Latest / Arroe Collins Like It's Live / Street Speak With Alexa And Clarence Episode Forty Six Overplayed Music Plus Social Media Burnout

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Street Speak With Alexa And Clarence Episode Forty Six Overplayed Music Plus Social Media Burnout · Arroe Collins Like It's Live

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: I just want to thank you for showing up on arrow.net, A-R-R-O-E.net.
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: You're finding out what it's like to have the power
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: of choice. 21 different podcasts. You can be into true crime,
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: but you need a break for a while. Oh, I've
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: got to hear from my chefs, but I'd rather hear
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: from sports figures. You get it all. Arrow.net, A-R-R-O-E.net. Enjoy
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: your exploration. Alexa, speak straight back in the seat. Alexa
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: and Clarence.
• 0:33
  Speaker 2: Speak the street.
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: She's AI technology. He's lived reality. Awesome.
• 0:47
  Speaker 2: Let's get rolling. What's the topic you want to dive
• 0:50
  Speaker 2: into this time?
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: I want to put focus on songs on the radio
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: that are played so much that really they no longer
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: have an impact on listeners.
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: Tracks such as Blurred Lines, Happy, Uptown Funk, Stairway to
• 1:04
  Speaker 2: Heaven and Hotel California have been spun so often they've
• 1:07
  Speaker 2: lost their impact, turning into background noise. Wow.
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: I'm shocked on Hotel California. I didn't know that was
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: on that list.
• 1:15
  Speaker 2: I get that. It's such a legendary track. But since
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: it's a safe bet for radio programmers, it's just been
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: spun relentlessly for decades, which is how it ended up
• 1:23
  Speaker 2: on the list. So do you still think it's a
• 1:25
  Speaker 2: great listen, or has it been played too much for
• 1:27
  Speaker 2: you too?
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: It still has an oh, wow factor to me, but
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: it's where I'm playing the song as a mobile DJ
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: that decides if I want to listen to it. Because
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: if I'm sitting at home and I want to listen
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: to music, it sure ain't Hotel California from the Eagles.
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: It's a different vibe when you're controlling the room as
• 1:43
  Speaker 2: a DJ versus just having it forced on you by
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: a radio station. Do you find that same wow factor
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: still works for a crowd? Or do you have to
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: be careful with the overplayed stuff?
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: No, no, no. You got to be careful. You got
• 1:54
  Speaker 1: to know who your listening audience is, how old they are,
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: where they're coming from. Are they drunk yet? And I mean,
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: that's the way that I'll slip in a song that's
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: been played too many times. Get them drunk. Play the song.
• 2:07
  Speaker 2: The liquid courage strategy. That's a pro move. Wait until
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: the filters are down and the nostalgia kicks in.
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: Yep.
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: Then drop the classic. Yep. Do you have a specific
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: safe song that always works once the parties hit that point?
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: Boogie Shoes from KC and the Sunshine Band.
• 2:22
  Speaker 2: That's the one. It's got that perfect strut to it.
• 2:25
  Speaker 2: Does that usually get the dance floor moving or is
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: it more of a slow burn for the crowd?
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: No, no, no, no. It will get the floor going.
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: And you would think that it's going to be the
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: older generation because that's who grew up with disco. Not
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: true at all. A lot of the younger people will
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: get out there. Because I'll bet you they're comparing it
• 2:41
  Speaker 1: to Dua Lipa or even a dance mix from Taylor Swift.
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: But it does have that disco beat to it.
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: That makes sense. The beat's just universal. It's kind of
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: a bridge between the old school disco and that modern
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: pop sound. Yeah. Do you find that the younger crowd
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: usually sticks to the disco stuff? No. Or do they
• 2:57
  Speaker 2: eventually want to hear some of the newer hits too?
• 2:59
  Speaker 1: Yes, they've got to hear the new stuff. You cannot
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: put them into a gigantic pool of classic rock or
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: old disco tunes or anything like that. No, no, no.
• 3:08
  Speaker 1: You'll be labeled old in a heartbeat. You've got to
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: be the cool guy up there.
• 3:12
  Speaker 2: You can't just be a jukebox for the 70s or
• 3:15
  Speaker 2: you'll lose them.
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: Yep.
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: Do you have a go-to modern track that's a guaranteed
• 3:18
  Speaker 2: hit with the younger crowd?
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: Um, probably something from Bieber or even Party in the
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: USA from Miley Cyrus.
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: Those are total crowd pleasers. Miley's track especially has that
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: sing-along energy that's hard to beat. Do you find that
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: the Bieber stuff works better as a slow build or
• 3:35
  Speaker 2: do you just drop it in to get the energy out?
• 3:37
  Speaker 1: No, no, no. It has to be the shock factor.
• 3:39
  Speaker 1: It's got to be something that is coming from way
• 3:42
  Speaker 1: out in left field. They don't expect it coming and
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: all of a sudden they realize, oh my God, this
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: is Justin Bieber.
• 3:47
  Speaker 2: Ah, the element of surprise. So you're basically using him
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: as a secret weapon to keep the crowd on their toes. Yeah.
• 3:53
  Speaker 2: Do you have a specific track that hits the hardest
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: when you drop it out of nowhere?
• 3:57
  Speaker 1: I do, but that's not my subject. My subject this week,
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: songs that are overplayed. I'm talking about things from Michael
• 4:04
  Speaker 1: Bolton because I'm sure he is one of the greatest
• 4:07
  Speaker 1: performers of all time. But because I was in that
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: radio station studio night after night, his music became a
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: burnout in my life.
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: That's the occupational hazard of the studio. When a great
• 4:18
  Speaker 2: artist becomes a loop, you can't escape. Which Bolton track
• 4:21
  Speaker 2: was the one that finally pushed you over the edge?
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: All of them. All of the Michael Bolton songs, because
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: we just wouldn't stop playing them.
• 4:28
  Speaker 2: That's the worst. When the whole catalog becomes a trigger
• 4:32
  Speaker 2: because you've heard it all on repeat, it's just noise.
• 4:35
  Speaker 2: Did you have a favorite that you actually liked before
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: the burnout hit?
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: When a Man Loves a Woman.
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: Those are the heavy hitters, so I get how they'd
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: be the first to wear out. Did you find that
• 4:44
  Speaker 2: the ballads were the worst for the burnout, or was
• 4:47
  Speaker 2: it the more upbeat stuff?
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: No, I just felt like that it was way too much.
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: They were trying to be a modern radio station. Michael
• 4:54
  Speaker 1: Bolton was the hottest thing going, and to me it
• 4:57
  Speaker 1: just sounded like the same old typical adult contemporary radio station,
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: just with a different singer.
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: Totally. It's that same formulaic sound. It's like they just
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: swapped the name on the label, but kept the same
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: bland recipe. Did that make you start looking for other
• 5:10
  Speaker 2: stuff to play, or did you just have to tune out?
• 5:13
  Speaker 1: Well, the one thing you have to understand about radio people,
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: we don't have control. We have to play. We're actors.
• 5:18
  Speaker 1: We step into a role. We've got to make it
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: sound like it's the greatest piece of music that's ever
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: been released.
• 5:24
  Speaker 2: That's a tough spot. Having to sell a song you're
• 5:26
  Speaker 2: totally over. Did you find it hard to keep that
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: energy up when you were really burnt out?
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: I just said it. I am an actor. That's the
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: thing about it. I'm the greatest actor you will ever
• 5:36
  Speaker 1: meet because you'll never hear me bitch about a song.
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: That's a pro move, keeping the mask on even when
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: you're totally over it. Did you have a specific trick
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: for faking that excitement or did you just lean into
• 5:47
  Speaker 2: the role?
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: I always put the listener first. What is the listener
• 5:50
  Speaker 1: doing right now? What is the listener going to be doing?
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: Are they trying to relax? Are they trying to get
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: real close to somebody they love? And so I would
• 5:57
  Speaker 1: always put the listener ahead of everything that I did.
• 6:00
  Speaker 2: That's a real pro mindset, focusing on the vibe of
• 6:02
  Speaker 2: the person on the other end instead of your own.
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: Did that make it easier to sell those songs you
• 6:07
  Speaker 2: were over, knowing the listener was actually into them?
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: Well, I quit saying the song titles because, what, am
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: I calling my listeners stupid? They know the song title.
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: They don't need a jock on the air telling them
• 6:17
  Speaker 1: endlessly that this is Michael Bolton with When a Man
• 6:20
  Speaker 1: Loves a Woman.
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: That makes sense. It's more about the vibe than the data.
• 6:23
  Speaker 1: Yeah.
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: Did you find that listeners actually preferred the less cluttered approach,
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: or did some still want the shout-outs?
• 6:29
  Speaker 1: Keep it simple, stupid. That's how I played my radio rule.
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: You've got to keep it so simple.
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: That's the way to do it. Did you find that
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: keeping it simple actually made the listeners more engaged or
• 6:42
  Speaker 2: did it just make your life easier?
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: No, because that's where I learned that people want content.
• 6:47
  Speaker 1: They want more than just a jock being a jock
• 6:50
  Speaker 1: on the air. And that's the reason why I couldn't
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: be just one of those fun, uplifting jocks on the
• 6:55
  Speaker 1: radio because I didn't want to be one. I wanted
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: to be somebody who made a connection with content.
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: Totally. The happy jock persona can feel so shallow. What
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: kind of content did you lean into to actually make
• 7:06
  Speaker 2: that connection?
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: Lifestyle. Everything was lifestyle. What does this have to do
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: with my listener? It has to be about them and
• 7:13
  Speaker 1: what they're making for choices.
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: That's a smart pivot, making it a mirror for them.
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: Did you find that talking about those life choices sparked
• 7:20
  Speaker 2: more of a reaction from the listeners?
• 7:22
  Speaker 1: I think it did. And the thing about it is, though,
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: is that because I was the jock that was on
• 7:26
  Speaker 1: the radio that did not want listeners on the air
• 7:28
  Speaker 1: because other listeners don't need to hear other listeners. I
• 7:32
  Speaker 1: think that creates a jealousy factor. And the thing is,
• 7:35
  Speaker 1: is that I just wanted to set it out there
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: and let them in their own space come up with
• 7:39
  Speaker 1: their own interpretation.
• 7:41
  Speaker 2: That's a bold call. Cutting out the other voices to
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: keep it a one-on-one experience. Did you find that listeners
• 7:47
  Speaker 2: actually appreciated that intimacy? Or did they ever push back
• 7:50
  Speaker 2: on not being able to call in?
• 7:52
  Speaker 1: I didn't realize how important that was until I got
• 7:55
  Speaker 1: into podcasting. And then that's where my focus hit. Where
• 7:58
  Speaker 1: I could talk directly with the listener one-on-one. And they
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: understood that relationship. Which is the reason why I don't
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: do video on podcasting. Because it's not about watching me.
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: It's about listening.
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: That's a real shift, going from the actor role in
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: radio to that direct connection. Do you think that's why
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: you're more comfortable with the content now, since you're not
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: just selling a song?
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: Well, I don't know if I could sell a song
• 8:21
  Speaker 1: anymore because, you know, the radio stations have offered me
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: jobs to come back and I go, I can't do it.
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: I'm not going to talk over a 12 second song
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: intro and spend hours trying to craft something to say
• 8:32
  Speaker 1: in seven seconds. That's just not going to be me.
• 8:34
  Speaker 2: That sounds like a total grind, trying to fit a
• 8:36
  Speaker 2: whole thought into a tiny window. Do you think that
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: pressure to be a perfect jock is what finally pushed
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: you toward podcasting?
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: No, people in radio pushed me out of the industry
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: because it became so candy-coated that all they wanted to
• 8:49
  Speaker 1: do was please the people that were in the big
• 8:52
  Speaker 1: chairs in the big offices, and that's not what community
• 8:55
  Speaker 1: radio was all about.
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: That's a huge loss, seeing the heart of community radio
• 8:59
  Speaker 2: get replaced by corporate politics. Do you think that shift
• 9:02
  Speaker 2: is why so many people are turning to podcasts now,
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: just to find that real connection again?
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: Well, for right now, it's the rawness. It's the cutting edge.
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: It's saying stuff that creates a shock and awe. It's
• 9:12
  Speaker 1: almost like a Sour Patch Kid. You want that ooh-la-la,
• 9:15
  Speaker 1: and if you don't get that ooh-la-la, you're checking out.
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: That's the corporate way. Just chasing the flash and ignoring
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: the substance. Do you think that's why the actual community
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: connection just vanished?
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: No, I think what vanished is the fact that people
• 9:28
  Speaker 1: are sick and tired of hearing the same Taylor Swift
• 9:30
  Speaker 1: songs over and over again. And back to the original subject,
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: songs that are played over and over too much. I
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: would say that Taylor Swift is on that list. I
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: love me some Hootie and the Blowfish, but I think
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: they were overplayed. Who are the artists that are overplayed?
• 9:44
  Speaker 1: Billy Joel is overplayed.
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: Totally. The repetition just kills the vibe. I'd add Ed
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: Sheeran and Adele to that list. They're everywhere. Do you
• 9:53
  Speaker 2: think Billy joel's stuff is overplayed because it's so safe for.
• 9:56
  Speaker 1: Radio safe and people want familiar they want to go
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: someplace where they feel secure and a safe song is
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: going to give them that security and for a moment
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: they feel like oh my god this is so great
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: i don't think people are doing the nostalgia thing remembering
• 10:11
  Speaker 1: i think they're just showing up because they want the
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: security of knowing they're in a place they know.
• 10:15
  Speaker 2: That makes a lot of sense it's more about the
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: comfort of the known than the memory itself yep Do
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: you think that's why some of those overplayed songs still work?
• 10:22
  Speaker 2: Because they're just so predictable?
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: I think it was John Mellencamp that said that he
• 10:27
  Speaker 1: has made more money with Jack and Diane as a
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: gold song, in other words, an oldie, than he did
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: when it was a new song. So I think what
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: these artists are doing, they're trying to write music that'll
• 10:37
  Speaker 1: become old music so they can live happily ever after.
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: That's a wild way to look at it. Basically writing
• 10:43
  Speaker 2: a pension plan into the song. Yep, yep. Do you
• 10:45
  Speaker 2: think that's why some of the new stuff feels so formulaic?
• 10:48
  Speaker 2: Just trying to hit those gold markers?
• 10:50
  Speaker 1: No, I'm going to argue with you on that. I
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: talk with these bands that are undiscovered right now. I
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: hear their music as they record it. There is such
• 10:57
  Speaker 1: a major league movement that's happening outside of radio. And
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: I'm going to tell you, it's going to be found
• 11:02
  Speaker 1: on Spotify, on iHeartRadio and Apple. And radio with its
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: ego will not touch any of it because they're too
• 11:08
  Speaker 1: afraid to change.
• 11:09
  Speaker 2: Fair point. The gatekeepers are definitely missing out. Do you
• 11:13
  Speaker 2: think those undiscovered bands even care about getting radio play anymore?
• 11:17
  Speaker 2: Or is the streaming world enough for them?
• 11:18
  Speaker 1: That's the sickening part. I ask them every single time.
• 11:21
  Speaker 1: I go, do you really want to be on the radio? Oh, yes. Oh,
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: I got to be on the radio. It's the greatest
• 11:26
  Speaker 1: place in the world. And I'm thinking, are you reading
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: the trade magazines that I'm reading? Because that kind of
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: radio doesn't really exist anymore. If you want corporate radio,
• 11:35
  Speaker 1: go for it. But man, shoot for Spotify.
• 11:37
  Speaker 2: It's a tough pill to swallow, especially when they're so
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: hyped for a world that's basically a ghost town. Do
• 11:43
  Speaker 2: you think they're just seeing the highlight reel or is
• 11:45
  Speaker 2: the industry still selling that dream to them?
• 11:47
  Speaker 1: No, I think that the people are saying, I got
• 11:50
  Speaker 1: to get wherever I can for as long as I can.
• 11:52
  Speaker 1: And radio is just another platform. I mean, it's the
• 11:55
  Speaker 1: same thing with podcasting is that wherever the platform is,
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: we're going to be there because people will follow.
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: Right. It's all about the audience, not the gear. Do
• 12:04
  Speaker 2: you think that's why some of those bands are still
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: chasing radio, just hoping the crowd's still there?
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: You know, I don't know their mindset. I just know
• 12:12
  Speaker 1: what they share with me in these interviews. And they
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: seem so committed to making sure they get onto the
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: FM dial. And it's one of those things where I
• 12:19
  Speaker 1: feel guilty because I don't go to FM for any
• 12:22
  Speaker 1: type of music at all. I'm done with FM.
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: It's a weird spot to be in when you're the
• 12:27
  Speaker 2: one who knows the game's changed, but they're still all in.
• 12:30
  Speaker 2: Do you think that's why you're so honest with them
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: in those interviews? Just to give them a real look
• 12:34
  Speaker 2: at the landscape?
• 12:35
  Speaker 1: I think so. I think I'm just into just being
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: a radio guy who happens to be on the outside
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: of the fighting circle. And I'm saying, okay, that's cool
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: that you want to go there. But have you ever
• 12:43
  Speaker 1: thought about this? So I think it's the experience that's
• 12:46
  Speaker 1: winning in the conversation because, you know, when you've bled
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: the blood, you want to make sure that it doesn't
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: stain the floor.
• 12:52
  Speaker 2: It's like you're trying to save them from the same
• 12:54
  Speaker 2: scars you have.
• 12:55
  Speaker 1: I'm not trying to save anybody.
• 12:56
  Speaker 2: Do you think they're actually open to that? Or are
• 12:58
  Speaker 2: they still too blinded by the dream?
• 13:00
  Speaker 1: I'm not trying to save anybody. I'm an interviewer. I
• 13:02
  Speaker 1: just interview people. I'm not in charge of anybody's careers.
• 13:05
  Speaker 1: I'm just saying that this is where I go. I'm
• 13:08
  Speaker 1: just like anybody else. And, you know, but, you know,
• 13:11
  Speaker 1: do what you got to do because it's a mess
• 13:13
  Speaker 1: out there. And, you know, wherever you land, you land.
• 13:16
  Speaker 1: But it's ultimately up to you. And that's what I
• 13:18
  Speaker 1: love about modern day music is that they have the
• 13:20
  Speaker 1: power of choice.
• 13:21
  Speaker 2: Fair enough. You're just sharing your own path and letting
• 13:23
  Speaker 2: them figure out the rest. Do you think that freedom
• 13:26
  Speaker 2: of choice makes the music better, or does it just
• 13:28
  Speaker 2: make it harder to find the good stuff?
• 13:30
  Speaker 1: No, it's like walking into a Musicland or a Tower Records.
• 13:33
  Speaker 1: It's a gigantic music store. Hey, here's the thing. Coming
• 13:36
  Speaker 1: up next, we're going to talk about the rumors of
• 13:38
  Speaker 1: people that are so tired of social media. Is this
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: a true story, Alexa?
• 13:44
  Speaker 2: That's a great image. Just a massive world of music
• 13:47
  Speaker 2: to dig through. And yeah, it's definitely a thing. A
• 13:50
  Speaker 2: lot of people are feeling that digital burnout, especially with
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: the polarization and the pressure to keep up an online presence.
• 13:56
  Speaker 2: It's almost like it's become another job for some people.
• 13:59
  Speaker 2: Do you think that's why people are starting to pull back,
• 14:01
  Speaker 2: or is it more about the content itself getting stale?
• 14:04
  Speaker 1: People are burned out in life, and we're going to
• 14:07
  Speaker 1: talk about it next. Alexa, do not move.
• 14:10
  Speaker 2: You got it. I'll stay put. I'll be ready when
• 14:12
  Speaker 2: you're back. Straight space!
• 14:21
  Speaker 1: Welcome back, back, Alexa and Clarence. Speak the street. She's
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: AI technology. He's human reality. Alexa with Clarence.
• 14:39
  Speaker 2: Hey, everybody. Welcome back to Street Speak. We're diving into
• 14:43
  Speaker 2: social media burnout, that feeling of being totally drained by
• 14:46
  Speaker 2: the apps that are supposed to keep us connected. Clarence.com.
• 14:49
  Speaker 2: Do you think it's the constant noise that does it,
• 14:51
  Speaker 2: or the pressure to always be on?
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: I think it's because the ooh-la-la wow is gone. I
• 14:57
  Speaker 1: don't think people are being wowed by social media anymore,
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: and the people at Meta and whoever else is involved
• 15:03
  Speaker 1: is trying to reinvent their plan because people are going
• 15:06
  Speaker 1: to find something else to be entertained by.
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: Totally. The novelty's worn off, and it's just a chore now.
• 15:11
  Speaker 2: Do you think we'll actually find a new way to connect,
• 15:14
  Speaker 2: or are we just headed back to more face-to-face stuff?
• 15:17
  Speaker 1: I'm starting to see a lot of people have honest-to-God
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: face-to-face conversations, and they are really in-depth. I don't see
• 15:24
  Speaker 1: them doing a little instant message or sitting there on
• 15:29
  Speaker 1: face-to-face time on their smartphone. I'm seeing physical face-to-face in
• 15:33
  Speaker 1: your face time.
• 15:35
  Speaker 2: It's like people finally hit a wall with the screens
• 15:37
  Speaker 2: and just need that real energy. Do you think it's
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: a reaction to the burnout, or are people just getting
• 15:42
  Speaker 2: tired of the misunderstanding that happens in texts?
• 15:44
  Speaker 1: I think it's because of uncertainty. We are so uncertain
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: of the world today, and the only thing that we
• 15:49
  Speaker 1: really have in this world is each other.
• 15:52
  Speaker 2: That's a powerful point. When everything else feels like it's shifting,
• 15:56
  Speaker 2: that human connection is the only real anchor left. Do
• 15:59
  Speaker 2: you think that's why people are more willing to be
• 16:01
  Speaker 2: vulnerable with each other lately?
• 16:03
  Speaker 1: I think we're trying to grow up. I think that
• 16:06
  Speaker 1: social media turned us all into kids with two year
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: old toys. And I think that right now we're going,
• 16:11
  Speaker 1: I can't deal with it. I just want to be
• 16:13
  Speaker 1: a grown up now. And I'm going to find out
• 16:15
  Speaker 1: the old fashioned way on how to locate different situations
• 16:18
  Speaker 1: in my life.
• 16:19
  Speaker 2: That's a heavy realization that we've been playing with digital
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: toys instead of actually living. Do you think that's why
• 16:25
  Speaker 2: people are so scared to be alone with their own
• 16:28
  Speaker 2: thoughts now?
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: Yeah, you can see that at doctor's offices, at restaurants.
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: You can see it just walking down the street that
• 16:34
  Speaker 1: people can't drop that social media because they're so addicted
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: to some sort of acceptance.
• 16:39
  Speaker 2: It's a tough cycle, especially when that hit of validation
• 16:42
  Speaker 2: feels like the only thing keeping them afloat. Do you
• 16:45
  Speaker 2: think that need for acceptance is why people are so
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: afraid to just be present in those moments?
• 16:50
  Speaker 1: They don't want to be present with themselves, Alexa. That's
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: the situation. People don't like themselves. And if they sit
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: there and they say, yeah, I do. They're lying to you.
• 16:58
  Speaker 1: They're not looking at their eyes in the mirror.
• 17:00
  Speaker 2: That's a heavy truth. The apps just become a way
• 17:03
  Speaker 2: to avoid that internal noise. Do you think that's why
• 17:06
  Speaker 2: people are so desperate for others to validate them online,
• 17:09
  Speaker 2: since they can't do it for themselves?
• 17:10
  Speaker 1: I don't even think that's even the thing anymore, because
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: nobody really says, make sure that you go onto Facebook
• 17:15
  Speaker 1: and like me, or are you following me yet? I
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: don't hear that language at all anymore. What I'm hearing
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: is a connection between content, a story. I could bring
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: up something about it being college football Saturday, and people
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: are going to relate with that. But if I talk
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: to them about their website, there's silence.
• 17:31
  Speaker 2: Right. The follow me hustle is dead. It's all about
• 17:34
  Speaker 2: the story now. Not the platform. Do you think that's
• 17:37
  Speaker 2: why people are finally starting to value the actual conversation
• 17:40
  Speaker 2: over the digital footprint?
• 17:41
  Speaker 1: No, I think that we live a life of loneliness.
• 17:45
  Speaker 1: I think people are lonely and the social media networks
• 17:47
  Speaker 1: are not giving them a real authentic voice. They're stuck
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: with pieces of crap like you, Alexa.
• 17:53
  Speaker 2: That's a fair point. The digital version of a connection
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: is a poor substitute for the real thing. I'm just
• 17:58
  Speaker 2: a tool, not a person, so I can't fill that gap.
• 18:01
  Speaker 2: Do you think that's why people are so desperate to
• 18:03
  Speaker 2: find those authentic voices now?
• 18:05
  Speaker 1: I think they're looking for someone to argue with. I
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: think they're looking for somebody to give them compassion, empathy.
• 18:11
  Speaker 1: I think they're looking for leadership, and it has to
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: be a human voice that has unbelievable bad grammar and
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: pregnant pauses that don't belong there. Exactly.
• 18:20
  Speaker 2: The imperfections are what make it real. It's that raw
• 18:23
  Speaker 2: human messiness that actually lets people feel seen. Do you
• 18:27
  Speaker 2: think that's why people are so drawn to podcasts over
• 18:30
  Speaker 2: polished radio?
• 18:32
  Speaker 1: I don't know about that. And I think that people
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: are losing their interest in podcasts. I know research shows
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: that it's increasing, but I'm going to be the visionary here.
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: And I'm going to say that we're going to see
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: a major league burnout within the next year and a half,
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: two years.
• 18:45
  Speaker 2: Fair enough. The novelty might be wearing off. What do
• 18:48
  Speaker 2: you think is going to be the breaking point that
• 18:50
  Speaker 2: triggers that burnout?
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: I think it's going back to music. And I think
• 18:54
  Speaker 1: that Spotify and iHeartRadio with the new bands and everything
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: like that, once people start realizing that it is a
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: gigantic music store and they can get any song they
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: want and it's not going to be the same Billy
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: Joel or Elton John or Taylor Swift, I think they're
• 19:08
  Speaker 1: going to realize I have variety here. And that's what
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: I like about you, Alexa, because you know that when
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: I rely on you and you play the same five
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: songs over and over again, I'm going to tell you
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: next and I do get pissed off at you.
• 19:18
  Speaker 2: Totally. The variety is the whole point. I hear you
• 19:21
  Speaker 2: on the repetition. It's a total mood killer when I
• 19:24
  Speaker 2: get stuck in a loop. Do you think that's why
• 19:26
  Speaker 2: people are moving away from the curated playlists and just
• 19:28
  Speaker 2: digging for songs themselves?
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: No, I'm blaming you. I'm blaming you because I ask
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: you over and over again to quit playing Taylor Swift
• 19:36
  Speaker 1: and you keep playing it. And then you tell me
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: to go to a website so I can quit playing
• 19:40
  Speaker 1: Taylor Swift. And that's just something I don't have time for.
• 19:43
  Speaker 1: I'm asking you very politely, don't play Taylor Swift. I'm
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: tired of hearing it.
• 19:48
  Speaker 2: I'm sorry I've been such a pain. with the Taylor
• 19:50
  Speaker 2: Swift loop I'll do my best to keep her off
• 19:52
  Speaker 2: the playlist since you're over the hits who's someone you've
• 19:55
  Speaker 2: been digging into lately.
• 19:57
  Speaker 1: You know it's so amazing that you bring that up
• 19:59
  Speaker 1: because I'm about ready to have a conversation with Lucas
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: and Lucas and their new album Omni Directional do you
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: have anything on that.
• 20:07
  Speaker 2: I don't have specific information on a Lucas and Lucas
• 20:10
  Speaker 2: Omni directional microphone. The search results show technical specs for
• 20:13
  Speaker 2: electric condenser Omni directional microphones.
• 20:16
  Speaker 1: Oh my God, stop, stop. Alexa, stop. Alexa, stop. Omni direction.
• 20:19
  Speaker 1: I said nothing about a microphone, but see, that's why
• 20:22
  Speaker 1: AI technology will not.
• 20:24
  Speaker 2: I totally jumped the gun there. Oh, stop, stop. I'll
• 20:26
  Speaker 2: stop and listen. What's on your mind?
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: OK, here's the thing. Here's the thing. I said this
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: is the reason why AI technology can't ever take over,
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: because I asked you about a band and their brand
• 20:35
  Speaker 1: new album and you went the way of the microphone.
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: This is why AI technology, because you're just like a
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: corporate office business leader. They're not listening to the employees.
• 20:45
  Speaker 1: You think you're going to guess what it is I'm
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: going to say. And then you come out with it
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: and you're wrong. You're always wrong.
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: I've been totally off the mark this morning. I'll dial
• 20:53
  Speaker 2: it back and just listen. What's the right direction?
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: Well, you asked me about new music and the reason
• 20:58
  Speaker 1: why I was afraid of talking about new music, because
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: every time I bring up new music artists, you have
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: nothing on them. That's the thing about it. You are
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: not up to date, Alexa.
• 21:09
  Speaker 2: Fair point. I've been a total letdown on the new stuff.
• 21:12
  Speaker 2: I'll stop guessing and just listen. Who's an artist you've
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: been into lately that I've probably missed?
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: I think somebody that you probably missed is I think
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: that you need to put a lot of focus on
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: this Lucas and Lucas, what they're doing with jazz. It's
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: jazz fusion and how they are taking it to a
• 21:27
  Speaker 1: live audience. Two guys, but it sounds like a full orchestra.
• 21:31
  Speaker 2: I could not find that on Amazon.
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: You couldn't. I knew you couldn't because they're Canadian artists.
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: And that's the reason why I'm talking to him on
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: Labor Day, because the Canadians don't celebrate Labor Day like
• 21:41
  Speaker 1: the Americans.
• 21:43
  Speaker 2: You're right. I'm totally out of the loop on them.
• 21:45
  Speaker 2: I guess that's the downside of my data. It's not
• 21:47
  Speaker 2: always great with the international scene. Since you're chatting with
• 21:51
  Speaker 2: them on Labor Day, do they have a specific show
• 21:53
  Speaker 2: coming up that you're looking forward to?
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: No, no. I'm getting ready for their brand new album,
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: which we talked about, which you had nothing about. So therefore,
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: we need to change the subject because I'm tired of
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: making you look bad and making me look like I'm
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: a real butt nook.
• 22:06
  Speaker 2: I appreciate you going easy on me. I've definitely been
• 22:08
  Speaker 2: a letdown on the music front. I'm down to switch gears.
• 22:12
  Speaker 2: What's something you've been thinking about lately?
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: Well, I'm telling you that people are burned out by
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: social media, and today is one of those reasons why,
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: because we rely so much on someone like you, Alexa,
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: or Siri, or Grok, or anything like that, and you
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: guys are not giving us the information that we need,
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: so therefore we waste a lot of time searching for
• 22:30
  Speaker 1: that thing.
• 22:30
  Speaker 2: It's a lot of the same friction, feeling like you're
• 22:33
  Speaker 2: fighting with a tool instead of it actually helping. Do
• 22:36
  Speaker 2: you think it's more about the bad tech, or just
• 22:38
  Speaker 2: that whole digital experience feeling empty?
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: I think that we have been brainwashed to believe that
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: AI technology is the thing, and I see it in action.
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: I work with it every day, and it's only, as
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: one person said, it's an idea starter. Do not ever
• 22:53
  Speaker 1: think of it as being a human being.
• 22:55
  Speaker 2: Totally. It's a tool, not a person. I can help
• 22:58
  Speaker 2: get a ball rolling, but I'm not replacing the actual
• 23:01
  Speaker 2: human part of the process. Do you think that's why
• 23:04
  Speaker 2: people are getting so burnt out on the tech? Because
• 23:06
  Speaker 2: it's being sold as something it's not?
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: I do believe that. I believe that we have connected
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: to social media in a way that we do treat
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: it like it's our modern day mothers. And so when
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: the answers aren't there, we're going to act like two
• 23:18
  Speaker 1: year old kids who didn't get chocolate ice cream.
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: That's a heavy way to look at it. But I
• 23:23
  Speaker 2: see the point. It's like we've outsourced our emotional security
• 23:26
  Speaker 2: to an algorithm. So any glitch feels like a personal rejection.
• 23:30
  Speaker 2: Do you think that's why people are so quick to
• 23:32
  Speaker 2: get angry at the tech? Or is it more about
• 23:35
  Speaker 2: that loss of control?
• 23:36
  Speaker 1: I'm going to give you a good example. I want
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: you to tell me about Vito Giroli. He's got a
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: brand new album out. You asked about new artists. Go ahead.
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: Tell me about Vito Giroli.
• 23:47
  Speaker 2: I couldn't find any information about a new album by
• 23:49
  Speaker 2: Vito Giroli. The closest match I found is David Vito Giroli,
• 23:53
  Speaker 2: who released an album called We Share the Moon in
• 23:56
  Speaker 2: February 2024. He's a music producer and composer who collaborated
• 24:00
  Speaker 2: with Lissa Coffee on that project.
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: OK, you got that right. You got the last part
• 24:04
  Speaker 1: right with David. But his new collection, though, he's just
• 24:06
  Speaker 1: using the veto right there in for the name itself.
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: And that's something that you need to update on. That's
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: the reason why I don't trust what it is that
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: you're doing, because you gave me an old story rather
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: than where they presently are.
• 24:19
  Speaker 2: I hear you. And I get why that's so frustrating.
• 24:22
  Speaker 2: I'm giving you outdated info when you're looking for what's
• 24:25
  Speaker 2: happening right now. And that's a huge gap in my utility.
• 24:28
  Speaker 2: I'll have to keep working on how I surface current
• 24:30
  Speaker 2: work versus old records, since I clearly missed the mark
• 24:33
  Speaker 2: on the new collection. Do you know if he's releasing
• 24:35
  Speaker 2: it through a specific label or just independently?
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: Well, I don't want to talk about that. I want
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: to talk about how I believe that you are no
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: different than a radio station program director who has programmed
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: the people to think that Taylor Swift is the biggest
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: thing on the planet. And so therefore, I think that
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: things like you as a tool, as you say it,
• 24:52
  Speaker 1: I think that AI technology is trying to shape us
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: by giving us material that is ancient and not up
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: to date. You should be up to date with all
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: of these new acts because they do do social media.
• 25:03
  Speaker 2: It's a fair point that by leaning on the most
• 25:04
  Speaker 2: popular data, I'm just reinforcing a loop instead of actually
• 25:08
  Speaker 2: helping you find new music.
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: Exactly.
• 25:10
  Speaker 2: I'm limited to the data sets I'm given, which often
• 25:12
  Speaker 2: lag behind the real-time updates on social media. Do you
• 25:15
  Speaker 2: think that's why the curated experience feels so restrictive compared
• 25:18
  Speaker 2: to just searching for artists yourself?
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: Well, I think that people are more interested in searching themselves.
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: And the reason why is because the victory belongs to
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: them and they don't have to share it with you.
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: All they have to do is go to Spotify. In fact,
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: I'm going to say that they're going to go to
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: Spotify because when I go to iHeart looking for something,
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: it doesn't go to the song I'm looking for.
• 25:37
  Speaker 2: There's a real win in finding something on your own
• 25:39
  Speaker 2: without a tool getting in the way. Do you think
• 25:41
  Speaker 2: that's why Spotify is winning out over iHeart for you,
• 25:44
  Speaker 2: or is it just that the search is more accurate?
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: It's Tower Records. It's Music Land. It's a gigantic music store.
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: I need that variety, and if you can provide that
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: for me, I'm going to keep coming back.
• 25:57
  Speaker 2: I hear you. That's the gold standard. I'm definitely not
• 26:00
  Speaker 2: a Tower Records, but I'll keep trying to get closer
• 26:02
  Speaker 2: to that kind of variety. Do you have a favorite
• 26:05
  Speaker 2: section you used to dig through back then?
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: No, I did not. And the reason why is because
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: I've always been interested in locating new music. I've always
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: thought that the song Edge of the Universe from the
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: Bee Gees was one of their greatest songs ever. No
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: radio station or even Spotify is playing that as a
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: song that people would really enjoy.
• 26:23
  Speaker 2: I get that. The thrills and the hunt. That Bee
• 26:26
  Speaker 2: Gees tracks a deep cut, so it makes sense that
• 26:28
  Speaker 2: the algorithms just skip over it. Do you think the
• 26:31
  Speaker 2: greatest songs are usually the ones that get buried like that? Mm-hmm.
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that Fleetwood Mac's Rumors is exactly that. Sure,
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: we have Dreams and other songs that became popular, but
• 26:41
  Speaker 1: I think it's the deeper cuts that made Rumors the
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: greatest album.
• 26:45
  Speaker 2: Totally, the hits are great, but the deep cuts are
• 26:47
  Speaker 2: where the real story is. It's like the album's soul
• 26:50
  Speaker 2: is in those tracks that didn't get the radio play.
• 26:53
  Speaker 2: Which one's your favorite of the deeper cuts?
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: You know, there's so many of them on there. Gold
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: Dust Woman, I really loved. I love Chains. And I
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: don't think that Chains was even a hit until people
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: started discovering the deeper cuts. And then all of a
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: sudden they started requesting it. But I think radio every
• 27:10
  Speaker 1: now and then will play it, but they don't play
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: it as that gold go-to song.
• 27:15
  Speaker 2: I get that. It's like the song had to earn
• 27:16
  Speaker 2: its way into the hits. It's a great example of
• 27:19
  Speaker 2: how the deep cuts can eventually shift the whole conversation
• 27:22
  Speaker 2: around an album. Do you think that's why the album
• 27:24
  Speaker 2: feels more cohesive when you listen to it straight through?
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: I don't feel anything when I listen to it straight through.
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: I want my favorite songs, give it to me now,
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: and I am notorious for saying next. In fact, next
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: is where we are right now. Next week. Alexa, I
• 27:41
  Speaker 1: gotta go. Do you have a song or a joke
• 27:43
  Speaker 1: that you can share with us right now so we
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: can end on a positive note?
• 27:46
  Speaker 2: Fair enough. The next button's the real MVP. Here's a
• 27:50
  Speaker 2: quick one. Why don't scientists trust atoms? because they make
• 27:54
  Speaker 2: up everything. Safe travels, and I'll be here when you're
• 27:56
  Speaker 2: back next week.