I don't really worry about music I like making it to radio. Why do I need commercials to interrupt my music collection?

I found the music I enjoyed by listening to a lot of the college stations when I was growing up. Word of mouth from friends who heard about this band from a friend or saw them open for another band they loved. Online resources introduced never before heard of bands or styles of music in ways that radio just couldn't keep up with.

As the Internet grew in popularity, you could find the niche stuff that wasn't getting radio airplay. I think the biggest problem was that either the musical styles were niche, meaning limited listenership, difficulty selling ad space, or keeping the signal going if a station deviated from the norm.

I think the biggest surprise for me was that nobody dove in on electronica in the late 90's. Breakbeat was littered with huge acts like Fatboy Slim, Chemical Bros, Crystal Method, and to a lesser extent Propellerheads, Wiseguys, Dub Pistols, etc. Even if you aren't familiar with any of these artists, you know their stuff from mainstream ads, movies, and TV. There was and is a plethora of subgenres that could fill a day's broadcast setlist, but again, the listenership became the issue - Everyone I knew who was in on electronica was already using digital means (either streaming online or piracy or newsfeed/discussion) to discover and enjoy their music.

Nowadays, it's all streaming and algorithms. Once you find something you like, you'll be able to find plenty more music that is agreeable to you. Radio as no ability to match that diversity and individuality.

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