If there's a set release date, they're not going to playlist it weeks in advance because, as others have said, it's taking up space for another song and people will get bored of it. Radio aren't in control of release dates and the current method is the most efficient. Capital often heavily play songs from artists signed to their label the minute they have premiered and so, as they've played it so much for such a large amount if time, it gets a high peak but has a short chart run as there's nothing left to sustain it for the weeks after the release. Playlisting songs about 3-4 weeks before the SET BY THE LABEL release date allows songs to have a good peak amd a steady chart run as they can continue playing it after the release date without people feeling bored by it.

 

If Radio 1 playlisted songs weeks in advance, they would be a lot less variety in the amount of songs as there would be so many songs that they would have to fit in to be played. The playlist is already tight as seen with numerous 'snubs' this year (Hurts, The Wanted, Avril, Nicole Scherzinger).

^ I agree. And I'm convinced Radio 1 bases their playlist on what songs get "sent" to them by the record labels, since they hardly ever playlist any album tracks or anything. A record label isn't going to send out radio edits to the radio stations 10+ weeks before the release date, they seem to think 6-8 weeks before release is the best time to send them.

Hopefully Storm Queen’s ‘Look Right Through’ will be added soon.

 

Could see it in the next few weeks as it's not out until November 3rd :)

If we're talking about something other than a post-album single, don't they have to be sent a copy before they can play it at all?

If we're talking about something other than a post-album single, don't they have to be sent a copy before they can play it at all?

 

I don't think so. They even play leaked songs, mixtape tracks, live recordings on the radio sometimes. Just when they play a song "early" they have to blank out swear words and chope it down to radio length themselves, whilst if the song is "sent" to them they'll have the official radio edit. That's what I guess anyway.

Edited September 21, 201313 yr by Eric_Blob