Cracks Beginning to Show in Teen Pop Craze

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Feb 08, 2001 Source: Yahoo! News Submitted By: Melissa Neale By Sue Zeidler LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Is the teen pop music craze finally getting old? Radio programmers at Top 40 stations in the United States are finding that their listeners are beginning to outgrow boy bands like the Backstreet Boys (news - web sites) and teen divas like Britney Spears. Due to a variety of factors, these acts still appear to be hot sellers in stores, but their music is not dominating the radio airwaves as they did just a few months ago. ``We're finding that Top 40 radio stations are backing off teen pop groups simply because audience demand has dwindled,'' said radio consultant Guy Zapoleon, president of Houston-based Zapoleon Media Strategies. But some recording industry experts, citing the genre's still-strong sales, argue the retreat from radio playlists is more a reflection of programmers anticipating the trend's end than an actual drop-off in demand. ``Things may not be as fluid as they were 18 months or two years ago, but I think sometimes that pop radio programmers over-think it,'' said Joe Riccitelli, vice president of pop promotion at Jive Records, home to the biggest names in the teen phenomenon including Spears, 'N Sync (news - web sites) and the Backstreet Boys. ``If the cycle is ebbing, its only happening in pop radio,'' he said, pointing to the bands' still hotter than ever pull in television, movies, concerts and album sales. A glance at the weekly charts in Billboard Magazine's Feb. 10 issue shows Spears' new song ``Stronger'' and ``Liquid Dreams'' by newcomer teen band O-Town among the top 10 selling singles. But they are conspicuously absent from the top 75 in airplay. ``It wasn't Spears' best song and it's also due to the saturation of the music,'' Zapoleon said. ``She's literally had five or six hit songs and obviously the listeners are saying it's time for a break.'' Pop radio stations make many of their programming decisions based on ``call-out research'' or surveys of listeners aged from 12 to 34-years-old. Teen Bands May Be Suffering From Programming Backlash But some industry experts admit there may be a bit of a backlash among programmers who have been listening to teen music ad nauseum for longer than anyone expected. ``You wonder if radio programmers are sensing the end of the cycle because they are exposed to the music far more than listeners,'' said Sky Daniels, general manager for Radio & Records, an industry trade publication. ``It's difficult to take a step back if you've heard those songs 500 times in a month. Pop programmers are wondering how long can this be maintained,'' he said. Many radio industry experts said the ``teen'' fad lasted beyond the typical music cycle. ``It's a long cycle for a specific genre remaining hot. This particular teen cycle has lasted almost four years, when most of the time, fads last about one or two years, `` said Daniels, who is beginning to detect a movement toward smarter singer-songwriters, such as acts like Macy Gray and Dido. Zapoleon believes pop radio is now entering what he describes as an ``extreme'' phase where music becomes edgier and more alternative than the mainstream material that has dominated the format. ``Pop radio will try to hold on to the teen component, but as it starts to play harder, edgier and more alternative-sounding music, these two styles won't fit on the same radio station,'' he said. Top 40 stations are now playing songs all over the spectrum like rock songs such as ``Kryptonite'' by 3 Doors Down and ``If You're Gone'' by Matchbox Twenty along with a little Britney Spears and rap by Eminem (news - web sites). While Zapoleon predicts the demise of mainstream pop in the next couple of years, he expects another resurgence in the genre by 2005. Others, meanwhile, expect that some pop mainstream artists will always have hits. ``It always comes down to if you have a great song, you'll overcome existing maxims,'' said Daniels. Comment on this item. Recent Comments Submitted by: crorkservice 9qdduB Fantastic web site. Lots of useful info here. I am sending it to a few friends ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thanks for your effort! Submitted by: nice site here 7Tuihi Thanks so much for the post.Really thank you! Submitted by: seo service YpXmCs Thanks for sharing, this is a fantastic blog. Want more. 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