b/c most radio is geared primarily towards kids 12-25 years of age, 99% of whom have no interest in a 47 year old English crooner.

Quite simply The Smiths existed at a time when 'Indie' (for want of a better word!) was not the 'in thing'. It was the early to mid 80s and people just didn't get it including the radio stations. With the exception of Peel, Jensen & Long radio hardly played The Smiths and this has continued during Morrissey's solo career. In the early 90s 'Indie' suddenly became the best thing ever and any old tat could get both on the radio and in the charts. Over the last 6-7 years radio has increasingly tried to appeal to the type of demographic that tends not to (not totally i know -there are young Moz fans! But not enough to get Number 1s) buy Moz records. Ask yourself this though - Do you want Morrissey to be on the radio all of the time? Surely part of being a fan is the pleasure of knowing that what you are listening to is quality and has changed the lives of many people without the help of airplay.

great as they are, are just not immediate enough. First of the Gang, yes - an instant hookline, catchy as hell. But the likes of I Have Forgiven Jesus, November Spawned A Monster, and Hold Onto Your Friends (all superior to First of the gang, IMO) are growers...People hear them for the first time and it's not instant...And instant gratification is all anyone looks for these days :-(

I think it's somewhere in between the intelligent theory and the fact his image - indefinable sexuality, strange voice, obscure lyrics with lashings of sex and ginger beer - and more recently his age, doesn't sit well with the radio listening demographic.
This is a question I used to ask regularly when I'd listen to a station like Virgin 1215 (who claimed to play the best of alternative) and hear things like The Cure, Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, Pulp, and even things as obscure as Julian Cope's solo stuff, but no Moz.
It may be that the original outcry over The Smiths lyrics put radio stations off playing their records, fearing The Daily Mail contingent (of which there is a vociferous majority in good old Blighty) would vilify them. Maybe that self imposed ban has stuck. Then there's the fact that Morrissey is such a divisive figure, that several DJ's don't like him and/or fear half their listeners will turn off if they put him on.
Having said this, when VH2 was alive and kicking he was never bloody off the TV (not that I was complaining).
Regarding the intelligence theory, a lot of people can't hear past the music and the sound of his voice (I've found this when introducing Smiths records to people) and, as such, pay no attention to the lyrics. But if you think about it there are very few music lovers who do 'listen' to lyrics. All they want is a tune they can whistle. I think Morrissey and his fans are precious to the point of perfection about the lyrical content and meaning in a song, and thus we shoot ourselves in the foot when it comes to commercial interest.
But, I wouldn't really have it any other way, because it means we fans can remain that little bit obscure, and Morrissey is always waiting to be 'discovered' by someone new.

As an aside, when was the last time you heard The Smiths on the radio ? (well, outside of BBC Radio 6 anyway).

Luckily enough it seems they are a little more open-minded in Germany. I was in the cab on the way to the airport the day following the gig in Berlin and There Is A Light suddenly came on the cabbies radio. Great end to a great weekend :-)

The last time I heard a Moz track on the radio it was in the Virgin in-store radio in Camden Town, 2004. First of the Gang I think it was.

Does that count as airplay ?!

Really, it's not funny...

because the DJ doesn't insert the cd and press play. Or presses play on the computer file.

Im glad no singles got airplay this time. It would have ended moz's carrer. or the little bit he has left

As an American, I think part of the reason might be that Morrissey is (perhaps) considered to be "too English" or (maybe) "too European."

I live in Chicagoland, and it is rare to hear *any* British acts on even a semi-regular basis.

I rarely hear songs by Keane, Coldplay, Kaiser Chiefs, etc. Americans might be too narrow-minded.

As others have said, American radio is geared to attract the average 12-14 year-old. This is sad. Also, we unfortunately are too concerned with Broccoli Spears' crotch and Paris Hilton's sex tape. American's are perhaps too easily intrigued by false glamour and sleaze. And, as far as Miss Hilton is concerned, she is white trash. She should have never been granted a recording contract. But it's no surprise. We love Greenday for some reason; go figure. Ick.

Sad and mostly alone,
Ken

I feel Morrissey and The Smiths don't and will never fit side by side with anything and so DJ's have no idea how to deal with them - and so they don't. Plus the songs are the type that must be listened to a few times, they are a bit involved for pop radio. The lyrical subject matter probably makes people slighty uncomfortable as well.

Example;

Radio DJ - "That was the new Sissor Sisters track we just heard, in a few we got something new from Britney Spears, but first here's a little tune called "Jack The Ripper" from Morrissey."

Oh well, I'm probably wrong, I've been such all my life.

Morrissey stands for something that makes many Americans very, very nervous.

Back in 2005 I was reading Esquire magazine (in a waiting room), and there was an article about what kind of music men really like to listen to. Morrissey was mentioned as one of the "most emasculating" artists a guy could have in his collection.

He's just too unsettling for most mainstream radio listeners. As has been stated above, I suspect that most of us like it that way.

you can't put him on any radio format as it exists today. while "alternative" used to mean artists like him and REM who were under the umbrella, yet were contrary to, grunge music. today, "alternative" is a marketing term to reach out to young white men who listen to Staind. Alternative music, like the independent film, is as dead as a doornail. REM can barely get on the radio these days and you know how many albums they sold back in 1991.

So, yes, to be lazy, think of all the artists back in '91 that had top albums that can't get arrested. I assume that Pearl Jam is playing the fair and rodeo in Lubbock.

Then again, I don't know what was in the water in 1995 because a lot of those bands seemed by bumble. REM made that rockin' album, Morrissey churned out Southpaw and skipped touring America for several years. I guess everybody got tired of being crammed in the wimpy folky corner and rebelled against it. People have short attention spans, and advertisers and programmers need something to fill the void. They aren't going to shut off the transmitter in respectful silence waiting 7 years for a new album. They aren't going to overly burden themselves with placating egos of musicians when they've got thousands of other bands who sound a bit similar that are waiting in the wings.

you can at least say that Morrissey has managed to survive in some form or other. Still popular in LA, still popular in Europe, Mexico, etc.

In the Kansas City area, there is a radio station called "The Buzz", 96.5FM, that is pretty decent and Morrissey friendly.
They are still playing "You Have Killed Me" every now and then, and often play old stuff too, like "We Hate It When..." and "Please please please...", and although that is pretty rare, is very commendable for a FM station in the Midwest/USA.
Their site:
http://www.965thebuzz.com

i dont know about other cities, but i simply hate kroq for that pre-sale bullshit they pulled yesterday!

kroq NEVER played anyone of morrissey's music, but when the man comes to town, kroq acts as if the were behind him every step of the way in his career.

i'm sure kroq supported morrissey in his early solo years, but from '97 till '01, i never heard a single song by moz.

for now, i'll just wait to hear if morrissey will be jonsey's guest again on indie

I was an avid listener to XFM radio (104.9) London for many years, but have just recently changed over to, believe it or not..... BBC radio 2 for the very simple reason that they actually play more Smiths/Morrissey songs than XFM ever did. My husband reckons it's because the DJ's are mostly of the age that know and appreciate this music, rather than these young pups now that only play what they know.

They still play moz and it's the WAVE of the future. XM is crap.

Bababoey!!!!

The radio stations or Morrissey's singles? The question isn't clear ;-)

"wherever I go, there's an old ghost by my side... HANG THE DJ!.."
Morrissey's songs are in another way, in another direction.. people are very used to taste trash that sells great on radio plays, because they're very lazy to think, its sad.. because they're missing the oportunity to listen real jewels like the ones on ROTT, (and those amazing b sides)

The first choice implies that songs PLAYED on the radio are good. Does ANYONE here agree with that?

God love him, he simply has no sense of quality control.

'First of tGang' and 'Hinglish Heart' aside, lets face it folks he simply hasn't released any other remotely airplay worthy singles in the last decade. FACT.

And anyway I like the fact that he's shit nowadays. Oh yes.

Its all part of the mystique really isn't it. English geek who couldn't get laid becomes icon by writing beautiful gut wrenching poetry, and having the good fortune of meeting the guitarist of a generation from Wythenshawe.

He's such a **** that five years in the legendary tunesmith quits. Continues for decades hopelessly in denial about how second rate his band is, whilst continuing to pen words plumbers from Burnage would happily die for.

Its worth £35 a pop (as long as there's a bar). Its pantomime. Its like reminiscing with your senile aunty. We love them when they grow old disgracefully.

Morrissey and the Smiths don't really get much attention on the horrid station thats
Radio One, they both get played alot on Radio 2. Which (important to remember here) that Radio 2 has more listeners than Radio One anyway.

So surely he is played on mainstream radio.
Loads of the radio 2 jocks are fans.........
Jonathon Ross, Wogan, Vine, Russ Brand, Steve Wright they're all at it.

Also Digital Radio 6 play loads of Mozz stuff. and thats the leading DAB channel now.

Back in the day Radio One played The Smiths loads, but they're not gonna play him nowadays as its geared up for popcorn pop like Brocolli / Beyonce and St(h)ilton OR (c)Rap like 29p, sorry 50 cents................

Suffice to say Radio One is very MOBO friendly.
r&b, rap, any ole diva, they rarely touch the trad singer/songwriter.

Because since the Stephen Street days, singles with a decent, strong melody such as FOTGTD have been very thin on the ground sadly

Since Maladjusted, I have always played Moz to my friends, in my car, without telling them who he is. The ususal response is that they just don't like what he is singing, the sound of his voice, or they think it's too light at times, or that he is too gay. They can all agree on "How Soon is Now" , but that's it. On;y one of my friends said "Hey! That's pretty good." and it was IBEH. He then said "Why doesn't he make more songs like that one."

The reason Morrissey and the Smiths don't get airtime, is because he makes people think about themselves in ways that they have avoided since childhood. His honesty is too much for many people to handle. Other singers deal in despair but not to such an unrelenting and 'seemingly' inept extent. Yamaha

Morrissey's singles are pop singles and I see him as a Pop artist but not in a conventional or modern-day way like someone like Madonna or Boyzone. I see him as an equavalent to Bowie, Marc Bolan, Jobriath, etc - someone original, different, out-there and unconventional.
I mean there is Pop and then there is pop...

Simple as that. Every Smiths single (almost without exception) deserved at least 9 out of 10. Brilliant, inspired music and fantastic poetic lyric, often with a universal theme that we could all relate to.

Every Moz single since Steven Street jumped ship is about a 6 or 7 out of 10 (patchy, ok-ish indie pop) with the obvious exception of First of the Gang. Moz needs to understand this. Give us 2 or 3 brilliant singles per album and the album'll sell half a million (in the UK).

Got to stop blaming radio stations. True it's slightly harder for Moz to get airplay due to his image etc but the real problem lies in the songs. FOTG showed that radio stations will play him but only if he delivers the goods.
Simple as that!
M

Fuckin hell! The Smiths were never never a radio-play band and they did not get much airplay in the UK. The Smiths had a shit-load of controversy over certain songs, such as Hand in Glove, Suffer Little Children, Panic and Ask!!! yes, even Fucking Ask got slaughtered becuase of bomb references. So Morrrissey fans; nothing has changed - Join the gang!

The songs are better then the majority of the stuff played on the radio.However they are not of the same standard as Irish.. , first of.. etc.If he once again realised work of this quality then they would get played

In my opinion Morrissey has a knack not choosing the best tracks as singles. And I think it all started with Your The One For Me Fatty. Typically, I have found my favorite tracks to be his B-sides or the non-singles on the album. (The Edges..., Michaels Bones, Maudlin Street, To Me You Are.., Friday Morning, etc...) Songs like First Of The Gang, Alma Matters,Our Frank, We hate it when..,You Have Killed me,etc just don't speak to me as much as others. I even preferred most of the B-Sides of The Smiths to the singles.

But to each his own. Even on this site.

Briansd (Got no Tix to LA! Boo Hoo)

there are two answers
1 - who ?
2 - isn't he gay
fuc'ed up -but true
of course this applys to the U.S only

4 singles later and Mozz does a U.S. tour?

Milwaukee radio almost never plays smiths/morrissey but...... when the Quarry Tour came to town, two radio stations (102.1 and WMSE) played IBEH and FOTGTD as well as past Smiths hits. The show was a sell out and I'm sure more copies of Quarry were sold in the city. Tours get more radio play and sell albums.

Mozz and fans from the US should not complain when there was no real tour, no interviews, and little press from his lable. I love him and have seen over 20 shows from the Queen is Dead tour till this past Chicago show, but don't whine for the man. This is a job and he needs to work it more. How about a few radio station interviews in cities he is playing and guess what, the songs will get played.

the whole thing actually has anything to do with Morrissey as such. As far as i can see music is run by massive record companies who have all the influence over radio stations etc. They only play mainstream music and independence is not encouraged. Morrissey just does not fit this category and never has done. He is not liked for having a mind of his own. It is near impossible to hear decent independent music these days. Music TV is crapper than ever, even Glasto is headlining Kylie, there is no escape from huge corporations shoving their talentless artists in our face making them fast bucks. Morrissey is too good for it all anyway!

Why bother?

Most people seem to be underestimating this factor and I've seen little reference made to it in posts.

The Moz haters in my office (i.e. everyone except me) all claim that the songs sound "miserable" just because he's singing them. I try to tell them : listen to the lyrics! It's not depressing, it's not miserable - it's funny, life-affirming (sometimes) - just listen to what he's singing! They say: no, it makes no difference what the lyrics are, it just SOUNDS depressing!

Morrissey's voice is the most polarising factor in his music. Personally, I liked it instantly. Others just can't get past it.

His no-name record label can't afford it.

Morrissey will never get much airplay unless he dumbs down his lyrics(which he should never have to do) a bit and more importantly, gets some songwriters who can write a catchier melody, or at least a chorus. Even You Have Killed Me felt like trudging through the mud. Rarely anybody played him when he was a young and brilliant 25, crooning with a brilliant melody man like Mr. Marr to back him. Rest assured,Nobody will play an older but brilliant 45 (well 47) year old crooner without a hook to back him!

as much as i love morrissey, his music is not where it used to be anymore, yes i understand times change and everything but theres bands (whom i'd rather not name) that have been out there making good music 'till this day. Morrissey's prime is in the past, the only way he'd be able to create a buzz anymore was if he'd reunite with the smiths, or shave his head...Alizarin Crimson

I dont really think its any of the reason above. The music made for the radio these days is just not Morrissey's style. Hes not writing radio friendly music. Take that for what you will, but thats a good thing. The general public just doesnt have the taste for something like Morrissey, its more for the fans and people who like alternative music.

the radio format has long since died...therefore there is no place for an intelligent, quality artist like Morrissey...radio is but advertising with songs in the middle...how do you sell tickets for teenagers to monster truck rallies? Certainly not with quality music...it has to be disposable garage like all those "cute" bands that sound the same and look like they stepped off the set of The O.C.
Buzz is no longer created by established careers of quality, but rather a quick bang by a manufactured group or singer that after a single or two is never heard from again...MOZ don't need radio!

..around here most of the dj-s in local radios don
't even know who moz is, therefore they're not too known here, but still. I just love him and I know people who feel the same. Hate reading all those negative comments that teenagers in Estonia write about him. They just don't understand!

he's not black
that's all they play on the radio here

All the above reasons are legitimate, although I believe the answer is a bit more complicated.
It is not that Moz is too 'smart' or 'brit' or moody',etc... the man has (mainstream)cult status,
he fares well with merch and record sales, for crying out loud he has very active forums all over the world, but the reason that he does not get radio play is... he wants it this way.
He has the power to go top 10, as he has or can attain a power pr team, build the hype, 'request'
stations to play his stuff every hour... all that is possible for him, i know. But it is ultimately
him. All that BS about him not appealing to kids is rubbish. Kids are what keep him going, all those poor young lonely souls who discover Moz's
lyrics for the first time will be hooked for life,
and they dont care about his age. Look at the popularity with Frank Sinatra, he attains new fans
young and old every day, just like Moz, why?
Because they have the status of venerable perfomers/icons... he is not the flavor of the month, he does not need the airplay, he is here to stay, and he knows that.
anyways, gotta go back to work...
sorry 4 any misspellings!
3
The girl with the corp. in her side

Somebody who has sang for monsters spawned in November, girls gone from this unhappy planet, girlfirend in a coma, a poor Asian boy dead in a fight, ganglords, Jack The Ripper, a Mexico poluted by chemical waste, little lambs on the hill that 'good Christians' want to kill, etc cannot possibly be appearing in those radio stations dominated by the thirst of an overwhelming majority for beautiful, glamourous and rich people for the sake of escapism from reality. Morrissey is a thoughtful, deeply thoughtful guy, and he does not want to use his music in the same way Nelly Furtado does. All you see in one of her videos, a recent one, is her helicopter, her glamourous beauty, her youth, .... That's what the world wants to see, and even if they prefer something more realistic, more...human, Morrissey's degree of realism and acerbiceness is just too much for average folks to handle - because he goes to the bottom of misery, and forces us to remember all those who are just completely ignored. It takes a lot of intelligence nowadays to extricate yourself from average taste, e.g., average radio and MTV it seems... The days when Luka by Susanne Vega made frequent appearences on MTV and on the radio are long gone...