One of our most prominent local radio stations recently started spoon-feeding music to the masses on a new level. A recorded, perky voice says the artist and name of the song, followed by a snippet of the chorus… IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED by the ENTIRE SONG. The addition of the sample bothers me on several levels. It’s like saying, “We know you’re not willing to wait until the chorus if you don’t recognize this song, and heaven forbid you listen to something unfamiliar, so we’re going to get your attention on the front end.” This is also a station for which “Top 40” is too broad a term – more like Top 20 or 10 – so it’s not like you haven’t already heard the song there multiple times.
They use the same recorded voice and sample to tell you that songs are coming up “IN FIFTEEN MINUTES!” It almost worked on me yesterday, because I wanted to hear “Animal” by Neon Trees. But then I remembered I already had it on my iPod. Bwahaha!
I think the whole thing might annoy me less if a live human was doing it. It’s the robot radio aspect that pushes it over the edge.
Personally, I don’t listen to a lot of mainstream radio stations; so I didn’t know they were doing this sort of thing! But I would be equally annoyed. You hit the nail on the head with this one. :) I’m annoyed just reading about it.
I would be so, so annoyed by this. I stopped listening to a radio station because their tagline is something about no rap. They say “You don’t have to listen to ____, to get _____” The first blank is a sample of a rap song, the second blank is their top 40 stuff.
My problem with this is that they ARE making me listen to rap, by playing the clip they just nullified their premise.
You are so funny. That kind of stuff drives me nuts too- it’s so desperate! And I hate when it works on me haha.