What's New April 18, 2012

Has Video killed the Radio Star?

In today's Daily Telegraph, Kathy McCabe has written an article on the power of television shows to make music stars such as Adelaide singer Rachael Leahcar (right).

Coincidentally she has published this the day that Gotye has gone to number 1 in the United States driven not only by signficant radio airplay, but by an appearance on Saturday Night Live, and a cover by the Glee Cast on Fox TV (here).

She links that to a decline of radio's influence in the process, at least with those artists who don't naturally fit into pre-determined radio formats.

You can read her article in full here. In part she says:

"TV viewers are now the voice behind the hits on our charts, spearheading the success of artists who don't fit commercial radio playlists…..singer songwriters are also enjoying a spike in downloads when their tunes are used to promote upcoming shows.

Florence And The Machine's latest single Never Let Me Go has been steadily climbing the charts since Seven began using it to promote its Titanic mini-series……Kate Miller-Heidke's 2009 hit The Last Day On Earth has re-entered the top 50 thanks to Nine syncing it to the promos for its upcoming telemovie Beaconsfield.

But radio still reigns for pop, with acts from Fun to Ed Sheeran winning fans via the leading Nova and Southern Cross Austereo networks.

Nova group music director Toni Pipicelli said radio airplay married with social media profile and a spot on Glee or promo sync was now the recipe for pop stardom"

McCabe is not saying radio can't break an artist. Rather, that the conservatism of radio means that television is both the launching place and the tipping point for a 'format non-comforming' artist such as Rachael Leahcar, the blind contestant on The Voice.

What do you think? Has video killed the radio star?