Is Radio Still the Primary Source for Listening to (New) Songs?

"Dad, turn on the radio!" My daughter Euna, never wants to miss the morning vibe of Rio's morning hangout on Radio Prambors Jakarta. Almost every morning, while driving her to school, it reminds me of my own memories of being accompanied by Ida Arimurti and Krisna Purwana, in their heyday. My introduction to the radio began when I was in elementary school, and it wasn't music that first grabbed my interest. Back in the day, on Radio Prambors Jakarta, there was a radio drama called "Catatan Si Boy". That's when I started to enjoy listening to the radio. As I moved into my teenage years, the "Morning Show" with Ida Arimurti and Krisna Purwana never failed to accompany me to school, from their funny jokes to the songs that became the airplay of that era. I became even more 'intense' in listening to songs on Radio Prambors, especially when there was a quiz called "Dan Gan Sensation" Just by guessing snippets of several songs, we could win a Mitsubishi Dan Gan car. It was something really 'wow' at that time (and still is luxurious now. Strangely, why are these kinds of quizzes no longer available? Now I am ready if there are quizzes like that, with all audio/song recognition apps like Shazam and Spotify. Come on, bring them back! I'm starting to insist...hahaha).

Besides that, there was a time when I listened to SK radio, because of the "Opor Ayam" show by Bagito (Miing, Unang, Didin) and Hai Rock, where Nugie was the host. After reading Hai Magazine, looking at the Hai Rock chart, I'd immediately tune into the show. The next day I would meet up with my junior high school friends to look for the cassette.

Anyway, back then there was no place other than radio to listen to the latest international and Indonesian hits. After hearing the TOP 40 chart, I would go straight to Duta Suara, on Sabang street to look for songs that I liked. There, you could see photocopies of charts from Jakarta radios. For albums that have already been released, they are usually marked with 'highlighter'. I usually buy an album even if there's only one hit I like. As a note, in the 90s, mix tapes were something that were often sold, exchanged and even often presented as gifts for girlfriends or crushes. It was not uncommon for many mixtape-making services to be available. I subscribed to a service in Pasar Ampera, Kampung Ambon area, East Jakarta, Zip Code 13210. (<--- the habit of writing postcards, for quizzes in Bobo and Donald Duck magazines, even though I've never won once).

At that time, not many people had a double deck tape, which could record one cassette, to another. As a result, I tried hard to record songs that I liked from my room's compo, recorded on my dad's tape deck in the living room. With just one C-90 cassette, we could get 1.5 hours of non-stop hits playing, only songs that we like and want to listen to. Sometimes the content is not only songs from the albums that I own, but also includes my "pirated" new hits that I like from the radio. At that time, I was always annoyed when the announcer 'talked' before the song was over. Until finally I broadcast.

As time passed, I moved to Bandung. There was no radio in Bandung that I had ever heard, I didn't know which radio I liked, which music was right for me, especially since I had never heard any of the announcers. I tried the frequency that I was familiar with when I was in Jakarta. Voila, I heard the voices of the late Nuke Wulandari and Zulfan Firdaus with their fresh jokes on Rase FM. The songs were not as young as on the radio that has the same wave in Jakarta, but the young spirit (Yes, at that time I was sure they were still young :) ) of these two announcers made me 'stay-tune' on that radio, listening to 'Classic hits' in the Adult Contemporary category. Even though I now know, in demographic terms their target audience is indeed 20 - 39 years old.

My young blood was stirring :) , so I was looking for a radio that was more suitable for my age, because I still wanted to 'keep up' with the new songs that were hitting, just like what my friends in Jakarta were listening to. Echoing at that time was the era of Killing Me Softly-Fugees, Wannabe - Spice Girls, Dance Into The Light - Phil Collins, Quit Playing Games - Backstreet Boys, Lemon Tree - Fool's Garden and the most hit at that time was Oasis with Wonderwall and Don't Look Back In Anger. There were 2 radios where I could find these songs, 103 FM Oz Radio and 105.8 Ardan Hi-Tech FM. Yes, the two young Bandung radios that were "battling" at that time.

Interestingly, there were also many songs that I couldn't listen to in Jakarta, but on Ardan or Oz, I could listen to. And my question was, "How can these radios get new songs? They're not behind Jakarta."

We will never know how salty the sea is if we haven't 'jumped in'. So, I 'jumped in', PLUNGE! The beach where I started my journey navigating the song ocean in 1996 was the Hangout for Young People at 105.8 Ardan Hi-Tech FM. This is where I tried to dissect the 'Black Box' of song material collection to its broadcast. In the organizational structure of the radio, the person most responsible for this is the 'music director', often abbreviated as MD.

MD is the key master of every song played on the radio. Songs are played based on the broadcast time program and other needs. And the song is also a "Powerfuleapon" to attract diverse listeners, of which many listeners like me always want to update their song knowledge with new songs. Where each radio competes to get material before other radios. And it turns out that song exclusivity is one measure of a radio MD's success.

For radios that are formatted as Top 40 Radio (Hits Player or Hits Maker), the need for local and international songs is 'supplied' by Record Labels. The radio and record label are inseparable partners; the music director needs to update his library and the record label promotes its merchandise. However, this scheme hasn't answered my previous question, "How can these radios get new songs? They're not losing to Jakarta."

It turns out, some radios during the 'dollar' era when it was still 2000s, not only expected the delivery of international song materials from record labels based in Jakarta. Some radios, including Ardan, subscribe to 'promotional' song compilations directly from America. Call them HitDisc, RadioExpress and others, which are sent every month, so that these radios always have new song materials, hits that are being promoted in America and Europe, which have not been 'serviced' by the representation of international labels in Indonesia. Thus, the listeners of these radios are pampered with songs that they can only listen to on that radio. According to information, there is only one youth radio left in Indonesia that still subscribes to HitDisc.

In 1997, the Indonesian recording industry entered a new era, where 'international record labels' began to stand alone and produce recordings of local artists. They are called the 5 Majors Sony Music Entertainment Indonesia, Warner Music Indonesia, EMI Indonesia, Polygram, BMG Entertainment. They are the ones who distribute many foreign artists to Indonesia and at that time they started to produce Indonesian artists. Like their international artists, the promo 'treatment' of local artists is increasingly considered. It can even be said that Indonesian Pop music entered a golden age after they entered Indonesia. This is also inseparable from the role of radio which increasingly provides a special place for Indonesian songs. The rating of special programs to request Indonesian language songs has become one of SRI's primadonas in those years.

Indonesian songs or foreign songs are one of the radio's attractions to listen to. There are several other attractions that synergize with the music being played. Broadcasters, commercial information, actual information, Road Info, quizzes that promise prizes or even just the opportunity to interact so that their voices are broadcast even via telephone, and others. The radio can form a spiritual bond with its listeners through the "potions" of the program it presents, so that the radio can "bewitch" its listeners to 'stay tune' or even do other things that it informs.

The song is part of that "potion". In providing context, the role of the song is very important. The song opens the listener's emotional knots so that the "potion" is effective, leading to the message that wants to be conveyed (whether personal or commercial) to the expected behavior. This effect can also 'impact' the song. The song is further enriched by the context of its use by the broadcasters who play it, so that listeners who originally just passed by listening to the song can associate a context with the song they listen to when presented in a radio program.

Radio and music will always synergize.

Up to this point, we have discussed at length the relationship between radio and music, and how radio becomes a playground and gets new songs in the era before digital. But, we also know that technology never stops developing. Entering the digital era, the radio world and the music industry face new challenges. Currently, there are many digital platforms that allow us to listen to new songs, such as Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and others. Not just new songs, even old songs we can listen to anytime and anywhere, without having to wait to be played on the radio.

So the question arises, "Is the radio still the main source of listening to songs?"

I will try to answer it through an analysis of some important aspects of the use of radio and digital platforms.

Personalization: Digital platforms like Spotify and Apple Music allow us to create our own playlists, listen to our favorite songs repeatedly, and even discover new songs based on their algorithm recommendations. Thus, we can get a very personal music listening experience tailored to our tastes. However, the radio has its own uniqueness where we can listen to songs chosen by the music director or DJ, and often they play songs that we might not find ourselves.

Interaction: Interaction is one of the main advantages of radio. We can interact with DJs or broadcasters, request songs, or even participate in quizzes and other events. This is an experience we can't get from digital platforms.

Information and News: In addition to music, the radio also provides various information and news. This is another advantage of radio that cannot be matched by digital platforms.

Accessibility: In this regard, the radio has the upper hand. The radio can be accessed by everyone, anywhere, without requiring an internet connection. Meanwhile, to access digital platforms, we need devices such as smartphones or computers and an internet connection.

So, is the radio still the main source of listening to songs? The answer is certainly very subjective and depends on the preferences of each individual. For some people, the radio is still the main source of listening to songs for various reasons such as interaction, information, and accessibility. For others, digital platforms might be preferred because of personalization and ease of access.

One thing is certain: radio and digital platforms are not exclusive entities. Instead, they can complement each other and create a richer music listening experience. Maybe we can listen to the radio while on the move or at work, and then switch to digital platforms when we want to listen to our favorite songs or find new songs.

So, even though various digital platforms are rapidly growing, radio still has its own place in the music world. And we, as listeners, can get the best of both worlds.

The digital revolution that began at the end of the 20th century has brought about massive changes in how people listen to music. The emergence of MP3s in the 1990s, and subsequently streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer have transformed the music landscape. Through these services, consumers have instant access to millions of songs from various eras and genres, and they can create their own playlists based on their personal preferences. Thus, the question that arises is: "Is the radio still the primary source of listening to songs?"

Of course, the relevance of radio in delivering music depends on the context. In many cases, the radio remains the primary source of music, especially in areas where internet connectivity is still limited. On the other hand, for many young and urban people, streaming has taken over as the main source of music.

However, the fact that radio still plays an important role in the music world cannot be denied. For example, many local radio stations have special programs to promote local and indie musicians. In addition, radio remains a popular medium for music discussions and interviews with musicians.

The role of radio is also crucial in building a listener community. A radio station is often more than just a place to listen to music - it's also a place where listeners can feel connected to each other and their city or region. This is something that streaming services, which focus more on individual listening experiences, cannot offer.

But, to maintain relevance in the digital age, radio must continue to adapt and evolve. This might mean integrating new technologies, such as mobile apps and social media platforms, into their operations. For example, many radio stations now offer live streaming services and podcasts, which allow listeners to listen to their favorite shows anytime and anywhere.

Radio also needs to consider how they embrace and interact with their listeners. This may mean using social media to communicate directly with listeners, or creating events and promotions that directly involve listeners.

Finally, radio must continue to be a relevant platform for musicians. Even though streaming services give artists direct access to their fans, radio still gives artists a platform to promote their music to a wider audience and can serve as a bridge between artists and their fans.

So, the answer is yes, radio is still the main source of listening to music for many people. But like all media, radio must continue to adapt and evolve to remain relevant in the digital age.

Indeed, the challenges of this digital age are not only directed at the music industry, but also at the long-established radio industry. Therefore, here are some tips that radio can take to survive and remain relevant:

Becoming Community-Based Media: In this digital age, radio must change from being mass media to community-based media. This means that radio must understand and target their audience more specifically and deeply. For example, radio stations might choose to focus on a particular music genre, or target specific demographic groups, and create content that aligns with their target audience. This will help radio stations build stronger and more meaningful relationships with their listeners.

Adapting to Technology: Radio also needs to take advantage of available digital technology. For example, they can create mobile apps that allow listeners to listen to the radio online, or use social media to interact with their listeners. Radio can also use digital technology to gather data about their listeners and use this data to improve their content and services.

Interesting Content: The content broadcasted by radio must be interesting and relevant to the lives of the listeners. This might involve discussing local issues, providing valuable information, or playing songs liked by the listener community.

Collaboration with Local Musicians: Radio can also collaborate with local or indie musicians. This will not only help these musicians gain more exposure, but it will also help the radio show their support for the local music community and build relationships with listeners.

Interactive: Interaction with listeners remains a crucial element that radio can offer. Through direct interaction, like song requests or quizzes, radio can add value to their services and strengthen their relationship with listeners.

Education: Radio can be a good source of education for listeners. For example, radio can host segments where they discuss interesting or important topics, or provide information about music and art.

By utilizing technology, targeting and understanding their listeners, and continuing to provide relevant and interesting content, radio has the opportunity to remain relevant and valuable to listeners in this digital age. Thus, even if it appears in a different form, radio can still maintain its essence as a communication medium that connects people through music and other content.

In conclusion, I would like to quote the words of a legendary radio broadcaster, Wolfman Jack: "We don't sell music. We sell companionship." In this digital age, radio remains a companion to us all, accompanying our days with music, news, and entertainment.

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