DAYS GO BY FOR IVANA

It must be fun to work a record that is considered an “automatic” at the format, referring, of course, to the new Offspring single “Days Go By,” which dominated this week’s Most Added with at least 100 adds. I stopped keeping track after the first 40 or so. Whenever I’ve been #1 Most Added with a record I’m working, the congratulations is usually in the form of being told, “UPS could’ve delivered that record.” Major props to Mike DePippa and Amanda Walk on their format-wide romp, and I’m sure they’re also celebrating Jack White’s #1 sales bow this week with champagne and saltines (sixteen to be exact)!… In honor of this column taking up space in our “New and Developing Artists Issue,” let’s discuss some of the format’s own NADA (meaning “new and developing artists,” NOT the number of Chicagoans excited about Merlin’s back-door re-entrance into the Modern Rock format: The station’s positioning statement will be either “the sound of one hand clapping,” thanks to its crap signal, or, “you can piss farther than I can broadcast”—still a classic, coined by Andy Kipnes nearly 30 years ago). But I digress. The Modern Rock format (and the TV advertising community) should take great in pride in their role in the development (and ultimate “breaking”) of many artists thus far in 2012. After establishing Foster the People (how great is “Houdini?”) and Naked and Famous as core acts for the format, programmers were more attuned to adding new bands, like the now-famous chance that John Allers took on Of Monsters and Men, or the myriad of interesting choices made by Amber at WEQX, Leslie at CD101, Paul at WFNX, Jeff at Sirius XM (he’s been championing Atlas Genius and Morning Parade for months!), Lazlo at KRBZ, Harms at KNDD (they are the “home station” for The Lumineers), Lynn at KROX, et al. And it goes without saying that any new band added in L.A. and S.F. immediately puts the artist under a national spotlight. TWO new artists went to #1 within months of release: Gotye (you never even heard any of his early records, so he’s new to you) and Fun. (unless you’re Marc Young, they’re new to you too), with other “new” artist M83 (unless you’re Mark Hamilton or Garett Michaels, M83 is new to your audience) breaking big with the format’s best-researching “dance” song since Gorillaz… Newcomers Alabama Shakes continue to amaze with chart-topping sales and steady progress at the format (after Non-comm and Triple A established the base). The buzzword for 2012 is “patience,” and there’s no doubt that “Hold On” will be a Top 10 Modern Rock hit. The success of the song will redefine what is considered “mainstream” for Modern Rock. The call-out tells the story: The true “alternative” records are out-testing the mainstream rock records. Beyond the band’s incredible story and genre-defining image, the song SOUNDS LIKE A HIT. Best New Artist nomination for Alabama Shakes for next year’s Grammys? Seems like a lock to me… Although I stopped dating musicians before Brad Oberhofer was even born, I am completely taken with his namesake band. Their Coachella set, in the blazing heat, was the stuff of legends, and “Away Frm U” is one of the catchiest and smartest tunes you’ll hear this year. With the equally charming Nick Petropoulos at the helm, I’m giving the Oberhofer single a “Top 10” on my AIR report… The Lumineers’ “Ho Hey” is the sleeper hit of the year. I don’t care HOW you try to categorize the song (it’s too this, it’s not enough that), the fact remains that “Ho Hey” is IMMEDIATELY #1 phones at every station playing it (ask KNDD, CD101, WEQX, and now WROX, WZNE and KKDO). If you can’t hear this song, you’re dead inside… Ted is currently crossing the country, closing out the Garbage record (DC101, WROX and WFUZ were among this week’s adds), while I am back in LA, trying to solve the homeless problem (my own), listening to the Electric Guest single on repeat for emotional support. See you at the KROQ Weenie Roast!