Everyone knows Aerosmith and Yungblud partnered on an upcoming EP. That’s not the story. Yungblud being the next big Rockstar isn’t the story, either (even though it’s true).
This is about collabs and a view of what’s possible. Collaborations are a dime a dozen in music and brand circles.
- Ozzy + Post Malone
- Dua Lipa + Elton John
- Mr. Beast + the NFL
- The Grammys & iHeart Music Festival are collab fiestas
Don’t confuse collabs with advertising. The morning show pimping Toyotas is an endorsement. Sydney Sweeny slipping into jeans is product placement. A true collab is when tribes collide — world’s overlap, they become bigger than the sum of their parts and the culture actually cares.
Joining forces can be a smart move. Did you see Avengers: Endgame?
But most are forgotten or end up being mocked — usually because they were square pegs forced into round holes. That’s sushi nachos territory!
But when done well, they can be a dream for marketers and brand managers. Equal parts chasing young and merging tribes — like LeBron to Luka, handing the torch of legacy from one generation to the next.
Some of those you’d expect to flop were big hits. Nike’s limited edition Chunky Dunky shoes — a shoe tribute to Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey. Most marketers would have shouted that down on the first Zoom. Shoes and ice cream? But it killed (and still does at conventions) because both tribes are loyal and all-in.
By contrast, Radio has trained us that each format has its lane and crossing over into the next will be disaster. But the listeners change lanes all day long.
- RockTernative AM shows sharing cume with News/Talk.
- Rockers drifting over to Hot AC during the workday.
- Rock P1 sitting front and center at the Sabrina Carpenter show.
So what does this mean inside Rock central?
It means we can (and must) think differently (again).
This isn’t license to expand the music library 20 miles wider. Leave that to JACK, JILL, BOB and HANK. But think of ways to cross boundaries, surprise people, and merge tribes.
Music: Great RockTernative music transcends generations and tribes. It’s no secret Rock (and Radio) formats are aging but go to an AC/DC concert and you’ll see parents with kids on their shoulders. Visit any middle school and count the Nirvana and Pink Floyd shirts. Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga were stoked to jam with Metallica.
Sounds a little like Aerosmith + Yungblud.
Most programmers, understandably, aren’t thinking of bringing in the younger demos but it can be done, like a mini collab.
- Instead of the typical soundcheck party, it’s a Kids Rock soundcheck party — little ones welcome (artists would love it).
- Create merch in youth sizes with proceeds benefiting schools.
No one is suggesting becoming Nickelodeon. The idea is having a few side doors for others to walk in, when it makes sense. And this goes far beyond introducing Shinedown to teenagers.
Sales: Full blown tribe collabs are tricky, but smaller joint-efforts can work. Not a week goes by when Radio isn’t expected to create results for Client X. Doing so doesn’t mean doing the same old, same old.
- Skip the painful motions of holiday mattress sales. Collab on the WXXX Sexy Time Mattress? Silly, traffic driving, extra revenue —better than your competitor’s snoozefest.
- Grocery Stores buy every station in town. It’s all the same. Dominate the buy — build the WXXX Grill Box that they can put in carts during the Saturday afternoon appearance.
Sister Stations: We’ve all got ‘em — they’re grinding just like you, and they have tribes.
- Do something on-air, on-site, or online with the other talent in your building. No one is quitting you because you had fun across the hall. Switch chairs for a few breaks on April’s Fool’s Day, joint fantasy leagues, genre-fused events or concerts.
Other Local Media: TV, Pint, Digital.
- A monthly RockTernative insert in the local paper (if there is still one).
- Concert reviews/clips on local TV.
- Let a local influencer be a probationary regular on the morning show.
- Shared digital content that drives new eyeballs to your brand.
None of these are radical. They’re simple collabs but Tribe Merging has fallen by the wayside and it’s time to bring it back.
Marketing budgets aren’t going up in 2026. How do you market without marketing? Merge some tribes. Aerosmith showed us how to do it in the ‘80s with Run D.M.C., and they just did it again with Yungblud.
Keith Cunningham is a music industry and Rock/Alternative columnist for Barrett Media and the founder of Black Box Group, a modern-modeled creative & strategic consultancy built for brands that need strategies with teeth. He’s the former Master of Mayhem at 95.5 KLOS-FM in Los Angeles for over a decade, a nationwide consultant, and has been repeatedly voted one of America’s top Program Directors and strategic thinkers. Keith has built his career by taking multi-million-dollar brands from worst to first and leading Marconi & Gracie award winners along the way. A data nerd with a rock-and-roll heart, he is an advisory council member for St. Jude fundraising, a fantasy football champion, and lover of his daughters & dogs. Reach him at keithblackboxgroup@gmail.com or on LinkedIn or X.
