A lot of my favorite moments as a researcher have come from seeing the rapid impact that music testing had on behalf of client stations. It was especially the case when a station suddenly had the ability to test the library after a long hiatus; sometimes that would lead to complete turnarounds within two months. But in the PPM era, where every on-air decision can matter, I believe that music testing still gives any station an advantage.
A music test doesn’t serve the same purpose as a perceptual study, but it does yield strategic insights. You find those by knowing what songs to test, seeing patterns among songs that tested playable or did not, by comparing a station’s multiple constituencies, and by being able to measure the results against other tests in the format. Inevitably, stations looked much less like their monitored panel of comparable stations than they expected.
Often the most telling part was watching the patterns of what worked change over time. When I began doing music testing, “Unchained Melody,” twice a hit, was the song reliably at the top of the music list. Now there are places where “Bohemian Rhapsody,” with its similar history, is no longer bulletproof.
Conversely, there are the secret weapons — often informed by TV/movie syncs and streaming or pop culture — that are nowhere among Mediabase’s most-played but often work for the stations that will test them. At a moment when listeners’ radio history is no longer their only musical frame of reference, there are more songs worth asking about than ever, particularly because only a few will take hold.
I feel like music testing has only become more important for radio over time. The right songs are not radio’s only issue right now, but they are the question that can be easily answered. As stations rediscover the importance of personality against their streaming competition, they may no longer consider music the reason listeners tune in. But it is still often the biggest part of your product and can be the reason they tune out.
In a world of nine-minute listening occasions, many PDs talk about the importance of playing the right songs during those short visits. I still see music testing as a tool for making those visits longer.
CHR stations have been largely out of the habit of doing music testing for a while. Now, as that format becomes increasingly gold-based, without a corresponding upturn in its fortunes, I think stations need answers about those songs, too. Is “Never Be the Same” by Camilla Cabello really better than any current you can play?
I’m proud to announce today that I’m teaming with Deena Hollander, president of Advantage Music Research, to launch Scorecard Plus, an enhanced version of Advantage’s Scorecard music platform. For nearly a decade, Scorecard has offered programmers affordable music testing, but with the rigor that they should expect from their research partner. And it does so with a “radio first” focus.
Deena and I previously worked together for a decade. At this moment when radio needs resources, I appreciate that she found a way to offer quality music testing at prices that allow more stations to do research. It is a mission that I want to help further on radio’s behalf. Advantage is where I feel I can offer the greatest support to a wide range of radio stations.
Over the years, I’ve seen that clients have wanted various levels of input. Advantage Music Research’s Scorecard product has allowed broadcasters extra flexibility and affordability by structuring exactly the music test they need. Scorecard Plus makes that extra level a viable option for more stations. If you find another set of eyes on the data helpful, I’d be excited to work together. Either way, I’m happy if it makes music testing more viable for you.
