Playing around: Can radio still build hits in the streaming era?

THE BIG STORY As Music Week research reveals the stark divide between airplay and streaming success, promotions execs reflect on the future role of radio The power of radio to create hits is coming under question as Music Week research reveals that a minority of airplay smashes made the Top 20 streaming chart for 2019. Hits by major pop acts also missed out on airplay, including Billie Eilish's Polydor-released Bad Guy (N0.4 on streams with 1,433,201 sales; N0.60 on airplay), Ariana Grande's 7 Rings (Island, N0.17/ No.95,1,032,540 sales) and Tones And I's global smash Dance Monkey (Parlophone, N0.14/N0.59,1,381,065 sales). "Both streaming and airplay hits are obviously incredibly important in their own right, [but] the Top 20s of both charts often aren't a clear reflection of one another," said Damian Christian, director of promotions for Atlantic Records UK and SVP of promotional strategy for Warner Music UK.