flowed & no mistakes. No singles no talking over the beginning or end of a track or double album. Corporate America corupts everything. Now FM sounds like AM when it was at its worst. AIN'T LIFE GRAND?

Answer 7

Because there are too many radio stations chasing one advertising market.  It's the same reason that most television has got worst since satellite and Sky TV hit the UK.

There's less advertising revenue to go around, whereas when there was one commercial TV or radio channel in an area it was up to the broadcaster to show what they felt the viewer or listener wanted.  Now it's the advertiser who is able to dictate what programmes can be shown.

Answer 8

The reason is that the average listener listens to the radio for 15 minutes a day. I know there's a lot that listen all day long but on average, that's what the stat is.

Radio's product is time, which they sell to advertisers. Radio stations want to ensure that their target audience is attracted to listening to their station by putting the most popular songs of the day in heavy rotation. Heavy rotation is based again on the stat I mentioned above.

Answer 9

There's only so many songs that fit into their criteria. Most radio stations play one type of music, rather than a wide variety of different styles.

By me we have K104 and every couple of hours you'll hear the same song. Whenever people request something a little bit older, or a different style of music they'll be all 'We haven't played that in years, and we're never going to again.' and then they hang up.

I guess what I'm trying to say is ... their too one-sighted about types of music.