Now that the “get Opalite to No. 1” fire drills from Taylor Swift’s team are over and we’ve all lived out our ’80s nostalgia watching Rock and Cactus fall in love, it’s time to look forward.
But radio loves to wait (both weight and wait apply here). We wait for chart ranks, we wait for callout, we wait for another station to add, we wait for a music meeting, we wait to see if our streaming report will even load.
To cut down on the waiting period, much like the ZoomCare app, Phil’s Future Five is me doing the work for you and finding records currently outside the Top 30 in their respective formats that are positioned to break.
Since radio ratings in PPM are comprised of the average of four weeklies, getting a head start on records now can help you win the month and maybe even win the day, ™ Chip Kelly, Oregon Ducks.
To the hundreds of programmers I’ve managed, I always say:
Test three. Add two. Own one.
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CHR: Taylor Swift – “Father Figure”
Current Mediabase Position: #177
Taylor is telling you what her next single is going to be. She “happens” to have a George Michael poster in the Opalite video.
If you’re programming Top 40 and missed the Easter egg, don’t worry, she’s telling you the single. The George Michael poster in the video wasn’t random. Neither were the promo water that showed up at your station that matched the sweat suits in the Opalite dance routine.
Why Move Now: Because Republic already convinced you to give the Ophelia spins to Opalite.
Risk Level: Very low
Prediction: #1
CHR: Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas”
Current Mediabase Position: #31
This record has been out since October and is getting underplayed because several CHR PDs were choosin’ stiffs from Doja Cat and AJR instead of Ella Langley. She quietly set a Country airplay record with this one. Now even Hot AC is beating Top 40 to the party.
Choose Ella in your next music meeting so Matt Stevens can stop putting it in his Instagram Story (as a subtle but really not so subtle way of trying to convince you).
Why Move Now: Cross-format, already proven
Risk Level: Low
Prediction: Top 10
CHR: Noah Kahan – “The Great Divide”
Current Mediabase Position: #36
Alternative and Hot AC are lapping Top 40 here. Ironically, stations playing this versus stations that aren’t are creating a great ratings divide.
After turning the music video into a commercial during the Grammys, he’s proven he’s more than just the soundtrack for markets where Subarus are popular.
Why Move Now: Sold-out tour
Risk Level: Medium
Prediction: Top 10
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Rhythmic: Brent Faiyaz – “Have To”
Current Mediabase Position: #63
Brent has channeled his inner Ralph Tresvant. He sounds ready to be the seventh member of New Edition.
Rhythmic stations that win long-term know they have to have textural music balance. Plus, you see how slickly I worked in the song title? This is serious journalism here, people.
Why Move Now: Because 65 Rhythmic stations are playing Harry Styles.
Risk Level: Medium
Prediction: Hip-hop fans are turning off the radio each time you play Harry Styles.
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Alternative: Ivri – “Tower of Memories”
Current Mediabase Position: #36
If Pop PDs get tired of handing Noah Kahan exclusivity to the Alt station in their market, you’re going to need something that isn’t The Format’s “Holy Roller.” And naming your band The Format does, in fact, limit your available formats.
Why Move Now: 41M streams to date. More seven-day streams than nearly half the Alt chart.
Risk Level: High
Prediction: Top 25
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Outside the Lines Pick of the Week
Harry Styles – “Aperture” AAA & Alternative. For God’s sake, Rhythmic radio is playing it more than you are.
Sonically, it fits. He’s older than Yungblud. He’s always promotionally viable. And Harry Styles is always in style — just ask the 65 Rhythmic stations that are playing him more than T.I. this week. Kill me.
Play it now. Then enjoy the luxury when the album drops of choosing what you want to play instead of what’s available, because once this song dies out, we’ll only think of aperture as a camera setting.
Pick records for what they are. What they sound like. How they matter to your audience at the moment.
Test three. Add two. Own one.
I’ll see you in two weeks with five more of Phil’s Future Five.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
Phil Becker is a weekly music columnist for Barrett Media who has built his career at the intersection of creativity, strategy, and operations leading brands, marketing, and content teams across more than 200 radio stations worldwide.
Known for being ahead of the curve, he was the first to integrate social influencers into broadcast brands, launch station apps years before his peers, and pioneer AI air personalities before anyone else in the world.
With leadership roles at Clear Channel, Citadel, Cox Media Group, Alpha Media, and international ventures—as well as owning and operating stations—Phil blends entrepreneurial vision with operational discipline in the messaging and marketing space. He also hosts the Phil-Osophy podcast.
Good stuff. I will add this Myles Smith, Niles Horan song “Drive Safe” I’ve already played it a million times after hearing it on BBC Radio 1. Hopefully they will release it in the US. best hook in a while!