To keep you listening, programmers at Top 40 radio stations are playing the biggest hits, like Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines,' more frequently, since people don't tune out something familiar.

Fewer Songs, More Often! How Top 40 Radio Keeps You Listening

Soundcheck | Jan 23, 2014

Are you sick to death of "Blurred Lines?" When it comes on the radio (again), do you tune out and go stream something else? If so, you could be a part of the problem.

Radio programmers at Top 40 stations are desperate to keep you tuned in and listening to ads; that’s how they pay the rent. So they’ve done some homework, and they think they might have a way of competing with music streamers like Spotify: Play fewer hit songs, more often.

In a conversation with Soundcheck host John Schaefer, Hannah Karp explains this surprising new FM strategy detailed in her recent piece for The Wall Street Journal.

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