Great radio rarely happens by accident. The best stations sweat the small stuff—because listeners notice the sound of a station even when they can’t explain why they like it.  This fall, sharpen these ten formatics.

Don’t be afraid to ask. There’s no weakness in asking for help, clarification, and advice. It’s a sign of strength and confidence. The people who never ask questions either already know everything (they don’t) or they’re too insecure to admit they don’t know something (bingo). Strong people ask.

Here are a few of the songs we’re watching this week. Scroll down to hear the full songs. Taylor Swift "Babylon" Hot AC/Top 40, Lil Nas X "World's Greatest" Hot AC/Top 40, Drake "Solar Eclipse" Rhythmic/Urban, Noah Kahan "Draw You Out" Alternative, Ella Langley & Miranda Lambert "Snakeskin Boots" Country and more!

Good research goes beyond ratings to determine why listeners choose you, why others reject you, what they love, what they’d change, and what could persuade them to listen more.  Ratings measure listening. Research helps explain it.

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. Washington, DC, Hot AC/Top 40: Taylor Swift "Patient Zero" (Overall #1).

Successful radio stations rarely have a secret formula locked in the PD's desk.  They simply execute the fundamentals better, more consistently and more relentlessly than the competition.  As you prepare for Fall, listen to your station for these ten trademarks of a winner.

Besides being a fan of the tune myself, as are my daughters who request Alexa to play the tune on repeat daily, I’m also fascinated by ‘Choosin’ Texas’ because it’s a great case study for how music is consumed today. Here are a few of the lessons radio should learn from this huge hit song.

More responses are via text or social media. Don’t let that change your performance. If you’re in audio, phone calls > reading texts. Reading texts on the air is lazy and boring. Talking to actual humans is engaging and dynamic. I know it’s easier to read a text. Do the harder thing. Pick up the phone.

Here are a few of the songs we’re watching this week. Taylor Swift "Patient Zero" Hot AC/Top 40, Dolly Babe "Pink Blush" Rhythmic/Urban, Phoebe Bridgers "On Video" Alternative, Nickelback "Make Me Love You" Rock/Alternative, Warren Zeiders & Bellah Mae "Overrated" Country

Halloween falls on Saturday, October 31, giving radio stations a perfect excuse to get a little weird.  For one weekend, ghosts, witches, monsters, devils, superstition and things that go bump in the night can invade the playlist—and the Music Director can blame Halloween. It's one of those rare occasions when a song that hasn't fit the music strategy for the other 364 days suddenly becomes perfectly logical programming.