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: 25 days, up to 25-11-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 7506
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 595
Variety factor for this station is : 7.9%
50% OF PLAYS is 201 Songs (33.7% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 128 MOST played songs (21.5% of the total)
or 314 LEAST played songs (52.7% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 1d 1h
10th most played song airs every: 1d 2h 5m
128th most played song airs every: 1d 9h 20m
201st most played song airs every: 1d 13h 30m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 120 (20.1%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
1 after 16 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 611
..in 3 months: 699, in 6 months: 740
..in 9 months: 784, in 12 months: 956
Top 10 Most Played:
1= [24 plays] each for…
+ Oleta Adams – Get Here
+ Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale
+ Texas – Say What You Want
4= [23 plays] each for…
+ Curtis Stigers – You’re All That Matters To Me
+ Ed Sheeran – Perfect
+ Josh Groban – You Raise Me Up
+ Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle – A Whole New World
+ Sarah Mclachlan – Angel
+ Supertramp – Give A Little Bit
+ Vanessa Williams – Save The Best For Last
Analysis: 27 days, up to 25-11-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 9346
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 920
Variety factor for this station is : 9.8%
50% OF PLAYS is 251 Songs (27.2% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 139 MOST played songs (15.1% of the total)
or 525 LEAST played songs (57% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 12h 57m
10th most played song airs every: 19h 38m
139th most played song airs every: 1d 16h 30m
251st most played song airs every: 2d 6h
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 221 (24%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 21 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 923
..in 3 months: 938, in 6 months: 1012
..in 9 months: 1054, in 12 months: 1126
Top 11 Most Played:
1 [50 plays] Lost Beaches – Open Arms
2 [40 plays] Mt. Wolf feat. Henry Green – Baja
3 [39 plays] Maribou State – Moon Circles
4 [38 plays] Parra for Cuva feat. Beau Diako & Kyson – Ordel
5= [37 plays] each for…
+ Hermanito – Eternal Return
+ Teen Daze – Autumnal
7 [36 plays] Jonas Schilling – Rising Tide
8= [35 plays] each for…
+ ANNA & East Forest – Voyager
+ evolv – What an Interesting Creature
10= [33 plays] each for…
+ Session Victim – Unchained
+ Sundriver – The Journey
Analysis: 23 days, up to 25-11-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 8356
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 1154
Variety factor for this station is : 13.8%
50% OF PLAYS is 293 Songs (25.3% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 166 MOST played songs (14.3% of the total)
or 698 LEAST played songs (60.4% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 10h 49m
10th most played song airs every: 23h
166th most played song airs every: 1d 18h 27m
293rd most played song airs every: 2d 7h 12m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 461 (39.9%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 9 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 1292
..in 3 months: 2308, in 6 months: 3992
..in 9 months: 5380, in 12 months: 7020
Top 14 Most Played:
1 [51 plays] TSHA, Ellie Goulding & Gregory Porter – Somebody
2 [39 plays] Childish Gambino – Redbone
3 [36 plays] Kenya Grace – Strangers
4 [32 plays] Mitski – My Love Mine All Mine
5 [30 plays] flowerovlove – Next Best Exit
6= [29 plays] each for…
+ Cleo Sol – Miss Romantic
+ Tyla – Water
8 [28 plays] Olivia Rodrigo – lacy
9 [26 plays] 070 Shake – Black Dress
10= [24 plays] each for…
+ Brandy & Monica – The Boy Is Mine
+ Future – Mask Off
+ Griff – Into The Walls
+ Sam Sparro – Black & Gold
+ Tems – Me & U
Jack 3 Chill ceased Oct 2023 along with the other Jack Stations. Here is a Historic Analysis from the final month.
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 7613
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 1035
Variety factor for this station is : 13.5%
50% OF PLAYS is 273 Songs (26.3% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 154 MOST played songs (14.8% of the total)
or 606 LEAST played songs (58.5% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 22h 9m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 1h 2m
154th most played song airs every: 2d 0h
273rd most played song airs every: 2d 16h
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 422 (40.7%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 13 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 1049
..in 3 months: 1091, in 6 months: 1102
..in 9 months: 1214, in 12 months: 1339
Top 12 Most Played:
1= [26 plays] each for…
+ Kiss Me – Sixpence None The Richer
+ Save The Best For Last – Vanessa Williams
3= [25 plays] each for…
+ Always – Bon Jovi
+ To Be With You – Mr Big
5= [24 plays] each for…
+ Hazard – Richard Marx
+ Hold On – Wilson Phillips
+ Ocean Drive – Lighthouse Family
+ Sleeping Satellite – Tasmin Archer
+ You’re Still The One – Shania Twain
10= [23 plays] each for…
+ I Got You Babe – Sonny / Cher
+ My Girl – Temptations
+ Torn – Natalie Imbruglia
Analysis: 26 days, up to 25-11-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 8321
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 819
Variety factor for this station is : 9.8%
50% OF PLAYS is 223 Songs (27.2% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 137 MOST played songs (16.7% of the total)
or 495 LEAST played songs (60.4% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 19h 30m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 2h
137th most played song airs every: 1d 12h 42m
223rd most played song airs every: 1d 17h 36m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 258 (31.5%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
1 after 20 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 835
..in 3 months: 945, in 6 months: 1013
..in 9 months: 1058, in 12 months: 1181
Top 12 Most Played:
1 [32 plays] The S.O.S. Band – Just Be Good To Me
2 [28 plays] Johnny Bristol – Hang On In There Baby
3 [26 plays] Fontella Bass – Rescue Me
4= [25 plays] each for…
+ Bill Withers – Lovely Day
+ Kool and The Gang – Get Down On It
+ Mcfadden and Whitehead – Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now
+ The Contours – Do You Love Me
+ The Foundations – Build Me Up Buttercup
9= [24 plays] each for…
+ Donna Summer – Bad Girls
+ Mary Jane Girls – All Night Long
+ Shalamar – A Night To Remember
+ Shalamar – I Can Make You Feel Good
Analysis: 25 days, up to 25-11-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 8121
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 563
Variety factor for this station is : 6.9%
50% OF PLAYS is 164 Songs (29.1% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 104 MOST played songs (18.4% of the total)
or 331 LEAST played songs (58.7% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 12h 14m
10th most played song airs every: 20h 41m
104th most played song airs every: 1d 1h
164th most played song airs every: 1d 4h 34m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 173 (30.7%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 8 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 598
..in 3 months: 862, in 6 months: 1158
..in 9 months: 1447, in 12 months: 1635
Top 11 Most Played:
1 [49 plays] Guys and Dolls – Sit Down You’re Rockin The Boat
2 [32 plays] La Cage Aux Folles – I Am What I Am
3 [31 plays] Chess – Anthem
4 [30 plays] Pretty Woman – I Can’t Go Back
5= [29 plays] each for…
+ Cats – Macavity
+ Cats – Memory
+ Get Up Stand Up – No Woman No Cry
+ Heathers – Seventeen
+ Hello Dolly – Hello Dolly
+ Matilda – Revoltng Children
+ Once – Falling Slowly
Analysis: 23 days, up to 26-11-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 5733
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 255
Variety factor for this station is : 4.4%
50% OF PLAYS is 69 Songs (27% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 44 MOST played songs (17.2% of the total)
or 157 LEAST played songs (61.5% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 9h 2m
10th most played song airs every: 11h 44m
44th most played song airs every: 13h 48m
69th most played song airs every: 15h 46m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 52 (20.3%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 8 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 259
..in 3 months: 285, in 6 months: 298
Top 10 Most Played:
1 [61 plays] Dolly Parton – 9 To 5: 9 to 5
2 [53 plays] Billy Ocean – Get Outta My Dreams Get Into My Car: Striptease
3 [50 plays] Starship – Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now: Mannequin
4= [49 plays] each for…
+ Paul McCartney and Wings – Silly Love Songs: Give My Regards To Broad Street
+ Stevie Wonder – I Just Called To Say I Love You: The Woman in Red
6 [48 plays] Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out For a Hero: Footloose, The Super Mario Bros. Movie
7= [47 plays] each for…
+ Dan Hartman – I Can Dream About You: Streets of Fire
+ David Bowie – Absolute Beginners: Absolute Beginners
+ Laura Branigan – Gloria: Flashdance
+ Tears For Fears – Head Over Heels: Donnie Darko
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