fm waves of weakness. new york city radio.

i suppose i shouldn't expect much of radio or complain too much about it in these modern times. given how the digital game has changed everything about the music business, one can't put too much expectations into the radio dial anymore. these are different times and radio is slowly showing her age and inability to stay in touch.

but this is new york city radio. and this is new york city, a city beaming with pride. a city that everyone everywhere knows and if not loves or likes, at least acknowledges for its massiveness and importance to the big city game. on practically any street corner in manhattan, you can purchase a t-shirt that says, 'i love new york city.' but try finding a shirt that says, 'i love new york city radio.'

it's sad enough that i grew up in the generation that watched the major nyc rock clubs close down. watching clubs close doors and give way to condos, banks, and franchise food chains was disheartening for any youth that was looking for an outlet that included loud music, sweaty crowds, and the smell of sweet rebellion and beer in the air.

but then we were forced to watch and listen as the airwaves gave way to monotony, predictability, and a dwindling lack of choices. the rock stations that played NEW and CURRENT rock music closed up shop and left us with not much more than classic rock stations that cram led zeppelin into our ears to a point where i actually don't wanna hear led zeppelin anymore.

and hip hop isn't doing much better. there's 2, maybe 3 stations that cater mainly to current hip hop. blindfold the listener and you'd have a hard time telling the stations apart. they mimic each other's five song rotations until every hip hop radio listener in the tri state area is plugged in and brainwashed, reciting lyrics more out of habit than joy. you think you've heard jay-z's, 'empire state of mind,' a lot? it was practically law at one point for that song to always be playing on someone's rotation at all times.

there's no country station. and while i'm not some ardent country music fan, i don't think such a major force in the american music scene should be totally ignored in the city that never sleeps. it's like our radio selection has us thinking country music is fucking odd to hear. but anywhere else i go in the U.S., it's there and it's impossible to ignore.

new york city radio should reflect the city it represents. new york city radio should be a collection of the most varied amount of musical choices. new york city radio should offer something for everyone, no matter what you happen to be into. just because digital music's taken over is no reason to lie down and admit defeat and spend your final days in a state of surrender.

if radio is dying then there's nothing that can be done to change that. but if you're gonna go out, then you should go out like times square... loud, bright, never a dull moment.... a constant smorgasbord of demographics, nationalities, and age groups. your radio should be as loud and diverse as your city, as huge and powerful as your skyscrapers, able to take you anywhere like your subway system, and as awe inspiring as your countless landmarks.