You then you thought to yourself, “Well...that sounds...er...positive.”
And you wait. And wait. And wait some more until either your drive to work is done and you have to leave the car or you have to leave the streaming audio on your PC because it’s lunchtime.
And you didn’t hear your song.
First of all: it’s not you. It’s nothing personal. Most people don’t hear their request.
That’s because Radio - at least terrestrial radio - long ago moved away from listener requests and opts to program by research: auditorium tests (large groups who are asked their opinion), focus groups (small groups who are asked their opinion), and music scheduling software (designed to rotate everyone’s opinion throughout the day).
And once this process is completed, a station’s “library” of music is established. It’s not too different from the way we elect a president: music isn’t chosen by “popular vote” - an “electoral college” of listeners makes the final choices.
That’s how music that is not "new" (former "hits", older songs, etc.) is dealt with.
So, what about new music? How do radio stations decide what gets played? Well, that’s a little different. It’s usually a combination of:
1. Checking trade magazines to see what other similar radio stations are playing and how often
2. Listening to pitches by record promoters
3. Factoring in if the band already has had a hit or if they’re unknown
4. Asking local music shops what people are buying
5. Relying on their gut-feelings on how the band will be received by listeners and if it fits into the station’s music format
6. Occasionally having opinion surveys at their websites listeners can respond to
(Cont.)
