The Petra Zone

I recently purchased a Switchfoot CD at Target. They have it on display - some intro to new music display or something. $7 for the CD. I bought it and I like it. A steal for $7. Anyway, they get airplay on one of the local Christian stations here in Minneapolis. One night I'm punching through the presets on my car radio and the local Hard Rock station is playing Switchfoot. I certainly was suprised. Now granted, Switchfoot is made for crossover. You could listen to the entire CD and not necessarily pick up the fact that they are Christian, but how come they can do it and Petra hasn't? Jekyll & Hyde seems like it would be the perfect song to crossover.

Interestingly enough, John mentions his regret at not getting into the crossover market. I know a lot of people don't like to see Christian artists cross over, but he has always said they would do it without compromise.

Secular radio can't handle Petra's Christian lyrics.

Are you talking about 93X or KQ? I heard 93X pushing Switchfoot pretty hard this summer.

There's a totally secular station in my area, 94.5 The Zone, and they made Switchfoot's "Meant To Live" a part of their Weekly Buzz Cut contest (you vote if we play it or not) this past summer, so it got quite the spotlight for a week. It did make it onto regular rotation, by the way.

Spottacus - 93X. Although I have that station on the preset, I guess I don't listen to it much anymore. I must be well behind the fact that Switchfoot was already getting the airplay.

Have you heard anything from Jekyll and Hyde on a Mpls station? KTIS certainly wouldn't play anything other than Everything I do, but don't know if they even play that. I haven't heard anything on the other Christian station either (107.5).

I think secular stations could handle a song like Jekyll & Hyde. It doesnt really use any "religious words" in the lyrics.

Plus its an awesome song!

We've actually been through this conversation (basically) before... the main thing is MONEY. We all complain about who's just in it for the money or whatever... well, it does take money to promote a song. It takes money ESPECIALLY to promote a song in the secular arena, and Inpop just ain't a huge outfit. They don't have the dinero (is that right, Eloisa? hehe) to push that song to the mainstream market. It would have to be something like a movie soundtrack cut that was included because some filmmaker was a Pethead or something to get it out there without a huge investment by Inpop.

Yes, it's supposed to be illegal to pay a radio station to play your song. The secular music industry has a way around that.

Well, the last line "just God reliance" might not go over too well with secular rock radio.

Hi guys I rarely post a message on here but i guess that i will on this topic. You guys are saying that there music is not gonna work in the secular music stations if we pray hard enough than God can do very great things look at the song by Mercy me, I can only Imagine,that is all I am gonna say for now can't wait to see what you guys have to say about this. and just keep praying God will still use Petra I feel in a very big way!

I was going to mention that too. I Can Only Imagine is getting a lot of secular airplay up here. I recently saw a Soundscan chart that had it listed as the #1 selling single in the US. And this is very overtly Christian song. I'd be hard pressed to find a song that I think would have a tougher time being played on secular radio than this one, but yet it is being played and is a hit. With God all things are possible.

Simply put. If your going to crossover bring the Cross Over

Hey outcast

Toby Mac said that same thing during the Dc TAlk - Free At Last Tour in 1993.

That's a cool thing to say

This is my first post on this board. I agree with Shell that secular radio would not play Petra because of their straightforward Christian lyrics.

But I think we're getting the cart before the horse with talking about crossing over when the vast majority of Christian radio stations - rock and AC formats - are giving Jekyll & Hyde a total "pass" with ANY airplay. If we can't get Christian stations to play it, we can probably forget about secular stations playing it.

This is a very sore subject with me, because Petra's music has meant so much to me down through the years. I feel so blessed that they are still putting out music after all this time, and if it wasn't for Bob H. & company toughing it out when Christian rock was taboo some 30 years ago, we wouldn't have the music we have today.

So yes... I feel Christian stations should pay a little homage and put J&H material at least in light rotation. Especially networks like Air1 who should be all over Jekyll & Hyde.

But until we see some things change with the way music directors are viewing Petra today, we won't see any crossing over tomorrow.

BriGuyPEI wrote:I was going to mention that too. I Can Only Imagine is getting a lot of secular airplay up here. I recently saw a Soundscan chart that had it listed as the #1 selling single in the US. And this is very overtly Christian song. I'd be hard pressed to find a song that I think would have a tougher time being played on secular radio than this one, but yet it is being played and is a hit. With God all things are possible.

Really? Wow, that's amazing! I never would have expected that song on secular radio!

I too am rather ticked off at KLove and Air1 for dropping Petra. I know someone tried to contact them last summer -- has there been a steady stream of requests since then?

Of course, with Air1's new KLove-esque sappy pop music, you wouldn't expect JAH. TEID more like it. Maybe someday I'll understand why the same organization runs two networks that play the same stuff...

Actually, they don't play the same stuff. You can hear Lifehouse, Anberlin, Skillet, Seven Places, Pillar, Kutless, and many others on Air1, but KLove would never play any of those bands.

I agree that Air1 is "pop", but at least they are playing some hard rock. Which is why I am so frustrated by their pass on Petra. There is no reason or excuse for Air1 to not play Jekyll & Hyde. I have requested it, I have emailed them and phoned them, but one person cannot repeatedly make requests.