CMJ RECAP ISSUE 1329 WEEK 4

Well look who decided to show up. You guys! Welcome back so many of you. I can't tell you how boring college radio can be when there are only 100 something reporters. Not that it was ever THAT bad it just is so much more fun when we are closer to 300 than 200.  This week we jump all the way up to 284 reporters!  Hopefully next week over 300.. maybe one day we can get over 400? ehh... maybe not.. but that would be fantastic.

Last week as you may recall we had a new number one with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and a charging Damien Jurado. I really thought that given the jump from 50 to 4 that Damien had a real shot at #1 this week.  He did go up but only to #3 and Blood Orange held strong at #2 while Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings got even STRONGER in the #1 spot.  Again I think this is a perfect storm of a good story, GREAT timing and a good record. Thats how you grab #1.

This weeks #1 add was the Dum Dum Girls taking in over 60% of stations doing ADDS. If we could bet on the charts I would put money on this going #1 VERY soon.   The question is then, is there enough time for someone else to get #1 before Dum Dum Girls takes it.

We have Damien Jurado at #3 with a very valid chance, there is Mogwai ( last weeks #1 add) making the big jump from #85 to #6. Could Toy have a shot? They did jump from #19 to #9 this week. I really think those are our only contenders. It looks like if any of these records have a chance it has to come next week as in 2 weeks I have no doubt Dum Dum Girls will be #1.  Damien Jurado has the smallest jump to make so you have to take them seriously but Mogwai ( also on Sub Pop) has a lot of momentum.  Or Could Sharon Jones just keep on killing it gaining more stations as they come back.

Should be a lot of fun to see what happens this next week.  Aside for the rase for #1 this is an exciting time of year as all the new records push out all the old records.  A lot of last weeks ADDS are already in the mid 30's, James Vincent Mcmorrow, Young the Giant, Agaisnt Me, HABiBi. I wish the old stuff would go away faster but It does happen faster this time of year than any other.

Is it too early to talk about SXSW? Will I see you there?  I hope so!

lets keep the conversation going on twitter @theanimalarrg

CMJ ISSUE 1328 WEEK 3

Every new year when all the MD's come back every one is soooooo excited about the new stuff. Out with the old and in with the new! We are seeing a lot of that on the charts now with Adds from the last few weeks ROCKETING up the charts.

Damien Jurado is already #4!!!
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks #9
Painted Palms #11
Toy #19

All of them pushing out the old of Arcade Fire, Los Campesinos, Cut Copy.  This week on ADDS we saw Mogwai completely dominate with 112 adds, no other record was within 50 so does this mean they could be our next #1?   Well it is likely they will get there. I am not sure about next though.

This week Sharon Jones and The Dap kings took #1 from Blood Orange who took it from Arcade Fire.. could we see our 4th new #1 next week in Damien Jurado and then Mogwai in 2 weeks? I don't know but I think it would be pretty exciting to have a new #1 every week. Isn't that what really happens at college radio anyways? Something that gets 30 plays one week ends up with 4 the next and then 17 the week after. Thats how I know a station is reporting real charts, if they are volatile.  Whereas when my record debuts at #24 and then goes up to #17 and then up to #14 and then peaks at #5 and then down again, well that usually does not really happen.

I wanted to spend some more time on this Sharon Jones record though because we have been having some interesting conversations on Facebook and Twitter about it.  I for one am excited she got there and think it is just a fantastic story! She is even #1 on AAA and is moving on up at Hip Hop at #12.

You read that right. #12 at Hip Hop.    So what is it about Sharon Jones that makes her Hip Hop?
Some stations responded that she had an "urban" vibe to her and thats why she is charting for Hip Hop for them. So does Hip Hop mean Urban now, and if so what does Urban mean?
 I don't really have huge answers for any of this but am wondering how enough stations decided that Sharon Jones was Hip Hop enough to chart her and that was enough to put her on the charts, in the middle not barely on.

I think it is a fascinating debate. Are the MD's at these stations racists because they threw a black woman's band on the Hip Hop charts?  I don't think so. It probably has a lot to do with the communities they are in. Perhaps some stations only play "indie rock" and are forced to put things that don't fit into "indie rock" in some other sub genre that might not be perfect. Like lets say they LOVE the Sharon Jones record but it does not fit regular rotation but they still want to play it. They have RPM, HIP HOP, JAZZ and WORLD specialty shows. Even then would HIP HOP be the best place for it.  

Is the term Hip Hop then outdated? Do we need a new one?

You can follow the Discussion  and hopefully contribute on Facebook here Or on Twitter 

Looking forward to what you have to say.

Douglas

CMJ ISSUE 1327 WEEK 2

A NEW #1 record! Now it really feels like the new year has begun.  A fantastic run from Arcade Fire!!! I wonder how long they will stick around? Currently they are on week #9. I would not be shocked if they made it to 30+ weeks.  What do you think?  

Finally Blood Orange was able to push Arcade Fire aside and claim #1. I know last week I said I did not know what to expect from Sharon Jones but wow... #2 and already #1 on AAA. With Blood Orange on the older side of things I just think Sharon Jones should be able to take it pretty easily this next week and what a great story that is. Coming back from cancer to put out another fantastic record. I can't say anything negative about that at all.  

I don't really see anything else competing for #1 next week. It should either be Blood Orange or Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings 

The number one ADD for the week was Damien Jurado, beating #2 easily and grabbing 100 adds in a week with just over 200 reporters thats pretty impressive.  He has a nice debut as well this week, nothing like Sharon last week but still pretty good.  

I always feel like its the MLK weekend that really signals the start of the new radio year.  Thats when we go from 1 or 2 really good adds from all the promotion companies and labels to almost 1 "big" add for everyone.  So just prepare yourself to hear the phrase "best record ever" about 50 times a day starting next week. Or do yourself a favor and take Monday off!

In other news, I am excited to announce that I am headed back to NYC in March!  Hoooray! 

Thanks for reading 

hit me up on twitter with any questions @theanimalarrg

CMJ RECAP Issue 1326 WEEK 1

Welcome back everyone... or.. really welcome back some of you guys.  The first week is always a weird one there are only a fraction of the reporting stations back so really its mostly just us calling blindly and leaving messages.

This week we start the year with 158 reporting stations, not too much of a departure from last year where we started with just over 160.  

Our number one record is Arcade Fire and while I saw some people pushing to over take them the top 5 remained largely unchanged.  So the question is will one of the records in the top 5 overtake Arcade Fire or will the next new #1 be from something going for adds this year.

This weeks #1 most added record Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings also debuted at #16 the top debut of the week.  It will be interesting to see how high this record goes, I suspect it will be largely powered by AAA but there is a lot of love for Sharon out there so who knows.  What happens a lot this time of year is a record debuts really high and then falls slowly, not saying that will happen but it is something to keep an eye out for.

I am really looking forward to 2014 there are a lot of exciting records coming, if you have not seen I am pretty sure every music website has some version of that list. What are you excited about?

That is all for now! I have some good ideas( I think) of what I want to do here as things get busier but If you have some ideas please do let me know!

thank you for reading!

douglas