The world of digital continues to edge in on radio’s space. iHeartMedia has really taken advantage of the company’s scale in recent years by teaming with artists and launching their new songs – and playing the daylights out of them – sometimes for an entire day at the top of every hour. Now, it’s Jeff Bezos’ team taking advantage of Amazon’s scale, and using Alexa to do the same for U2.
U2 is releasing its new album called Songs of Experience this Friday. Amazon is calling what happens today through that launch, ‘ a new kind of radio.’ Historical music, live performances, interviews and exclusive new content will take place on Amazon starting tonight at 6 p.m. EST and will be available to Amazon Music account holders via multiple platforms. Amazon Prime members and Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers can access the special programming through Alexa by saying, “Alexa, play The U2 Experience.”
An Amazon press release said, “The U2 Experience” features a chronology of the band’s career, including commentary surrounding the significance behind iconic songs and legendary stories from the road, as told through live broadcast interviews. Some of the band’s biggest hits are also included, along with live recordings of songs from “The Joshua Tree” and “Songs of Experience,” recorded during “The Joshua Tree Tour 2017.”
Amazon Music’s global head of programming Alex Luke interviewed band members during their tour in Sao Paolo, Brazil this Fall.
This will be the beginning of the end for Terrestrial Music Radio. What people don’t understand and radio is certainly late to the party is that people are consuming on demand and don’t want radio in your face all day long!!! Radio is full of c and d students so what do you expect!!!
Radio should stop complaining streaming music or digital networks. Radio created the “problem” when they quit playing real music. Every station has the same format, same songs and no choice. The Disc Jockeys today are all kids that gossip and talk about their private lives and not the music. Gone are the days when the Jocks had the big ballsy voice playing what we want to hear. The real artists quit recording because it will never get played thanks to Justin Baby………….The few record companies that are left are bribing the radio stations and or jocks to play certain artists these days……..
While I understand keeping up with the times, U2 using Alexa to launch its new album feels like a stab in the back to radio. What would U2 be without radio? Why are we supporting their new single when they are not supporting us? Just one man’s opinion.
Taking the band’s POV for a moment, they didn’t get any airplay on their last album. They released three singles and none charted. You have to go back to Vertigo for their last big radio hit. They kind of fall into a format hole: Classic rock doesn’t play their new stuff, and they’re getting too old for Active Rock and Alternative. That doesn’t mean they can’t make new music. Just that it’s more difficult to market. This idea, while interesting, won’t have the impact of OTA radio airplay. But since they can’t count on that anymore, what’s the risk in trying it?
Yep. I agree. This opens up a lot of opportunities for heritage acts that don’t fit into today’s formats. I can see other artists like Steve Miller, Paul McCartney etc taking advantage of this opportunity, which Amazon, I would think, would welcome. About as “direct to consumer” as you can get.