Is DecembeRadio popular?

[Ziggy]

Or perhaps more interestingly, is their popularity growing? How might we even gauge this? Well, the only metric at my disposal is Wikipedia page views, so I compiled them for DecembeRadio and six other bands I thought would serve as decent benchmarks.



What you're looking at is a graph of daily page views averaged over each month, plotted on a logarithmic scale. (If you don't understand the logarithmic scale, the same data are plotted on the absolute scale at the end of the post.) Available data only go back to December 2007.

Many of the bumps can be explained by major album releases:

The Black Crowes released albums in March 2008 and September 2009.
Third Day released an album in July 2008.
Drive-By Truckers released albums in January 2008 and March 2010.
Needtobreathe released an album in August 2009.
Seventh Day Slumber released an album in March 2009.
DecembeRadio released an album in August 2008.
Sevenglory sort of released an album between January and April 2010?

But what's interesting is what happens after the bumps? Do the page views go back down to the previous level or do they remain elevated? For the two long established bands on the list, The Black Crowes and Third Day, new albums don't win them many new fans, and the page views fall back down. It's hard to tell what's happening with Drive-By Truckers, since their two album releases occurred at the ends of the available data. My guess, though, is that if we had data going back a few more years, we'd see a gradual rise; they're a word-of-mouth type of band, and I don't think album releases help them as much as other bands in terms of gaining popularity. Their live shows are where fans are won. We may be seeing some of that with DecembeRadio, too. (The live experience they provide is a little too much "show" and not enough "concert" for me, but it still puts other Christian bands to shame. Also, the peripheral things leading up to the actual concert can be amateurish. But that's another thread...) There seems to be a slow build from the start of the data up until Satisfied was released, although the data have remained mostly flat since then. It will be interesting to see what happens when they finally get around to releasing album #3. Needtobreathe is obviously the fastest-growing band on this graph. I don't know a whole lot about them, but could it be that they built a Christian fanbase and then successfully chased the mainstream market without alienating their original fans? Is the rise since the beginning of the year due to new fans' seeing them live for the first time? In any case, it seems to me that Needtobreathe is a band DecembeRadio should be studying. Seventh Day Slumber is flat until the release of their most recent album, and then they level out at a higher number, so it seems they're keeping the fans their most recent album won them. Lastly, Sevenglory isn't making a lot of progress.

If you can think of other bands that would serve as good benchmarks, let me know and I'll generate another plot.

[Debbie]

Nice Ziggy. I think radio play has a lot to do with increase for album releases. DecembeRadio unfortunately lacks the radio play they so deserve.

[Corrine]

Originally Posted by Ziggy

Needtobreathe is obviously the fastest-growing band on this graph. I don't know a whole lot about them, but could it be that they built a Christian fanbase and then successfully chased the mainstream market without alienating their original fans?

Needtobreathe is super hot right now, but there were mainstream first, and then came to the realm of Christian music. They themselves have always been Christian, but the majority of their songs are not "Christian", meaning the actual JPM is low if existing in their songs. And they've toured with many secular bands before they started touring with Christian bands. I don't know if they consider themselves a "Christian band" or not, but the Christian audience has grabbed onto them tight. Debbie and I talked to them a few years ago in Nashville about their fans. They told us how different their new Christian fans were from the secular fans they were used to. I think their popularity comes from the sincerity in Bo's voice, having a different sound (although the Kings of Leon are very close), and having either very good management or a very good label. I hear their songs on TV shows and movie promos all the time.

[Corrine]

Ziggy,

We have access to other stats that show growth in DecembeRadio's popularity. Here is just one. This is from Facebook, taken today.
DR fb stats.jpg

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by Corrine

Needtobreathe is super hot right now, but there were mainstream first, and then came to the realm of Christian music. They themselves have always been Christian, but the majority of their songs are not "Christian", meaning the actual JPM is low if existing in their songs. And they've toured with many secular bands before they started touring with Christian bands. I don't know if they consider themselves a "Christian band" or not, but the Christian audience has grabbed onto them tight. Debbie and I talked to them a few years ago in Nashville about their fans. They told us how different their new Christian fans were from the secular fans they were used to. I think their popularity comes from the sincerity in Bo's voice, having a different sound (although the Kings of Leon are very close), and having either very good management or a very good label. I hear their songs on TV shows and movie promos all the time.

Interesting, thanks. What were the differences they mentioned between secular and Christian fans?

[cpantherckinghim]

I agree that NEEDTOBREATHE is one of the fastest growing groups in terms of popularity. They have an excellent live show and a very dedicated group of fans called The Breathers. These fans promote shows long in advance & up to the day of the show. NEEDTOBREATHE has been playing larger venues with each tour and are riding high on the release of The Outsiders which was mentioned by Tai Anderson of Third Day as his favorite CD release in 2009. Bear of NEEDTOBREATHE has often said they don't consider themselves as a "Christian band" because he feels that means you have to be a Christian to listen to their music. Their songs like Signature of Divine (Yahweh), Washed By The Water, Streets Of Gold, Garden and Lay 'Em Down clearly have "Christian" lyrics, but they also have songs that appeal to the secular market.

I would love to see DecembeRadio get more radio airplay & better promotion for upcoming shows. How about a DecembeRadio/NEEDTOBREATHE tour?

[Corrine]

Originally Posted by Ziggy

Interesting, thanks. What were the differences they mentioned between secular and Christian fans?

Mostly stuff about how the girls would stalk them, things you would expect bands in the secular world to maybe expect from the female fans that they did not want anything to do with, things like that. There was more, but it's been a few years, and I don't remember. We started talking about the difference in having message boards with more worldly fans as opposed to Christian fans.

[Corrine]

Originally Posted by cpantherckinghim

I would love to see DecembeRadio get more radio airplay & better promotion for upcoming shows. How about a DecembeRadio/NEEDTOBREATHE tour?

That would be awesome!

[eadgwonder]

In my opinion, Decemberadio is more than capable of building that needed fanbase with nothing more than exposure. Radio play, radio play, radio play. I know I've heard them on TV during NASCAR events, which is good and all, but my local Christian stations have NO IDEA what to do with this rockin' out business. I would like to hear songs like "For Your Glory" or if they decide to rerecord "Innocent" from the "Dangerous" ablum. Even "Believer" could be a pretty solid single for most contemporary crowds. I think that would just blow the old fogeys of contemporary listening away. I might be able to fist pump celebrate my God to "Live and Breath," "Falling for You" or "Satisfy Me," but those are a hard sell for the pew-sittin' crowd. "Drifter" was a huge hit because it fed both audiences. Some are ready to get up and jump around, yet some are still content to park it in a comfy padded bench and grow just as much. Not that I want Decemberadio to change, I just don't want them to fade into the shadows of underexposure like Hyperstatic Union or Remedy Drive. These guys are such talented musicians, and have amazing testimonies for who God is and what he has done in their lives, and I can't imagine a day where I wouldn't be able to hear my favorite band because they just aren't heard enough.

[eadgwonder]

I'm hoping to hear some more Dradio with the adult contemporary friendly "Love Can." I'm even more excited to hear the Facebook announcement that we can expect new tunes in the fall! Let's hope this puts 'em up in the charts, and give Johnny Lang a real run for his money!

[Debbie]

Originally Posted by cpantherckinghim

I would love to see DecembeRadio get more radio airplay & better promotion for upcoming shows. How about a DecembeRadio/NEEDTOBREATHE tour?

Now you are cooking with butter!

[Debbie]

Originally Posted by eadgwonder

In my opinion, Decemberadio is more than capable of building that needed fanbase with nothing more than exposure. Radio play, radio play, radio play. I know I've heard them on TV during NASCAR events, which is good and all, but my local Christian stations have NO IDEA what to do with this rockin' out business. I would like to hear songs like "For Your Glory" or if they decide to rerecord "Innocent" from the "Dangerous" ablum. Even "Believer" could be a pretty solid single for most contemporary crowds. I think that would just blow the old fogeys of contemporary listening away. I might be able to fist pump celebrate my God to "Live and Breath," "Falling for You" or "Satisfy Me," but those are a hard sell for the pew-sittin' crowd. "Drifter" was a huge hit because it fed both audiences. Some are ready to get up and jump around, yet some are still content to park it in a comfy padded bench and grow just as much. Not that I want Decemberadio to change, I just don't want them to fade into the shadows of underexposure like Hyperstatic Union or Remedy Drive. These guys are such talented musicians, and have amazing testimonies for who God is and what he has done in their lives, and I can't imagine a day where I wouldn't be able to hear my favorite band because they just aren't heard enough.

I completely agree. DecembeRadio should be show cased outside of Christian radio. Their sound is that fresh sound, one folks are looking for. The rock is just "MAD!", people are going to love it! They just need to hear it 1st.