Theming rundown

[KIghostguy]

Interesting. I haven't noticed the spikes moving on Adventure Express this year, and I've been on it several times. I'll have to look closer next time.

[Magenta Lizard]

I've only seen it when I ride near the front of the train. Kind of like the voice on the final lift hill, it's over before the back of the train can see or hear it.

[freaks76]

^ I noticed that during the ERT at Coasterstock.

Maybe the volume button is broke.

[KIghostguy]

Last night in the queue for The Bat, there was some thrilling-type instrumental music playing.

[marth555]

During my ride on Adventure Express yesterday the final tunnel scene was lit up way more then usuall

[Magenta Lizard]

I'm so proud of this one little creeper on the new floral tunnel. It's made it way up to where the arch begins!

[King Ding Dong]

Let's hope KI takes better care of it than SFSTL does theirs. They also need to plan on some fans in there for air circulation and some benches.

[The Interpreter]

That would be boss.

So to speak.

[Imperial79]

I saw some pictures can't remember from where (think it was from here or KIExtreme, but they had little tables set up in the Floral tunnel when it was Nickelodeon Central.  It looked cute.

[Oldschool75]

The tables were setup when the tunnel was closed off, right before they completely removed it.

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[DubVLegend]

Last night in the queue for The Bat, there was some thrilling-type instrumental music playing.

Was it the top gun music that use to play??

[PKI96]

One thing that bugs me, and I know this is really lame but I had to point this out...

 

The vintage Kenner X-Wing in the "80's" store window display has a Luke X-Wing figure from the 1996+ toy line in the cockpit.  You can get a vintage figure for around $3. 

 

 

 

[beastfan11]

One thing that bugs me, and I know this is really lame but I had to point this out...

The vintage Kenner X-Wing in the "80's" store window display has a Luke X-Wing figure from the 1996+ toy line in the cockpit. You can get a vintage figure for around $3.

Ha. Buff Power of the Force Luke. That kills me.

[jdawg1998]

I know this has been talked about a lot but it's been bugging me.

 

Why is Kings Island so stubborn about the music played in the parks? We all know Don and other important KI people look over this site and our recommendations. How come they won't just attempt to have music that relates to the area's theme? Is it out of laziness, not caring, or some other reason? 

[beastfan11]

I can say the music in the park is about 80% the same playlist that was used when I worked retail. I don't know the ins and outs of licensing when it comes to this kind of thing, but thought I'd add to the conversation. Take it for what it's worth.

Kind of disappointing.

[King Ding Dong]

I know this has been talked about a lot but it's been bugging me.

Why is Kings Island so stubborn about the music played in the parks? We all know Don and other important KI people look over this site and our recommendations. How come they won't just attempt to have music that relates to the area's theme? Is it out of laziness, not caring, or some other reason?

I am not involved with the amusement park business but am indirectly involved in entertainment/music. I highly suspect they know exactly what they are doing and basing their decisions off marketing studies they have conducted, perceptual as well as focus groups.

Why do radio stations these days only play the hits and skip all the deeper tracks? Becuase that's what the vast majority of people want. Neilson/Arbitron have these nifty devices now called Personal People Meters that are like beepers that participants carry around and through inaudible tones broadcast over the air are able to record what people are actually listening to at a given moment. A radio programmer can sit at their desk and in real time see the impact their decisions are having on listenership. The sad fact is people just want to hear the hits.

Licensing/royalty issues may play a part as well. It is very possible they have worked out arrangements with ASCAP/BMI or even record labels directly.

[Oldschool75]

But the music that was played on I street was more than likely in the public domain and not having to be licensed.

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[The Interpreter]

The particular arrangements weren't in the public domain, for the most part, and certainly most required licensing.

Note the same type music played today at Kings Dominion and Worlds of Fun, just to name two.

[BeeastFarmer]

Kings Dominion has appropriate music for its' themed areas.  (However, some of the music in Safari Village almost sounds like Haunt music!)

Carowinds has wonderful instrumental music playing in the plaza outside the front gate.

Cedar Point has appropriate music for its' Rivertown/Western area (sorry, I can't remember the name of this area.)

 

As much as I like the 80's music that plays at KI, it would be nice to have thematic music on I-Street and Rivertown again...and not turned up so loud!  It's hard to hear the ones you are there with.

[shark6495]

I did a nice lengthy post on ASCAP/BMI etc and if anyone wants to find it (last 2-4 months) that would be awesome (I can't on mobile).

Basically....

The royalty groups have a price structure for all things (amusement park, radio, non for profit, etc) and it's based on size and play lists etc.

And as King Ding Dong says... The music is (probably) picked for a very specific reason.

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[calakapepe]

Ubeat pop music is supposedly good for sales, it's good for listener retention, also notice how a couple of songs played in the park are sometimes also in the park's shows regardless of repeats

[The Interpreter]

So, the science and/or target markets are that different at, say, Kings Dominion?

[calakapepe]

Does KD not play upbeat music?

Or are we still only talking about the fountain music?

I've not set foot in KD

[King Ding Dong]

So, the science and/or target markets are that different at, say, Kings Dominion?

Absolutely. Otherwise radio stations would use generic national music tests. They may use them as a general guide if their budgets don't allow for a full local test at the moment but music tastes and demographics definitely are different from one market to the next. I can't provide you and specific examples becuase the data is proprietary but some tracks will test very differently between two cities relatively close together such as Columbus and Cleveland.

Another good example in radio is a format called Active Rock and it is harder and edgier than your average rock station and can get very good ratings. The problem is those stations generally have a really tough time performing in revenue becuase many advertisers don't want the demographic it attracts.

[Outdoor Man]

Ubeat pop music is supposedly good for sales, it's good for listener retention, also notice how a couple of songs played in the park are sometimes also in the park's shows regardless of repeats

 

A lot of the songs aren't "upbeat" and you can almost tell what time of the day it is by what's playing,

[calakapepe]

A lot of them ARE upbeat though lol
The mellower ones are usually toward the end of the day.

[BlondyRidesOn]

I've heard them play "Stressed Out" by Twenty One Pilots on International Street, and it was already not one of my favorites the first time I heard it on the radio in my car. I was sitting and eating along side the fountains on my day off and tried listening to appropriate music for the area on my phone, such as "First Introduction/ The Winton Flyer" from The Reivers by John Williams, "Hoedown" by Aaron Copland, and "Italia Mia" by Mantovani and his Orchestra. However I couldn't hear, even with my volume up all the way, because of how loud the loudspeakers were blaring the music. I'm not particularly pleased with the soundtrack choice they play throughout the park.

[Infinity]

It may just be a coincidence but I have noticed they are playing a lot of Interscope Records' artists such as Selena Gomez/Gwen Stefani/etc.

[shark6495]

This is how it worked in radio and tv, so I'll assume it's close for other projects.

As for the music, there are 2 or 3 licensing companies. You pay these licensing companies a set fee based on your structure (NPO, for profit, how much profit, etc). You also submit a tracking sheet/data log of the music you play, which since most places are digital is easy to print/etc. the fees you pay are then sent out.

http://www.ascap.com/~/media/files/pdf/licensing/classes/themeparkadm.pdf

Here is the sample contract from ascap.

http://www.bmi.com/licensing/entry/amusement_parks

That's from BMI.

https://licensing.jamendo.com/en/in-store/entertainment/amusement-park

That's another company.

Here is SESAC (EDIT) the third big company with ASCAP and BMI

https://www.sesac.com/licensing/General.aspx

And music writers/producers/singers belong to different companies.

Most places usually subscribe to ascap and BMI to ensure they are covered.

I couldn't find he BMI price, but the ASCAP price is less than 7 cents per person on attendance

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As a follow up here is a link to see if one of your favorite songs is represented by ASCAP and their 550,000 composers

https://www.ascap.com/Home/ace-title-search/index.aspx

Here is the searchable for BMI, scroll to the bottom

http://www.bmi.com/search

EDIT

Here is searchable for SESAC

https://www.sesac.com/Repertory/RepertorySongList.aspx?x=59&y=20

I'm no longer involved in the music side of things as much as I was and certain artists or songs may not be covered by these big three. But for the most part places that play a large array of music will purchase these 3 and when you buy music to broadcast it will tell you who to pay. But for less than 50cents per person per visit that can cover all 3.

So if you have a pass and go 10 times, you cost about $5 for the music to be played.

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It was in this same thread... Here is the info I put up about music licensing...

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[BeeastFarmer]

Does KD not play upbeat music?

Or are we still only talking about the fountain music?

I've not set foot in KD

i have only been there one time (last week) but here is what I observed:

I-Street/Entry Plaza: Instrumental/movie scores/"European" music.  This extended down the long pathway behind the tower.  However, once the sun set, the light show started and this area was immersed in techno/dance club music.

Old Virginia: Country-ish music--guitars and banjos.

Candy Apple Grove-50's/60's and 80's-00's pop music.

Safari Village-Congo-type music, but at times it sounded Haunt music as noted in my previous post.

Walkway to Dominator-pop music.

 

All of the music was upbeat, but just themed to its' area.  Also, most of the speakers I saw were ground level and blended into the landscape.  The volume was set so it enhanced the experience rather than drown out the experience.

 

KD was a very nice park.  Besides being a mirror image of KI, and the associated moments of confusion, it reminded me of the KI I remember as a youth.  If you can take the time, go.