The @Wise_Radio effect

I started to think about the subject of this post about 2 minutes after I decided to start this blog, which means I've been thinking about the subject of this post for about 3 or 4 months now. To me, in my young blogging career, this may prove to be my most difficult post yet. Not because I have any reservations whatsoever, but because I'm worried that I may not convey to you properly how much Wise Radio has meant to me over the course of the last year. I also worry that I won't be able to give this group of ladies the credit that they truly deserve... but I'm going to try my best! So let's go!

Wise Radio

Click on the link above. Set it in your toolbar favorites... set it as your homepage (like I did)... bookmark it, do whatever you need to do to keep it in a safe place, because it should soon become your favorite station. I first introduced you to Wise Radio in my first post. I keep saying that I lost faith in mainstream radio about a year ago, but the truth is I lost faith in it a long time ago. I will take every opportunity I can to slam Q 97.9 FM in Portland Maine for misleading their listeners on a daily basis. "Today's Hit Music" is their calling card to their listeners. One look at their play list (because I wouldn't dare recommend that you tune in for fear that you may think less of me afterwards) easily proves my point. I'm beginning to get a firmer grasp on how the recording industry works these days, and it's become woefully obvious that the record labels really only care about lining their pockets. Right now, I have the luxury of sharing artists like Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, the entire Mowtown sound, The Righteous Brothers, The Rolling Stones (I could go on all night) with my daughters because my parents were fortunate to grow up in one of the greatest musical eras ever. Sure, sometimes I get the feeling that they listen and act like they really like my music just to "entertain" their old man, but I know that they genuinely enjoy listening with me, and they really do like some of the music I listen to! But they're 9 and 6, so I will let them be kids, and they do listen to what they want to (within reason of course) and yes, daddy does buy them some pretty crappy music on iTunes! Therein lies my problem. It saddens me to think of the music that THEY will get to share with their kids when they're my age. Justin Beiber, LMFAO, Flo Rida, Lady Gaga, Rhianna, Kei$ha (she really does spell it with the $ instead of "s")... you get the point, because I'm almost embarrassed that I could name that many of them!

So I spent a lot of time with earbuds in my ears listening to my iPod, or toiling around with satellite radio, or just listening to country radio. DISCLAIMER: I LOVE country music (sorry David Gielan!). Country music is just what it is... there is no pretension, and it always stays true to itself. Then one day, Wise Radio came into my life, and my faith in music was restored. Debbie, Melody, Bella, Josie, Summer... I don't know where I'd be without you! No other station is as in tune with their fans as Wise Radio. Their fan interaction is unmatched. Some of the best times I have on Twitter are during their frequent request times. The DJ's interact with the listeners, the listeners interact with each other, my Twitter feed blows up with re-Tweets, and all the while they are providing us with the soundtrack to our lives on a daily basis. My bank account can attest to the great music that I've discovered listening to Wise Radio. In the last year, my iTunes catalog has nearly doubled thanks to Wise (I hope my wife doesn't decide to read THIS post! LOL!!!). Some of the artists I've discovered listening to Wise? Ben Semmens, August Rising, Small Room 9, Last Stand for Lucy, Broken Romeo, Zoey'z Fallacy, Euphoria Audio, Slam Cartel, Dion Roy, MWK, Voodoo Vegas, The Hush Band, The Vera Groove... you see where I'm going with this? Some of the best artists that you can't hear on mainstream radio. They are also unmatched in artist promotion. I am forever indebted to them for giving artists like David Gielan, Lit On the Flash, Mariana Bell, Mike Peralta, In Air & David Geftakys an outlet for getting their music out there and reaching a new fan-base.

One needs to look no further than their weekly countdown for proof of their artist diversity. This week's Top 10 looked like this:

1. Lee DeWyze @LeeDeWyze

2. David Geftakys @DavidGeftakys

3. Tie: Lit On The Flash @LitOnTheFlash
           Ryan Star @RyanStar

4. In Air / Nobody Gets Killed @InAirMusic @NGK4Life

5. David Archuleta @DavidArchie

6. Tie: David Gielan @DavidGielan
           Zoey'z Fallacy @ZoeyzFallacy

7. David Cook @thedavidcook

8. Zac Brown Band @zacbrownband

9. Last Stand For Lucy @LastStand4Lucy

10. Tie: MWK @MWKOfficial
            Message To Venus @MessageToVenus

Yes, you see mainstream music acts (because they support REAL music by REAL artists) on there along side some of the best indie artists around. And also note the American Idol influence on there too. Wise Radio is better at promoting artists from America's #1 talent show better than America's #1 talent show is! What else does Wise Radio give us? How about artist features (some lasting HOURS! LOL!) and a weekly Music Challenge on their Facebook page!

So find Wise Radio on Twitter and become a member of the greatest radio family out there:

Wise Radio on Twitter

Find them on Facebook and join the throngs of fans voting for their favorites every week (nearly 25,000 votes this week!):

Wise Radio on Facebook

On their Facebook page, don't forget to check out their YouTube videos of some of their concert excursions. They have some really good ones on there!

Okay, I'm saving the best for last on this post. I want to leave you with this... it's something that I post quite frequently on Twitter, in different variations, that all carry the same meaning:

There is so much more to music than what mainstream radio will allow you to believe there is. Start a musical revolution and give indie music a chance and support unsigned artists! 

I can't think of a better place to start than Wise Radio!

"We must fight back... Revolution time!" (Lit On the Flash)

I almost forgot the most important thing: Wise Radio, THANK YOU for restoring my faith and giving me back REAL music by REAL artists!