Downbeat.fm Vol. 6 Track 2
Radio is a sound salvation
Before we start, I have another article at I Have That On Vinyl about how I put together my record player and stereo ten years ago. I'd love to hear what you think or your own story!
Thanks to having just about every song at my fingertips for the past decade or so, I rarely listen to the radio anymore. I used to listen to the radio nonstop when I was younger—it didn't matter if I was home, in the car, or wherever.
After high school, I took a few years off before going to college and worked. I was doing construction then, and we always had the radio going. It was usually set to one of two stations, Q104.3, the New York classic rock station, or WDHA 105.5, “Jersey's Rock Radio” - primarily 70s, 80s, and 90s rock music.
Two days of the week were significant - Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
On Tuesdays, Q104.3 had "Two for Tuesday," and on Wednesdays, WDHA had "Double Play Wednesday." This meant the stations would play two songs by the same artist back to back on their respective days. Wednesday at 9 am was extra special because, at the time, WDHA did what they called a "9 o'clock rock block," which is when they would play four songs that were connected somehow by things like a common theme, or all the songs have "blue" in the title, whatever. But on Wednesday it was always a four play of some band.
To this day, any time I‘m listening to a playlist or some stream - always on random - when I hear two artists back to back I always exclaim “a double play!”
February's Playlist
This month's playlist features Have Mercy, Alison’s Halo, Bully, Year of the Cobra, The Mysterines, Phoebe Bridgers, and more!
Quick Listening and Other Links
Rock music lost another icon, David Johansen of The New York Dolls died at 75.
I don't like or watch football. I don't like or listen to rap music. But I did go back and watch Kendrick Lamar's Half-Time Show since it sent a lot of my fellow white people into a tizzy. They remain snowflakes.
Paramount+ has uploaded over 50 classic MTV Unplugged episodes.
An interesting look at how music listening habits can change as you get older.
I don't even know what to say about this video.
