The decline in sales of Smooth Jazz CDs has become a heated topic of conversation. We offered our take on this issue in our September Perspectives column. Recently a situation occurred that makes a perfect case study. An excellent song by an emerging artist went to the top of the airplay chart and stayed there for weeks but the CD barely sold. The "single" got consistent airplay and the CD got rave reviews in print and on the web so it was obviously not a quality issue. Major market radio just couldn't bring it in single-handedly. Meanwhile, in a parallel universe smooth jazz is developing an "underground” support system that is thriving and growing but rarely gets acknowledgement from the industry's movers and shakers. If these universes intersected it just might create the alchemy that turns this trend around.

Locally programmed "jazz brunch" shows that are hosted by air personalities who know and care about the music get solid ratings but have little impact on the charts because the stations they are on are not in the format full time. There are websites that give the music in-depth coverage with a high level of professionalism. Independent concert promoters, driven by passion for the music more than the bottom line, work on a shoestring budget to bring artists into smaller venues where they play for enthusiastic crowds who inevitably line up to buy the music after the concerts. Several smooth jazz internet radio stations stay among the highest rated in a very crowded field. Streaming stations on collective servers like Live365.com have faithful followings. Collectively, the top-ranked SJ stations on that site have more listeners than a broadcast station in a medium market. Several publications have also been around long enough to prove that they have stability and credibility. In spite of all this, almost all of the promotional attention is focused on a small group of radio stations. These stations are successful, they sound polished and sleek. A lot of them are ranked in the top five with adult listeners. However, they rarely play new music. Showcasing new music and creating excitement about it are just not part of the game plan in 21st century radio. Creating a familiar and comforting musical environment is, and it works so well that radio is not going to change. There is a place for comfort and familiarity, but when it comes to motivating people to buy new music an oldies oriented soundscape is not gonna do the job. If there was ever validation for the axiom that you should never put all your eggs in one basket, we are living it. The basket started out with some weaknesses in the weave and a lot of those are turning into gaping holes. The fact that the sales declines increased as the promotional focus shifted totally toward radio airplay is anything but coincidental.

In the mid-90s media consolidation opened the door for a national network of smooth jazz stations. To cultivate these stations, promotional budgets were diverted from retail, smaller trade publications, specialty shows and noncommercial radio stations. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time since the format was going to be in a lot of major markets for the first time and radio was the traditional default when it came to marketing music. Ten years later fragmentation is the new reality. Exploit it creatively and you thrive, ignore it or avoid it and you end up wondering what hit you and why you got left behind. The shift toward reaching a cumulative audience that is spread all over the place is daunting, especially after years of working within a much smaller circle. The comment I often hear is that it will take too much effort to find these new outlets and too much time and money to cultivate them. The good news is that the innovations that spawned the fragmentation have made it much cheaper to toss them some support. Press releases and songs can be emailed now, no postage or fancy packaging required. Having a longer list of contacts does take more time and energy, but most of these new contacts are low maintenance and proactive. Their goal is to share the music and all they want is the minimal resources to do that. Fortunately, coming late to the party gives us role models and examples. Look at the amount of creative and innovative ideas our younger counterparts have used to get their music heard when playlists got tight and airplay dried up. One thing becomes obvious: they use every resource they had and new ones if they need to. Then they make sure the audience knows what is available and how to access it. Resourcefulness and flexibility are the name of the new game. It's our turn to do the same thing. All you have to do is go to a concert or get your hands on a great CD with a few songs that light you up and make you hit that repeat button over and over again to know that whatever it takes is worth it.

- Shannon West