In the car with my two teenage kids tonight and my son informs me that rap music is the most popular music now. My daughter says rap music is just poetry with a lot of bad words.

Well I question the claim with, "What radio stations play rap?" My son, "Not many. But nobody listens to the radio anymore."

I could have questioned the claim about the relationship between poetry and rap...but that's another topic.

Conversation brought up a couple things:
1) People live in worlds with their own perceptions. If you assume FM radio is a reflection of culture, you may be mistaken. Its music on the phone. But then the music on your's and your friends' phones may be very different from what a lot of people listen to. You've got a bubble.

2) Today's culture is a nightmare for marketers. There aren't 3 networks that everybody watches. There are a variety of sometimes hard to find and identify sub-cultures.

3) This all applies many times over to politics, both with media choices and with friends. My father tells how in '64 a lot of his friends were lying to him. They all told him they were voting for Goldwater, "but Goldwater didn't get that many votes in the entire state!" People have forums and on many, they try to drive off dissenting voices by insults or banning them, so you get even more of a bubble.

I think Spotify is the app of choice for listening to music by kids. At one time Pandora was a big name but I don't think it dominates. Also, there is the I heart radio app that I think is also popular - though it's still listening to radio (just not necessarily your local stations).

One overarching principle that seems to be very strong at the moment is to sacrifice quality for portability. If you can stream it on your smart phone, then it's going to do quite well among the youngest generations. To me it implies that the big screen home theater surround sound with stereo system set up is no longer the end game in viewing/listening desires. Pop some ear buds in your ears, find the smart phone with the largest screens and that's going to be it for a large swath of the population for shows, films and music.

(02-04-2018 08:41 PM)miko33 Wrote:  I think Spotify is the app of choice for listening to music by kids. At one time Pandora was a big name but I don't think it dominates. Also, there is the I heart radio app that I think is also popular - though it's still listening to radio (just not necessarily your local stations).

One overarching principle that seems to be very strong at the moment is to sacrifice quality for portability. If you can stream it on your smart phone, then it's going to do quite well among the youngest generations. To me it implies that the big screen home theater surround sound with stereo system set up is no longer the end game in viewing/listening desires. Pop some ear buds in your ears, find the smart phone with the largest screens and that's going to be it for a large swath of the population for shows, films and music.

Yeah. Big speakers just aren't relevant. They take vastly lower quality sound.

(02-04-2018 09:52 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(02-04-2018 08:41 PM)miko33 Wrote:  I think Spotify is the app of choice for listening to music by kids. At one time Pandora was a big name but I don't think it dominates. Also, there is the I heart radio app that I think is also popular - though it's still listening to radio (just not necessarily your local stations).

One overarching principle that seems to be very strong at the moment is to sacrifice quality for portability. If you can stream it on your smart phone, then it's going to do quite well among the youngest generations. To me it implies that the big screen home theater surround sound with stereo system set up is no longer the end game in viewing/listening desires. Pop some ear buds in your ears, find the smart phone with the largest screens and that's going to be it for a large swath of the population for shows, films and music.

Yeah. Big speakers just aren't relevant. They take vastly lower quality sound.

Even some of the products where you can plug your smartphone into a docking station in order to link to a larger screen or better quality speakers don't seem to have appeal to smartphone owners. It's all about being portable.

(02-04-2018 08:41 PM)miko33 Wrote:  I think Spotify is the app of choice for listening to music by kids. At one time Pandora was a big name but I don't think it dominates. Also, there is the I heart radio app that I think is also popular - though it's still listening to radio (just not necessarily your local stations).

YouTube & Apple Music in addition to Spotify are some of the go-to's for the kids, especially YouTube. Why pay for a subscription when you can just find it there, then follow suggestions for more?

(02-04-2018 06:56 PM)bullet Wrote:  2) Today's culture is a nightmare for marketers. There aren't 3 networks that everybody watches. There are a variety of sometimes hard to find and identify sub-cultures.

I think this culture is a dream come true for marketers. They get a lot more sales or are able to charge a lot more per account precisely because there is a lot to market to.

There's a big industry growing in marketing data and behavioral economics that help identify subcultures. If I were a marketer, I can approach a company and pitch them on a group they never thought of.

(02-05-2018 12:08 PM)tigergreen Wrote:  

(02-04-2018 08:41 PM)miko33 Wrote:  I think Spotify is the app of choice for listening to music by kids. At one time Pandora was a big name but I don't think it dominates. Also, there is the I heart radio app that I think is also popular - though it's still listening to radio (just not necessarily your local stations).

YouTube & Apple Music in addition to Spotify are some of the go-to's for the kids, especially YouTube. Why pay for a subscription when you can just find it there, then follow suggestions for more?

I'm a big Spotify guy. I drive for work and and Spotify pro + podcasts + audiobooks have saved my life out there.

(02-05-2018 05:09 PM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(02-04-2018 06:56 PM)bullet Wrote:  2) Today's culture is a nightmare for marketers. There aren't 3 networks that everybody watches. There are a variety of sometimes hard to find and identify sub-cultures.

I think this culture is a dream come true for marketers. They get a lot more sales or are able to charge a lot more per account precisely because there is a lot to market to.

There's a big industry growing in marketing data and behavioral economics that help identify subcultures. If I were a marketer, I can approach a company and pitch them on a group they never thought of.

There are some really good opportunities out there.
Because so many people self-sort now the trick is figuring out the non-obvious connections that create opportunity.

I've joked before that whoever is selling Subarus in Arkansas must target groups associated with Hendrix College because nearly every time I see a car with a Hendrix tag its on a Subaru but there are tons of non-obvious relationships like that to be tapped into.

(02-05-2018 05:54 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(02-05-2018 05:09 PM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(02-04-2018 06:56 PM)bullet Wrote:  2) Today's culture is a nightmare for marketers. There aren't 3 networks that everybody watches. There are a variety of sometimes hard to find and identify sub-cultures.

I think this culture is a dream come true for marketers. They get a lot more sales or are able to charge a lot more per account precisely because there is a lot to market to.

There's a big industry growing in marketing data and behavioral economics that help identify subcultures. If I were a marketer, I can approach a company and pitch them on a group they never thought of.

There are some really good opportunities out there.
Because so many people self-sort now the trick is figuring out the non-obvious connections that create opportunity.

I've joked before that whoever is selling Subarus in Arkansas must target groups associated with Hendrix College because nearly every time I see a car with a Hendrix tag its on a Subaru but there are tons of non-obvious relationships like that to be tapped into.

Man, if you head onto Reddit, you'll find that there are a bunch of communities out there that have segments who would pay good money for stuff geared to them. There are people out there who'll pay $5,000 for a replica wrestling ring, movie set, or sword.

It's not a new thing though. I was listening to a podcast featuring the first black advertising executive. Marlboro was wondering why they couldn't sway the loyalty of black customers. They had become the dominant cigarette brand among white men. They spent a ton of money on the Marlboro Man and put him everywhere. Well the advertising executive in question said the answer was obvious, black people don't have the same association with a white cowboy that white people will. At the time Marlboro and the older ad men just didn't get it, but they gave him the reigns to make a black Marlboro Man and the brand spread.

(02-05-2018 07:38 PM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(02-05-2018 05:54 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(02-05-2018 05:09 PM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(02-04-2018 06:56 PM)bullet Wrote:  2) Today's culture is a nightmare for marketers. There aren't 3 networks that everybody watches. There are a variety of sometimes hard to find and identify sub-cultures.

I think this culture is a dream come true for marketers. They get a lot more sales or are able to charge a lot more per account precisely because there is a lot to market to.

There's a big industry growing in marketing data and behavioral economics that help identify subcultures. If I were a marketer, I can approach a company and pitch them on a group they never thought of.

There are some really good opportunities out there.
Because so many people self-sort now the trick is figuring out the non-obvious connections that create opportunity.

I've joked before that whoever is selling Subarus in Arkansas must target groups associated with Hendrix College because nearly every time I see a car with a Hendrix tag its on a Subaru but there are tons of non-obvious relationships like that to be tapped into.

Man, if you head onto Reddit, you'll find that there are a bunch of communities out there that have segments who would pay good money for stuff geared to them. There are people out there who'll pay $5,000 for a replica wrestling ring, movie set, or sword.

It's not a new thing though. I was listening to a podcast featuring the first black advertising executive. Marlboro was wondering why they couldn't sway the loyalty of black customers. They had become the dominant cigarette brand among white men. They spent a ton of money on the Marlboro Man and put him everywhere. Well the advertising executive in question said the answer was obvious, black people don't have the same association with a white cowboy that white people will. At the time Marlboro and the older ad men just didn't get it, but they gave him the reigns to make a black Marlboro Man and the brand spread.

I heard that podcast. Good stuff.

(02-05-2018 07:38 PM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(02-05-2018 05:54 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(02-05-2018 05:09 PM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(02-04-2018 06:56 PM)bullet Wrote:  2) Today's culture is a nightmare for marketers. There aren't 3 networks that everybody watches. There are a variety of sometimes hard to find and identify sub-cultures.

I think this culture is a dream come true for marketers. They get a lot more sales or are able to charge a lot more per account precisely because there is a lot to market to.

There's a big industry growing in marketing data and behavioral economics that help identify subcultures. If I were a marketer, I can approach a company and pitch them on a group they never thought of.

There are some really good opportunities out there.
Because so many people self-sort now the trick is figuring out the non-obvious connections that create opportunity.

I've joked before that whoever is selling Subarus in Arkansas must target groups associated with Hendrix College because nearly every time I see a car with a Hendrix tag its on a Subaru but there are tons of non-obvious relationships like that to be tapped into.

Man, if you head onto Reddit, you'll find that there are a bunch of communities out there that have segments who would pay good money for stuff geared to them. There are people out there who'll pay $5,000 for a replica wrestling ring, movie set, or sword.

It's not a new thing though. I was listening to a podcast featuring the first black advertising executive. Marlboro was wondering why they couldn't sway the loyalty of black customers. They had become the dominant cigarette brand among white men. They spent a ton of money on the Marlboro Man and put him everywhere. Well the advertising executive in question said the answer was obvious, black people don't have the same association with a white cowboy that white people will. At the time Marlboro and the older ad men just didn't get it, but they gave him the reigns to make a black Marlboro Man and the brand spread.

Interesting.
I was thinking more along the lines of mainstream products going to niche audiences instead of selling niche products.

We see it in obvious ways like watch companies advertising on golf and tennis and Buick advertising the NCAA tournament to reach the older middle to upper middle class mostly white male audience.

But I suspect there are differences that are less obvious. Right now most treat a college football game as if it draws the same demographics but I would suspect there are some consumer preference differences between a Longhorn and an Aggie fan or GT fan and UGA fan and probably differences in consumer preferences of a Republican who likes Ted Cruz vs one who prefers Ryan.

bullet, do you want to get into rap being poetry? or the merits of hip hop? c'mon

My son was telling me last night that the Migos (Atlanta based rap group) matched the Beatle's record for the most songs in the top 100.

I'm a fan of all music or I like to think I am. I enjoyed rap in the 90s and some of the early 2000s. The stuff I've heard lately is kinda eh.

(02-06-2018 10:44 PM)gdunn Wrote:  I'm a fan of all music or I like to think I am. I enjoyed rap in the 90s and some of the early 2000s. The stuff I've heard lately is kinda eh.

Just like all music, about 5% is in the good to great spectrum and the rest is awful.

We(I include myself in this) think that 90-early 200s rap/music was better because we've forgotten almost all of that awful 95% and only remember that great 5%.

(02-09-2018 11:54 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  

(02-06-2018 10:44 PM)gdunn Wrote:  I'm a fan of all music or I like to think I am. I enjoyed rap in the 90s and some of the early 2000s. The stuff I've heard lately is kinda eh.

Just like all music, about 5% is in the good to great spectrum and the rest is awful.

We(I include myself in this) think that 90-early 200s rap/music was better because we've forgotten almost all of that awful 95% and only remember that great 5%.

That time period was when I was in high school and I was in my first year of college in 2000-2001. So I remember a good bit but you're right I wasn't a fan of it all. My wife still marvels at my play list on my iPod, burned CDs, and CDs I actually owned at the wide variety.

the nineties were definitely the golden age of hip hop. i haven't listened to anything new since the early aughts. done gave up. there are a few heads that pop up here and there that i eventually come around to, but i got my wu tang, tribe, and gangstarr that's really all you need. oh, and outkast

Don't forget about P.... Uugghhhh

i was definitely a no limit soldier back in the day. growing up in the suburbs i had no choice

Does anyone remember the one hit wonder Drama?