98 Rock's "Pay For Play"

[Billy Uranus]

This takes place tomorrow on WIYY, 98 Rock:

98online.com/homepage


They do this once a year to raise money for Special Olympics Maryland. I last remember listening in either 2010 or 2011, so I'll be sure to catch it this year. The concept is that they will play whatever you ask as long as you can pay for it. The menu is as follows:

$25 for a song currently in rotation
$50 for a rock song not currently in rotation
$100 for an off-format song (this is where it gets interesting)
$250 for a song by a local band
$500 for a song by a local band with one-minute interview
$1000 to hear "Free Bird" and "Stairway To Heaven" back to back


Their goal is to raise $5,000. As far as I know, they reach the goal every single year, and then some.

[Nick]

That...is awesome. One of the CHR stations do a similar thing where they say you can request anything, but if it was never on pop radio, you ain't gonna hear it. So dumb. I'd slap down the $50 just to hear something they wouldn't normally play.

Very cool for them to make it clear what they'll play for how much, unlike ours just saying "anything" and not meaning it.

Throwing in any?

[Billy Uranus]

I would have if I could afford it, but I'm broke. That being said, I listened and it was cool to see so many people participating. The only setback this year was that pretty much everyone went for the $50 category, so while I heard some strange, obscure rock songs there wasn't much in the way of off-the-format stuff. Some people were requesting Naughty By Nature, but the DJ said it was too hard to censor. ;D When I listened in 2010, more people went for the $100 category and it was more interesting.

I know what you mean about your CHR station. I heard a story once about a station that would play "anything" for $50, but refused to play "MmmBop" by Hanson even when offered extra money for it.

[Nick]

Hard to get off-format stuff, I suppose. If people who like rock listen to the station, then people who like rock are going to know about this event. I'd probably just go for something heavier.

I wonder if "local" means from Balitmore, or from Maryland?

[Billy Uranus]

^Good question. My guess is that as long as the band is within the listening area, they won't care if you are from the city of Baltimore or not. They have a local music show on Sunday nights that has featured bands from outside the city. $250 might seem like a lot, but for a chance to get your song heard by thousands of people during rush hour, it could be worth it. If I was in a band, I would definitely consider it.

You're right about only rockers knowing about it. I just remember back in 2009 and 2010, there was a lot more non-rock played on that day.

[BRiTNASTY]

I'd donate $100 for them to play Cheryl Cole's Call My Name.

but then again I see it has passed already.

[Squealer © TY Inc.]

Ummmm, someone should have told me about this.

Just A Fool needs some spins

Im willing to pay for payola

[Pipa]

My station did something like this, only it was $10 for any song, $25 for 3 songs, and $50 to turn the current song off. Apparently they played everything from Beiber to Snoop Dogg to the Fresh Price of Bel Air theme song.

[Pipa]

My station did something like this, only it was $10 for any song, $25 for 3 songs, and $50 to turn the current song off. Apparently they played everything from Beiber to Snoop Dogg to the Fresh Price of Bel Air theme song.

[Billy Uranus]

That's awesome! It's always good when stations decide to try something new.