JoCo on Local Radio?

rdhallman

In the 2 years or so since I started following JoCo, I've never heard Johnathan Coulton music on the radio. And while I'm a big fan, it's easy to see that much of his music (i.e. Big Dick Farts a Polka), is not exactly mass market appeal. So, perhaps that is why? Or is it that major labels pay for airtime, essentially blocking independent artists like JoCo? Or is it that JoCo's unique independent licensing model prohibits radio play without atypical steps to get authorization? Or perhaps JoCo and fans believe the "new Internet media" is much more important and traditional radio is a "who-cares"?

Just curious why JoCo's music isn't more well known. Literally everyone I've ever introduced to JoCo music has never heard of him, but become instant fans when they hear his music.

Tomorrow, I have a phone call with a station manager of a local radio station. It may be a long shot, but I'm going to try to get him to play "When you go". IMO, "When you go" is JoCo's most mass-marketable song in his entire library. As a father of a young adult daughter who is growing up much faster than I want and constantly on the go, the message in this sound is profound, and I really get what JoCo was saying when you wrote this song about his daughter. I think this song, above all others, could catch fire nationally, through traditional radio channels.

BTW, I'm also a fan of Jarret Heather's piano version, here:

When you go -- Piano version

I'll report back if I'm able to get "When you go" on the air. If so, maybe more JoCo fans can request the song with their local stations... Oh well, getting ahead of myself, but we'll see.

Jutze

Good post.

My thoughts: I guess back in the days when the Internet was still in beta (I think it was called Hometown or something like that) you could build a local following and have local radio stations play your songs. Then either other radio stations caught on or a label signed the artist and used its PR machinery to get him/her on the airwaves. The local radio station of JoCo's home town is podcasts, youtube, tech news sites etc. Here he is featured prominently.

Now how to spread monkeys and robots beyond the web? Fan driven pitches certainly help. If I were mean I'd suggest we'd all rally up to push "Drive" into the spotlight, forcing Jonathan to sing it every night to crowds who only wait for 'the big hit'. I must confess that I can't recall "When You Go" right now. So personally I'd choose a different song. I know that "Ikea" and especially "The Future Soon" gained my attention in the first place (when I browsed jonathancoulton.com for the first time, listening to more than a dozen songs). Here in Europe "Ikea" has a lot of potential, given the store's popularity around here. "Code Monkey" is another obvious contender for mainstream success - simply because it's good. (And in mono.)

Then again, JoCo seems to be doing all right at the moment. His life is busy enough without being on the radio.

Jutze
(wouldn't mind some JoCo played on the local radio)

PS: Just pulled out my Thing a Week box set and listened to "When You Go" - nice song, but it makes JoCo appear like a sappy bar singer. (Can't find the word to explain exactly how the song sounds to me, sorry.)

rdhallman

PS: Just pulled out my Thing a Week box set and listened to "When You Go" - nice song, but it makes JoCo appear like a sappy bar singer. (Can't find the word to explain exactly how the song sounds to me, sorry.)

Yeah, I do understand what you're saying. But I'm really not trying to give the most representative sample of his music. Rather the sample that is most likely to attract people who listen to "normal" music, i.e. music that doesn't really talk so much about eating people's brains :-)

Seriously though.. JoCo's talent extends beyond just the ability to make up wacky lyrics. As "When you go" illustrates, he is also quite a talented vocalist, and the lyrics in this song are profound and touching, rather than his usual wacky, comedy routine. And it is these talents that are more likely to get a "second listen", from those who wouldn't seek out a song about a skullcrusher, a town crouch, a code monkey, or a creepy doll.

Anyway, the more JoCo fans, the merrier, no matter how they first came to ask, "who sings that song?"

Caleb

We have a local "independent" radio station (which, granted, I don't listen to much) but I just searched their site, and apparently they've played "Re: Your Brains" at least once, back in November.

ETA: Actually, the search results indicate several playings of various JoCo songs.

villicious

Two words: Clear Channel.

rdhallman

Well, today I spoke with the station manager at a local radio station. He had never heard of Jonathan Coulton, but was receptive, and asked for links to the song "When you go" and the main site. He said he'd listen to JoCo and let me know what he thought and if he felt this song would be appropriate for his listening audience.

More to come...

Shouganai

Last Xmas, I was sitting with family after dinner, and we had a local 80s/90s/whatever station on in the background. I suddenly had to shut everyone up, because they were playing Chiron Beta Prime as part if their Xmas music set! The boyfriend and I cracked up laughing, my family was very confused.