"Why Radio Stations Won't Play Barry Manilow"

[Suzan]

Although many of us suspected something like this, it's still disappointing to read this comment by Q105 (Tampa) DJ Paula Street:


http://myq105.cbslocal.com/2014/05/06/why-radio-stations-wont-play-barry-manilow/

Barry Manilow has sold 80 Million albums worldwide. Manilow had 5 albums on the Best Seller Charts simultaneously , an accomplishment only equaled by The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and johnny Mathis. Manilow has won 2 Emmys, 3 Grammys, a Tony, and many more awards. Barry Manilow currently does his concerts at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. His hits, Mandy, Can’t Smile Without You, I Write The Songs, Copacabana and more were HUGE hits in the 70′s. So why don’t radio stations play his music? Radio stations around the country that are labeled as Classic Hits playing the 60′s 70′s and 80′s play Copacabana maybe, but that’s it. Malls around the country that wanted to chase teenagers out of their parking lots pipe in who? Barry Manilow. Truth is, Barry Manilow got thrown into the “WIMPY PILE” The Carpenters, Olivia Newton John, Air Supply, Neil Diamond (other than Sweet Caroline) they all rest in the wimpy file, a file that classic hit radio does not want to open. Radio stations need to attract Men and Women 25 to 54 years old. Men don’t like wimpy music. Also, the truth is most program directors around the country are men #Justsayin. That’s the bottom line, so sorry Barry Manilow lovers, Barry won’t be on the dial anytime soon.

[dcsharon]

Actually, at least one station here in DC (WASH-FM, which is a Clear Channel station) plays several of his songs during the holidays on heavy rotation and on their Saturday Night Disco program, they play Copa on a regular basis.

I have often participated in radio listener surveys. They play 5 seconds of 700 songs (your ears are tired by the end of the night) to determine what songs they play with the intention of knowing what songs you aren't going to change the dial when you hear it. You grade the songs by categories such as "never heard it", "love it", "neutral", "like it" on a scale from 1-5. I'm sure only the 3-5's are added to the play list, the others are taken off. (BTW Only 1 song makes the initial 700 cut - Mandy. That's it).

Studies have shown that if you don't like a song on the radio, you'll change the dial after X number of seconds, and they are trying to keep you listening so you'll keep the channel on to hear the advertisers. Part of the problem, for me is I can only get one station in my brick building -- so short of playing CD's, I am limited to what I can listen to during the day.

So -- I don't necessarily think we won't hear him on the radio - The Jewel (I think that's the Vegas market) plays a number of his songs -- and album cuts at that. I was listening via live stream for awhile just because I liked the variety they played. It just depends on who the advertisers wish to market.

XM Sirius 70's channel plays him as well.

I'd still like to know what stations are playing the single from Night Songs to make the chart indexes that are being posted on his Facebook page. I've not heard one note in the greater DC area, that's for sure.

(DC) Sharon

[marvin]

I think Barry's music- much like those who go to his concerts- will appeal to women and would be featured less on the "classic oldies" radio station category and more in the "easy listening" and "nostalgia" categories on radio stations that have advertisers that appeal to the baby boomer market (age 50 plus).
Lots of people in the baby boomer market have just as much if not more disposable income which attracts advertisers serving this market and there are plenty of radio stations that have advertisers with products for this market, so these stations will definitely play Barry Manilow.
I have heard plenty of stations in Canada and The US that still play Barry hits and album cuts, such as AM 740 Toronto, The Jewel chain of stations across Canada, 93.1 FM Miami, FM 90.9 Jacksonville FL, as well as on the national "America's Best Music" group of stations that cater to the baby boom generation.
You can hear most of these stations online by listening to their audio streams from their websites.
So, from my viewpoint, is is total rubbish that radio stations don't play Barry Manilow music. Many of these stations will also be the radio sponsor at Barry's concerts when he goes on tour. Marvin

[Maria Mikol]

When I was looking to work in the radio industry years ago, I spoke to the program director at Lite FM. That is the #1 AC station in NYC. They didn't play Barry for a very simple reason- the music director didn't like his music. It was that simple.

Maria

--
This e-mail and any files or data transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual named above. If you have
received this email in error and are not the intended recipient, please
notify the sender by e-mail and immediately delete the message and all
materials without reading them. If you are not the intended recipient,
copying, forwarding or otherwise disseminating or distributing this
information is prohibited.

[marvin]

On Thursday, May 8, 2014 4:48:31 PM UTC-4, Maria Mikol wrote:
When I was looking to work in the radio industry years ago, I spoke to the program director at Lite FM. That is the #1 AC station in NYC. They didn't play Barry for a very simple reason- the music director didn't like his music. It was that simple.
Maria

Maria, The program director should have been fired immediately by management if what you say is true.
Radio stations serve the needs of advertisers and their listeners and the program director needs to address the musical tastes of their listeners, irrespective of his own personal preferences. Marvin

[starn...@gmail.com]

L>>>ots of people in the baby boomer market have just as much if not more disposable income which attracts advertisers serving this market and there are plenty of radio stations that have advertisers with products for this market, so these stations will definitely play Barry Manilow.<<<

I don't know about you, Marvin, but the "baby boomers" I know (myself included)do not have a lot of disposable income. (and your sentence doesn't finish your thought..you say they have just as much if not more disposable income. Just as much as whom? More than whom?)

Baby boomers are classified as those born between 1946 and 1964. The lower end of that time frame means that those individuals are now reaching retirement age, collecting Social Security and perhaps taking on a second job to makes ends meet. The younger individuals probably are still putting kids through college and trying to pay off their mortgage. Assuming they haven't been downsized from their jobs in favor of younger workers.

If there ARE radio stations catering to that age group, they're going to be advertising ED pills, arthritis rubs, burial insurance, Medicare help, etc.

Barry isn't going to get the airplay he used to because he's a 70 year old man who puts out music that sounds like a 70 year old man.

CA Sharon

[marvin]

Sharon: I don't know about you, Marvin, but the "baby boomers" I know (myself included)do not have a lot of disposable income. (and your sentence doesn't finish your thought..you say they have just as much if not more disposable income. Just as much as whom? More than whom?)
Marvin: sorry I didn't finish my thought. I meant many seniors at retirements have more disposable income than some younger people.
Sharon: Baby boomers are classified as those born between 1946 and 1964. The lower end of that time frame means that those individuals are now reaching retirement age, collecting Social Security and perhaps taking on a second job to makes ends meet. The younger individuals probably are still putting kids through college and trying to pay off their mortgage. Assuming they haven't been downsized from their jobs in favor of younger workers.
Marvin: Your points are articulated well Sharon. I did not mean to generalize- but not everyone is poor and not everyone is rich in all age groups. Yes, there are people who struggle. Where I live in Miami, I have met some poor folks, but most of the seniors who I know are retired here, go on cruises often, and own condos worth anywhere from a few hundred thousand dollars to over a million dollars, so not all seniors are poor and maybe those from the professional groups and who owned businesses have planned their retirement to earn disposable income to go on cruises.
Many of these seniors or boomers (particularly women) love the soft easy listening music of Manilow hits and there are radio stations across the country that do cater to this imporant demographic group.

Sharon: If there ARE radio stations catering to that age group, they're going to be advertising ED pills, arthritis rubs, burial insurance, Medicare help, etc.
Marvin: There are advertisers represent companies that cater to seniors- medical equipment companies, doctors, travel agencies, financial planners that cater to the senior or older baby boomer and will advertise on radio to reach a station that caters to this audience. There is nothing wrong about that. Many of these stations are doing well, such as AM 740 Toronto and other such stations around the country and Canada, or they would not be generating ads to pay their bills.
Sharon: Barry isn't going to get the airplay he used to because he's a 70 year old man who puts out music that sounds like a 70 year old man.
Marvin: No radio stations are playing the recent CDs of anybody (not just Barry) that is over 70 years old on the air (although I have heard Barry's "I Fall In Love Too Easily" on WAVV 101.1 FM Naples, FL) and that is not the point. The stations that cater to the seniors/older baby boomers are playing the vintage music they remember from the past such as the Manilow hits of the 70s, and these stations also are playing vintage Streisand, Neil Diamond, Carly Simon, Air Supply, The Carpenters, Bette Midler, Melissa Manchester, in other words a soft rock, easy listening sound that attracts a loyal audience with local businesses that have customers from this demographic group. Given that so many seniors are living longer than ever, these radio stations are going to continue to grow over time, and that is good news for Barry and all the artists from the 1970s.

[HallieR]

XM Channel 17 plays a Barry song almost every hour, and they play a large variety of them at that. I don't listen to local radio, but I never heard him on our one station that claims to play 'ANYTHING'. I've heard him a time or two in grocery stores, malls, or Hallmark stores.

I stick to iTunes for the most part.

I miss Radio Manilow.

[beanz]

We have music on our TV. No commercials. Music of the seventies plays Barry's music. Not a lot but something every day. Actually they play all the people Marvin mentions and more.

People of all age ranges have their share of the rich and the poor. I suppose it depends on what one considers rich/wealthy dollar wise. A person with nothing would think someone who lives in a hovel and gets only a few hundred dollars a month might think that person was well to do in life

I'm guessing Marvin since most of the people who you know are retired that can afford such luxuries is because your social/economics might match them. It's not often those of the haves and those of the have nots socialize in the same circles. You can take that statement with a grain of salt though, that's not always the case either.

That Paula chick doesn't know nutten and what she wrote looks like something that she cut and pasted from other articles. Barry was always put in the wimpy pile. His talent never kept him there for long. He always pops up on radio.

[JAZZ4JEFF]

It really is as simple as age. In no medium: TV, Movies, Radio, etc do you see many if any performers over 70. Advertisers want the 25-54 demographic. Barry is not singled out, but he has passed 70. His demo is too old for advertisers. He has not earned the cool factor yet of a Frank Sinatra. It's a sad state of affairs, but an honest one.

Now there are things Barry could do to change that. Do a new duets album with younger performers, go on the American music awards as Tony Bennett did dressed in rap clothes, sell one of his songs to a youth oriented TV commercial, or create a special tribute TV special with younger artists. While these are options, I get the impression that Barry likes his career path and creativity the way it is.