Easy Listening Secondary Stations
So here’s a set of secondary stations, playing sub-genres within the main “brand”. You’ll see that about 500-600 songs seems the standard for the commercial pretty much totally automated stations, though Jack & Chill (what a great name!) is right out there with over 1100, and the newest offering, Radio 1 Relax also scores highly, being boosted by weekend apparently “handpick” shows.
Smooth Chill started mainly as a “something different” filler for DAB capacity and was used as and when required on various multiplexes that GWR/GCap/Global have had spare capacity on and/or needed to fill, though it now occupies a pretty Low-Fi slot on National D1 playing a fairly unique mix from the mainstream end of Ibiza style chilled house, ambient and lounge tracks. It has remained remarkably consistent since it started in 2005 as “Chill”, before being renamed more recently into the “Smooth” brand.
Jack 3, Mellow Magic and Magic Soul all play various combinations of the easy listening end of what you might call conventional oldies, while Magic at the Musicals does what it says on the tin. As you can see from the graph, all apart from Jack 3 very quickly run out of variety after just a couple of days, with only a very few new tracks after as little as 5 or 6 days, though even jack 3 isn’t playing anything different after 2 weeks.
Analysis: 26 days, up to 13-05-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 7396
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 569
Variety factor for this station is : 7.6%
50% OF PLAYS is 187 Songs (32.8% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 118 MOST played songs (20.7% of the total)
or 305 LEAST played songs (53.6% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 1d 0h 57m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 2h
118th most played song airs every: 1d 8h 50m
187th most played song airs every: 1d 12h 42m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 110 (19.3%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
1 after 25 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 572
..in 3 months: 648, in 6 months: 863
..in 9 months: 935, in 12 months: 956
Top 12 Most Played:
1= [25 plays] each for…
+ Alannah Myles – Black Velvet
+ Josh Groban – You Raise Me Up
+ Sarah Mclachlan – Angel
+ The Righteous Brothers – Unchained Melody
5= [24 plays] each for…
+ Aerosmith – I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
+ Berlin – Take My Breath Away
+ Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud
+ LeAnn Rimes – How Do I Live
+ Lonestar – Amazed
+ Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale
+ Tina Turner – We Don’t Need Another Hero
+ Will to Power – Baby I Love Your Way
Analysis: 27 days, up to 13-05-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 8614
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 773
Variety factor for this station is : 8.9%
50% OF PLAYS is 178 Songs (23% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 96 MOST played songs (12.4% of the total)
or 485 LEAST played songs (62.7% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 12h 27m
10th most played song airs every: 16h 12m
96th most played song airs every: 1d 8h 24m
178th most played song airs every: 1d 19h 12m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 226 (29.2%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 16 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 775
..in 3 months: 902, in 6 months: 974
..in 9 months: 1212, in 12 months: 1377
Top 12 Most Played:
1 [52 plays] Daniel Avery – Hazel and Gold
2= [43 plays] each for…
+ Funki Porcini – It’s A Long Road
+ Jonci – Valley Tales
4= [42 plays] each for…
+ Above & Beyond – Small Moments
+ Fila Brazillia – Lullaby Berkowitz
+ URBAN MYTH CLUB – Breathe
7= [41 plays] each for…
+ Alex Forster – Cicala
+ Julia Thomsen – Sea Energise (T_Mo Remix)
9= [40 plays] each for…
+ Anna & East Forest – Voyager
+ Manu Zain – Yo Soy
+ Parra for Cuva feat. Beau Diako & Kyson – Ordel
+ Sundriver – The Journey
Analysis: 26 days, up to 12-05-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 8337
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 1386
Variety factor for this station is : 16.6%
50% OF PLAYS is 303 Songs (21.8% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 168 MOST played songs (12.1% of the total)
or 883 LEAST played songs (63.7% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 17h 49m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 0h 57m
168th most played song airs every: 2d 4h
303rd most played song airs every: 2d 21h 20m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 851 (61.3%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 11 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 1462
..in 3 months: 2612, in 6 months: 4719
..in 9 months: 6793, in 12 months: 8243
Top 11 Most Played:
1 [35 plays] Libianca – People
2 [32 plays] beabadoobee – Glue Song
3= [30 plays] each for…
+ Adele – Hometown Glory
+ Stormzy – Need You (feat. Tendai & Ayra Starr)
5= [29 plays] each for…
+ JayO – 22
+ Lana Del Rey – Video Games
7= [25 plays] each for…
+ Ayra Starr – Rush
+ Little Simz – I Love You, I Hate You
+ Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy
+ The Weeknd – Die For You
+ Wizkid – Essence (feat. Tems)
Analysis: 23 days, up to 12-05-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 6925
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 1013
Variety factor for this station is : 14.6%
50% OF PLAYS is 270 Songs (26.6% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 155 MOST played songs (15.3% of the total)
or 591 LEAST played songs (58.3% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 22h 4m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 2h 17m
155th most played song airs every: 2d 2h 10m
270th most played song airs every: 2d 13h 20m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 457 (45.1%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 11 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 1030
..in 3 months: 1089, in 6 months: 1288
..in 9 months: 1295, in 12 months: 1309
Top 11 Most Played:
1= [25 plays] each for…
+ Hold On – Wilson Phillips
+ Sleeping Satellite – Tasmin Archer
+ To Be With You – Mr Big
4 [23 plays] Kiss From A Rose – Seal
5= [22 plays] each for…
+ Kiss Me – Sixpence None The Richer
+ Ocean Drive – Lighthouse Family
+ Promise Me – Beverley Craven
+ Stars – Simply Red
9= [21 plays] each for…
+ Breathe Again – Toni Braxton
+ From A Distance – Bette Midler
+ I Got You Babe – Sonny / Cher
Analysis: 25 days, up to 13-05-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 7614
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 773
Variety factor for this station is : 10.1%
50% OF PLAYS is 211 Songs (27.2% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 129 MOST played songs (16.6% of the total)
or 467 LEAST played songs (60.4% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 1d 0h
10th most played song airs every: 1d 2h 5m
129th most played song airs every: 1d 11h 17m
211th most played song airs every: 1d 18h 51m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 260 (33.6%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 18 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 790
..in 3 months: 898, in 6 months: 1035
..in 9 months: 1173, in 12 months: 1190
Top 12 Most Played:
1= [25 plays] each for…
+ Johnny Bristol – Hang On In There Baby
+ Kool and The Gang – Get Down On It
+ Mcfadden and Whitehead – Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now
+ Sylvester – You Make Me Feel
5= [24 plays] each for…
+ Detroit Emeralds – Feel The Need In Me
+ Junior Walker and The All Stars – Road Runner
+ Smokey Robinson and The Miracles – Tears Of A Clown
+ The Contours – Do You Love Me
9= [23 plays] each for…
+ Candi Staton – Young Hearts Run Free
+ Narada Michael Walden – I Shoulda Loved Ya
+ Oliver Cheatham – Get Down Saturday Night
+ The Fatback Band – I Found Lovin’
Analysis: 28 days, up to 12-05-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 8762
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 671
Variety factor for this station is : 7.6%
50% OF PLAYS is 163 Songs (24.2% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 104 MOST played songs (15.4% of the total)
or 443 LEAST played songs (66% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 19h 45m
10th most played song airs every: 21h 40m
104th most played song airs every: 1d 1h 50m
163rd most played song airs every: 1d 4h
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 290 (43.2%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
1 after 26 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 684
..in 3 months: 1000, in 6 months: 1299
..in 9 months: 1533, in 12 months: 1671
Top 12 Most Played:
1 [34 plays] La Cage Aux Folles – I Am What I Am
2 [33 plays] Once – Falling Slowly
3= [32 plays] each for…
+ Godspell – Day By Day
+ Pocahontas – Colors Of The Wind
5= [31 plays] each for…
+ A Chorus Line – One
+ Guys and Dolls – Luck Be A Lady
+ Gypsy – Everything’s Coming Up Roses
+ Irene Cara – Flashdance
+ Phantom Of The Opera – All I Ask Of You
+ Pretty Woman – I Can’t Go Back
+ The Book Of Mormon – Hello!
+ Waitress – She Used To Be Mine
Analysis: 27 days, up to 13-05-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 6781
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 266
Variety factor for this station is : 3.9%
50% OF PLAYS is 68 Songs (25.5% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 43 MOST played songs (16.1% of the total)
or 169 LEAST played songs (63.5% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 10h 37m
10th most played song airs every: 11h 34m
43rd most played song airs every: 13h 30m
68th most played song airs every: 15h 4m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 59 (22.1%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 10 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 287
Top 11 Most Played:
1 [61 plays] David Bowie – Absolute Beginners
2 [60 plays] Paul McCartney and Wings – Silly Love Songs: Give My Regards To Broad Street
3= [59 plays] each for…
+ Billy Ocean – Get Outta My Dreams Get Into My Car: Striptease
+ Laura Branigan – Gloria: Flashdance
5 [58 plays] Elvis Presley – Suspicious Minds: Lilo & Stich
6= [57 plays] each for…
+ Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out For a Hero: Footloose
+ Stevie Wonder – I Just Called To Say I Love You: The Woman in Red
8= [56 plays] each for…
+ Bette Midler – Wind Beneath My Wings: Beaches
+ Culture Club – Do You Really Want To Hurt Me: Electric Dreams
+ Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten: The Sisterhood of The Travelling Pants
+ Starship – Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now: Mannequin
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