This happens a lot as we know, and here’s an example from today’s releases;

 

 

In my opinion, if a song is less than 5 minutes then just leave it alone. Radio stations can play songs longer than 2-3 minutes if they wish to, they don’t need songs completely stripped back and lose all meaning and flow. It used to only happen for long dance songs, but now almost any genre is affected. It seems unnecessary and obviously would have an impact on scrobbling statistics on last.fm for one thing. I just see it as a nuisance and something that needs to stop.

Eh, doesn't really bother me.

It only really bothers me when Radio 1 sometimes play songs and they cut out the 2nd verse (or sometimes the bridge). They did this with Rag N Bone Man's Human a lot shortly after it came out.

Absolutely not. A good example of a song that did need a radio edit was Harry Styles - Sign Of The Times but shaving off 30 seconds like your example is absolutely laughable.

I'd have expected a full song to be in the region of 4:30-5 minutes long to have an edit. That's literally just 35 seconds, what's the point? :lol:

They shouldn't need to - but I'm guessing that radio stations are telling labels they like songs to be as short as possible. Commercial radio often does their own short edits. It's so they can fit in more songs.

Rumours have it they have been submitted to BBC for Eurovision but are brutally rejected :kink:

They shouldn't need to - but I'm guessing that radio stations are telling labels they like songs to be as short as possible. Commercial radio often does their own short edits. It's so they can fit in more songs.

*more adverts

Depends on the song. I always used to get irritated with music channels cutting out the guitar outro on "November Rain" which is the best bit in my opinion. That said in an era of so much music available coupled with little time I find myself more inclined to listen to the shorter versions so I can get more in.

 

Shortening songs is nothing new though. For as long as I can remember I've had times when I've bought an album to find the single from it is slightly longer than the radio edit.

It bothers me when stations like Radio 2 cut out the rap segments in songs - it seems boomery and low level racist.

It bothers me when stations like Radio 2 cut out the rap segments in songs - it seems boomery and low level racist.

 

heart also does this, i think they only play 'rap' if a rap song is included in the big top 40 as that is broadcast from capital and heart

Whilst Radio 2 have done it the past with previous playlisted songs by cutting out rap features, they're not totally adverse to Hip Hop and Rap. They've recently playlisted Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion for instance and have introduced a Hip Hop show on a Saturday night, plus Trevor Nelson is on 4 nights away with nothing but R&B and Hip Hop too.

 

BUT that is not the point of this thread as that's not what the edits are about these days. Edits of tracks serve a purpose to fit radio playlists and/or those looking to get a shorter/clean version of a track.

I remember Radio 2 cut out the Sean Paul part in Rockabye - I mean what’s the point haha

My fave Heart Edit had to be cutting out Pitbull in his own song Give Me Everything!

Heart are not as bad as they used to be with refusing to play rap, there are several classic hip-hop songs that I now hear on there fairly regularly (e.g. 'Mo Money Mo Problems' and 'I'll Be Missing You', plus 'Gangsta's Paradise' which has been on their rotation for a lot longer, I remember hearing that on there every now and then even when they used to be otherwise basically 100% averse to rap, always seemed like a curious exception to make!) as well as a couple of more recent pop rap songs from the likes of Flo Rida and Pitbull. They also play the Cardi B version of 'Girls Like You' despite the easy accessibility of a version without her. Although they do still for some reason play a version of The Script's 'Hall Of Fame' without will.i.am which has always sounded a bit jarring :lol:

The worst song editing I have heard is Radio 1's chart show cutting out all the verses in Merry Christmas Everyone by Shakin' Stevens in December 2021, and just playing the chorus again and again.