Corporate Owned Radio
Lately I’ve noticed how little variety there is on the radio in most cities. Typically you can find top 40′s, country, oldies, soft rock, and a classical station. What you’ll find missing is any electronic, dance, house, latin, reggae, and any number of other songs that you can find on Youtube but will never find on terrestrial radio.
The reason for much of this is that most radio stations are owned by a handful of corporations that exist to maximize profits and direct people’s attention to artists that they are actively promoting with their own recording contracts. It creates one big money-making system whereby they control what you hear, and then direct you to the artists that will make them money as well when you buy their songs. There is no room for indie bands or small subsections of music with a limited listening audience. Mass consumption and palatability are key.
This is part of the reason for the rise in popularity of satellite radio. Less commercials, more variety, and higher quality sound. Eventually terrestrial radio will have to move that way as well, but for now it continues to cling to life.