What Gets Played on the Radio and What Doesn’t

Even though I've been in country radio for a very long time, I can't say with 100% certainty, what goes into a song getting scheduled to play on our station.

I've fought with almost every program director that I've had over songs that get played while we are on the air. For me, it goes back to something my dad taught me. He said while the guys across the street are playing a brand new song, we are playing a hit. And I've never forgotten it.

Each morning between 5 and 5:20 I'll play all older songs that don't ever get played anymore. I played "Carlene" by Phil Vassar. I had a lady comment that she hadn't heard him in several years. I can't explain why. I mean, he had a lot of hits. But one day, somebody higher up the company food chain decided that we were no longer going to play his stuff.

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Here's my conspiracy theory on what gets played these days: I think that there are a very small group of people in Nashville who are deciding who's going to get their songs played and who isn't. I might be way off, but I don't think so.

As long as I'm conspiracy theory-ing, I'll guess that these same people are making money from who they pick.

Paul & I can play whatever we want at this point of our career. So each day I will always play a George Strait song. "The Great George Friggin' Strait" (to quote Brad Paisley).

The guy just doesn't have a bad song, in my opinion. I don't know anybody that doesn't like George Strait music.

If you DO hate Mr. Strait's music, then we can't be friends.