Elliott Yamin Billboard Interview: “The landscape of radio has totally changed for the worse since my first promotional tour”

Good Luck Elliott….I enjoyed his candor.

Thanks, MJ.

I love Elliott. That is all!!!

I LOVE Elliott. I hate Adam and Danny. Adam loved Elliott and voted for him and Elliott’s favorite is Danny.

Whoa.

What a great interview! I also appreciated Elliott’s honesty. I hope he continues to have a successful career. He certainly touched my heart during Idol season 5.

Elliott’s fave may be Danny, but he pimped Adam in Idol Tonight where he said he knew Adam through a common friend. So basically, all the former idols are now pulling for Adam right?

I was always under the impression that what happened with WFY was somewhat of an anomaly, simply because it isn’t very often that an indie song blows up that way. I think radio might be where major label support can really make a difference in getting your foot in the door (even though Elliott was rumored to have strong industry connections that helped him the first time around).

In any case, I really like Elliott, and I hope his current single will take off. Sometimes songs take more time to hit their stride but in the end it happens. Hopefully this is one of those times.

Elliot is my favorite Idol of all time. His favorite status comes not only from his voice, but from his humanity, kindness and honesty. On May 5, I will be in a store bright and early proudly buying his music.

Exactly, MrRJ. I think Elliott personifies what American Idol should be all about.

Elliott’s always been one of my favorites. I hope his new song does well!

And that’s a very interesting interview. Sucks about the lack of airtime and pretty much having to fight for it.

Good for Elliott for being so honest. He’s just saying what I suspected has been happening lately in radio. When Clear Channel merged its upper-level employees, and people started getting laid off in December (I think, could have been January), I feared the worst–that the stations would become more homogeneous, and several stations around the country would wind up playing the same 20 songs and pretty much nothing else. Well, turns out that’s basically what happened. Syndicated programming is used more and more (not just Ryan, but also Kidd Kraddick), so if those syndicated programs don’t play your song, you’re pretty much dead in the water. Considering those syndicated programs come out of large, big city stations (which tend to lean more urban/dance/rhythmic in the first place), other genres get cut loose unless you have a label that is hard selling your stuff.

You really need a record label to push your song and push it hard. I agree that “Wait For You” was somewhat of an anomaly, but I believe Elliott when he says it was still easier the last time around (he also debuted the single on Idol, and it took off soon after that). But without a label going full force on a song, it’s going to be tough getting your stuff played in between the Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, and Flo Rida. Elliott works really hard at radio promotion, and it’s sad that it just doesn’t work the way it used to.

This is one instance when a label does come in handy, but ultimately in the end of all this (years down the line) I suspect radio will be a lot different than it is now. A lot more user-controlled, and potentially subscription-based (except for stations broadcasting news which are required to be free by FCC rules). This model cannot sustain itself indefinitely.

BTW, I love Elliott.

Great interview… I know very little about his season… but by the interview you can tell he is a nice guy…

Random: this post and the post about the arrested AI auditioner both mention Britney… Haha, there’s just no escaping her is there?

Anyway, I hope his second album will do just as well or at least achieve comparable success to his debut. He’s got a great voice and I liked his first album a lot.

Good Luck Eliott! I am a fan of his music….

I digress, Jolene and Soundscene, I really admire your inputs and debates regarding the music industry…by any chance do you both have backgrounds in the business? just curious where you acquired all your knowledge about it…Kudos!

Some of you might be interested in this video if you’ve got some time. I thought it was fascinating. You might have already seen it, but I hadn’t.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/62945/before-the-music-dies

first off…i think mjsbigblogs kill!! thank you for taking the time to post this stuff!

i loved Eliott from day one! talk about singing your ass off, the boy has a wonderful voice & should of won Idol that year. ‘.’

http://www.hulu.com/watch/62945/before-the-music-dies

Really interesting documentary. Thanks! My favorite quote so far (not exact): “you realize that radio stations aren’t programmed based on how much you like (the songs), but they’re programmed based on how much do you not dislike (the songs) enough to not turn it off.”

True (although I have turned off my radio more than once… maybe I’m more sensitive). But yeah, radio doesn’t care what you actually like–it cares more about what doesn’t bother you so much.

Yah but in another interview Elliot talks about how Adam is to good for the show! Jealous much!

Ah, now we get down to honest interviews where you have stepped away from the AI control and say a little more! I have always liked Elliot…..(Taylor was my fav from that season) but I always like Elliot’s emotion….singing… and heart!
It boggles my mind how fast things can change in a few years! The music world is no exception…..I just hope these artists can regroup and figure another way to get the exposure they need to be successful. Since I follow Taylor a little more, it seems like he may be ok with his realistic approach to his music,…. never thought he would be a *star* as defined by modern times. Elliot will figure a way…..I wish him great success!
Kind of a sad reminder of the world we live in today……the economy hits everyone….everywhere! Pix

Awww Elliott honey, the radio landscape has sucked for about 20 years. This isn’t a recent thing!

I like him, I hope he continues to do well.

So good to hear Elliott has another record release. I wish him the best – much success. A true American Idol – American Dream story!

And he thinks the lip-synched group numbers are horribleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

Talk about honesty. Just another thing that has ruined this season for the viewer.

Well I sure see a difference here in Richmond. Elliott kicked off his radio tour here over a month ago and we still haven’t had any daytime spins on our top 40 station. It sucks. I’ve heard some sample tracks from his new cd and there are definitely some songs that would be great for radio. This is one of those times I wish Elliott had a major behind him. He can’t get played but that new crap from Eminem and that stupid I Love College cluster can. Makes no sense.

Elliott is my favorite Idol EVER and I really hope his new album does well. I like “Fight For Love” a lot and I hope to hear more of his music on the radio! Go E!!

I, too, really like the honesty in this interview. It’s enlightening as well. Elliott was my favorite in S5 also and I wish him the best.

I kind of doubt Elliott is jealous of Adam since he thinks he’s an incredible talented. He just meant that he came on the show a developed artist. But the days when they found their contestants in drugstores and Waffle houses is pretty much over.

I don’t think I realized how amazing WFY was. It ain’t easy getting up to #3 of the Top 40 chart and almost impossible for an indie artist. Not just radio but the entire music industry has taken its hits over the past two years.

Great interview! I love how honest Elliot was. Radio has been going downhill for years, but I definately think it’s taken a turn for the worst in the last few.

It seems like Adam has met everyone… haha.

I don’t care one bit about Elliott’s music but I can feel his frustration. Radio really isn’t about quality and giving opportunities anymore. Not that I think that’s a new thing, it’s just getting worse and worse.

Fortunately there’s a music world outside radio, and it’s possible for artists to keep doing what they like to some good size audiences even without radio airplay.

Elliot needs to learn not to bitch about how hard it is to make it in the music business. I mean, c’mon, he got to be a 90-day wonder because of Idol and didn’t have to struggle his way up like 99% of the other artists out there – now the bloom is off the idol rose and he is getting all pissy.

Hearing famous people complain about how it’s hard not being as fanous anymore is annoying. Maybe Elliot and ‘lil should hang since they both like to complain so much.

I’ve learned one very important thing in life – If you are good enough, people will love you. If the people don’t love you, it’s not their fault – it’s because you aren’t good enough. Never once does Elliot consider that he can’t get radio play because there isn’t that much demand for his music. Believe me, if people were clammoring for more Elliot Yamin, the stations (who make the $ on advertising) would play it.

It’s the corporate take-over of the arts. The movie industry wants blockbusters, the publishing industry wants blockbusters, radio wants huge hits (and nothing else), because it’s all about corporations and profits now, and if they had their way, we’d have little choice about what to read, watch, or listen to. But the indies always find a way to reach the people.

I totally agree that if the stations were clamoring for Elliott’s music, they’d play it. Just like I love College is rising up the charts. On the other hand, radio is really changing due to economic issues and basically the pool of songs they play has shrunk. Also radio is going towards more dance type music now.

It’s a real problem. I actually think Elliott is one of the few that the public would demand on the radio (if they ever get to hear it.) Even one huge hit on Top 40 ain’t chopped liver. So far he and Daughtry are the only two Idol guys that made it that high on that chart.

RE : à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s so much junk and shit trash on the radio now,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  says Elliott

Amen brother. And I thought I was one of the few who held this opinion. Glad to know that there is someone in the industry who thinks the same way.

RE: Elliottà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s favorite is actually Danny Gokey, who he thinks sings from the heart, like he does. And he thinks the lip-synched group numbers are horribleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

Elliott and I think alike. I kinda thought Gokey’s style reminded me of Elliott. Not bombastic, not over the top but smooth.

I always liked Elliott.

Elliott’s not whining. He’s new in the industry and horrified at the contraction that’s taken place since he got there. Even though he is a post-Napster artist to begin with, so many jobs have been lost in the last year, and there are many disappearances on his list of contacts. If you saw him in the conversation, I am pretty sure you’d see it was really his attempt to give the clearest account of what he saw on his promo tour. And that there would certainly be a note of concern for all the people who lost their job.

WFY threaded a needle when it came out; normally, like in Eminem and 50 Cent’s case, you front-load a new album release and have your biggest sales week in week one. Two pieces of shit in a row — and I say this as an Eminem fan from day one — “Crack a Bottle” and “We Made You” guarantee that they will be delaying both Eminem and 50 Cent albums even longer. But they had budget to ram those singles through on radio and when they have it, they spend it. It doesn’t always make the album sell past the first months, if you compare Akon to, oh, Jason Mraz and T.I. and Kid Rock.

WFY was seeded at just a few leader stations and they built the airplay around those stations that proved the song, one by one. Plus they did it at AC radio, plus there was the 95K first week album sale to prove that the fan base was there. Will they all come back? We’ll see, tho 50K could put him in the top 3 again.

Slotting FFL into Top 40 was more of a challenge they set for themselves. Maybe they feel they can rely on AC to come along, since WFY has been such a strong recurrent for so long. And I assume they are saving radio promotion resources so they have something if/when E appears on Idol, to back up that big shot of exposure.

I wish him well. And it was nice that Idol has had occasional remembrances of his sweet and gracious mother Claudette.

Video of Elliott on the limo ride to Idol Tonight talking about the album and his career. Limo Cam confidential

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/idol_tonight/elliot_yamin

Hi lu amd Pixie:)
Elliot I guess maybe to some it may come off as whinning personally he sounds truthfull..The music industry has changed from the passed and it is hard for indies or bands unknown to get a shot..I heard some would not play Bruce Springsteins new cd …It is not that the music is not good because it is it just not a markee name attached like Britneyextra…I agree with Elliott some of the music is homogeous crap out there and also I reckon he also knows how lucky he is.Thats why I sometimes listen to npr station that plays indie music…

I wasn’t on the Idol train yet, so I am unfamiliar with Elliot’s music, but I did see him perform last year on the show. I really admire his frank assessment of radio these days. I very much agree with him. The chosen few get their songs played ad nauseum, while very few other artists get their chances at airtime. The radio shows are more about the DJ’s than the artists. I know it is still a big deal to get your song on the radio, but I find myself listening less to the radio these days.

Amen Elliott.

It’s not just radio, but the mainstream media in general these days.

Honestly? It’s always been like that. Even in the “glory days” everybody is yapping about when music was “pure” there were business guys raping artists… they were just business guys who liked music. A little. LOL. Think Clive Davis. or Phil Spector. Anyway, radio has been driven by money for decades. Major labels have been at an advantage a long time, it just that they were willing to use their power more often for someone who more artistic in the past, because they kinda liked music. And a lot of them hadn’t gone public yet.

The current economic situation with radio has been coming for a while IMO. Lots of radio stations are losing listeners, and many are being taken over by huge corporations. Young people are moving more towards the internet and to the indie world for a while, and a lot of it is because of the over-programmed nature of radio and the junky albums these majors keep spitting out. That’s why the sales have been tanking for years, IMO. It’s not ITunes and file-sharing, its just that people now have options to avoid buying and listening to stuff that sucks. Increasingly, radio only works for teenagers and people who want to hear something in the car.

The whole industry is reordering itself IMO, because in the end people want to hear good music and eventually folks will find a way to do just that.

Question:

In the history of earth, has anyone ever benefitted from publicly complaining about how “hard” something is to do? Answer – no.

That is why Elliot should just STFU and work for what he wants. And yes, it does sound like “poor me” which is whining by definition. Just because your complaint is justifiable doesn’t make you sound any less whimpy for making it.

Elliot would have seemed much cooler if he had just said, “yeah, we are working as hard as we can to get radio play – it’s tough out there, but the music is good and I know we’ll come out on top!” Instead of “Waaaah, I can’t get any time on the radio because at’s all so corporate and no none has time for me anymore – waaaaaah!”

The reality is, Elliot, that your season of Idol has been over for 2 years now. You are yesterday’s news and have zero buzz. That’s the entertainment business for you – it’s a very fickle lover. If you don’t like it, get a job as an accountant, but for God’s sake, don’t whine about how it’s not fair. Tell us something we don’t know.

We’re in a state of flux right now, no doubt. But the continued homogenization of commercial radio is just going to drive more and more people to alternate media. It may hurt for a while, but I think we’ll all be happier once it’s done.

And I couldn’t agree with Elliot more about how 98% of what’s currently being played is crap. I quit listening to commercial radio in jr. high (that was back in about 1974) but I still hear plenty of Top 40 when I’m out shopping, and most of it’s ghastly.

Of course, there are always exceptions. I was cruising the junior racks about two years ago, looking for a dress for my kid, when this video started playing on their wall of tv screens. I was mesmerized, and when the little i.d. popped up at the end of the song and told me it was a band named “Daughtry, ” I immediately walked out of that store and into the record store a few doors down, and bought the album.

But to get back on topic, too many people are getting pop recording contracts these days based on their looks more than their talent. It’ll be interesting to see how things pan out for our current contestants because, as has been discussed elsewhere on this blog, they ain’t the prettiest bunch ever to come down the pike. I love ‘em, though, and I think others will too if they give them a chance. And I guess that’s the $10,000 issue.

ETA:

tinawina: “Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not ITunes and file-sharing, its just that people now have options to avoid buying and listening to stuff that sucks.”

Amen, sister.

I guess you missed this part of the interview:
“But getting to do all this, even though ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s harder, I wouldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have it any other way… Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m very blessed to be in this position”

He’s not whining. While Elliott is Mr. Nice Guy and usually 100% positive, he tends to be honest as well. He’s just telling it like it is. Fortunately, he’s still a terrific singer so while the buzz may not be there, his talent still is. I don’t know about album sales but he’s def not going to get a job as an accountant.

I’m trying to remember the last time I purposely turned on a radio “music” station and listened to it. My brain fails! Between OTT commercials, nauseating DJ’s with their silly on-air contests, stupid sexist jokes between cohosts, and positively bottom of the pit interviews with singers who have a collective iq of (oh I better not go there) there isn’t much time to spin a disk.

Music radio is no longer a viable commodity (especially top 40 stations that supposedly play “current” hits). For every 15 minutes you listen you may get 1 2 minute spin. And then every other song is an “oldie” because that is cheaper for the station to play than “current” stuff. In fact, the most popular stations in this area play more stuff pre 2000 than current drivel.

Current Artists now need to find new ways of getting their stuff out there. They need to put their money into getting on-line advertising or plays. Or they need to find a way to get played on TV talk shows that people actual watch.

I truly think that radio has lost its edge and isn’t the pathway to success anymore. Good grief….I don’t know a single person who is woken up by a clock radio anymore, do you?

Well, I admire Elliott for his honesty. And I don’t believe the best always rise to the top. I’m too cynical for that. Plenty of very talented people get pushed to the side for reasons completely beyond their control. Do you seriously think what you hear on the radio is there because it was better than everything else? I understand that’s relative, but no way do I believe Elliott’s not good enough. This didn’t come off as whining to me at all. IMO, there are many former idols I don’t think have enough talent or the right sound to get a shot at radio–but Elliott is not one of them. He’s hands down one of the best singers to ever appear on the show. I wish him the best and hope things come together for him.

And I couldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t agree with Elliot more about how 98% of whatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s currently being played is crap.

Well, it must be the crap that people want or that stations wouldn’t play it.

I’ve started listening to a station out of Windsor, Ontario and, let me tell you, there is a TON of fabulous new music out there that is not being played in the US market. All we have in Detroit – and Detroit radio used to be really good – is country, oldies, and the clearchannel top hits stuff. The only occasional NEW music to get through the system are folks like Britney, certain top Idols, Kid Rock & some rap.

When I listen to this Windsor station, they have all sorts of music, and they tell you WHO the singer is, WHAT the song is, WHAT new album/new release it is from. And it’s cool music. All genres. It’s just too bad more of our radio can’t be like that as we would have a real mix.

:bye_tb:
Hey there Poporange….so good to *read* you! Hope all is well…..Pix

Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not whining. While Elliott is Mr. Nice Guy and usually 100% positive, he tends to be honest as well. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s just telling it like it is.

And furthermore, he’s not giving up. Selling anything, including yourself, is a numbers game. The objective, even in a shitty market is to hit more people than the next guy. It’s the only way to increase your odds of success.

For me, Elliott has a realistic view of his current market conditions and is doing whatever is within his power to succeed regardless. I think it’s a good strategy.

Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the corporate take-over of the arts.

Yup–but corporations basically run everything in our capitalist country . . . until they explode (and even then, with the bankruptcy code, really no one is left holding the bag except the virtually always innocent shareholders). The corporate structure is such a racket–it’s such an excuse for people to do selfish things and blame “the Corporation.” (BTW–See the documentary “The Corporation”–it’s fascinating and not boring or too intellectual.)

I love Elliott and voted my figures off for him. But I really did not enjoy his Freshman offering. If there’s anything I can stand listening to on this next album, I will buy it (or maybe those tracks), because I love Elliott. (If he moved closer to Jazz or even to Pop and a little further away from R&B on the sliding scale, my love would be a direct link to my wallet for him.)

Well, it must be the crap that people want or that stations wouldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t play it.

I don’t think that’s true. I think it’s crap that people don’t hate, spinkled with stuff people largely like. The content is all pushed by money, and the advertisers will still shell out until the people actually turn off their radios.

Elliott is one of the hardest working guys out there , he has to be with no big label backing him . It is unbelievable what he has accomplished by going from station playing live acoustic sets (not too many can sound so good performing live) It was on the strength of these performances and the beauty of his voice that his song was played . I will choose someone who has actual talent to perform live rather than artists whose only time that they can sound decent are the results of studio tweaking.. No Elliott is not whining , he is being as he always has been , truthful and endearing. Myself I find it kind of sad that the music industry is being driven by tweenies and that somehow how you look (the package) has become one of the top graders of success ..This is supposed to be about music and as I earlier stated I will take true talent over the Barbie and Kens and over proccessed music out there . Let me hear them sing !!

Calamari is it The River from Windsor that you are listening to ?

I don’t think he’s whining at all. I think he’s telling it like it is. I think it’s important for people to understand the state of the music business right now.

As someone who grew up on 50s and 60s music even though I’m in my late 20s, it’s a shame to me that people who have as much talent as Elliott are struggling when so many people who clearly need Autotune have their hits on the radio all the time.

Even when I listen to the superficial teen idol stuff from the 50s and 60s, most of those people could sing live. YMMV of course, and I’m sure that people can come up with examples to refute that statement.

I guess I just have an emotional attachment to Elliott and I want him to do well. It’s a shame that I am not a particular fan of his sort of music, because I’d love to buy his album and support him. But to be true to myself – it’s really not my thing. I recognize him for the amazing talent that he is and I enjoyed him on the show, but I can’t take a whole album of that style of music.

Honestly? Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s always been like that.

Exactly. Including the days when Elliott had a hit single.
I agree with him that there’s too many shit being played, but I also think his music is shit, so why should be played and not the other shit? He kinda of makes it sound like his music is much better and deserves to be played more than the others, that’s the whiny part.

For the most part I think the playlists in Europe are better, lol, but maybe it’s cause I’m more used to it.

Exactly. Including the days when Elliott had a hit single.

Yep.

Elliott tried to get a second single off the ground from his first album and unlike the first single, it went nowhere.

I’d say that it’s tough generally for an indie artist to get played on the radio.

You know its weird, with Idol being the biggest symbol of the corporate takeover of music right now, but one of the reasons I like it so much is because it gets people in front of the public who can actually sing. I know they are (for the most part) not paying dues the traditional way, and I know a lot of them don’t know the difference between singing and actually interpreting/delivering a song artistically, and some don’t really know who they are yet. But still when the dust settes the people who win (or get huge followings) almost always do have great vocal talent/artistry. And they get a chance to get out there with the backing they need from a major. I’d rather see someone with talent spend a few years trying to find themselves out in public through releases (like Jordin or Kelly C) than hear yet another Britney or Rhiana auto-tune her way to greatness. When you think about it, a lot of the people on radio right now who can sing and do not have “perfect” looks came from Idol, especially the females.

Elliott’s interview didn’t come off as whiny to me, just honest.

He’s been working hard to promote his latest CD and I hope his single takes off. If not, I’m sure he’ll pick himself up and try again.

Even when I listen to the superficial teen idol stuff from the 50s and 60s, most of those people could sing live.

As a relative oldster here, I have to say this is quite true. Though there were all the glamour boys like, yup, Frankie Avalon (who was sort of the Zac E. of his era, but more Italian!) and they now seem insufferably bland, most of the pop and rock folks, even the one-hit wonders, could sing — even if they had to lip-sync on TV because shows were too cheap to hire orchestras.

But anyone who cares should buy a compilation of or listen on youtube, to clips from several 1960s shows: Shindig!, Soul Train, and Hullaballoo. Despite all the plastic fantastic crap and go-go girls, there are great great performances on these shows by everyone from The Beatles to The Rolling Stones to Lesley Gore and Smokey Robinson.

In the ’50s and ’60s radio was very corrupt. It was about payola, bribing deejays to play your tunes. (Remember that scene in “Dreamgirls”?) There are stories about managers going from one station to the next peeling off bills from a huge wad of cash. Ultimately, there was a congressional investigation (!) and the industry was “cleaned up.”

But what is different now, to belabor the obvious, is that radio stations are now rarely independently owned. They are part of huge chains with rigid playlists. That’s why, when you go hear someone like Ray LaMontagne, he’ll often acknowledge and thank an indy or college station in the city that got his music out there — even to a relatively small group of young listeners. These stations are now the ones that the indy artists (Brett Dennen, Jack Johnson, etc.) can and do concentrate on to build a radio following.

Yes, it’s always been very difficult to be heard. But it is truly harder now. One more thing before I end this lecture (and forgive me if you know all this already). Labels used to have dedicated, often brilliantly astute “scouts” who looked for and cultivated talent. One of the most famous was John Hammond who “discovered” and signed (for Columbia Records) Billie HOliday, Count Basie right on up to Aretha, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. People like Hammond were not looking for copycat artists, but for fresh, new and original ones. They wanted to record “the next big thing,” and they had fab instincts and taste.

There are some very interesting books out about Hammond, including “The Producer: John Hammond and the Soul of American Music ,”

and by the way — it’s always been my contention that it’s not the amount of great talent that changes, it’s the amount of opportunity. Most of the fresh talent making it today is coming out of indy self-marketing, or from England (where there are still scouts and good radio), or (potentially anyway) “American Ido.”

end of lecture!!

Adam spilled about the Top 36 and people were saying that Tatiana should have been disqualified just for blogging. Elliot isn’t whining just telling us his experience. I’m sure a lot of artists including himself would love to have the money spent on payola on his first single, I think those days are long gone. At least he has name recognition and a “hit single” in his dossier to aid his cause.

Exactly. Including the days when Elliott had a hit single.

It’s been tough for the last few years, yes, but there have been changes in radio in the last 6 months that have made it a whole lot tougher–that’s what I think Elliott is talking about. Specifically, the mass consolidation of jobs at Clear Channel. One person programming multiple radio stations. It takes away the whatever individuality that the station had prior. He’s also talking about the increasing use of syndicated programming. If you read the articles on All Access (rather than just looking at the charts), you’ll see an article about once a month talking about how a radio station has “picked up” Ryan’s show, or “picked up” Kidd Kraddick’s show. That’s a huge problem, and wasn’t so much of a problem back with WFY came out. It creates a smaller window of opportunity for newer artists or different styles of music. It manufactures a situation whereby you need a major label to break a song. And you don’t just need a major label, you need that major label putting a hard sell on your stuff. Otherwise, these large corporate entities aren’t going to bite. They’re going to stick with the proven artists or proven styles that are just inoffensive enough that people don’t change the station.

Aww I heart Elliott and his new single “Fight for Love”. He will always be one of my favorite Idols ever! I really hope he can get the promotion for the single he needs. (Maybe an appearance on Idol?? Please?)

Along with the Clear Channel and syndicated show changes, I’ve noticed a huge difference in the amount of spins the top 5 songs get from a year ago. No wonder I start hating the overplayed songs. You can’t get away from them. I really feel for new artists out there right now.

Yeah, I was wondering if anyone would say anything about Adam spilling about the Top 36. I wish Elliott hadn’t mentioned that. But it’s not like it got out into the open back then as a result of Elliott. And well, now we all know he was in the Top 36.

It’s got to be SO HARD to be sitting on a secret that big. And how on earth do you explain to people why you can’t make certain plans and whatnot?

I’m not hating on Elliott because I think he’s a good guy and a very good singer, but he’s an indie artist regardless of the Sony ties and should probably be glad he managed such a big hit at all. I know I was shocked by WFY success but I also didn’t expect to hear much more from him on radio afterwards and that’s proven to be the case so far.

I hope he manages another miracle with his new song but radio was in the crapper even when his single squeaked through, he’s just now noticing it because it’s affecting him.

…ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s so much tougher this time around.

My dear boy E, it must be that hair. Heh.

I know I was shocked by WFY success but I also didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t expect to hear much more from him on radio afterwards and thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s proven to be the case so far.

Well according to bambam they followed a very specific plan before that involved using idol as a launch and targeting certain stations to build from. Looks like he’s going back to those stations and finding that a lot has changed. So I’m not seeing him duplicate his success this time, at least not on top 40 radio.

Still, this has been corrupt for a minute, and things have always been skewed toward labels with big pockets that were willing to play the game. It has been getting worse and worse for a long time now. Elliot was always the one in a million exception and not the rule. It probably had more to do with his association with Idol and his family industry connections than anything else.

I love Elliott, but personally I don’t consider Danny Gokey, a 28-year-old music director of a huge megachurch, to be some poor, innocent, undiscovered raw talent. Elliott preferred Archuleta to Cook last season, and DA, while young, had won $100,000 on StarSearch. I think Elliott just prefers certain kinds of singers (R&B/soul) more than others. David Cook worked his ass off trying to get discovered, and IMHO Adam has done the same thing. He may be polished and professional, but if he’d already “made it,” he wouldn’t be subjecting himself to the Idol Machine.

Colette, I appreciate your entire post. What concerns me for anyone who doesn’t get a major label deal after the show is that the good Indie stations (like WXPN here in Philly–my alma mater’s station) won’t even touch somebody “tainted” by American Idol, so somebody like Elliott is never going to get played on there (even though I had to listen to them playing the Beach Boys this morning). Two years ago, I probably could have begged them to spin an Analog Heart tune, based on the accolades DC had received in Tulsa, but now that he is a “bona fide American Idol,” there’s no way in hell they’ll ever touch any of his music and give it a fair listen. Maybe they will again when he’s about 75, if he’s had a very long, successful career. But not now. It’s the reverse snobbery thing, and that’s the risk for any post-Idol “Indie artists.”

So all of this is dangerous stuff these contestants are wading into if they really want a career in music. It’s a big gamble on so many levels, but what’s the alternative? If they win, they win big. If they don’t, one would hope they can parlay the experience into a Broadway role or a related career. (Or go back to getting a degree in Folklore!)

So all of this is dangerous stuff these contestants are wading into if they really want a career in music. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a big gamble on so many levels, but whatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the alternative? If they win, they win big. If they donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t, one would hope they can parlay the experience into a Broadway role or a related career. (Or go back to getting a degree in Folklore!)

Its hard to fell sorry for any of them really. At best they can get a career pulling at least 6 figures for the next 5 years or so (even Rueben still gets booked regularly for corporate gigs, Justin Guairini has stayed employed), and at worst they go back to obscurity having earned a few bucks and gained some experience. That’s better than the vast majority of folks trying to make it in entertainment, by a long shot.

And colette, I think your assessment is dead on, except for the fact that the A&R guys weren’t all universally good. in fact lots sucked and were quite corrupt, even the ones with good ears. To me this system has always been deeply flawed. Some truly talented people snuck through but LOTS got royally screwed, lets not kid ourselves. We’ve been inching towards a total meltdown for a while. I’m glad its coming, and I hope whatever replaces it finds a way to avoid the influence of big money, at least for a little while.

I love Elliott and take it from someone who has read and listened to alot of his interviews, he is not a whiner. He always tries to be positive and that’s one of the reasons I like him so much. I really hope that his video for Fight For Love helps boost interest in the single. It’s a great song and I can NOT wait for the new album. I sure hope AI has him on the show. I’d much rather see him than Kanye or some of those other “stars” they’ve had on. Go E!

I love Elliott! Still my favorite Idol by a mile. And I definitely want him to be successful and keep making albums. However, it wouldn’t break my heart if pop radio does not embrace him. Perhaps the realization that Top40 is not where his future lies could push him into a direction of more soulful, less “radio-friendly” type music. I really would like to see him do more in the soul/ neo-soul genre and keep away from the bubble gum (which I think would have to include Leona Lewis rejects). I just want something more substantive from him.

Forgot to say before: I still love Elliott even though his favourite this season is Danny Gokey. Now that’s devotion.

David Cook worked his ass off trying to get discovered, and IMHO Adam has done the same thing. He may be polished and professional, but if heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d already à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“made it,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  he wouldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t be subjecting himself to the Idol Machine.

Well said. Adam is blowing everyone away because of his talent and presence, which is innate, not because he’s been doing musical theater for years. Didn’t Constantine have a theater background? He didn’t blow everyone away like Adam. And pretty much everyone who tries out anymore has had experience somehow; otherwise, you have no chance of making it very far on Idol. And despite whatever experience you’ve had– talent show circuits, musical theater, being in a bar band, Idol is still a unique thing, and nothing quite prepares you for it until you get there. I personally don’t actually want total amatures on AI. Sorry, Megan Joy brought a lot of suck that I don’t want to see again. And I’m one of the few who thinks the British cat lady is NOT the type of performer I want to see on AI for 15 weeks…

Huge Elliott fan here, and I won’t disect all his comments … I’m just thrilled he said something interesting enough to put him and his photo on Comcast’s homepage a few weeks before his CD drops!! Go E!!

Perhaps the realization that Top40 is not where his future lies could push him into a direction of more soulful, less à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“radio-friendlyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  type music. I really would like to see him do more in the soul/ neo-soul genre and keep away from the bubble gum (which I think would have to include Leona Lewis rejects). I just want something more substantive from him.

So do I. Something a little more of the Train Wreck variety, maybe?

And colette, I think your assessment is dead on, except for the fact that the A&R guys werenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t all universally good. in fact lots sucked and were quite corrupt, even the ones with good ears.

Tinawina, you are so right! But at least there were some people with great taste and a lot of pull at major labels. The careers of Dylan, Springsteen, hell even Billie HOliday and Count Basie, might have been VERY different otherwise.

my hope is that some of the indy labels will continue to grow and have more influence. It’s exciting watching a great, great artist like Bettye Lavette resurrected because she got on a hip, young label. (and wound up singing a duet with BonJovi for Obama’s inaugural concert!) but until the horrible monopoly of coporate chain radio crashes, it will be very hard for anyone who isn’t pre-packaged/commercial to break into the big airplay. Unless they’re English, or have the amazing luck of someone like Norah JOnes.

As for the indy stations being biased against Idol contestants, yeah, I hear you Bootstar. But I can really understand where they are coming from. These are the people who make sure that artists like Brett Dennen and Ray LaMontagne and REgiana Spektor etc. get a hearing. And to be honest, the number of great and original singer-songwriters coming out of the AI franchise is quite modest. It may not be fair to those as talented as my girl Melinda Doolittle or Elliot, but it’s no surprise.

Elliott whining? I don’t think so. What in the world would he have to whine about? He’s living a life he never would have imagined four years ago. He was just being honest with how he sees things on this current radio tour. And I’m sure he’s worried about matching what he accomplished with his first CD – who wouldn’t be?

“So do I. Something a little more of the Train Wreck variety, maybe?”

Precisely. My favorite track on the first CD.

And Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m one of the few who thinks the British cat lady is NOT the type of performer I want to see on AI for 15 weeksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

I’m thinking there are more than a few of us

Ohhhhh…Colette…you just got my attention…..I worship at the feet of Bettye Lavette….Love Love Love that woman.

ANywho….good for Elliott for speaking up and telling the truth. Quite frankly he’s right. It’s not what you know it’s who you know. Now that so many of the Program directors/managers that supported him in the beginning have left, he is starting from scratch. Best of luck to him. In this radio environment he’s going to need it.

Idol is not about talent really it’s a tv show first and Elliott knows it. Music radio is not about talent either–but it should be.

He stirred up a hornets nest by being honest about the state of pop radio–what they are spinning as “music” sucks–it’s about damn time someone said it. Who can honestly say otherwise? And it’s harder than ever for indie or breakout artists to find airtime and it’s tough for the program directors and DJ’s to get a moment to play what they would like because of big studio monopolies and syndicated talk shows. Pop needs to embrace and promote real talent once again and maybe people would not be leaving them in droves. AI stars like Elliott are some of the few that aren’t stinking up the joint.

I certainly dont think Elliott is whining.. just lamenting the state of radio. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Elliott can hit another home run with his second cd. Based on the cuts I’ve heard, he has more radio friendly songs on this cd… Too bad radio is so unfriendly.

I absolutely love Elliott and will support him forever. But, I for one, will have to be told when his new single finally gets played because I hardly listen to radio anymore. I’m tired of the same songs being played over and over again by singers who couldn’t carry a tune without help from the big master board in the recording studio. I’m very happy with my iPod, which plugs very nicely into my car console.

Elliott a whiner? Never. He is working his butt off day after day after day travelling to radio stations all over the country, trying to get his music heard. He is simply telling it like it is. Whiners complain, give up, and complain some more. He’s not giving up. His radio tour continues . . .

ok i have to say dis who gives a shyt plzz dont hate me but come on dis is old news first of all idol is soo rigged secondly everyone knows da music industry is more plastic den joan rivers face so it doesnt matter da youth ultimultely controls da music becuz its da kids who buy it den there is piracy n radio bribes of course real talent isnt gonna get airplay becuz it doesnt increase corporate industry revenue now its about beats and stupid dance crap and now we have da underatted robin thicke raheem devaughn micheal bubble josh kelly lyfe jennings gavin degraw john mayer to name a few dats real voice talent not auto-tune massive overdubbed base induced garbage. he knew wat he was in for from da get go look at taylor idol treats em like shyt just becuz he didnt fit da mold of da typical robotic manfactured artist “coughs” carrie underwood, jordin sparks… straight bs dats why even tho I can sing i feel no need 2 pursue it becuz when ur done payin promoters managers videos publicists expenses and a percentaage to da label their is like no money unless u go platnum and get a few grammiy’s but hey we all know there will never be another michael jackson so da industries n da toilet and as long as it is he may want to retire b4 he becomes a nobody like da constant douche blake lewis or constantine maroulis did. O and adam will win and if he doesnt idol will lose alll credibility they lost a good portion with da elimination of da used 2 be good constantine but we know adam is da real thing so they better not piss off america becuz honestly America is 2 dumb 2 know dat adam doesnt need 2 win da show as they did with concrap i hate 2 admit but he was an actor also who jus needed da right exposure he didnt need 2 win period nor did carrie we all know bo shouldve won dat 1 but we will see how dis season pans out..

That is the longest run on sentence I have ever seen. Now THAT takes talent.

That is the longest run on sentence I have ever seen. Now THAT takes talent.

It takes more talent to read it.

I think Elliott is right and really radio and TV are all going through a very rough time, partly because of the economy, perhaps ill-timed mergers and takeovers and partly because they have been slow to revamp in a new world -because people don’t have to put up with their mediocre fare anymore and get their music and TV elsewhere and yet radio seems to just get more mediocre.

But it is still part of the numbers Billboard uses to decide who charts where and how – it is like a vicious circle, if you chart on Billboard the radio stations will play you but you need the radio stations to play you to chart on Billboard.

Digital downloads are now a bigger component, Billboard changed their formula last year to give digital downloads more weight in their chart rankings but radioplay is still a huge factor.

If I weren’t worried about the state of satellite radio right now and could afford it, I’d be there. I had it free for 3 months with a new car lease and man I loved it, but couldn’t justify the price. And I guess that is the problem with satellite radio, the prices just haven’t come down enough for enough people to sign up.

Even the one regular FM station I like, how many Rihanna, Nickelback and Fall Out Boy clones do I have to listen to in one day. Bad enough I have to hear Nickelback itself incessantly because I live in Canada and we have Canadian content rules which favours groups like Nickelback though the whole point of Canadian content rules was supposed is to give new Canadian artists a chance, and Rihanna gets played about 10 – 15 times a day, between her songs and duets with friends. At least they are playing Elliott’s new song and they love his first hit – it gets played regularly. And it is a welcome respite for the ears.

I do hope though that Elliott has a strong internet presence and is exploiting that as best he can because it is also true, fewer people listen to the radio at all.

I only listen in the car and the odd time I listen to a live stream on the computer while I work but I actually prefer listening to radio stations from Sydney Australia. They know how to mix up the songs for more variety in my opinion and I’ve discovered some new songs that would never even see the light of day in North America. But the Aussies are listening to Nickelback and Avril Lavigne, just not all day long. And that’s the other thing, I don’t even have to listen to radio in my area, I can listen to radio stations from all over the world on the internet. Go Global maybe Elliott?

Elliott is the best voice Idol ever discovered. One can tell he’s a good soul and an honest person. I hope he perseveres. I thought Daney Gokey has a similarity in style to Elliott, so I see why he would like him.Danny’s stuck on himself and doesn’t sing as well, so he pales in comparison on those counts, however he has the confidence I with Elliott would have had more of, in the beginning.
Anyway if Elliott can see such a big difference in radio in such a short time, it seems doomed. I hope he appears on Idol to promote his song, at least.