Radio has utilized a decades old research technique to measure 2023 music consumption,
Consumer-facing companies from Procter & Gamble to McDonalds to your local grocery store today are all utilizing sophisticated market research tools to improve customer satisfaction to advance their businesses. The majority of today’s radio industry companies do not.
Does this make sense?
Is it part of the reason radio continues to inaccurately reflect true music consumption?
For decades, traditional radio has been using a research technique called "call-out," where listeners are asked to rate songs based on a brief snippets or “hooks”. The goal of this research is to determine which songs are most popular with audiences so that radio stations can adjust their playlists accordingly.
However, as technology has evolved, the limitations of call-out research have become increasingly apparent. In contrast, new methods of measuring music consumption, such as on-demand streaming services like Bridge Ratings' STREAMSTATS, are providing radio stations with much more accurate data about what listeners are actually consuming.
The Call-Out Era
The call-out technique has been used by radio stations since the 1960s. The basic idea behind it is to play hundreds of short song clips, and have listeners rate it on a scale of 1 to 5. This information is then used to determine which songs are most popular and to create playlists that will attract and retain listeners. However, there are limitations to this approach. First, it relies on the listener's ability to accurately recall a song after hearing only a brief clip. This means that the results are subject to biases and inaccuracies, as listeners may not remember a song accurately or may be swayed by factors such as the time of day, location or mood.
We all listen to music. It fits a mood, an activity, a location or state-of-mind. We choose the music we listen to because it fulfills something inside us. Being asked to rate a song in an artificially induced time and place places a bias on any result and inaccurately reflects the appeal of a song.
Second, call-out research is time-consuming and expensive, requiring significant resources to administer and analyze the results. For the sake of the consumer, most call-out or on-line music tests are limited to the number of songs that can be tested usually around 100 per test. This approach limits the scope of music that can be rated and can make it difficult for stations to keep up with changing musical tastes and trends.
Finally, call-out research is limited in its ability to capture the full range of listener preferences. Unlike on-demand music streaming research, call-out/online testing typically only measures how much people like a particular song, without providing any insight into why they like it, how often they listen to it, or if they skip it when it is heard on the radio.
The Rise of On-Demand Streaming Services
In recent years, on-demand streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music have revolutionized the way people consume music. Social media platforms including Tik-Tok and YouTube have also revolutionized consumption habits making it easier for listeners to hear music they love whenever they like on any device. They also collect a wealth of data about users' listening habits, including what songs they listen to, how often they listen, and when.
Bridge Ratings’ StreamStats research reveals deeper user consumption data rooted in actual user behavior including popularity of course, but also provides radio programmers Passion scores. Song skips are taken into account as well location and time-spent listening.
Traditional music research only skims the surface of any song appeal but the biases involved with this type of research result in an inability to pinpoint why or how a song is climbing the charts or fading in popularity.
The on-demand music data provides radio stations with a much more accurate picture of what listeners are actually listening to and allows them to properly align playlists and programming decisions with actual consumption.
For example, if a particular song is ranked #30 most-consumed song on a station’s list but it is the #5 most-played song on that station, over-exposure of a song with limited appeal will likely cause tune-out. On the other hand, a song ranked #2 most-streamed by the station’s audience, but it the 39th most-played is likely to reveal a potential weakness in the station’s music approach which can limit the number of daily listening occasions which directly impacts station ratings.
Bridge Ratings' STREAMSTATS is a highly utilized on-demand streaming data service, providing radio stations with detailed information about music consumption across a variety of genres and music formats. This data includes not only which songs are being listened to, but also how long listeners are listening, how frequently a song is listened to, which artists are gaining or losing popularity, and which genres are on the rise or decline.
Why Radio is Stuck in the Call-Out Era
Despite the limitations of call-out research, many radio stations continue to rely on this technique to determine which songs to play. This may be due in part to the fact that call-out research has been a part of radio culture for so long that it is difficult to break away from. The perceived comfort factor of using this decades-old technique for determining popular music is outweighed by the reliability, ease and specificity of on-demand streaming research insights.
However, there are several reasons why radio stations should consider transitioning to on-demand streaming data instead. First and foremost, on-demand streaming data is much more accurate and comprehensive than call-out research. It provides a much clearer picture of what listeners are actually listening to, and allows stations to respond more quickly to changing musical tastes and trends.
Second, on-demand streaming data is much more cost-effective and efficient than call-out research. Rather than relying on expensive surveys and focus groups, radio stations can access detailed information about music consumption across multiple genres and listener lifegroups.
Third, on-demand streaming data provides a wealth of insights into listener behavior that call-out/on-line music tests simply cannot capture. By analyzing data on what songs listeners skip over or how long they listen to particular tracks, radio stations can gain a better understanding of what drives listener engagement and loyalty. This information can be used to create programming that aligns with actual consumption providing listeners with an appreciation for a station’s music.
The Power of On-Demand Streaming Data
Several studies have demonstrated the power of on-demand streaming data compared to traditional call-out/on-line testing. In a study conducted by Music Biz, researchers compared the results of call-out research with on-demand streaming data, and found that streaming data had a higher effectiveness rate as a predictor of which songs would be successful on the radio. The study found that while call-out research with a high margin of error was accurate only about 30% of the time, streaming data was accurate about 90% of the time.
Another study conducted by Edison Research found that on-demand streaming services and social media are now the preferred method of music discovery for many listeners, surpassing traditional radio. The study found that among respondents aged 13-54, 39% reported that they discovered new music through on-demand streaming services, compared to 30% who discovered music through AM/FM radio.
Charts and graphs from Bridge Ratings' STREAMSTATS further illustrate the power of on-demand streaming data. For
This chart provides a much more accurate and comprehensive picture of what listeners are actually listening to than any call-out research could provide. It shows which songs are currently popular, how long listeners are staying tuned in, and how much of an impact different platforms are having on music consumption.
Conclusion
Traditional radio's reliance on call-out research is a classic case of relying on past “technology” to solve 2023 radio listening challenges. Rather than embracing new proven streaming technology and methods that reflect actual music consumption the radio industry programs from their playbooks of the 60s, 70s and 80s. While call-out research may have been effective in years past, it is clear that on-demand streaming data provides a look at true consumption and a comprehensive picture of what listeners are actually listening to and why.
By embracing these new methods, radio stations can stay ahead of the curve and provide a better listener experience, competing more effectively.