# Radio Station Selections and Playlists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 29, 2017, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519 "2017-12-29T16:03:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519/21 "2017-12-30T14:51:17Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > What I’ve always wondered is when someone calls in to a radio station and requests a song on the air, how does the DJ find the song, queue it up and play it so quickly? Especially in the days before computers? I once saw how this worked. I thinking about a job in radio, and observed a local dj in the studio in 1974. The request would come in and the dj would say he’d play it. Then he did nothing… I asked about it and he said it was a request for one of their top 5 songs. They played it every hour or so anyway, so it would come around eventually. DJs did have some leeway back then, though a top 40 station stuck with a set playlist each week. ---
**Author:** ![Cell\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Cell\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cell_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519/22 "2017-12-30T20:36:30Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > Also, at some of the more automated stations, the talent may lay their voice tracks down in advance all in one go. It might take them only an hour or two to take care of the whole week. I understand in those cases, the ‘DJ’ may do more than one station to fill their time. I was doing some inspection work in a suburban Chicago radio station. While in the break room I was listening to the morning crew do their thing when one of them walked in for some coffee. I must have given him a “WTF?” look because he explained that the mundane banter I was hearing was recorded when songs or commercials were playing. They very rarely ever broadcast live. In fact they had already recorded the entirety of the show. The only reason he was still at the station was in case of a breaking news story that required them to go live. Later I was walking by one of the studios and saw the midday guy recording his show. This was 2 hours before the show started. Kind of took away the magic of radio for me. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2017, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519/23 "2017-12-30T23:12:50Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > Not since Johnny Fever. Booger ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2017, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519/24 "2017-12-31T12:37:21Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > There are independent stations out there (KDHX here in St. Louis and at many college stations around the country) where deejays with a passion for the music are given (almost\*) free reign to play whatever they want. I was lucky enough to have a radio show where I did have free reign. It ran for 6 years on a 100,000 watt Community radio station (and 4 years on a college station). People asked me why I never tried to become a “professional DJ” and that’s the reason. I never could imagine playing music I didn’t like. I played a lot of requests for artists (not a specific song), but never the same night. My show ran one night a week and I put the shows together in advance because all the music came from my own collection, even though the Community station did have a library. If it was an artist I didn’t have, I’d go to local record stores and buy a record (usually used because I was poor). I had a lot of fun. I don’t know that anyone would be interested, but here are a few of my playlists. I’ll put them in spoiler boxes just so no one has to scroll past lists of artist and song names. This was an end of the decade (a couple of decades ago) show… [spoiler]… and I played some favorite artists of the '80s, though not all the songs were my favorites from the artists, but I’d played my favorites recently. Lots of artists I liked a lot were missing because the show just wasn’t long enough, like The Sugarcubes, Nina Hagen, Sarah McLachlan, Yaz, Anna Domino, Toni Childs, Hetch Hetchy, on and on and on. Suspended In Gaffa #95 (Some) Favorites of the '80’s December 30, 1989 Kate Bush…Night Of The Swallow Jane Siberry…The Empty City Le Mystere des voix Bulgares…Svatba Cocteau Twins…Cicely Monsoon w Sheila Chandra…Third Eye & Tikka TV Laurie Anderson…Language Is A Virus Throwing Muses…Green Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin…Leipzig Siouxsie & The Banshees…Cities In Dust Happy Rhodes…Come Here Happy Rhodes…The Revelation Happy Rhodes…Many Nights Happy Rhodes…Under & Over The Brink The Innocence Mission…Come Around & See Me Indigo Girls…Kid Fears Wendy Wall…Wandering The Streets Of Modern America 10,000 Maniacs…Lilydale Concrete Blonde…Little Conversations Virginia Astley…A Father Bel Canto…Blank Sheets Dead Can Dance…Dawn Of The Iconoclast Victoria Williams…TC Michelle Shocked…V.F.D. kd lang…Tune Into My Wave Mary Margaret O’Hara…Dear Darling Najma…Neend Koyi Area…I’ll Gather Flowers Shona Laing…Soviet Snow Kate Bush…December Will Be Magic Again [YouTube playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyqqqa4YwGp4DYlb5s-_swqw_VxdZXLEu) (though not all the songs are on YouTube)[/spoiler] The show before that one was a “Christmas” show, but anyone who wasn’t a regular listener was probably scratching their heads, because I played no Christmas music. [spoiler]Suspended In Gaffa #94 Gaffa In My Soul December 23, 1989 Excerpt from the film Resurrection Diamanda Galas…You Must Be Certain Of The Devil Zella Jackson Price…I’m His Child Judy Mowatt…Down In The Valley Zella Jackson Price…Say A Little Prayer Texas…Prayer For You Gothic Voices…O Euchari Dead Can Dance…The Host of Seraphim Nina Hagen…Ave Maria The Roches…Hallelujah Chorus Kate Bush…Disbelieving Angel Queen Ida…When The Saints Go Marching In Dagmar Krause…Lily Of Hell Nina Simone…Sinnerman Zebra Stripes…Sinners Madonna…Act Of Contrition Deux Filles…Who Art In Heaven Sonoko…In Heaven/Wedding With God Fibonaccis…March To Heaven Eurogliders…Heaven Patti Smith…Hymn Christmas…Hymn Excene Cervenka…Here Come The Crucifiers About 9 Times…Crucifixion Concrete Blonde…God Is A Bullet = Ad for Planet In My Kitchen’s “Planet In My Manger” show Siouxsie & The Banshees…Bring Me The Head Of The Preacher Man Sister Rosetta Tharpe…Jericho Sister Rosetta Tharpe…Up Above My Head Sister Rosetta Tharpe…Fly Away Sister Rosetta Tharpe…99 1/2 Won’t Do Danielle Dax…Big Hollow Man [YouTube playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyqqqa4YwGp5JmpMWhs-gxku1Kdzc32D4) (though not all the songs are on YouTube)[/spoiler] This was a Halloween show. [spoiler]Suspended In Gaffa #35 Halloween October 30, 1988 Siouxsie & the Banshees…Halloween Toyah…The Creepy Room Happy Rhodes…Asylum Master Jane Siberry…The Strange Well Hugo Largo…Scream Tall Nina Simone…I Put A Spell On You Carla Bley…Musique Mecanique III Danielle Dax…The Passing Of The 3rd Floor Back Dead Can Dance…De Profundis Diamanda Galas/John Zorn…Metamorfosi Kate Bush…Carmilla Kate Bush…The Infant Kiss Happy Rhodes…Ecto Toyah…Angel & Me Mary Kelley…Ghostriders In The Sky Kate Bush…Get Out Of My House Annabel Lamb…Things That I Fear Fibonacci…Old Mean Ed Gein The World Of Skin…Blood On Your Hands Kate Bush…Mother Stands For Comfort Fibonacci…Leroy Nico…Janitor Of Lunacy Siouxsie & The Banshees…Trust In Me Happy Rhodes…I’m Going Back Kate Bush…Waking The Witch Dead Can Dance…Mesmerism Diamanda Galas…Wild Women With Steak Knives Valaida Snow…You Bring Out The Savage In Me Lene Lovich…You Can’t Kill Me Kate Bush…Hammer Horror Santra…Mein! Santra…As A Mirror Buffy St. Marie…The Vampire Siouxsie & The Banshees…Head Cut Siouxsie & The Banshees…Voodoo Dolly The Shaggs…It’s Halloween! [YouTube playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyqqqa4YwGp4ZbcjNViEGtMUrz3phUVXY) (though not all the songs are on YouTube)[/spoiler] Most of my shows weren’t themed, but the ones that were were the most fun to do. This one had a space-ish theme. Leaving Earth, bopping around the universe, then coming back, because, it has its good side. Like music. [spoiler] Suspended In Gaffa #117 Around The Universe June 9, 1990 - Song \* \* Artist \* Goodbye Cruel World - Mary Kelley Rocket’s Tail - Kate Bush I Feel Like An Astronaut - Fetchin Bones Postcard To The Stars - Wendy Wall Picnic On The Moon - Bel Canto Venus Sands - The Creatures Mercury Towers - Hex Solar Choir - The Creatures Solar Systems - Annette Peacock Red Planet - Tiny Lights Jungles Of Jupiter - Toyah Space Between Rings - Christine Lavin Planet - The Sugarcubes Planet In My Kitchen - Siouxsie & The Banshees Pluto Drive - The Creatures UFO - Nina Hagen Starbound She Said/The Stars - Deux Filles Little Spacey - The Cocteau Twins Across The Universe - Laibach My Shooting Star - West India Company Bengalis From Outer Space - West India Company Hello Earth - Kate Bush [YouTube playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyqqqa4YwGp6ASADilLOzpKPhxwonrTGE) (though not all the songs are on YouTube)[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2018, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519/25 "2018-01-02T03:13:22Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > True, but as I said earlier, I think that applies to only older releases. Are any of the albums played on The Seventh Day less than 10 years old? In 2017, KSHE in St Louis 7th Day program played Three Days Grace - Life Starts Now released 9.22.2009 Seether - Poison the Parrish released 5.12.2017 Monster Truck – Sittin’ Heavy released 5.28.2013 ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2018, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519/26 "2018-01-02T03:44:02Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > Booger You can say “booger” - you just can’t say… jive-ass ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2018, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519/27 "2018-01-02T17:30:52Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > Also, at some of the more automated stations, the talent may lay their voice tracks down in advance all in one go. It might take them only an hour or two to take care of the whole week. I understand in those cases, the ‘DJ’ may do more than one station to fill their time. I realize that this is what happens, but I still wonder how many hours a week Alice Cooper works to host his syndicated radio show. I know he’s not sitting in his studio several hours each weeknight… that his between-songs stories and lead-ins are recorded in advance. But I’m still sort of impressed/amazed that he has his radio show, and he’s entertaining to listen to, even if a lot of his stories are about stuff that happened decades ago. Does anyone know what his actual recording schedule is like? ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2018, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519/28 "2018-01-02T17:48:05Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Stations could always play entire albums. Exhibit A: The Seventh Day, a Sunday evening program on LA KLOS 95.5 where 7 albums were played in their entirety. And would that have been the inimitable Jim Ladd? ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2018, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519/29 "2018-01-02T20:40:00Z")
> [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > And would that have been the inimitable Jim Ladd? He was always the M-F 10pm to 2am guy on first KMET then KLOS. Uncle Joe Benson was the host > **[Uncle Joe's On Air Radio History](http://unclejoe.com/onair/hist.htm)** > > Uncle Joe's On Air History, Radio Shows, Disc Jockey ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519/30 "2018-01-08T20:08:25Z")
Let me ask this: Maybe this won’t fly today, but even into the 1980s, they claim DJs are responsible for making some hits, For example, I always heard “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” was a duet created by a DJ’s creativity. As I heard it, Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand each had their own versions, but a DJ mixed the two to create the well-loved duet. Related to this, I believe I heard some “B” sides became hits thanks to DJs, like Edgar Winter Group’s “Frankenstein”. I’ve also heard that some artists have been upset that too many songs got air play. For example, I seem to recall that Billy Joel did not authorize so many songs to be aired from the “Innocent Man” album. While the latter issue here may not have been radio’s fault, is the former part of this question feasible? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519/31 "2018-01-08T20:36:40Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > For example, I always heard “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” was a duet created by a DJ’s creativity. As I heard it, Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand each had their own versions, but a DJ mixed the two to create the well-loved duet. I’d not heard that story before, but it appears that there’s a grain of truth to it, if Wikipedia is to be believed. However, it also sounds like the actual hit (as a duet with the two of them) was specifically recorded as a duet, though there are apparently some competing stories about who came up with the idea (and who did the original “mixes” of their solo recordings of the song). > **[You Don't Bring Me Flowers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Don't_Bring_Me_Flowers)** > > "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" is a song written by Neil Diamond with Alan and Marilyn Bergman for the daily TV sitcom All That Glitters. The song was intended to be the theme song, but Norman Lear, the show's creator, changed the concept of the show and the song was no longer appropriate. Diamond then expanded the track from 45 seconds to 3:17, adding instrumental sections and an additional verse. The Bergmans contributed to the song's lyrics, which tell the story of two lovers who have drifted In... ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519/32 "2018-01-08T20:46:18Z")
A couple of other examples of songs that became unexpected hits due, at least in part, to DJ support: Styx’s _Lady_, and Queen’s _Another One Bites the Dust_ (though, again, those are from the 1970s and 1980s). My suspicion is that, as noted earlier in this thread, with the strong, centralized control over playlists at the vast majority of U.S. radio stations today (most of which are owned by the big radio holding companies), it’d be far, far more difficult for something like this to happen today, at least through traditional / terrestrial radio. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519/33 "2018-01-08T20:56:59Z")
> [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > And would that have been the inimitable Jim Ladd? If you aren’t aware, Jim is currently doing a Deep Tracks show on Sirius/XM Channel 27. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-station-selections-and-playlists/805519.md?page=1)