I’ve been told that video did in fact kill the radio star. Well, if that’s the case, then it would explain why I couldn’t name any radio stars. Perhaps the situation isn’t quite that devious, however, as I never saw the headline about video being arrested for first-degree murder, and he’ll probably never even be prosecuted for attempted murder or aggravated assault either.

The point is this: radio stations are not dead by any means; they simply lack good communication skills. Oh sure, you can still turn on the radio at any given time and be almost assaulted by popular, and, sometimes, not-so-popular music. But what happens when you find that perfect song?

You know which one I’m talking about. The one with the beat that completes your soul, with lyrics to make you feel like you could take on the world, get your heart racing, and maybe even restore the will to live that you’ve been so long without.

It would be nice to know the name of the song, wouldn’t it? Sure it would, so you wait. It’s not painful waiting, after all, you’ve found the perfect song, the one that you’re going to go out and buy as soon as you can. Finally, at long last, it’s over. With the most intense anticipation ever conceived of by man, you listen to the DJ come back on.

“And now, time for a word from our sponsor.”

These are the only words to escape the DJ’s mouth before you are assaulted by corporate propaganda. There is no mention of the title of the song, nor is there any word of the artist. There is nothing, and that’s all you’ll be listening to for the next 5 to ten minutes as your fury consumes you, your greatest desire left unfulfilled.

It is a situation we have almost all been faced with. But at least it isn’t the end of the world, right? There are lots of ways we could go about finding the answer to our question. But almost all of those things involve the most feared word in the English language: work.

Now, to be fair to the lovely people on the radio, there have been rare moments in which a song will end and we will be treated to the title and artist. However, as a DJ at local alternative rock station Live 105 once divulged, these moments are reserved for new songs from recently released albums. The only other times the name of the song is given would be based solely on how the DJ feels at the time, and if they don’t feel like it, then it’s too bad for you.

Now, at long last I reach my final point: the radio is a wonderful thing. It relates music, information, and, at times, comedy to the world. However, the mystery that it leaves in relation to the songs we listen to is one that I personally am offended by. My suggestion is that those of you who are looking to go into the radio industry make it a point, no, make it your mission to make sure that each and every song played is known to the world. If you do, no man, woman, or child with a love of music will ever have to wonder just who it was that created that beautiful song.