(Sunday, Feb 16, 2014) “You have to be great.” That line has been on loop in my mind since the middle of the week, when I met with Dani Grant from SpokesBuzz and the Mishawaka Amphitheater for lunch, and to discuss her organizations’ support of The Colorado Sound, and The Colorado Sound’s support of some upcoming events at the Mish.
“You have to be great.” Typically, in a normal week, I listen to 3 or 4 new album/ep releases or roughly 30 t0 40 cuts. Of course, those are not all full cut listens – most are 8-second rides – needle drops – looking for that OMG moment when I have to listen more intently to a single track – in the hopes I break a future hit (we djs are always looking to break a hit).
On top of producing the show, I am also on a few event committees. This week I had two sessions where as a member of a committee we evaluated submissions for a couple of upcoming summer festivals. In all, almost 200 acts will be scheduled for five event-days, from over 500 submissions (either a committee recommendation or actual online submission).
“You have to be great.” What does that mean exactly? Buyers look for it. DJs look for it. Fans look for it. “Man, I gotta great deal!” “Man, I saw a great show!” “Man, I booked a great band!” “Man, you gotta hear this great song I found!”
Today’s “radio” is truly anything video related. YouTube is the single most dominant source of new music discovery in the world. Today, more and more, buyers rely on video instead of strictly audio as a way of auditioning acts for an event. Video doesn’t lie. The presentation put forth speaks for itself – especially when the video is from a live performance (and especially from a “smart phone” video). Video quality + audio quality + visual quality + performance quality all now matter in “you have to be great.”
VIDEO PICK OF THE WEEK
Katie Herzig is a Fort Collins native, a graduate of both Rocky Mountain High, and Colorado State University. While she was in college she fronted the very popular folk-rock act Newcomer’s Home. Katie went solo, moved to Nashville, and along with Pretty Lights stands as one of the two most successful artists to emerge from Fort Collins. She’s got a brand new album set to drop in April – and in the meantime, she just released this new video from her last album.
PLAYLIST S8 EP06
Earth, Wind & Fire “Reasons” from That’s the Way of the World (1975) Lannie Garrett “Pickin’ Up After You” from Comes Love (1995) Jesse Furay Lynch “I Wish It Would Rain” [single] (2014) Mosey West “Hurricane Eyes” from Bermuda (2014) Big Head Todd & The Monsters “Josephina” from Black Beehive (2014) (N) Bad Brad & the Fat Cats “Other Side” from Take A Walk With Me (2014)Churchill “The War Within” from War Within EP (2013) (D) Mountain Standard Time “Canyon Road” from Sunny (2013) (D) Swim Through Frequencies “Other Languages” from Rhythm of Complacency (2013)(D) Glitta Kings “Carving In the Stone” from Girls in High Heels Shouldn’t Dance On Glass Tables (2014) The Motet “Closed Mouth Don’t Get Fed” from The Motet (2014) Selasee Atiase “One Day” from African Gate (2010) Al Hood & Dave Hanson “Just A Little Taste” from Just A Litte Taste: Al Hood Plays The Writing Of Dave Hanson (2008) Newcomers Home “Hold On” from In the Hour (2004) Katie Herzig “Wish You Well” from Apple Tree (2008) The Fray “Love Don’t Die” [single] (2013) OneRepublic “Feel Again” from Native (2013) (D) The Samples “The Whole World Can Sing” from America (2014)(D) Dianne Reeves “Dreams” from Beautiful Life (2014) The ReMinders “Africa On My Mind” from Born Champions (2012) (D) Kinetix “One Life to Live” from One Life (2014) String Cheese Incident “Can’t Wait Another Day” [single] (2012) Matt Skinner Band “I’ll Keep Loving” from Native Stranger Pt I – Fandango (2013) Patti Fiasco “Nobody’s Girl” from The Patti Fiasco (2011) Danny Shafer “I Am” from Wherever You Are (2013) GogoLab “Honey Trap” from Border Patrol (2013)
17,000. That was my goal. For the year. For unique page views for all of 2013. I would have been pleased with that kind of growth over last year’s views. A reasonable 10% increase. Doable. 32,700+? With over 16,000 coming in December alone? I’ve never seen 16,000 views in a year, let alone a month before. All I can say is “wow; just wow.”
The Colorado Sound Live365 launched on April 1, and has been a bit a challenge to grow. December has been the best month, no doubt due to the tremendous number of visits to the website. In December the station averaged just at 22 streams a day at about a 30 minute average TSL (time spent listening).
Thanks to all who contributed towards the $1200 goal to keep things moving forward thru the end of the current license period on March 31. That really means a lot, so thank you for that. We’re still a little short of making the full goal. Please share the link to the station with your friends. I’d like to keep this growing into 2014. Numbers matter.
Since I began this annual rite about five years ago now, I’ve included a “critics’ list” each year – a call out to friends in the business and some select fans and musicians who know what’s up in Colorado. This year I did things just a little differently. Instead of a “critics’ list” this year I launched several FAN FAVORITE POLLS. The overall TOP 20 FAN FAVORITE ALBUM/EPS are below. Follow the links for the category breakouts.
There are lots of ways to measure the success of a record – sales, airplay, fan favorite, critics’ favorites, etc. But, generally speaking, it is sales, “radio” airplay, placements (tv shows, commercials, movie soundtracks) and YouTube views that are the visible markers of success. Sprinkle on some major awards for extra credit. So, aside from the FAN FAVORITE POLLS and TOP 40 SPINS this is how things looked to me this year.
OVERALL TOP 5 2013
#1 – OneRepublic – “Native.” Unlike last year’s big breakout hit by the Lumineers, you will not find OneRepublic represented in the TOP 40 below. The album was not popular with non-comm station djs. This was a commercial hit. And a big one at that.
The current single from the album, “Counting Stars,” is one of the band’s most successful, ever. It is their first top five hit since “Apologize” in 2006, landing at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has also been a big hit overseas, landing at the top of airplay charts in the UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland and New Zealand. Look at the popularity bar based on sales at iTunes – it SMOKED “Apologize” and everything they’ve done since. The video has had 107,592,715 views and counting.
#2 – Pretty Lights – A Color Map of the World … #6 in radio spins in Colorado, #1 COLORADO FAN FAVORITE Urban Contemporary/EDM/Hip Hop/Soul …it peaked nationally at #24 The Billboard 200, #14 Digital Albums, #2 Electronic Albums, #4 Independent Albums + a Grammy Award nomination for Best Dance/Electronica Album … that’s enough to earn most records “Record of the Year.” One of the most popular urban contemporary records of the year at radio around the state – with significant airplay stats at KBUT, KRCC, and Radio 94.9 Colorado. YouTube views = 822,352.
#3 – Elephant Revival – “These Changing Skies.” #3 in airplay statewide for the year, it broke the TOP 20 of the national Americana Music Association airplay charts. NPR Music/Folk Alley selected it as part of “The Top 10 Folk And Americana Albums Of 2013,” and it was one of NPR Music‘s “10 Artists You Should Have Known In 2013.” It was consistently one of the most played records at our reporting stations statewide, making #1 at several stations statewide throughout the year.
#4 – Gregory Alan Isakov “The Weatherman.” It managed to crack the top spot on the iTunes singer/songwriter charts, as well as #5 on the Billboard folk charts. In Colorado it was the undisputed leader in spins per month statewide, landing at #1 for the year, despite it not hitting radio until June.
#5 – Otis Taylor “My World is Gone.” Hitting #4 for the year at Colorado radio, it should come as no surprise that Otis is once again at the top of the page for one of his albums. The man just cannot stop winning accolades and awards, nominated this year for Blues Foundation Music Awards 2013 Best Contemporary Blues Artist.
FAN FAVORITE ALBUM/EP
Fans definitely came out in support of their favorites. Fans voted for 142 album/ep titles, and set all time page view records in the process.
1. Kramies – The Wooden Heart (rock) 2. Michael Kirkpatrick – Key to My Cage (folk)
3. Joshua Trinidad – Maritime (jazz)
4. The Patti Fiasco – Small Town Lights (rock)
5. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Maestro and the Elephant (rock)
6. Danny Shafer – Wherever You Are (folk)
7. Manuel Lopez Trio – Searching Out (jazz)
8. Cary Morin – Streamline (blues)
9. Wire Faces – King Cataract (rock)
10. Post Paradise – Digging Secrets (rock)
11. Joe Johnson – New West Sound (country-folk)
12. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies (folk-rock)
13. TheChanging Colors – Joan & the King (indie-folk)
14. Blue Canyon Boys – Next Go Round (bluegrass)
15. Mike Clark & the Sugar Sounds – Round and Round (rock/indie)
16. Instant Empire – Keep UP! (rock/indie)
17. Bad Brad & the Fat Cats – Eyes on the Prize (blues)
18. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman (folk)
19. Covenhoven – Covenhoven (rock/indie)
20. Aakash Mittal Quartet w/Ron Miles – Ocean (jazz)
TOP 40 COLORADO AIRPLAY 2013
Here are the TOP 40 most played Colorado records in the past year at our incredible network of stations that have been dedicated to airing Colorado music — KAFM (Grand Junction) KBUT (Crested Butte) KDNK (Carbondale) KDUR (Durango) KGNU (Boulder) KOTO (Telluride) KRCC (Colorado Springs) KRFC (Fort Collins) KRZA (Alamosa) KSUT (Ignacio) KUNC (Greeley) KUVO (Denver) KVNF (Paonia) OPEN AIR 1340 (Denver) Radio 94.9 Colorado (Loveland/Fort Collins).
253 titles were tracked as played Jan 1 – Nov 31 2013. Only those records that were released between Nov 1 2012 and Oct 31 2013 were considered for the final year end charts.
[ ___ ] = release date
** = serviced to radio/press by Rocky Mountain Music Network
1. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman (Suitcase Town Music) Folk [June 24, 2013]
2. DeVotchKa – Live with the Colorado Symphony (Cicero Recordings) Indie/New Alternative [November 13, 2012]
3. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies (Its Evolving Records) Folk [August 1, 2013]
4. Otis Taylor – My World Is Gone (Telarc) Blues [January 20, 2013]
5. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Maestro and the Elephant (self) Rock [January 1, 2013]
6. Pretty Lights – A Color Map of the World (8 Minutes 20 Seconds) Urban Contemporary/EDM [July 1, 2013]
7. Jeff Brinkman Band – Strange (self) Rock [December 2, 2012] **
8. Cassie Taylor – Out of My Mind (Yellow Dog) Blues [May 7, 2013]
9. Paper Bird – Rooms (self) Indie/New Alternative [March 1, 2013]
10. Mike Clark & the Sugar Sounds – Round and Round (Blank Tape) Indie/New Alternative [February 20, 2013]
11. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Rocky Mountain Honky Tonk (self) Americana [July 1, 2013]
12. Thom Chacon – Thom Chacon (Pie Records) Americana [March 6, 2013]
13. Blue Canyon Boys – Next Go Round (self) Bluegrass [February 1, 2013]
14. Grant Sabin – Anthromusicology (Blank Tape) Rock [January 10, 2013]
15. WhiteWater Ramble – Roots & Groove (self) Rocky-grass [March 29, 2013] **
16. Bad Brad & the Fat Cats – Eyes on the Prize (self) Blues [March 1, 2013] **
17. Beautiful Loser Society – The Desperate Promenade (self) Americana [December 10, 2013]
18. Head for the Hills – Blue Ruin (self) Bluegrass [July 1, 2013]
19. The Patti Fiasco – Small Town Lights (self) Rock [August 9, 2013] **
20. a. Tom Collins – Stick & Poke (Greater Than Collective) Indie/New Alternative [June 20, 2013]
21. Jon Wirtz – Tourist (self) Jazz/Instrumental [April 16, 2013]
22. Jeff Scroggins & Colorado – Western Branches (self) Bluegrass [June 1, 2013]
23. The Congress – The Loft Tapes EP (self) Rock [March 16, 2013]
24. Rob Drabkin – Little Steps EP (self) Pop/rock [September 1, 2013]
25. Andy Hackbarth – Treadmill Horses EP (January Records) Pop/rock [May 5, 2013] **
26. Churchill – The War Within EP (A&M/Octone) Rock [April 23, 2013]
27. Land Lines – Land Lines (self) Indie/New Alternative [November 24, 2012]
28. A Boy and His Kite – A Boy and His Kite (self) Indie/New Alternative [November 20, 2012]
29. 3 Twins – De Nada (Sleeping Elephant Music) Americana [July 9, 2013] **
30. Josh Dillard – The Bright Light of Shipwreck (self) Folk/rock [June 1, 2013]
31. You, Me and Apollo – S/T EP (self) Indie/New Alternative [January 22, 2013]
32. Austin Young & No Difference – Blue As Can Be (Vizztone) Blues [March 1, 2013]
33. Wire Faces – King Cataract (Hot Congress Records) Rock [February 7, 2013]
34. Brad Goode – Chicago Red (Origin Records) Jazz/Instrumental [February 13, 2013]
35. Trout Steak Revival – Flight (self) Bluegrass [November 22, 2012]
36. Finnders & Youngberg – I Don’t Want Love You Won’t Give Until I Cry EP (Swingfingers Records) Bluegrass [August 1, 2013]
37. Wendy Woo Band – Live (Woo Music) Pop/rock [June 1, 2013] **
38. TheChanging Colors – Joan & the King (Blank Tape) Folk [May 20, 2013]
39. Manuel Lopez Trio – Searching Out (Dazzle Recordings) Jazz/Instrumental [November 10, 2012]
40. The Gromet – Barren (self) Rock [November 14, 2012]
STATION BY STATION
Airplay tablulated from Jan 1 2013 – Nov 31 2013 for titles released Nov 1 2012 – Oct 31 2013
KAFM (GRAND JUNCTION)
1. Bobby Walker – Feelin’ Good
2. Cassie Taylor – Out of My Mind
3. Beautiful Loser Society – The Desperate Promenade
4. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies
5. Otis Taylor – My World Is Gone
KBUT (CRESTED BUTTE)
1. WhiteWater Ramble – Roots & Groove
2. Blue Canyon Boys – Next Go Round
3. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies
4. Trout Streak Revival – Flight
5. Bad Brad & the Fat Cats – Eyes on the Prize
KDNK (CARBONDALE)
1. DeVotchKa – Live w/ the Colorado Symphony
2. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman
3. Otis Taylor – My World Is Gone
4. Paper Bird – Rooms
5. Halden Wofford & the Hi* Beams – Rocky Mountain Honky Tonk
KDUR (DURANGO)
1. Farmington Hill – Bridge to Nowhere
2. Beautiful Loser Society – The Desperate Promenade
3. Thom Chacon – Thom Chacon
4. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Maestro & the Elephant
5. Wire Faces – King Cataract
KGNU (BOULDER)
1. Paper Bird – Rooms
2. Blue Canyon Boys – Next Go Round
3. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Rocky Mountain Honky Tonk
4. Head for the Hills – Blue Ruin
5. DeVotchKa – Live w/ the Colorado Symphony
KRCC (COLORADO SPRINGS)
1. Mike Clark & the Sugar Sounds – Round and Round
2. DeVotchKa – Live w/ the Colorado Symphony
2. Grant Sabin – Anthromusicology
3. Pretty Lights – A Color Map of the World
4. Austin Young & No Difference – Blue As Can Be
KRFC (FORT COLLINS)
1. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Maestro & the Elephant
2. Paper Bird – Rooms
3. Cassie Taylor – Out Of My Mind
4. Michael Kirkpatrick – Key To My Cage
5. Otis Taylor – My World Is Gone
KRZA (ALAMOSA)
1. Bad Brad & the Fat Cats – Eyes on the Prize
2. Gabrielle Louise – The Bird in My Chest
3. Trout Steak Revival – Flight
3. WhiteWater Ramble – Roots & Groove
4. Jeff Scroggins & Colorado – Western Branches
KUNC (GREELEY)
1. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman
2. Otis Taylor – My World Is Gone
3. DeVotchKa – Live w/ the Colorado Symphony
4. Jeff Brinkman – Strange
5. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies
KUVO (DENVER)
1. Brad Goode – Chicago Red
2. Polarity – King of Hearts
3. Jon Wirtz – Tourist
4. Tom Gershwin – Sweet Pastimes
5. Lynn Baker – LectroCoustic
KVNF (PAONIA)
1. Otis Taylor – My World Is Gone
2. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Rocky Mountain Honky Tonk
2. Paper Bird – Rooms
3. Finnders & Youngberg – I Don’t Want Love You Won’t Give Until I Cry
4. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies
OPEN AIR 1340 (DENVER)
1. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman
2. DeVotchKa – Live with the Colorado Symphony
3. Paper Bird – Rooms
4. a. Tom Collins – Stick & Poke
5. Land Lines – Land Lines
THE COLORAO SOUND
1. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Maestro and the Elephant
2. Thom Chacon – Thom Chacon
3. Cassie Taylor – Out of My Mind
4. Beki Hemingway – I Have Big Plans For The World
5. Churchill – The War Within
GENRE/PROGRAM FORMAT
Americana / Alt-country / Bluegrass
1. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Rocky Mountain Honky Tonk
2. Thom Chacon – Thom Chacon
3. Blue Canyon Boys – Next Go Round
4. WhiteWater Ramble – Roots & Groove
5. Beautiful Loser Society – The Desperate Promenade
Blues / Rhythm & Blues
1. Otis Taylor – My World Is Gone
2. Cassie Taylor – Out of My Mind
3. Bad Brad & the Fat Cats – Eyes on the Prize
4. Austin Young & No Difference – Blue As Can Be
5. Dan Treanor’s Afrosippi Band f/Erica Brown – Tangled Road
Folk / folk-rock / singer-songwriter
1. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman
2. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies
3. Josh Dillard – The Bright Light of Shipwreck
4. Changing Colors – Joan & the King
5. Kristi Stice – Under the Willow
Indie / New Alternative
1. DeVotchKa – Live with the Colorado Symphony
2. Paper Bird – Rooms
3. Mike Clark & the Sugar Sounds – Round and Round
4. a. Tom Collins – Stick & Poke
5. Land Lines – Land Lines
Jazz / Instrumental
1. Jon Wirtz – Tourist
2. Brad Goode – Chicago Red
3. Manuel Lopez Trio – Searching Out
4. gogoLab – Border Patrol
5. Tom Gershwin – Sweet Pastimes
Pop / Adult Contemporary / Crossover
1. Rob Drabkin – Little Steps EP
2. Andy Hackbarth – Treadmill Horses EP
3. Wendy Woo Band – Live
4. Lisa Bell – The Italian Project
5. OneRepublic – Native
Rock / AAA / ALT / AOR
1. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Maestro and the Elephant
2. Jeff Brinkman Band – Strange
3. Grant Sabin – Anthromusicology
4. The Patti Fiasco – Small Town Lights
5. The Congress – The Loft Tapes EP
Urban Contemporary / EDM / Hip Hop / Soul
1. Pretty Lights – A Color Map of the World
2. The ReMinders – Born Champions
3. P-Nuckle – The System
4. Selina Albright – Brighter
5. Wheelchair Sports Camp – Blank Space EP
Unlike last year, when I included my VIDEO PICKS OF THE YEAR in my end of year post, this year I’m posting them early and asking for you to participate. These are my picks (nominations if you will) for best videos of 2013. There are 14 videos in the playlist. Run time = 53 minutes – so shorter than a one hour episode of the Colorado Sound, and I know you’ve had time for that on occasion 😉
I’ve left room after the videos to pick your three favorites. I had a blast going back to all the monthly video playlists and watching them all again … I hope you discover someone new who’s music you love. Thank you for supporting.
Only those videos published on YouTube between Nov 1 2012 and Oct 31 2013 were considered for these picks.
EDIT: SAT DEC 21, 2013 — POLLS CLOSED. Videos reset in order of voting.
(Sunday, Feb 16, 2014) “You have to be great.” That line has been on loop in my mind since the middle of the week, when I met with Dani Grant from SpokesBuzz and the Mishawaka Amphitheater for lunch, and to discuss her organizations’ support of The Colorado Sound, and The Colorado Sound’s support of some upcoming events at the Mish.
Chris K's Colorado Playlist 