Radio looms large in Red Hot Chili Pepper promo campaign

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You would have thought over the past few years that musical acts were sick and tired of having their music played on the radio, like it was some kind of dying medium breathing its last by vampiring other people’s creations. But the actions of world class Alternative act Red Hot Chili Peppers say otherwise – they are currently using CBS Radio to reach fans across the United States.


Members of the band were interviewed by CBS on the occasion of the release of “I’m With You.” The campaign, dubbed Red Hot Radio, originated at KROQ in Los Angeles and aired on select CBS radio stations nationwide. The interview took place 8/22/11, ahead of the album’s 8/30/11 release date.

The stations are also making selections from the album available for online preview streaming. Five cuts will ultimately be available.

Greg Strassell, CBS Radio SVP of Programming, remarked, “Radio and the music industry have always had a symbiotic relationship, endorsing and supporting one another in creative and innovative ways. Red Hot Radio is another example of how both entities can work hand-in-hand to promote one another, while offering fans a unique and integrated listening experience. CBS Radio has made a committed effort to showcase our passion for music. It seemed fitting to partner and work in such an intimate capacity with a band as big as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who have been a radio mainstay for over two decades.”

Stations participating in the event include:

KROQ-FM, Los Angeles (www.kroq.com)
WXRT-FM, Chicago (www.wxrt.com)
KITS-FM, San Francisco (www.live105.com)
KJKK-FM, Dallas (www.jackontheweb.com)
WZGC-FM, Atlanta (www.929dave.fm)
KJAQ-FM, Seattle (www.jackseattle.com)
KZJK-FM, Minneapolis (www.1041jackfm.com)
WHFS-FM, Baltimore (www.whfs.com)
WKRK-FM, Cleveland (www.radio923fm.com)
WPBZ-FM, West Palm Beach (www.buzz103.com)

RBR-TVBR observation: We have mentioned before that a band with the kind of street cred the Chili Peppers have may well be able to survive without radio – but clearly they and their label understand that free exposure on the radio translates into income.

For a band without a well-known name, radio can mean the difference between having a career or dwelling forever in the ranks of the obscure and unknown. If we were a band called the Cool Green Cucumbers, we’d welcome radio’s help in elevating our brand into a household name.

RBR-TVBR note: Reminder again the help and force of Radio – RBR-TVBR on 8/15/11 reported: RBR-TVBR observation … ‘Radio helps the Chili Peppers stay Red Hot’