Artist Picks on Streaming Radio

Pandora, Spotify, Rdio, Beats, etc. Streaming music is the new staple for our music listening pleasure. Through licensing and popular demand, they have given us the opportunity to listen to our favorite genres, from anyplace.They all have category and artist specific stations, but you know what I want to hear? A station that is based off of the artist's likes. 

What does Bruce Springsteen listen to? When Bon Jovi is on a road tour, what playlist is on? What music does Taylor Swift listen to after another breakup? (Nevermind, I don't really care). This would be a very intriguing concept that would connect us, more personally, to an artist that we love. 

These types of features would allow the fans to see what their favorite artists are listening to, educate us on their influences, and hell, they could even make money on the advertising. The point of music though is not to cash in, but to connect and protrude emotions while empathizing with the human soul.

Now that you are thinking about it, what artist picks would you want to hear? What does Eric Clapton listen to these days? What songs did Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters listen to when they were creating their album 'Sonic Highways?' All of this is documented in the libraries of the internet, but that's not as interactive as this. As you are listening to music you are hearing the influence of their new album. It gives you an educated premonition of what your favorite artist is about to create and as such, brings you closer to them metaphysically. Instead of being a fan of their Billboard top 100  hit, you build a lifelong education and connection with them....just by listening.

So you know what music they listen to now, but doesn't that make you wonder; What music helped them form their last hit? Or epic album? Through biographies, we've learned how certain musicians were influenced early in their careers. Like Paul McCartney; he was influenced by Big Brill Broonzy, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard. These were people he heard of from Liverpool sailors that brought the music with them from port to port. Maybe there could be a station called, ' Paul McCartney's Early Influences.'

Blueberry Hill in St. Louis MO, Delmar Blvd (the Loop)

Or Chuck Berry: Influenced by Nat King Cole, Muddy Waters, and Jay McShann. 'Chuck Berry's Early Influences' station would direct you to some of the great Blues music of the past. Odd's are that he still listens to these artists but what else does he listen to these days?(Stop by Blueberry Hill in St. Louis and ask him if you want. He's still rockin' it.)

Maybe you want to know that the death of Bon Scott, tropical storms, and a hard ass producer helped form AC/DC's Back In Black album. This could be in the description field of the 'Back in Black album Influences.'

These 'Influence' stations could even be considered a hierarchical tree that leads you to the originators of your favorite musical stylings. (Likely its Blues. Well, not 'Likely,' it just IS. So I guess you could avoid all of this and just start from the beginning)

As an incentive to do this, (beyond the marketing of it), streaming services could offer the artists a percentage of revenue gleaned from advertising. The more popular a station the higher the percentage.(They should be getting royalties anyway, but that's another article) So if you add royalties gained directly from their songs and add in the impressions from their own station, you increase your revenue stream. Think of it as social media, it's just another avenue, but it connects the public to your product instead of your brand.

I mentioned the money part last for two reasons. 1) Music is not about money, it's about heart and soul and sweat and determination and depression. 2) Being a musician is a job and deserves equal pay. So I wanted that to be one of the last things you read.

Streaming is here to stay. Vinyl may be making a slight comeback, but Streaming is the future of music. Why not beef it up a bit and give more to the people the create it? And to the musicians; We love your music. Why not let us know more about how you created it? Or how other music helped influence you and your life? You are amazing and if education is anything, we just want to know more.


*Update: You may be thinking iHeartRadio and Grooveshark, but those are considered 'User-Created Custom Stations.' They can be but are generally not Celebrity Showcases.