We have some cool news to announce, Moles!
After consulting with our program manager Clark Matthews and PR coordinator Renzi Stone, I’m proud to announce that my independently owned and operated radio station – 106.9 KTLO The Mole – will never play Beyonce, Country, or any other form of bad music on our airwaves.
This also includes Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and any other artist with a large and passionate fan base.
This difficult decision was made because...
A) KTLO The Mole specializes in playing a 1990s underground ambient house music format, featuring groups like KLF, Aphex Twin and Thievery Corporation.
B) Hopefully I will get our radio station just as much international publicity and attention as that one radio station in Ada that said it wouldn’t play Beyonce!
In case you missed it, some person emailed a country music station in Ada to see if they’re going to play some new crossover single from Beyonce.
The station manager – like me and 99% of all the other people on the planet –apparently didn’t know Beyonce released a county music single, and, well, an international scandal has since ensued.
Via the NY Post:
A country music radio station in Oklahoma, KYKC, faced backlash for denying a fan’s request to play Beyoncé’s new country single “Texas Hold ‘Em” — but the station’s general manger is defending the decision.
One Beyoncé fan went viral on X after sharing an email from Southern Central Oklahoma Radio Enterprises Broadcasting after she requested the new song.
The response states, “We do not play Beyoncé on KYKC as we are a country music station.”
Fans were outraged by the memo, and some of them even accused the station of “blatant racism and discrimination” against the “Single Ladies” singer and claimed it should be “held accountable.”
First of all, can someone email the person who made the request and let them know about Spotify, YouTube and other modern inventions that let you listen to any song whenever and wherever you want?
As a guy who once recorded the KJ 103 Hot at 8 each night so I could replay my favorite songs, I have to say it’s a pretty cool part of modern life.
Second, I think we all know Ada has its fair share of racists out there, but it’s a big reach to say a radio station is racist just because the GM was – like 99.9% of all other humans on this planet – unaware that Beyonce is so bored and depressed that she’s taking a stab at country music.
Once they found out Beyonce was chewing tobacco and driving down dirt roads in a pickup truck while wearing blue jeans, that station changed its mind:
KYKC seemingly changed its tune on Tuesday. The station shared a picture of “Texas Hold ‘Em” on X writing, “Lots of call coming in for Beyoncé’s ‘Texas Hold ‘Em.’ It’s coming up in minutes.”
Beyoncé’s new songs will be included on “Renaissance Act II” which she announced will be released on March 29.
For what it’s worth, the only Beyonce songs I can name off the top of my head also double as Destiny’s Child tracks. This is because I stopped paying attention to boring Top 40 music in the late 1990s.
For giggles, I decided to check out the new track. Here it is:
Yep – someone emailed a radio station to play that!
Instead of accusing the station of being racist, they should call them out for having no musical taste!
Hehe. I’m just kidding.
Music is one of the most subjective things out there, and one person’s listening trash can be another’s harmonic treasure.
If you like that song, so be it, but just remember you have other options out there just begging to be listened to, like The Orb's “Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld" – a 1991 ambient masterwork that Clark Matthews says "blends chill-out atmospheres with house rhythms to create an immersive, psychedelic listening experience."
Anyway, here at TLO 106.9 The Mole, we’re going to stick to our decision to not play Beyonce, Taylor Swift or any other form of country music unless Moby gives it the remix treatment. At that point, we’ll drop it into heavy rotation.
In the meantime, if you want to complain about this decision, or simply request a track for our Sunday night request show – Music Has a Right to Children – send us an email at tips@thelostogle.com.
Stay with 106.9 TLO The Mole – We’ll keep you advised.
