Tuesday, June 23, 2026

(Listen) Black Lives Matter But What About Black Music? Topical Anthems of the Day Are Getting Little Radio Play or Sales

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Black Lives Matter but what about Black Music? Today’s R&B stars are trying to emulate Marvin Gaye and others who brought issues into their music in the early70s. If this were the 70s and there wasn’t a radio monopoly, you’d be hearing HER Music’s “I Can’t Breathe” on every station.

As such, the song– which should be an instant hit– is number 38 on iTunes after 5 days. With all the crap being streamed, you’d think this song would have an impact. Marvin Gaye is rolling in his grave. There’s also no sign of Alicia Keys’ cover of “Perfect Way to Die” at all on iTunes, like it doesn’t exist.

Radio programmers? Smiling faces, sometimes, they don’t tell the truth.

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman is the founder and editor-in-chief of Showbiz411. He wrote the FOX411 column on FoxNews.com from 1999 to 2009, where he covered Michael Jackson, and previously wrote the "Intelligencer" column at New York magazine in the mid-1990s, where he covered the O.J. Simpson trial. He also edited Fame magazine. His bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, Vogue, Details, and the Miami Herald. He is a voting member of the Critics Choice Awards (Film and Television branches), and his movie reviews are tracked by Rotten Tomatoes. With D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, he co-produced the 2002 documentary "Only the Strong Survive," which screened at Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.

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