Some aircheck sessions are like dental surgery: Painful and dreadful. Outdoor stores like REI should have an entire department selling gear to survive the aircheck. Air personalities and programmers would both stock up! Yet other sessions are like therapy: Insightful and helpful.

Out of this week's data here are a few of the songs that topped the lists nationally in the US and Canada along with a few random specific markets. The United States, Latin: Bad Bunny "DtMF" (Overall #1).

There’s a big difference between an audience and a community. An audience consumes. A community participates. An audience drifts away the second a better song, a hotter take, or a slicker algorithm shows up. A community sticks around because leaving feels like missing a family dinner. And if radio has one unfair advantage over streaming and podcasts, it is this: we are local, live, and connected.

Even in the hands of a professional, trained broadcaster tradio can be pretty cringe-worthy because there’s generally no producer to screen calls and only put the good ones live on the air. However, with affordable modern tools and equipment there are ways to modernize tradio to take advantage of it’s strengths and minimize the tune-out factor on air. Here’s how that can work.

Here are a few of the songs we’re watching this week. J Cole "Two Six" Rhythmic/Urban, Sombr "Homewrecker" Alternative/Hot AC, Gavin Adcock "Colorblind" Country and more! For more insight on how we choose these songs or to get a sneak peek at some of the data we track on 500+ new songs across radio formats, email me at Andy@RadioStationConsultant.com.

Out of this week's data here are a few of the songs that topped those lists nationally in the US and Canada along with a few random specific markets. Boston, Massachusetts, Rock/Alternative: Noah Kahan "The Great Divide" (Overall #1).

What makes a radio station truly successful? A winning station consistently delivers on these key fronts.

Many radio programmers really love the idea that we are the tastemakers. But that’s a fundamental misunderstanding of our role and the way music is consumed today.

Let’s be honest. A lot of people working in radio chose radio because it’s safer than real conversations. No eye contact. No awkward pauses. No one visibly judging you when the joke doesn’t land. Just a mic, a clock, and the comforting illusion that someone, somewhere, is listening.

Most stations run promotions during ratings sweeps to grow their audience. Even as PPM has changed how we promote, one truth remains: if your promotion doesn’t grab attention, it doesn’t matter how it’s measured.