How do radio stations decide what music to play?

Question

Do the record companies pay them, or do they get to choose independently?

Answer 1

More and more, the people who decide what gets played on a radio station aren't the station DJs. Only a few large companies own the majority of radio stations across the country. The decision about what gets played on a radio station is increasingly made at the national headquarters of one of these companies, instead of at the radio station.



Over the past five years, this has really affected the choice of music on the radio. If you drove across the country in the 1950s and '60s, you would hear different music for every new area you drove through. You would hear music that you might never hear in your hometown. It made travelling by car very educational and entertaining.



Today, if you travel across the United States, you will hear the same small number of songs over and over again, because the same big company picks the songs for all of the stations. That's a very bad thing for musicians and music fans. It means that many musicians can't get their music heard by the public. It also means that music fans don't have an opportunity to hear new music.

Answer 2

The previous responder is quite right, according to my long-ago experience. (I once had a news show on a very small AM radio station.) That station had a play-list, and the DJs could play any song on it from the station's record library. I know the technology is all different today, but the principle is the same. Pay-to-play went out some years ago -- look up the "payola scandals." But I'm sure today's radio has its own share of shady characters and actions -- they just don't get listened to as much as the long-ago AM stations once did.

Answer 3

The term is payola, when record companies pay radio stations to play their stuff and counting it as regular airplay, rather than advertisment. It's also illegal, but doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. Just 2 years ago Sony, Universal, and Warner had to pay out multi-million dollar lawsuits because it was proven that they were paying radio stations under the table.



Artist popularity now plays a major role in what gets played. If an artist is popular a radio station will constantly play their stuff in hopes of keeping and obtaining viewers. More viewers= more $$$$ from advertisments.

Answer 4

It depends on what kind of station. A station chooses a format when they get started and they buy CDs from a company and scan them into a database and play them. Our radio station at school randomly chooses songs from our database. I assume commercial radio stations do the same. I think I remember learning something about it being illegal to get paid to play something. Could be wrong though. They pay to play the songs, not the other way around. Or that's what I got from my radio class.

Answer 5

Nomad (above) really hit it, square-on. I'll add (or just paraphrase, LOL) by saying that many "commercial" stations are owned, in many cases (if not all), by the few giant corporations that like to gobble up a lot of stations across the land and make 'em play the same damm rotating playlist over & over, LOL...Clear Channel is the largest; they own a LOT of the "popular" stations (of varying formats; some rock, country, rap, etc.) and you tend to hear the same songs on a lot of them, just different local commercials I guess. Entercom and CBS also own lots of stations. Not much true "local" radio anymore; many once locally-owned stations are selling out to the business suits. That's why I tend to generally listen to either public non-commercial radio (below 92 on the FM dial), or else the 'Net...more REAL programming can typically be found there. Maybe some repetition (not as much, I dare say..and usually better music, too) but hey sure beats the monotony of the "mainstream" commercial stations. I'd rather hear my "musak" being played by a warm, amicable, LOCAL voice (and no commercials!)...as opposed to having a few "tunes" being decided by a computer in San Antonio (home of Cheap Channel), or whatever large conglomerate.....

Answer 6

most radio stations are programmed by consultants who live in another part of the country, and have never even listened to the station. 8X



Some DO get paid, but they sure aren't going to talk about it! LOL.

Answer 7

they call the record companies when they played a bands song from that record deal then the record companies and the the radio station makes money off of that song.

Answer 8

A lot depends on their format. Companies send records out for them to play and the station decides frequency of play

Answer 9

record companies promote their music and radio stations chose them

Answer 10

I think it depends on what radio station it is. Some are arranged and some they just pick.

Answer 11

it's illegal for record companies to pay for airplay. this includes gifts. a station can be stripped of its license if caught. it is based on album sales, artist recognition (known artists get airplay no matter what), hype from record companies on new artists andit all is put together on a daily computer generated list.

Answer 12

Mostly Oprah chooses which music should be aired, she then submits a list to the Attorney General and he submits the list to radio stations, with a large threat.

Answer 13

based on the requests and if it is in line with their theme - some radio stations caters to pop rock, mellow music etc....so they go from there

Answer 14

i think it depends on what kind of radio station it is then whatever genre it is record companies send them the latest music and they put it on rotation and play, i think thats how it goes

Answer 15

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Answer 16

They toss darts at a sheet of paper with a bunch of songs listed on it, whatever song gets hit gets played.

Answer 17

depends on what kind of music they play

Answer 18

depends on what kind of music they play, like rap hip hop etc. they usually play new songs and old songs at nite.



some people call in and tell them what music they want them to play.

Answer 19

probably it is the station music director.

Answer 20

I think it has to do with the record company

Answer 21

they buy there cd's and are able to scan them and play them.

Answer 22

those people puts anything