Doubts on Diva's Airplay Numbers

The Los Angeles Times ^ | 01/18/2003 | Jeff Leeds

[GeneD]

Mariah Carey's new single, "Through the Rain," has stirred up a squall in the radio world with suggestions that the pop singer's record label tried to revive her career by inflating airplay figures.

Island Def Jam Music Group bought radio spots containing 53 seconds of the song, which fooled the computers that monitor and measure airplay, or "spins," for the recording industry. As a result, the ballad seemed to be building momentum in markets across the country when in fact it was losing steam.

An album's success can rise or fall on such numbers. If a song appears to be gaining airplay at some stations, others may jump on the bandwagon, adding it to their broadcasts or increasing its play. And that often translates into more sales for the label.

The Carey advertisements -- which aired last week on at least six small-market radio stations -- made it appear that the song from the singer's album "Charmbracelet" had picked up a healthy 163 more airings than during the previous week....

Island Def Jam, a New York-based division of Vivendi Universal's music operation, has been under immense pressure to turn Carey's album into a hit. Universal signed Carey to anestimated $20-million, three-album contract last year....

[GeneD]

Nuf said.

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[org.whodat]

What do you expect when she started out she was so bad she couldn't perform in public, got the gig on her, shall we say under the table performance.

[razorback-bert]

Since I didn't know what she looked like, I went and got a picture.

[Reeses]

Island Def Jam Music Group bought radio spots containing 53 seconds of the song, which fooled the computers that monitor and measure airplay, or "spins," for the recording industry.

I wonder if buying commerical time is cheaper than what record labels have to pay promoters to get a song air time. The promoters computers probably registeredd the air play in error, then sent their customary invoices to the record label. Of course the label refused to pay since they paid the radio stations directly. Commercial music radio is so corrupt. I really like university radio stations much better.

[Tex-Con-Man]

when she started out she was so bad she couldn't perform in public

Are you confusing her with someone else?

She is, and always has been, an undeniably talented singer. Whatever other problems she has had in her life, her gifted voice has never been in question.

[supercat]

Commercial music radio is so corrupt. I really like university radio stations much better.

The real reason record companies hate the Internet.

[freedumb2003]

>>her gifted voice has never been in question<<

But her material is all pap, and always has been -- the record execs are really, really worried, since today's singers, mariah, brittany, christine, etc. and all works by boy bands have no musical quality or staying power. The best example I have heard is that virtually all music today is like the Osmonds or the defranco family -- not even good as trivia.

Right now, the only real revenue being made by music execs is still stuff from the late 60s thru the early 80s (even disco is musicially more complete than what is being played today). In 20 years, the current crop of "music" will be producing bupkis.

This is a concept called "catalog" and there ain't none being created.

[Hildy]

Agreed. Although I'm not crazy about that particular style of singing, she is one of the best at it. You can always tell a talent by how they perform live. She's fabulous, as well as Celine Dion and Whitney Houston, in the old days.

[copycat]

I'm not crazy about Mariah's songs, but she does have the best mouth on television.

[freedumb2003]

Doubts on Diva's Airplay Numbers

And I think that calling any singer who has any kind of name -- heck I even heard them calling that Kelly chick from American Idol a diva. Diva used to be reserved for the very very best and those that had been around and paid their dues. Like Arethra or Diana Ross or Mama Cass Elliot.

No one in today's pop world deserves the term.

[freedumb2003]

Doubts on Diva's Airplay Numbers

And I think that calling any singer who has any kind of name -- heck I even heard them calling that Kelly chick from American Idol a diva. Diva used to be reserved for the very very best and those that had been around and paid their dues. Like Arethra or Diana Ross or Mama Cass Elliot.

No one in today's pop world deserves the term.

[cmsgop]