Your comments about not having the time to listen to music because of the need to be involved with the sales peeps, trying to maximize what few dollars are available or create the increasingly-popular NTR dollars, and taking care of the multiple stations on your business card are so observant. But again, that's the reality of the times.

Having worked with a young and very talented band (Travisty Theory) over the summer, I can attest firsthand how few programmers took the time to listen to the CD single and/or mp3 I sent them as an advance of the band's market performance in front of Sevendust. Let's not even talk about the lack of return phone calls! And our mission was not to be a chart monster - just build a grassroots foundation. Yet our youngsters set the standard for some "vets" during the tour when it came time to build a relationship with the concertgoers. Something about adding 20-50 or more names to the database each night was perhaps more pleasing than knowing someone in radio listened to the song. One day, hopefully in the not too distant future, those in radio that didn't listen to the music will listen to their listeners say they want to hear this and other grassroots bands.

In the end, you are correct about tapping into the music to keep the format vital! But the system - both the record company's and radio's - has dramatically changed. As a result, record companies check numbers in a credible publication such as R&R and radio checks numbers on a piece of paper or computer screen every week or two and a substantially greater number of numbers once or twice a year to make sure the music is "right." And then it is up to the PD or MD to make sure those numbers line up in the most favorable pattern to keep people tuning in.

I've always - or have for quite some time - felt that what comes between the music is what makes the difference in the attraction to the work that is our lives. Yes, the music has to be vitally right, but I challenge anyone that I could play the same music in the same order that they do, but have better talent, imaging, and commercials (a worthy goal) and win every single time!