The “Old” Face of Urban Radio

The Grammy’s are over, AMA’s are put to rest and a “New Day” in Urban Radio is the same “Old” Face we have seen for over 70 years. The sounds of Sam Smith, Disclosure, Iggy Azalea, Nick Jonas & Jessie J are dominating today’s Urban landscape. Sales, Sound & Safe all equal Crossover airplay into the Urban marketplace. Now this is nothing new, from Justin Timberlake to George Michael’s to Elton John to the Doobie Brother & so on & so on , the list could go back to The Righteous Brothers & Wild Cherry ( you thought you’d never hear those 2 artist in the same run-on sentence). The “Urban” radio landscape is filled with many different shades of listeners. The industry calls them “Black” behind closed doors but they are the true sense of being “Urban”, which is a little bit of this and a lotta of that. The beats of the city streets are filled with so much culture how can you not bob your head to Jay-Z, Fall Out Boy, Juanes, Whiz & Flo-Rida, no matter what color you are. Our Blue-Eyed Brothers & Sisters are just taking it to a “High-er Ground” . Black listeners have embraced David Bowie, Sting & Robert Palmer always. Ladies love Adelle, Amie Winehouse & Annie Lenoxx . Is it “Pop” or just “Popular” but really it’s just “Good”. Urban listeners have always “Loved” great music not matter the color of your skin, Urban audances have always supported “Great” performer’s as long as “They” can “Just Do It”