Thursday, September 26, 2013
HELL AND BACK: It’s been two weeks since the 9/9/9 PM launch of
Arcade Fire’s epic new single “Reflektor,” and this has been the band’s swiftest rise to Top 25 in their career, with 40 Modern Rock adds in two weeks! The band is the musical guest for
SNL’s season opener this Saturday, with host
Tina Fey! Immediately following at 1:00 AM (or 10:00 PM for those of us with the East Coast feed on our
DirecTV), Arcade Fire will host their own 30-minute “variety” show on
NBC. Let me repeat this for the PDs who, like
Tawny Kitaen, are still asking, “Who the fuck are Arcade Fire?”
Lorne Michaels, who has the pick of EVERY guy/girl/group making music for his season opener, has chosen Arcade Fire for this all-important premiere of his new cast. Then he offered the band an additional half hour, with full creative control. This, my dears, is UNPRECEDENTED. A television legend and a major network have chosen to partner with Arcade Fire—perhaps your station in market #308 will give “Reflektor” the same consideration this Monday… Also this Saturday,
Vampire Weekend is headlining a sold-out show at the Hollywood Bowl! Indie rock triumphs on both coasts (said the one who will be at a very important bat mitzvah that night), and all points in between, as evidenced by
Glassnote’s
Chvrches, whose debut LP
The Bones of What You Believe is currently #9 on the
iTunes Album chart! Well, how did that happen, you ask? Here’s how: The band has been playing shows in the U,S, since 2012—from small venues to huge festivals. In concert, the band has that ephemeral “magic” that grows their fanbase exponentially with each show. The
Recover EP followed and quickly sold 75k without much radio support, but as the touring base expanded, radio has now become a (sorta) willing participant, with early love from
Alt Nation,
KRBZ, 20 on 20,
KRXP,
WWCD,
KNRK,
98.7,
KNDD,
WROX,
Live105,
WLUM,
KROX,
WHFS and more. When chatting with the man who put the “
Glass” in Glassnote this morning, I reminded him that this trajectory—where the market LEADS radio to a record, is the same path that
Mumford’s debut took, but now with 10 times the airplay! If you recall, when
Sigh No More was released, the record had huge sales debuts in Minneapolis (
KCMP) and Boston (
WFNX), which was a clear indication that the record was undeniable. So when you, beloved programmer, look at your weekly dartboard of label priorities and the weekly
Let’s Make a Deal options presented by your personal
Monty Hall, perhaps you should click on the iTunes chart or call your local retailer to find out what should
really be your priority. Here’s why: Playing a song that your market is already buying makes you look like a genius. If you at least
look like a genius, it goes a long way to compensate for the 20 other stiffs you swore were smashes. Also, you can build an entire career based on that-song-you-played-first (re:
Lee Chesnut/”Wicked Games”), Your next step is simple: Add “The Mother We Share.” Watch the record sell in your market. Attach your call letters to the band’s next sold-out show in your market. You are a genius... Do not underestimate the mass appeal potential of
Foals and
White Denim. It took you almost a year before you “got”
Tame Impala, must we remind you… I’ve worked with
The Airborne Toxic Event since 2008. In fact, I got a “labor” add on “Sometime Around Midnight” from
Marc Young at
Q101 on Oct. 7, 2008 (I had to have something to show for being out of the office on a Tuesday). I love this band. So when singer
Mikel Jollett told us he had written a new song on his motorcycle trip back from a show in Omaha, we were excited to hear it! It’s called “Hell and Back” and it’s an absolute one-listen stomper. The initial response has been incredible, with adds from
KCSN,
WRFF,
Alt Nation,
KRBZ and
WZNE. Email me if you want a copy (
Ivanageek@aol.com)!... SONG TO HEAR:
Haim’s “The Wire”… PEOPLE TO WATCH:
Sue Kelley,
Dustin Matthews,
Bill Burrs,
Troy Hanson,
Ian McCain and
Dave Barbis.