On our last music thread, there were a lot of replies with great songs, but songs that were never in one of the genres that actually gets played on the radio.  Metal that was too heavy, jazz that was too loud, etc.
On this thread, post a song that could fit in on the radio today, or could have fit in on the radio when it came out, but never got marketed that way. 
I'll listen to all submissions.  Any takers?

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My fellow southpaw Mark Brunell will probably always be my favorite Jaguar.

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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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.

20 years ago 93.3 WPLA had an evening show where they played house and electronica.  Some NPR stations have a similar program.  

I agree that radio is much less important than it used to be, but it's still important and it's still a good way to gauge if anyone else is listening to the songs you like.  

Also, this thread can be about songs that came out 40 or 50 years ago and didn't get the airplay they deserved.

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My fellow southpaw Mark Brunell will probably always be my favorite Jaguar.

Other than Touch of Grey, the Grateful Dead never got any real air time. That said, the hippie scene and jam band festivals have made the Grateful Dead as popular as they were back in the 70's 80's and 90's so I'd have to say many of their songs would fit with today's radio.

Also, bring Cat Stevens back !!! When stations removed him from the airways for his comments against Salman Rushdie, it left a bit of a void as he had a lot of good songs in the 70's.

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This could go a couple of directions. I'll say Patti Smith's remake of "So You Want To Be a Rock n Roll Star". Also, "Tryin'" by The Eagles. I don't recall that getting much airplay and I think it was a B side anyway.

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I'm condescending. That means I talk down to you.

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.

20 years ago 93.3 WPLA had an evening show where they played house and electronica.  Some NPR stations have a similar program.  

I agree that radio is much less important than it used to be, but it's still important and it's still a good way to gauge if anyone else is listening to the songs you like.  

Also, this thread can be about songs that came out 40 or 50 years ago and didn't get the airplay they deserved.

Daft Punk, EDM and 'house' music would not exist today without the influence of Kraftwerk's Man Machine and Computer World albums in the late 70's/early 80's. Those two got some airplay in Detroit, but that was about it. Huge in Europe, but pretty much unknown and forgotten here.

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"Remember Red, Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies."  - Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redemption

This could go a couple of directions. I'll say Patti Smith's remake of "So You Want To Be a Rock n Roll Star". Also, "Tryin'" by The Eagles. I don't recall that getting much airplay and I think it was a B side anyway.

Great suggestions! Thanks.  I can see those totally fitting in as new singles from those artists.  The Patti Smith song is probably better than her more famous song, Gloria.

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My fellow southpaw Mark Brunell will probably always be my favorite Jaguar.

Other than Touch of Grey, the Grateful Dead never got any real air time.  That said, the hippie scene and jam band festivals have made the Grateful Dead as popular as they were back in the 70's 80's and 90's so I'd have to say many of their songs would fit with today's radio.

Also, bring Cat Stevens back !!!  When stations removed him from the airways for his comments against Salman Rushdie, it left a bit of a void as he had a lot of good songs in the 70's.

For me, Phish did it better.  But neither got much airtime.  My generation skipped over that stuff and latched onto DMB instead. 

I agree about Yusuf Salam. Radio never stopped playing Michael Jackson.

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My fellow southpaw Mark Brunell will probably always be my favorite Jaguar.

This could go a couple of directions. I'll say Patti Smith's remake of "So You Want To Be a Rock n Roll Star". Also, "Tryin'" by The Eagles. I don't recall that getting much airplay and I think it was a B side anyway.

Great suggestions! Thanks.  I can see those totally fitting in as new singles from those artists.  The Patti Smith song is probably better than her more famous song, Gloria.

Patti Smith's biggest and well-known hit is Because the Night. Maybe you have her confused with Van Morrison or the Shadows of Knight?

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"Remember Red, Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies."  - Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redemption

Great suggestions! Thanks.  I can see those totally fitting in as new singles from those artists.  The Patti Smith song is probably better than her more famous song, Gloria.

Patti Smith's biggest and well-known hit is Because the Night.  Maybe you have her confused with Van Morrison or the Shadows of Knight?

Yeah, I know Beacause the Night.  I know Gloria also.  Don't know where I encountered it but it's memorable to me.  Just not as good as the song MarleyJag recommended.

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My fellow southpaw Mark Brunell will probably always be my favorite Jaguar.

That thing you do.. By The Oneders

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Great suggestions! Thanks.  I can see those totally fitting in as new singles from those artists.  The Patti Smith song is probably better than her more famous song, Gloria.

Patti Smith's biggest and well-known hit is Because the Night.  Maybe you have her confused with Van Morrison or the Shadows of Knight?

She did a remake of "Gloria" too, it rocks and got radio airplay back in the day which is why I didn't include it. It was on her first album, Horses. She was typically labeled punk rock but that's not really accurate. "Because the Night" is her most commercially successful song which she co-wrote wrote with Bruce Springsteen. She also co-wrote "Fire of Unknown Origin" which she recorded after the Blue Oyster Cult version came out (her version is COMPLETELY different than the BOC version).

Wave was not her biggest selling album but it has some good tracks on it, "So Ya Wanna.." probably qualifies as the most radio friendly track that *wasn't* on the radio. A couple others I might have mentioned actually did get some limited airplay, "Dancing Barefoot" and "Frederick".

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I'm condescending. That means I talk down to you.

That thing you do.. By The Oneders

Yeah I'm a big fan of Fountains of Wayne and I binged Crazy Ex Girlfriend a few months ago.  Good stuff.  Very sad that Adam Schlesinger is gone.

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My fellow southpaw Mark Brunell will probably always be my favorite Jaguar.

Also add, "Searching With My Good Eye Closed" by Soundgarden. It's one of my favorite tracks by them but I've never heard it on the radio.

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I'm condescending. That means I talk down to you.

I honestly can’t remember the last time I listened to music on the radio. It’s been a long time.

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Other than Touch of Grey, the Grateful Dead never got any real air time.  That said, the hippie scene and jam band festivals have made the Grateful Dead as popular as they were back in the 70's 80's and 90's so I'd have to say many of their songs would fit with today's radio.

Also, bring Cat Stevens back !!!  When stations removed him from the airways for his comments against Salman Rushdie, it left a bit of a void as he had a lot of good songs in the 70's.

I can remember Casey Jones, Sugar Magnolia and a few other big songs making it to the classic rock station. The afternoon DJ was a big deadhead, I remember him crying on air when Jerry passed.

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I honestly can’t remember the last time I listened to music on the radio. It’s been a long time.

I usually listen to Spotify in the car but sometimes will switch on 96.9.

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I'm condescending. That means I talk down to you.

I honestly can’t remember the last time I listened to music on the radio. It’s been a long time.

I usually listen to Spotify in the car but sometimes will switch on 96.9.

I recently found youtube music.. Had spotify for a while, love youtube music though. Well worth $10 a month..

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I have a subscription to Amazon Music. I love it.

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I have a subscription to Amazon Music. I love it.

I'm pretty sure Amazon music is pretty similar to Youtube music..  Man I'm hearing all kinds of stuff I haven't heard since I was a kid.. Makes me want to go out and throw some new subs and highs into the car..

African Bambaataa, Frankie Smith (Double Dutch Bus), Planet Patrol, Egyptian Lover.. Just awesome.

Stuff bumps dude lol

Edit: Can't forget The Sugar Hill Gang lol

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