Different Dedications Songs...Your Opinion?

[Michael1973]

I know this has been discussed before, but after this weekends shows I want to bring it up again...

We've all noticed that Casey will sometimes play different songs for the same Long Distance Dedication, depending on which show he's reading it for. I can see where it will occasionally be necessary due to a song not fitting a particular format, but sometimes it really annoys me.

In particular, I'm referring to dedications where it's brutally obvious that the writer specifically asked for a song that was special to the person. On this past weekend's show, for example, a woman dedicated a song to her late father that Casey had previously played years ago. And yet the song was different on both AT10 and AT20. I think that's very disrespectful to the listener. Anybody else?

[Topay]

I agree! Here's what I wrote on another message board:


I listened to the Long Distance Dedication on AT20 this weekend (Jan 22). It was by a petite woman in honor of her recently deceased father.

In the letter, she mentions that "many years ago" she made a request and asked if they would play it again this week. The song they played? "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera!

Now, I know that the request must have been something suited to AC radio (looking at the AT10 thread for this week I see "Just The Way You Are" by Billy Joel). But not everyone thinks about Casey and his 2 shows. If I were someone who ONLY knew about AT20, and I had made this request, only to hear a totally different song played, I would have been ticked! Errr....hopefully the woman was a regular AT10 listener.

It's possible that the folks at Premiere contacted the writer and asked for a substitute song. But I don't think that's the case.

I was thinking of writing in a request that would clearly get switched between shows (for example, "Hey Ya!") and seeing if they contact me to ask for a substitute song for the AC show.

[Deleted]

I have always thought they should use the LDD's on the show they are written in for. I don't see the difficulty in doing that.

[Hervard]

I can see changing the song for the time someone requested "Who Let The Dogs Out", but other than that, they should keep the songs uniform.

[Deleted]

I don't, if its a stupid LDD that causes you to have to change the song, then dont read it. It isn't like Casey recieved only 1 dedication letter a week or something.

[Shadoe Fan]

This happened to me last year. Here's a recap:

I requested "I'll Stand by You" by the Pretenders. In the dedication letter, I mentioned that I listen to AT20. I believe I also suggested an alternate song "Now and Forever" by Richard Marx.

They did play the Pretenders song on AT20, and they played my alternate on AT10.

Since they played my alternate on AT10, I was not offended. Even if I had not supplied the alternate and they played the Richard Marx song, it would've been ok. The other song still could've fit the dedication.

My guess is that they play the correct song on the show that the person listens to. The average person probably doesn't even know about the other show, since most areas don't carry both AT20 and AT10. Thus they probably don't care if another song is played on the other show.

[Deleted]

it's the principal of the matter though. And still, why can't seperate LDD's be read on each show?

[Topay]

I'm with Paul on this one. If it's an AC-specific song, then play it on the AC show and not the Hot AC show. Similarly, if it's a Hot AC-specific letter, play it on the Hot AC show and not the AC show. Heck, Premiere even did a both shows-friendly dedication on just the AC show recently (Los Lonely Boys "Heaven").

Now, Casey does say people can mail them at American Top 10 or 20 (depending on what show folks are listening to). Obviously a letter containing "AT 10" is going to be by someone who listens to AT 10. If that AT 10 listener is requesting "Hey Ya" or "Who Let The Dogs Out", then they deserve not to have their dedication played (just like I would if I were to request request "Get The Party Started" on American Country Countdown). As for the e-mails, unless the person specifically says which show they listen to, Premiere really has no way of knowing for sure (unless the song is obvious). But if it comes down to it, I'd rather hear a request on just one show than a substitute song like this past weekend's on the other show.

[Deleted]

I never thought about the emailed in letters. To me a simple solution to that problem would be set up websites for AT20 and AT10 and have the dedications go through them and discontinue the aol.com email. The only thing in which I sort of disagree is most people still put the area or city they live in. They could easily cross reference the city the email came from with the show aired in that market.

Again, I still see no reason Premiere has such a problem. Read letters that seem most apprpriate to the format, chances are it's correct. If not, oh well, the person listening won't know it was ever read and it won't be that big a deal. If you can't figure it out, dont read them.

[BrettVW]

As Scott Lakefield once said a long long time ago, the purpose of the Long Distance Dedication is to dedicate a song to someone who may be far far away. Therefore, just because, say, you listen to Casey each week on AT10, the person who the dedication is meant for may listen to Casey each week on AT20. This applied even more when Casey was still doing AT40, and there was the controversy on what songs were being played.

The dedications are played primarily for the person they are dedicated to, not the writer. Sure, it's cool to hear your dedication read by Casey, but, isn't the main point trying to connect with someone who may be hundreds of miles away??

But, I do think that if the song needs to be switched, the staff should contact the writer. And maybe they do.

I also think though, now that they don't have to worry about AT40 and CHR/Pop ultra-tight playlists, they could get away with a 70's soft ballad on a Hot AC station every now and then. Now, granted, they couldn't get away with playing Hey Ya on an AC station, but you probably get what I am saying. But Hey Ya is not a common song to be requested as a LDD.

[Deleted]

I understand the point, I just feel that if the writer requested a certain song...THATS the one they want played and thus should be. Here's an example, while its kind of extreme, it illustrates a point to a degree....

A father hasn't spoken to his daughter in years, they had a fight and the dad writes in to AT20 to attempt to get in contact with the daughter. To show his love to her, and in an olive branch type move, request her favorite song, for the sake of this discussion the song he request is "When I Come Around" by Green Day. A song you could probably here on a Hot AC station, however the daughter has to listen to Casey on AT10 because only the local AC station has the show, they change the song to "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" by Chicago....a band the daughter hates and has hated for years. The daughter is going to assume the dad requested this to get at her and not make things any better between them whatsoever.

While this example I am sure doesn't really happen, it is one that is possible. Premiere shoudl take this into consideration when they start changing things.

[Topay]

The daughter may not even think it's for her. That's what I would be concerned about.

Suppose I had a buddy and the song "Hey Ya" was a foundation for our friendship. A couple years pass since we've seen each other, but that song always reminds us of our friendship. Then one weekend, I'm listening to AT10 and hear Casey say "Casey, could you please play 'I've Had The Time Of My Life'? It's a song symbolizing our friendship, and I know he would enjoy it coming from me." Throughout the first part of the letter I might think "hey, that kinda sounds like us" but then after hearing the song I'd be like "oh, never mind".

I guess, on the other hand, LDDs are never guaranteed to connect. If I'm dedicating "Invisible Touch" (which would get played on both shows) for an old flame that will always be with me, who's to say she's even listening to Casey. In the same sense, I guess switching songs wouldn't be the main factor in an unnoticed LDD.

[Deleted]

In EVERY LDD case, I doubt the other party is listening which is partially why I conclude the LDD is for the listener more than the person it is for. Again, it's a principle matter for me, read the LDD and have the request as it is written, or don't read it.

[Jeffster]

Yeah, I pretty much just echo what you guys have been saying. Especially if he's only doing one LDD a week now, I don't know why it would be that hard to either A) find dedications with a song that fits both shows or B) read different letters for the 2 shows or C)just not worry about if that song fits the other format perfectly. I mean they already play pop hits from the 70's and 80's on AT10 that were not AC hits, so they are obviously not THAT concerned with being consistent with the format anyway.

[Michael1973]

Paul said:

In EVERY LDD case, I doubt the other party is listening which is partially why I conclude the LDD is for the listener more than the person it is for.

This actually makes sense, especially when the dedications are "anonymous." When the writer doesn't sign their name to the letter, I can't see how the recipient of the dedication is supposed to know it's for them.

Another thing that gets me about the switching is, it seems to be so random sometimes. On one AT20 show they'll play an AC-leaning 70's song, no problem. On another, they'll replace a similar type song with a more modern-sounding pop hit. Where do they draw the line?