US Pop Radio Refusing to Spin Shallow - “Doesn’t sound like top 40”

[Stef 60,172]

Remember when P!nk’s What About Us smashed everywhere except US? It’s an age thing y’all. Nothing more or less. 

[dit 43,478]

21 minutes ago, mariomania1234 said:

The cure got substantially more radio play. It was streaming that was lacking for that single. Now it's the other way around.

Now that she has streaming back on her side, I think her next proper pop release should do good on both metrics if she releases something a bit more polished and upbeat.

Sadly this isn't exactly true. The Cure's radio audience peak was abysmal at about 33M overall (very weak). And it not having an MV did not help either but the song collapsed quicker then the usually gap between a single release and a video release for that single...meaning it started falling on radio just because radio didnt want to play it. 

Basically Gaga has had a bad history with radio for a while now and radio is all about traction. If your last era didnt have a radio hit it is hard to have one again. Even with a radio deal...they'll just drop you after the first week. It's all about building a history of strong radio smashes and Gaga hasnt really had a proper radio SMASH since Applause. MR did well but it peaked at like 73M audience overall and at #16 (if i remember correctly). It did good but not amazing. It didn't build momentum for her on radio.  

[FentyGa 14,340]

I mean, it makes sense
The sister's kind of messy
It starts with a country-sounding voice, followed by Gaga, singing with just a guitar (and we all know how slow songs do on the radio these days). Then it has a great chorus, followed by a build up and the chorus again, which is fine but the structure is different from a typical pop song, and it's not exactly catchy.
Anyway, something doesn't have to be a hit to be good and vice versa.

[fmaximilian 14]

#2018RadioIsNotOurs

[CannaeDrive 3,392]

These POP radio dumb a$$ basics are kinda hypocritical with that fake pretext, those radio stations are just commercially and money driven and that's on that.

Best thing to happen is that radio is no more included in the charts, like it's done elsewhere.

[FentyGa 14,340]

2 minutes ago, dit said:

Sadly this isn't exactly true. The Cure's radio audience peak was abysmal at about 33M overall (very weak). And it not having an MV did not help either but the song collapsed quicker then the usually gap between a single release and a video release for that single...meaning it started falling on radio just because radio didnt want to play it. 

Basically Gaga has had a bad history with radio for a while now and radio is all about traction. If your last era didnt have a radio hit it is hard to have one again. Even with a radio deal...they'll just drop you after the first week. It's all about building a history of strong radio smashes and Gaga hasnt really had a proper radio SMASH since Applause. MR did well but it peaked at like 73M audience overall and at #16 (if i remember correctly). It did good but not amazing. It didn't build momentum for her on radio.  

I think this is fair
Why would the radio wanna play songs from an artist who hasn't had much radio success?
You wouldn't hire someone who got fired from their 5 last jobs, for instance.

[Gagaloo911 12,959]

Amerikkka being trash, sexist, ageist and not doing something that goes agiainst the grain? 

*pretends to be shocked*

[Killa 14,409]

It seems like some 20 years ago there were people on board that had vision and saw that wow this has future, this is a good investement. And it's strange to me, cause in this business the people on the top are basically the same. But they all so damn afraid

I mean the structure of the sound is... well not appealing for the kitty kats

But cmon it would still do better than most of this passable songs, and here is demand...

[Guest]

Kinda a non argument, it's cuz it's Gaga, not cuz of the music. We all know they'd eat this up if Rihanna or Beyonce released this

[Kimmo 76,622]

57 minutes ago, Admin said:

I wish Gaga all the success in the world and obviously want "Shallow" to smash, but I don't really see anything wrong with it? I mean, it's not really a pop song?

Such a negative comment from a person that runs a positive site 

“pop” doesn’t necessarily mean dance or upbeat music ok, it derives from the word popular. When will the world understand that. 

That been said, yes “Shallow” is a pop song since it gained massive popularity. 

[nikola 4,342]

Its sad.... so basicly is she wants tk have radio hit she needs to relewse bad rap music... sad....

And dont tell its not pop musoc... because mos of the sobg that are on radio are not pop... so shut it

[That J 12,166]

Top 40 doesnt sound like top 40.  

Radio seriously has lost its touch on what's good and what's not. Nobody takes radio seriously anymore due to it.  

[nattuggla 21,667]

It is weird. Here in Austria we have radio stations which play the same songs like the Top40 stations in the US and they still play Shallow up to 6 times per day NEXT to the trendy/poppy songs..... It's not that difficult.  apparently the USA just have excuses....

[nikola 4,342]

They are scared to take a risk... They have always been this way... They would rather play safe songs than some risky ones... 

That's why they play Ariana 10000 times a day 

And that why I would never listen to us radios... It's basically the same song repeating 

[Bye 3,947]

I see some weird logic here. 

Definition of pop changes constantly according to what people want to here. Shallow has proven that people actually want to listen to it given its sales and streaming numbers across all services. So radio is being disingenuous; the public would definitely be here for Shallow.