This statement is aimed at UK soul radio show presenters and has been a long time coming and is long overdue!
Not a week passes by without certain radio show playlists being filled with tunes almost certainly found via this blog, which is great that the music is being played, yet not one of them gives any acknowledgement to the blog's existence. They dutifully post their show podcasts along with playlists on every facebook forum they can find, ensuring that they tag all the artists and other DJs to boost their egos, yet not one of them tags this blog. Draw your own conclusions as to their motives, could it be they don't want me, or others, to know what they are using from the blog?
Perhaps, if these DJs collaborated with, and contributed to, the blog a bit more like Roger Soulsorts Williams, Steve Aggasild, DJ Kool Keith and several promoters (and not forgetting prolific blog supporter Yves Lambert) instead of 'sneakily' cherry picking from posts on this blog for their playlists without any acknowledgement, and learned to play fair together and shared finds to help support artists instead of competing to be 'first', then the soul world would be a much happier place! No one, except other certain types of DJ, could care less who found, played or posted what first as it's all about giving exposure to the best music! The biggest joke is that after they've played them 'first' they never play them again, dropping them for their next 'first' play.
No one is more important than the music and the blog is here solely to support artists and labels not to promote DJ's egos! Be warned otherwise this source may well dry up. That will mean a platform is lost to the artists and labels through the selfishness of a small minority of DJs who will then have to find their own material and spend hours searching through the mire like we do on a daily basis to present the best of what's around, and inevitably many will be missed! I know who the main culprits are and not a week goes by when playlists don't look very familiar! How about finding some material themselves and sharing it with blog readers? Now there's a novelty!
This blog attracts considerably more hits than the average radio show podcast with 2-2.5k hits per day (over 58k hits already for Nov, 64k in the last 30 days, 352k in last 6 months and 712k in last 12 months). If you know of a single radio show with more listens then by all means let us know as most average 200-300 ('if' they are lucky) which puts into context their reach versus the reach of the blog! If DJs want more exposure then they should involve themselves with, and contribute to, the blog instead of lurking on the sidelines and slyly using material from here for their playlists and taking credit for it.
This has been a long time coming and I am at the point where the blog will close if this behaviour does not cease as why should I spend my time making DJs look good without any appreciation nor reciprocation shown? A simple thank you on the show, being tagged and thanked on facebook, or even a PM, an email or a comment left on the blog .. it's not difficult ... or perhaps I'm old fashioned as it is only basic good manners for providing a free service that I feel is being taken for granted and taken advantage of and will disappear if there isn't a significant improvement and all will lose out, most importantly the artists!
Come on guys it's not all about YOU, it's about sharing music for everyone to hear and hopefully buy. I encourage you to play it but enough of all the 'first play' BS and taking credit for someone else's (not just mine by the way) hard work digging them out! It's not about the DJs or who found or played what first, it's all about the music.
Anyone can find music and post on facebook or YouTube but it takes a bit more time, effort and care to research artists and provide links and the dead giveaway is when presenters read out almost verbatim what has been written on the blog!
To prove the figures above, here are screen snapshots from the blog logs. We have visitors from all over the world with only 50% in US/UK. You will need to click to expand.
Geographic Top 10
12 Months
6 Months
30 Days
Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved
%20%5BProlific%20Soul%20Music%20Group%5D.webp)
%20%5BSelf%20Released%5D.webp)
13 comments:
Thanks for your message Mark ... I hear what you are saying but that still doesn't make it right! I AM doing it for the right reasons, the love of the music and trying to keep it alive by posting music from across the board. It's the Charlatan DJs who plunder the blog on a weekly basis to fill their playlists without giving any appreciation for the amount of time and effort spent digging for and posting the tunes in the first place that gets my back up. Lazy, greedy, selfish DJ's who can't be bothered to do their own work and then want to take all the credit for my work that are in the wrong. I give credit where it is due as I am not arrogant enough to think that I find or know everything! I research artists and provide links to their social media, digital platforms, YouTube, Soundcloud, Bandcamp channels and Amazon listings where available which is why many of the posts feature on Amazon 100 listings in the first place. So those thinking they are not plundering the blog are gaining from the benefit of the track being posted and then featuring on Amazon 100 which is where the unimaginative DJs find most of their music as they can't be bothered doing what I do, ploughing through ALL the Amazon listings every day hunting for the good stuff that not many others find ... until they are posted and plundered and feature on playlists which other DJs then start taking from and before you know it half a dozen of them are all claiming 'first' play! You should know that yourself as tracks you playlist quite regularly appear in Amazon 100 soon afterwards!
I personally don't want or need the credit as I get credit enough from the blog stats and knowing I am providing a valuable service to artists, labels, promoters and the DJ's who actually appreciate the blog and don't take the piss. That is not why I'm calling this out. It is the fact that others are feeding off my work to make themselves look good that irks me, and they post them on facebook and get all the plaudits when they didn't find them in the first place and don't deserve the credit .. one word plagiarism! So I am finally calling them out having suffered it for far too long!
If it ruffles feathers then good, it needs to, as these types need routed out and exposed for what they are: amateur, glory hunting wannabes who can't find their own music so simply copy from anywhere they can, not only the blog but other DJ's playlists, and then try to pass them off as their own 'discoveries'. No imagination, originality, credibility or morals and we can do without them as they don't offer anything original as it just a big ego trip!
I'm sure it won't make any difference and it's what ultimately drove Roger off radio but at least I'm airing my views in public so anyone in any doubt knows exactly what's going on! There are far too many shows and podcasts floating around and it is time these types were culled to get out of the way of those who do it the right way!
To Soulstrutter, I fully appreciate your blog and have found many terrific recommendations.
I use to subscribe to a music subscription service called E-Music. It was a total pain in the arse! For £8.99 a month, I had 65 downloads. BUT, if I didn't use up all those 65 downloads in that month, they were lost.
Having to trawl thru endless codswallop was irritating to say the least to find the odd nice soul track. Sometimes two or three hours browsing might only yield three or four downloads. Many months I would lose those downloads.
I cancelled that service in the end as their soul recommendations were often autotune dribble that at best could only be described as bland R&B.
I've downloaded many of your recommendations online which has supported the artists, so long may it continue.
Also, Mark Merry, I love your Sunday show. So many terrific tunes every week.
Keep up the good work guys.
Sadly, there will always be the lazy DJs who big up themselves. If them playing the tunes encourages listeners to buy the music and support the artists, then let that be your focus.
We need to support the artists so we can be treated to wonderful new music, year after year.
Phil Ward.
You do a great Job! We all appreciate the long hours and hard work you do.
Keep doing your passion!!!
Regards,
DJ Lenny
Alas it's the ransom of glory!!! You do a wonderful job of promoting our soul music which is not recognized at its fair value. Human nature is such and you will always find profiteers. I speak knowingly and you were right to put things in their place. For my part, I have always had this notion of sharing without a second thought for the love of our beautiful music.
Keep the faith!!!
Best regards from France
Yves
Not before time mate, keep on keeping on, you do a fine job.
If you are non biased you will approve my last post
As a artist , I am incredibly thankful to the Soul Strutter blog and all the insights and work I know go into such a thoughtful and thoroughly put together blog. The amount of work alone that goes into this blog must be astounding. I’m just a small fish in a huge ocean of artists and am grateful that someone out their was able and willing to sift through the many releases and find my music . It shows the true dedication and integrity that goes into putting together a truly professional blog. If it takes a simple acknowledgment for the work. Let me be someone who’s sees the work and appreciates all that it endeavors to do. It’s a shame that credit is not being given to the blog for all that it provides.
Brilliant blog that deserves credit. Keep up the good work.
Lovin' the blog and all the hard work you put in. Keep on doing what you're doing. You are much appreciated by The Soul Emperor 🎵❤️
You work very hard I guess without many compliments, but have much respect from myself for the great the service you provide. Many hours of searching, listening and posting. We see your passion, we feel your passion, we live your passion. You should really put a PAYPAL donate link. Naturally many would take songs from the blog and not mention you as they don't want others to know where they got it from. Keep Up The Great Work or as Curtis said Keep On Keeping On.
Please don’t let your blog go Mark! It’s benefited me personally as an artist and I’m grateful for that. Soul Strutter was second to Facebook for my YouTube view recommendations. You’ve introduced my music to people that didn’t even know that I existed. Chin up my friend, you love music way too much to walk away! Plus Soul Strutter is a staple!
Thank you for your blog and the write ups you have given my music. I really appreciate it and more is coming in January.
It's a great blog, I only found it this year and am glad I did. For sure, I've come across stuff here that I've then played, so I'm grateful for what you do; and it's why I publish my playlists because it's about the music and the artists. Thanks, Richard
Post a Comment