Chris Price has taken up his new role as head of music for BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra.
In one of his first major interviews he has hinted at a move away from metrics towards gut instinct when it comes to backing new artists.
“We’re kind of drowning in data, whether it’s Shazam tags or YouTube views, and the irony is that it almost leads to less certainty about what’s going on in the market than more,” Price told the Guardian.
“The best and only response is a return to the two things that are never going to let you down: your ears and your heart.”
Price is also preparing to face competition from streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music head-on – even if he doesn’t see them as direct competitors.
“It’s radio that’s sending people in their millions to streaming services,” he says. “Look at Justin Bieber: his hit Love Yourself was streamed about 2m times last week on Spotify. But radio impact for that track last week was in the region of 70m,” said Price.
“Streaming services are moving into music discovery, and Radio 1’s been doing this for 50 years, so it’s inevitable that they’re are going to look to us for talent. But right now I don’t see them as competition.”
Tools: platforms to help you reach new audiences
Tools: Kaiber
In the year or so since its launch, AI startup Kaiber has been making waves,…