Would this format work?

[Phil1127]

So, with many alternative stations closing I got to thinking. How about a "punk rock" radio format. Sure, not true punk rock but like Warped Tour style punk rock. Here in New York the Warped Tour sold out in advance for the first time ever (I think that's like 30,000 people). The playlist would feature new bands such as Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, The Used, Starting Line, Thursday Thrice as well as older bands like Green Day, Offspring, The Clash, Bad Religion, Pennywise. Companies practically line up to put their tents up at the Warped Tour so maybe they would be into buying ads on this type of format. Any thoughts?

[tramp]

> So, with many alternative stations closing I got to
> thinking. How about a "punk rock" radio format. Sure, not
> true punk rock but like Warped Tour style punk rock. Here in
> New York the Warped Tour sold out in advance for the first
> time ever (I think that's like 30,000 people). The playlist
> would feature new bands such as Fall Out Boy, My Chemical
> Romance, The Used, Starting Line, Thursday Thrice as well as
> older bands like Green Day, Offspring, The Clash, Bad
> Religion, Pennywise. Companies practically line up to put
> their tents up at the Warped Tour so maybe they would be
> into buying ads on this type of format. Any thoughts?
>
Warped is huge on the west coast too. I don't know how well it would kick in the midwest or the south, but it's a way cool idear for the more liberal thinking parts of the country!

[AllMightySting]

> > So, with many alternative stations closing I got to
> > thinking. How about a "punk rock" radio format. Sure, not
> > true punk rock but like Warped Tour style punk rock. Here
> in
> > New York the Warped Tour sold out in advance for the first
>
> > time ever (I think that's like 30,000 people). The
> playlist
> > would feature new bands such as Fall Out Boy, My Chemical
> > Romance, The Used, Starting Line, Thursday Thrice as well
> as
> > older bands like Green Day, Offspring, The Clash, Bad
> > Religion, Pennywise. Companies practically line up to put
> > their tents up at the Warped Tour so maybe they would be
> > into buying ads on this type of format. Any thoughts?
> >
> Warped is huge on the west coast too. I don't know how well
> it would kick in the midwest or the south, but it's a way
> cool idear for the more liberal thinking parts of the
> country!
>


I agree that in certain parts of the country, this format might actually work pretty well....and would certainly be of interest to advertisers looking to reach that 16-24 year old age demo.  I'm just not sure what it would take for the owner of a decent signal to change to an all punk format, even with the explosion of the teeny-punk bands of late.  I do believe though that most every alt. station should devote a few hours each week to an all punk specialty show.

[neanderpol]

> So, with many alternative stations closing I got to
> thinking. How about a "punk rock" radio format. Sure, not
> true punk rock but like Warped Tour style punk rock. Here in
> New York the Warped Tour sold out in advance for the first
> time ever (I think that's like 30,000 people). The playlist
> would feature new bands such as Fall Out Boy, My Chemical
> Romance, The Used, Starting Line, Thursday Thrice as well as
> older bands like Green Day, Offspring, The Clash, Bad
> Religion, Pennywise. Companies practically line up to put
> their tents up at the Warped Tour so maybe they would be
> into buying ads on this type of format. Any thoughts?
>

As is often the case, in order for a format like that to work, it would need to embrace it's heritage as well. The Jam, Pistols, and the new wave/new romantic bands would also porbably have to be included. I think a station with Romeo Void, Fischer Zed, Echo, Thomas Dolby, Gary Numan, Gang Green, Pretenders, Devo, Cult, Missing Persons...

I'm really surprised that a band like U2's older stuff like "Two Hearts" and "The Refugee" aren't all over Alt radio.

I know..."it doesn't test".

And thus, another IPOD is sold.

[modrockfan]

A better idea, which I have wanted to do for about 8 years is to mix those bands with hip-hop and create a format that will draw all of the younger guys.  To me, Top 40 is in shambles and plays too many artists from other charts (50 Cent, Green Day) and not enough of their own (J. Simpson, Backstreet Boys).  So they reach to other charts.  That's not new, but it seems to me that most of their music is from other charts instead just filling in with the most popular stuff from other charts.  This causes the labels to push a single through alternative or rap to get it momentum to get a lot of Top 40 spins, then they neglect the formats that got them to the Top 40 by not pushing a good second or third single.

Back to the topic though, play Green Day.  Play The Used.  Play My Chemical Romance.  Play 50 Cent.  Play Ying Yang Twins.  Play David Banner.  Probably steer clear of Nickelback, Default, etc.  Same for Missy Elliot and Mariah Carey.

Look at video game soundtracks.  Look at movie soundtracks targetting that audience.  They mix punk, rock, and hip hop and have a great sound.  It's a way for radio to follow the video game industry, which is expected to outproduce the movie industry in revenue.

______________
Crescent City Radio Connection
Zephyr Radio

[MarcR]

> Back to the topic though, play Green Day.  Play The Used.
> Play My Chemical Romance.  Play 50 Cent.  Play Ying Yang
> Twins.  Play David Banner.  Probably steer clear of
> Nickelback, Default, etc.  Same for Missy Elliot and Mariah
> Carey.
>
  Play 50 Cent on an Alt. station??! I don't necessarily oppose playing Hip Hop artists (Outkast, Rehab, De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest come to mind), but I Do oppose adding any "Gangsta Rap" to the format. I think most young listeners to the format would probably throw mud at 50 Cent if they had to endure a set of his at an outdoor music festival (and concertgoers in the UK actually Did throw mud at 50 Cent once!). The man is, as one online reviewer put it, a Cancer on society!

[modrockfan]

I was just throwing 50 out there as an example.  Many alt stations picked up Eminem.  Very little is different with 50 or Dr. Dre.  The Jay-z/Linkin Park collaboration was pretty successful too.  

But what I was referencing wouldn't be an alternative station.  It would be a format of its own.  Some sort of Rap/Rock fusion station.  I think Sirius or XM might have a similar station, but I don't have them, so I can't tell you for sure.

______________
Crescent City Radio Connection
Zephyr Radio

[saladdressing]

> A better idea, which I have wanted to do for about 8 years

Someone's already taken that idea to the masses:

Sirius' "Faction" Channel.