The stale taste of commercial radio

Commercial radio is finding itself in a deep pool of pickle juice. Music lovers are figuring out that there are many music outlets outside of what their town's radio is playing. As easy as slicing a piece of apple pie, music can be downloaded online or through a cell phone, and for a small price of $10-13 dollars a month, satellite radio can be blaring through car stereos. This easy access of music allows listeners to go beyond what is played on MTV and reiterated on commercial radio, and rather listen to music that isn't found from either of these sources.

Due to ever-growing competition from outlets such as the internet and satellite radio, commercial radio is being pushed aside like a loaf of moldy bread. In order to cover up the green, fuzzy and stale sound of mainstream music, commercial radio placates listeners with prizes and tickets, hoping that scraping off the mold will make the bread better again. But savvy and more critical music listeners can taste this decaying batch of mainstream playlists and want to find something more fresh. So like popping open an oven of freshly baked bread and smelling the hearty scent of grain, the many music outlets are regenerating and feeding the souls with more options and more knowledge for music.

Before I became aware of all the music resources, I had relied on commercial radio to guide me through each new band, feeling as though I was well educated in the music scene. But now commercial radio is like Folgers coffee, a boring, average, every day cup of coffee that is being showed up by Starbucks and all of it's deliciously flavored coffee beans. I have had days where I wanted a vanilla bean coffee drink or a double latte but had to resort to switching on the good ol' coffee maker, which just didn't cut it. Once I discovered music on the Internet and satellite radio, my taste buds grew, and now average, every day coffee won't be found in my kitchen anymore. After hearing unknown bands outside of commercial radio, I have a craving for more unknown music, so when I turn on commercial radio and can name off each artist from beginning to end, I am left with a starving belly, hungry for some new music grub.

I can hear my stomach growling right now, after so many years of listening to commercial radio. Everyday, repeat after repeat, the same artists play every hour or two, leaving their voice permanently stuck in my ear. Seriously, how many Green Day songs do I have to hear before I realize that I don't have to buy their album because I have heard all of their songs just one day of listening to the radio? When checking out 93.3 and its hourly playlists, I found that at least two artists are repeated every hour, not usually with the same song as before, but are still squeezed into the lineup. With music, come options, many options, to the point that a disc jockey could go for a whole year and would never have to repeat a single song. So what's the deal?

The owner of 93.3, Clear Channel Broadcasting, is even finding it hard to stay away from the Internet to help boost their sales and ratings. Now music listeners can go on their website and watch music videos, listen to bands that aren't regularly played or even played at all on their commercial radio stations. They are also trying to lessen the amount of commercials heard on the radio each day. However, even with this effort, they aren't able to win me over because I want more. I don't want commercials period, and I want the same options that are offered on their website to be offered on their radio. Until then I won't be swayed.

So out of this frustration, I have turned away completely from commercial radio, and have never been left with an empty belly since. When listening to satellite radio I can breathe easier knowing there will be no commercial interruptions and knowing everyday I will hear a band I have never heard before. The DJs are more informative and less gabby, and they really do care about playing song requests from their listeners.

Even though satellite radio does have a regular playlist, it still varies, and bands aren't repeated as often. As for music on the internet, possibilities are endless, and I am not worried about my stomach ever getting too full.