Behind the music: The politics of the playlist

Guardian.co.uk

by Helienne Lindvall Thursday December 4 2008 11.09 GMT

 

Radio play is still hugely important for bands wanting to find their audience. I spoke to Radio 1's head of music about how a playlist is put together

 

The internet has been revolutionary in providing a platform for unsigned and niche artists. Though some people have declared this the demise of radio, judging by the sales charts, it seems getting playlisted on national radio is still incredibly important in reaching the biggest possible audience.

 

The playlist is the guide to what songs a radio station will play at any given time. I wanted to find out exactly who decides what songs get on there and how they reach that decision, so I chatted to George Ergatoudis, the head of music at Radio 1, arguably home to the most powerful playlist of them all. I began by asking him what he would say to people who accuse Radio 1 of catering to major labels.

 

"That's absolutely not true," says Ergatoudis. "If you ask AIM, they're very satisfied with how we support independent labels. If you look at the specialist shows, they are fundamentally driven by independent music. 70% - possibly higher - of the music is from independent and bedroom labels."

 

How often does that music break into the regular playlist?

 

"All the time. Every week. Take one of the biggest indie labels, XL of the Beggars Group; rarely a week goes by when there's not at least one or two of their artists on the Radio 1 playlist."

 

So how do you decide who gets on it?

 

"As head of music, I obviously carry the cap, in particular when it comes to mainstream music. I have a team of four people who are dedicated to listening to music all the time, going to gigs, looking at what's going on online and communicating with the audience. On top of that I have a hand-picked team of 10 people that I have a look at every six months, within Radio 1. And we all come together once a week for a playlist meeting where we go through 20 to 30 records. There's obviously been a filtering process before that, since there are 200 to 400 releases a week, potentially. If we used the MySpace model, which we don't, way more than that.

 

The people at the meeting are all there because I believe they have an area of expertise. I also use them as a model or our wider audience in terms of a mix of 50/50 women and guys with a few age differences. Some are mainstream, others are niche. I also have, and this is fundamental, a separate filtering process that feeds into the Wednesday meeting. I meet with the guys from the specialist shows on Tuesdays, since I believe they are absolute tastemakers and I want to capture their radar system. One week it's rock/indie/alternative, the next it's dance and urban. I think that's enough."

 

How many slots for new music are there per week?

 

"There are roughly 50 current records on rotation on the mainstream playlist every week. We turn over six to 12 records per week. It depends on what time of year and how much music is on the market. Recently, we've been turning over a lot of records since there's a lot of music out there. As a result, their lifespan on Radio 1 might not be as long as it could be at a quiet time of the year. We don't hang around on records, even the most successful ones, in the way commercial radio does. They have to play it safe. They need records that have already connected with the market so that their listeners stay happy with what their product is. We're breaking those records. This has become an incredibly complex world full of so much choice. You need a filter. Where do you turn? Where do you go? To Radio 1. That's what we do and will keep doing.

 

Then again, if you're relentlessly new, relentlessly difficult and niche, the mass market won't come to you. So we balance it very carefully."

 

Of all the new music bubbling under the surface, who are you going to add to the mainstream playlist next year?

 

"I like Daniel Merriweather, who's got a Mark Ronson production. It's kind of 70s soul - Marvin Gaye's What's Going On, in terms of the scope of it. The three songs that I've heard so far sound amazing.

 

Zane Lowe got the most amazing natural reaction to Dan Black's track Hypnotized when he played it last year. I've heard a few of his own compositions and they sound really strong. We're keeping an eye on him.

 

Then there's a US act called Passion Pit that I think are going to be the next MGMT."

 

Though Ergatoudis won't give anyone a guarantee that they'll be added to the Radio 1 playlist, judging from his excitement I think there's a pretty good chance these acts will get a fair amount of airplay. By the way, two of the three are signed to a major.

 

Any comments on this interview? Do you think the Radio 1 Playlist does a good job?

This is a load of rubbish considering they are blatantly paid by some labels to playlist certain tracks.

 

Dan Black, Daniel Merriweather and Passion Pit are all on major labels too so it's particularly "indie" new music. They could be doing so much more to promote smaller, less known, yet quality acts. Touché.

Politics. Never heard such a word like that on a playlist. :wacko:

 

So why Radio 1 don't play much indie songs then (except for popular ones)?

What about Radio 1 favouring certain acts + bands though, eh? (And in the same sense that they also dismiss certain acts + bands).

That interview proves that George Ergatoudis is little better than Simon Cowell.

 

As an example Radio 1's DJ Jo Whiley's husband is Steve Morton, former Virgin Records marketing director and now head of Angelic Union management which brought you the Automatic and the Hoosiers. Whilst promoting the awful Libertines-lite Holloways.

 

Funny how all three acts got heavy support from Radio 1, eh. Obviously because they were so talented. :rolleyes:

 

 

It would be a bit like Simon Cowell helping a talented daughter of an old friend of Sinitta's in the X-Factor show down to the final 4, who has previously performed as part of a church Gospel choir who have made appearances at X-Factor Finales singing the big chorus at the end of the winner's song..... Oh hang on a minute. :rofl:

 

 

That interview proves that George Ergatoudis is little better than Simon Cowell.

 

As an example Radio 1's DJ Jo Whiley's husband is Steve Morton, former Virgin Records marketing director and now head of Angelic Union management which brought you the Automatic and the Hoosiers. Whilst promoting the awful Libertines-lite Holloways.

 

Funny how all three acts got heavy support from Radio 1, eh. Obviously because they were so talented. :rolleyes:

It would be a bit like Simon Cowell helping a talented daughter of an old friend of Sinitta's in the X-Factor show down to the final 4, who has previously performed as part of a church Gospel choir who have made appearances at X-Factor Finales singing the big chorus at the end of the winner's song..... Oh hang on a minute. :rofl:

 

I think that's more likely down to the fact that Jo Whiley has a major influence over the playlist... she's seen as a music God on Radio 1, I don't think she is, but she's been on the station a long time and she has a lot of respect from artists.

 

Playing independant music is also easier said than done. I suppose Radio bosses could argue that because they're on independant labels they're not likely to have as much success? ofc that line isn't very true as two of the biggest British bands of the past 10 years have both come from independent labels. I do think that Zane Lowe has pretty much a massive influence over what new tracks they play though, if he really likes a track they'll playlist it.

I think that's more likely down to the fact that Jo Whiley has a major influence over the playlist... she's seen as a music God on Radio 1, I don't think she is, but she's been on the station a long time and she has a lot of respect from artists.

 

Playing independant music is also easier said than done. I suppose Radio bosses could argue that because they're on independant labels they're not likely to have as much success? ofc that line isn't very true as two of the biggest British bands of the past 10 years have both come from independent labels. I do think that Zane Lowe has pretty much a massive influence over what new tracks they play though, if he really likes a track they'll playlist it.

independant?

it depends at how they are promoted i'm sure...

 

why do they need to pick on major labels and ignore indie ones? radio 1 needs to fix their song choices...

independant?

it depends at how they are promoted i'm sure...

 

why do they need to pick on major labels and ignore indie ones? radio 1 needs to fix their song choices...

 

Well pretty much all the labels that aren't major ones...

 

Like I said before, acts that are on major labels are only major labels for a reason, probably because they're going to be promoted very well. If Radio 1 playlisted a load of acts from smaller labels I don't get what the benefit would be. Sure they'd get more exposure, but would it really benefit them? I don't Radio 1 had as much influence as some people think...

Well pretty much all the labels that aren't major ones...

 

Like I said before, acts that are on major labels are only major labels for a reason, probably because they're going to be promoted very well. If Radio 1 playlisted a load of acts from smaller labels I don't get what the benefit would be. Sure they'd get more exposure, but would it really benefit them? I don't Radio 1 had as much influence as some people think...

We don't ask for a load of indie but we're not asking for a load of pop either.

We don't ask for a load of indie but we're not asking for a load of pop either.

 

Yes, I fully agree. But the majority of the music on the playlist would be deemed by most people as indie? Ofc in reality the majority of it is indie-pop but still.

There's obviously something not right in all of this though. Dan Black is a very good example. He has no real story. He put out a mashup track and suddenly Radio 1 are hyping him up and he makes the BBC's Sound list? On the basis of what though? He only got signed properly two months ago. And then it was on the basis of very little.

 

A lot of this makes little sense to me but it's quite clear large amounts of money are tied up with acts/labels/Radio 1 and certain people operate in a certain way behind the scenes which I don't necessarily allows/leaves a fair playing field.

Yes, I fully agree. But the majority of the music on the playlist would be deemed by most people as indie? Ofc in reality the majority of it is indie-pop but still.

I mean that they pick too much on the major ones... it is lacking the balance...

No more comments?

"As head of music, I obviously carry the cap, in particular when it comes to mainstream music. I have a team of four people who are dedicated to listening to music all the time, going to gigs, looking at what's going on online and communicating with the audience

 

I WANT that job. I'd be on Buzzjack all day, and others :P

 

I don't see the problem with Radio 1. Their playlist fits my taste very well, so maybe i'm a bit biased. It could be a LOT less imaginative. I'm glad that all sorts gets played in the evenings, bit of a change from daytime radio.

Edited December 5, 200816 yr by Harve

There is most definietely a bias against heavier rock and metal music.

 

Neither AC/DCs 'Rock N' Roll Train' nor Metallica's 'The Day That Never Comes' made the playlist, despite being very important releases in their respective genres.

There is most definietely a bias against heavier rock and metal music.

 

Neither AC/DCs 'Rock N' Roll Train' nor Metallica's 'The Day That Never Comes' made the playlist, despite being very important releases in their respective genres.

Yeah there is a lack there i admit. I think The Day That Never Comes made the playlist though :unsure: . I know that my one of my favourite genres of music are hard rock. I'm obsessed with One Republic- Sleep. Despite its perfection, it still leaves me wanting more: something that has heavier guitar chords and more imaginative percussion, yet still being a really haunting or atmospheric track, rather than being "tinny" punk or a song that has no slowdown and is heavy from start to finish. The cello, haunting vocals and acoustic guitar parts of Sleep is the part that makes the song so excellent, not only by its own right but indirectly through making the heavier parts have a much bigger impact. This is something that rock sometimes lacks imo. I'm sure there stuff like that but i can't find it and don't know where to start.