Comparing Pop radio to Alternative Radio (12/26-12/27/2024)

 Detailing the radio plays compared to alternative radio its incredibly different than pop radio. With WRVW over 2 days there were 124 songs played with about half the amount as there was for alt radio (259). As shown below, the station is dominated by touring acts, with all the single played songs just one hit wonders throughout the years. What I do love is the variety of one hit wonders some electronic like Zedd, some alt with Paramore, Nicki Minaj with rap, and Rock with All American Rejects. But pop radio is truly dominated by just a hand full of artists. Ariana Grandes Popular and Defying Gravity was played which is surprising. 

Not surprised by the top songs because similar to alt radio with Hoziers Too Sweet and Myles Smith Stargazing which does feel more pop. Sabrina Carpenter dominates, Bruno Mars, Eminem, Katy Perry Nelly, Post Malone, Tate McRae, The Weeknd. They all had more than 3 songs on but Sabrina had 4 songs in the top 20 played over the two days 64 songs played over 48 hrs. Top 40 radio is great to find songs of artists who are touring and great one hit wonders from throughout the years from many genres as well. 

The main criticism with pop radio is there is zero middle class in terms of radio which is understandable for radio plays but is rough for up and coming artists. Honestly the best chance for up and comers is to open for larger acts than go straight to radio. Sometimes even college radio has great variety but I'm sure they get sent a lot of demos. Radio has to play songs for as many people to listen so it makes sense to only play bangers or only show acts that are arena touring or stadium touring. 

HOZIER	Too Sweet	27
SHABOOZEY	A Bar Song (Tipsy)	26
SABRINA CARPENTER	Taste	26
JELLY ROLL	I Am Not Okay	26
MYLES SMITH	Stargazing	24
LADY GAGA & BRUNO MARS	Die With A Smile	22
TATE MCRAE	It's ok I'm ok	21
SABRINA CARPENTER	Bed Chem	20
GRACIE ABRAMS	That's So True	13
THE WEEKND	Dancing In The Flames	11
BENSON BOONE	Beautiful Things	11
ROSE & BRUNO MARS	APT	11
TEDDY SWIMS	Lose Control	10
MGK & JELLY ROLL	Lonely Road	10
GIGI PEREZ	Sailor Song	10
BILLIE EILISH	BIRDS OF A FEATHER	9
SABRINA CARPENTER	Please Please Please	8
SABRINA CARPENTER	Espresso	8
POST MALONE	I Had Some Help f/M. Wallen	8
MIGUEL	Sure Thing	7
DAMIANO DAVID	Born With A Broken Heart	7
MEGHAN TRAINOR	Criminals	6
GRACIE ABRAMS	Close To You	6
ADDISON RAE	Diet Pepsi	6
TEDDY SWIMS	Bad Dreams	5
CHARLI XCX	Apple	5
TOMMY RICHMAN	MILLION DOLLAR BABY	4
MORGAN WALLEN	Love Somebody	4
JACK HARLOW	Lovin On Me	4
DOJA CAT	Paint The Town Red	4
CHAPPELL ROAN	Pink Pony Club	4
ALEX WARREN	Burning Down	4
SAM SMITH & KIM PETRAS	Unholy	4
CYNTHIA ERIVO F/ARIANA GRANDE	Defying Gravity	3
ARIANA GRANDE	Popular	3
T.I.	Whatever You Like	3
NOAH KAHAN	Stick Season	3
LADY GAGA	Disease	3
JONAH MARAIS	Slow Motion	3
USHER F/PITBULL	DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love	2
TLC	No Scrubs	2
THE WEEKND	Earned It	2
THE WEEKND	Die For You	2
THE WEEKND	Can't Feel My Face	2
MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS	Can't Hold Us f/Ray Dalton	2
IMAGINE DRAGONS	Demons	2
JAY SEAN	Down f/Lil Wayne	2
FLO RIDA	Low f/T-Pain	2
FALL OUT BOY	Thnks Fr Th Mmrs	2
EMINEM	Lose Yourself	2
CHRIS BROWN	Run It	2
ARIANA GRANDE	Problem f/Iggy Azalea	2
ADELE	Rolling In The Deep	2
RIHANNA	Only Girl (In The World)	2
POST MALONE	Circles	2
POST MALONE	Better Now	2
OUTKAST	Ms. Jackson	2
NELLY	Just A Dream	2
LEWIS CAPALDI	Before You Go	2
KE$HA	Tik Tok	2
KATY PERRY	I Kissed A Girl	2
ZEDD	Clarity f/Foxes	1
WIZ KHALIFA	See You Again f/Charlie Puth	1
TWENTY ONE PILOTS	Ride	1
TWENTY ONE PILOTS	Heathens	1
TOVE LO	Habits (Stay High)	1
TIMBALAND	The Way I Are f/Keri Hilson	1
THE WEEKND	The Hills	1
THE MARIAS	No One Noticed	1
TAYLOR SWIFT	Cruel Summer	1
TATE MCRAE	You Broke Me First	1
LISA	Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me)	1
HALSEY	Bad At Love	1
GLASS ANIMALS	Heat Waves	1
JAY-Z & LINKIN PARK	Numb/Encore	1
JASON DERULO	Make Me Happy	1
JAMES ARTHUR	Say You Won't Let Go	1
IYAZ	Replay	1
FLO RIDA	Right Round	1
FALL OUT BOY	My Songs Know What You Did...	1
EMINEM	The Real Slim Shady	1
EMINEM	Love The Way You Lie f/Rihanna	1
ELLIE GOULDING	Love Me Like You Do	1
CIARA	1,2 Step f/Missy Elliott	1
CHAPPELL ROAN	Good Luck, Babe!	1
BRUNO MARS	Locked Out Of Heaven	1
BRUNO MARS	Lazy Song	1
BRUNO MARS	Just The Way You Are	1
BRITNEY SPEARS	Toxic	1
BLINK-182	All The Small Things	1
BEYONCE	Single Ladies (Put A Ring...)	1
BEYONCE	Irreplaceable	1
BABY BASH	Suga Suga	1
B.O.B	Airplanes f/Hayley Williams	1
ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS	Gives You Hell	1
ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS	Dirty Little Secret	1
TATE MCRAE	Greedy	1
SIA	Chandelier	1
SELENA GOMEZ	Same Old Love	1
SEAN KINGSTON	Beautiful Girls	1
SAM SMITH & NORMANI	Dancing With A Stranger	1
RIHANNA	Stay f/Mikky Ekko	1
RIHANNA	S&M	1
RIHANNA	Rude Boy	1
POST MALONE	Psycho f/Ty Dolla $ign	1
PITBULL	Give Me Everything f/Ne-Yo	1
PARAMORE	Still Into You	1
PARAMORE	Misery Business	1
ONE DIRECTION	What Makes You Beautiful	1
NICKI MINAJ	Super Bass	1
NELLY	Ride Wit Me f/City Spud	1
NELLY	Hot In Herre	1
NEIGHBOURHOOD	Sweater Weather	1
NATASHA BEDINGFIELD	Unwritten	1
N SYNC	Bye Bye Bye	1
LINKIN PARK	In The End	1
LEWIS CAPALDI	Someone You Loved	1
LADY GAGA	Poker Face	1
KHALID X NORMANI	Love Lies	1
KATY PERRY	E.T.	1
KATY PERRY	Dark Horse f/Juicy J	1
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE	Mirrors	1
JUSTIN BIEBER	Love Yourself	1