The other day, I was listening to a playlist on my phone. I know this is a radio article—hang in there, I’ll get there in a minute.
The song “Driving” by Everything But The Girl came on. I have no idea where it charted or how many records it sold, but it remains one of the coolest songs I’ve ever heard. My passion for that song goes beyond it being a favorite. Besides being a great driving song, it transports me to a time and place when things were very different from today. Music tends to do that.
A few days later, the same feeling came over me. This time, while listening to the radio. Alas, not terrestrial radio. The song was “Never Had a Love Like This Before” by Tavares, a group from New Bedford, just outside Boston. What a great record, and what an incredible vocal by Arthur “Pooch” Tavares.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of songs that evoke that kind of emotion in people. Yes, it’s tied to the time they were in. What was currently in rotation. The city they lived in, and the circumstances they were facing—but it’s more than that.
It’s how those songs were introduced or “talked up” by the radio personality. The anticipation they built for a song you loved. I was taught, “If you sell the music, it will sell you.” And we had a lot of great music and on-air talent to sell back then.
So, in Urban radio today, what exactly are we selling?
This isn’t meant as an indictment of today’s music. But more of a plea for the music that’s missing from the radio. One of the most exciting parts of being an Urban program director is witnessing listeners’ animated reactions to their favorite songs.
One of my fondest memories is from moderating music tests. Where several participants would come up to me afterward asking for the CD that contained the hooks they had just rated, so they could take it to the record store and find the songs they didn’t know by name. You can probably tell when this was based on the keywords: “moderating a music test,” “CD,” and “record store.”
Urban programmers—here’s a thought: What if we brought back not just one weekend show, but a couple of them? Maybe it’s just me, but I think curated concept shows for those great 1990s and 2000s tracks that aren’t in regular rotation would work. The same goes for a show spotlighting the 1970s and 1980s.
I get it. The later decades might raise concerns for some PDs. A full ‘70s and ‘80s format might only attract a weekend amount of audience after launch. But think about the content opportunities. With tools like ChatGPT, your jock could sound like the most knowledgeable DJ ever.
To wrap it up, I’m not suggesting this just for the music’s sake, but for the sake of your brand. People still get excited about their favorite songs. They should feel just as excited about your radio station.
I’m just saying.
I always love hearing your thoughts. Feel free to reach out at kenjohnsonmedia.com. Oh, and check our Black Music Month feature, the Lost Art of Album Art, on our IG @meanolelionmedia
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Ken Johnson is an Urban/Hip-Hop columnist for Barrett Media. Born and raised in Washington DC, his career experiences include serving as VP of Urban formats for Cumulus Media, holding the Director of Urban Programming post at ABC Radio Networks, and programming stations in Birmingham, Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City. He has also managed affiliate relations for the Nick Cannon show, and worked as the Executive Producer of The Hughley Truth Podcast hosted by comedian DL Hughley. Ken currently runs Mean Ole Lion Media, a content creation company and podcast network. He can be reached by email at ken@kenjohnsonmedia.com.
