Video killed the radio star.
Those five words are much more than the answer to an easy, recurring trivia question (What was the first video to be played on MTV?). The title of The Buggles' only hit is claiming (or in 1981, predicting) that music videos will be the medium that is guilty of destroying radio as we know it (primarily FM, seeing how AM is mostly talk-show based). And although video has indeed made an impact on how artists become exposed, by no means has it killed any careers.
Music advocates may agree with what The Buggles were attempting to claim; however, I find the theory completely misguided. Video did not, is not and will not be killing any radio stars. As long as there are cars, offices and workdays, radio will continue to be a factor in the mass media market, which ultimately guarantees that there will be radio stars. But even though they are still alive and well, what many of us are failing to recognize is that the pathetic, repetitious, corporate-owned radio stations that some of us listen to are completely destroying everything that radio once stood for. And who is suffering? Well, the trend-avoiding artists, the disc jockeys and, most importantly, we the listeners.
Radio has become a scripted, gutless medium that recycles the same music on a daily basis. It doesn't matter if you are listening to a classic rock station or one that is boy band-friendly and highly popular among seventh grade girls. Both have a limited song list from which the DJ chooses their songs. There is nothing obscure, nothing spontaneous and nothing controversial about any of these stations. (And by the way, nothing that involves Britney, Christina or the sisters Simpson can be defined as controversial.)
I guess I am fairly passionate about creativity, rock music and what both stand for. I grew up listening to an oldies station that, for the most part, would play any song that I would call in and request. That particular station, like Guns N' Roses, has been dead for almost 10 years now. I miss them both. Still, what I miss the most are the knowledgeable DJs and the impact their hours of track selections had on my summer days of tanning, reading and playing games of one-on-none basketball on my gravel-covered court.
Before you dismiss the importance of DJs, let me say that we all play the role of DJ at one point or another. Sometimes it's the duty of finding a good radio station (if that's possible) while riding shotgun on a road trip. Sometimes you are in charge of the very pulse of an important party and are assigned the task of changing CDs when necessary. And I'm sure all of us have made a mix CD for an important someone.
DJing is much more than just picking songs. It's a skill that requires an ability to make spontaneous decisions based on numerous judgments. Order, variety, tone and, most importantly, feedback are all factored into a trade that's product is far greater than the sum of its parts.
Sadly, DJs have become puppets to corporate America.
As for the guilt of music videos, they are not to blame. And if you are sick of Maroon 5, Hoobastank and pseudo-punk bands -or never liked them in the first place -welcome to the club. Most, and I emphasize most, of that stuff annoys the hell out of me. However, the fact that I detest the previously mentioned music is irrelevant. What is relevant is that I don't watch very many music videos, but when I do, I base my thumbs-up or thumbs-down decision for the song on the way the track sounds rather than on the way the artists look.
I am impressed how destroyed jeans, fake retro t-shirts and cool hair make many musicians look quite edgy. However, if their music is pure rubbish, then all of the aged denim in the world can't make me buy their CD or download any of their tracks onto my iPod. And I guess I can only hope that most music-lovers act the same way.
I know that music videos can help a band's popularity. In fact, I recall purchasing albums by Kings of Leon and David Banner shortly after watching their videos. However, this listen and purchase effect can be applied to any type of exposure, so by no means do I credit videos for any of this.
So unless your CD collection is based on your favorite regulars on TRL, don't worry about contributing to The Buggles' phenomenon. As for me, I know that radio, as well as Axle Rose, will be back. All we need is just a little patience.
17 Archives
Letter to the Editor
