Repetitive music in park

[King Ding Dong]

Probably just waiting for a software update to finish.

[disco2000]

Webcams or music in the park

[AnyPancakes]

2 hours ago, BeeastFarmer said:

Hard core rap:  lyrics containing about every foul, explicit word I have ever heard. Talk of prostitution, cutting, bloodshed and territory.

Explicit metal:  see above.

Dang. I gotta eat at the brew house more often. Sounds like a party 

[malem]

16 hours ago, BeeastFarmer said:

I ate at the Brewhouse around 1130 yesterday (Sunday) and was shocked at the songs played there during my brief time:

Hard core rap:  lyrics containing about every foul, explicit word I have ever heard. Talk of prostitution, cutting, bloodshed and territory.

Explicit metal:  see above.

Normal song:  Material Girl by Madonna.

Thankfully I did not see any children.  I don't know if the music choice is left up to the individuals in the eatery, but if so, that freedom needs to be taken away.

Did you send a message to the park alerting them to this? Typically, they play radio edits with any explicit words removed or replaced. The music in Brewhouse usually isn't loud enough for me to even pay attention to what's playing.

I did notice songs in a tighter rotation than usual this past weekend, especially on I-Street. If the park or one of its audio vendors is making changes, it's possible there are issues that they are working to resolve. Music at a large venue like Kings Island is complex, legally and technically speaking.

[BoddaH1994]

What was weird was last week I was waking through Oktoberfest  towards Delirium and heard Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. I turned around by the time I reached the back of the Festhaus and headed back toward Coney Mall. What song starts playing? Bohemian Rhapsody! Granted it was in two different zones but it was still quite the coincidence to hear the same song twice. 

[brenthodge]

That’s why original, non lyric, on theme music would solve these issues. I don’t understand why as a chain, CF can’t 1) move away from pop crap in the park. I want an “escape” from my car radio, not an extension of my car radio. 2) commission 3-4 extended playlists of theme appropriate music that could plug into similarly themed areas across all properties and extend the cost across all those parks. I don’t think people would notice repeat as much of pure  instrumental. Maybe still do some “classic rock” for comment-style midways and attractions. 

 

And why I’m complaining. PLEASE PLEASE ditch the stupid live spieling on rides. REPLACE with theme appropriate safety announcements (loved hearing the full recorded spiel on FOF last fir a first time in a while. Haven’t ridden in a couple of years. Good to hear it back. 

[silver2005]

^Carowinds pulls that off pretty well. 

[malem]

2 hours ago, brenthodge said:

That’s why original, non lyric, on theme music would solve these issues. I don’t understand why as a chain, CF can’t 1) move away from pop crap in the park. I want an “escape” from my car radio, not an extension of my car radio. 2) commission 3-4 extended playlists of theme appropriate music that could plug into similarly themed areas across all properties and extend the cost across all those parks. I don’t think people would notice repeat as much of pure  instrumental. Maybe still do some “classic rock” for comment-style midways and attractions.

There was plenty of classic rock on the playlist this past weekend. The pop playlist used in most areas of the park is typically a wide variety so that most park guests will hopefully hear some songs they like. The current issue is that at least some songs are repeating more often than they should be.

What works for one park might not always be the best fit for another park. Carowinds' playlist is heavier on country music, for instance.

[BeeastFarmer]

8 hours ago, malem said:

Did you send a message to the park alerting them to this? Typically, they play radio edits with any explicit words removed or replaced. The music in Brewhouse usually isn't loud enough for me to even pay attention to what's playing.

I did notice songs in a tighter rotation than usual this past weekend, especially on I-Street. If the park or one of its audio vendors is making changes, it's possible there are issues that they are working to resolve. Music at a large venue like Kings Island is complex, legally and technically speaking.

No, I didn't.  Since there were no lines, I wanted to get back to the midways and planned to stop by Guest Services on the way out but failed to do so.  The crowd was so low (around 6 customers in the  building) that you could hear just about anything.  I think it was a one time fluke, but if it is not, I'll  contact the park if it happens again. 

2 hours ago, brenthodge said:

That’s why original, non lyric, on theme music would solve these issues. I don’t understand why as a chain, CF can’t 1) move away from pop crap in the park. I want an “escape” from my car radio, not an extension of my car radio. 2) commission 3-4 extended playlists of theme appropriate music that could plug into similarly themed areas across all properties and extend the cost across all those parks. I don’t think people would notice repeat as much of pure  instrumental. Maybe still do some “classic rock” for comment-style midways and attractions. 

 

And why I’m complaining. PLEASE PLEASE ditch the stupid live spieling on rides. REPLACE with theme appropriate safety announcements (loved hearing the full recorded spiel on FOF last fir a first time in a while. Haven’t ridden in a couple of years. Good to hear it back. 

I think pop music has it's place as you noted.  Action Zone would  come to mind--high energy music and the area formerly known as Coney Mall with 80's music.  As much as I like the Pickin' On Series in RT, I think non lyrical music would work better.  Even in Planet Snoopy, the pop music that has been "childified" is annoying.  

I do applaud the park for extending the IS music into the entry plaza and parking promenade.  It sounds so much better than it did with pop music.

Finally...could all the agnst about the music rights, fees etc be solved with a clearinghouse such as Spotify?  Does Spotify offer a commercial channel for situations such as this?

[malem]

^ I'd recommend filling out the online comment form on KI's website if you notice something like that. Those can easily be forwarded to the right department to get an issue fixed.

2 minutes ago, BeeastFarmer said:

Finally...could all the agnst about the music rights, fees etc be solved with a clearinghouse such as Spotify?  Does Spotify offer a commercial channel for situations such as this?

Yes, Spotify and other companies have "all in one" packages that include keeping track of royalties.

At a place as big as Kings Island, music is a lot more complex than plugging in a Spotify playlist. They've got live shows, custom music composed for the park, music used in soundtracks for videos/effects, FunTV, and a variety of technical systems.

[BeeastFarmer]

^ While my question about Spotify was intended just for the general park midway music, I did not consider the shows.  Seems like the shows would be covered under a different scenario than midway music as would the custom scores for Mystic Timbers and Area 72.  FunTV should be covered by corporate since it is standardized across the chain (except the local advertisers).  Then there is the shed and truck music.

All that to say--it's so complicated and I have no idea how they do it.  I used Spotify as an example because it seems like the situation with music is stuck in the early 90's and there are 2021 solutions.  I really only think about the complications when I sit at the keyboard.  In park, I just enjoy the experience (except when they play explicit lyrics in the Brewhouse LOL)

[DoomPlague]

I'm with those that say there shouldn't be anything with lyrics. Instrumentals only.

Rivertown should have old-timey music (banjos and such) without the modern country take.
Coney Mall should have maybe carnival music and/or Americana (like JP Sousa).

Action Zone should just be rethemed to go along with The Bat/Banshee themes.

I do actually like the music at the entrance/intl street. I enjoyed hearing Muse and meme songs like Whats Up in orchestral form. Granted, I would prefer original music but that might be asking too much.

 

Also: hello. I'm sort of new (apparently I posted once in 2007?). I'm catching up with KI and the industry after too much time away.

[Arrow]

Now I don't know about all of you but I am pretty dang content hearing Rush and The Eagles in Action Zone now lol. 

Also a strong supporter of I-Street's music too. Never thought I'd hear orchestral Muse, Green Day, David Bowie and some Meme songs all play on International street yet here we are and I'm all for it.

 

[ldhudsonjr]

2 hours ago, Arrow said:

Now I don't know about all of you but I am pretty dang content hearing Rush and The Eagles in Action Zone now lol. 

Also a strong supporter of I-Street's music too. Never thought I'd hear orchestral Muse, Green Day, David Bowie and some Meme songs all play on International street yet here we are and I'm all for it.

 

Totally agree! The music over in that section has been great lately. Also I guess this is an unpopular opinion around here now but I still like the Rivertown music.

[Oldschool75]

Racer Radio has been awesome. The rest of the park needs fixed. Bring back the I Street music and for GOD sake get rid of the bluegrass version songs in Rivertown, or at least switch them out. LOL

[IndyGuy4KI]

27 minutes ago, Oldschool75 said:

Racer Radio has been awesome. The rest of the park needs fixed. Bring back the I Street music and for GOD sake get ride of the bluegrass version songs in Rivertown, or at least switch them out. LOL

I love racer radio. If it was over the full park would be fine with me, but then Racer loses its unique playlist.

[silver2005]

Carowinds and Dollywood had some good ragtime music going on in their more fair-like sections.  Might be a good way to go for Coney Mall. 

And get some genuine bluegrass for Rivertown. 

[MDMC01]

On 7/13/2021 at 10:16 AM, BeeastFarmer said:

 Even in Planet Snoopy, the pop music that has been "childified" is annoying. 

Yeah, the few times I have been in Planet Snoopy, I have not been a fan of this. In 2019 and years before, I recall them playing Disney-eque hits with other classic kids songs (like 2 Veggietales songs, "The Ants Go Marching", "Polly wally doodle", etc. They also had this Pokemon song with an epic guitar solo on the rotation for a few years, but IIRC, that was before I got back into it again) with a few Kidz Bop covers*, but now it's all I've heard this year. I have such a problem with it as I feel some of those songs are not appropriate for children (Senorita (Shawn Mendes/Camilla Cabello comes to mind; I don't remember the other one(s), but I know I felt that way about a few).

 

[super7]

9 hours ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

I love racer radio. If it was over the full park would be fine with me, but then Racer loses its unique playlist.

I heard the Carowinds March (the oringibsk Carowinds sing) song on Racer Radio this week      That was nice.   

[KIBearcat]

Man, it makes me sad the music in the park has gone downhill. When I worked The Beast souvenir cart in the Summer of 10' it was great because they were still playing 90's/early 00's alternative rock stuff (Which is my jam). It definitely got me through those hot days of slinging soda.

[Captain Nemo]

Music plays such an integral importance! We have all see a scene in a movie where without the music it would not have been so good.

Imagine watching the FoF preshow video without music. ::Awk::

I do believe playing orchestral music is a much better choice than one with lyrics.

this was something I loved about walking into Paramount Kings International Street. The grand scores of pieces of their greatest movies made you take all it in and write your own personal lyrics about how it felt to you rather that telling you with lyrics. Something that made IMA score so popular with their attachments to ride soundtracks. Walking into a park with that epicness is much more intriguing.

One park that does fantastic with their area BGM is Tokyo's Disney Sea

[brenthodge]

I couldn’t figure out why the other night something felt so different when walking through coney over to check out the dance party. Then I realized it was because there was a wonderful, jazzy INSTRUMENTAL track playing. No lyrics! No radio top 40. It was wonderful. I’m not saying that’s the best track for the entire park, but it felt so right for that walk. I loved that I wasn’t singing along, feeling like I was in the car. 

[Captain Nemo]

10 hours ago, brenthodge said:

I couldn’t figure out why the other night something felt so different when walking through coney over to check out the dance party. Then I realized it was because there was a wonderful, jazzy INSTRUMENTAL track playing. No lyrics! No radio too 40. It was wonderful. I’m not saying that’s the best track for the entire park, but it felt so right for that walk. I loved that I wasn’t singing along, feeling like I was in the car. 

Orchestral music goes a long way!

[super7]

I’m at Kings Dominion this week and they have the music right.  It just amplifies how bad the music at KI Is   Each soundtrack fits the theme of the area 

Kings Dominion 

I Street.  All the music is real instrumental, real tunes.  No regurgitated pop in synth instrumental. International  and orchestral ballad music. 
 

Old Virginia - instrumental bluegrass and 50-60s era country music 

Candy Apple Grove. - all instrumental.  It is a combination of big band, ragtime, New Orleans jazz, and carousel music

Safari Village - African and Caribbean style  

Snoopyland this is the only section playing Pop dance music. And it is the real version, not some child vocal version. 
 

Retro area around Twisted Timbers. -  50s and 60s music 

[IndyGuy4KI]

15 minutes ago, super7 said:

Retro area around Twisted Timbers. -  50s and 69s music 

So lots of Brian Adams?

[super7]

1 hour ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

So lots of Brian Adams?

typo!   One track by the same artist is something KI would do lol

[brenthodge]

19 hours ago, super7 said:

I’m at Kings Dominion this week and they have the music right.  It just amplifies how bad the music at KI Is   Each soundtrack fits the theme of the area 

Kings Dominion 

I Street.  All the music is real instrumental, real tunes.  No regurgitated pop in synth instrumental. International  and orchestral ballad music. 
 

Old Virginia - instrumental bluegrass and 50-60s era country music 

Candy Apple Grove. - all instrumental.  It is a combination of big band, ragtime, New Orleans jazz, and carousel music

Safari Village - African and Caribbean style  

Snoopyland this is the only section playing Pop dance music. And it is the real version, not some child vocal version. 
 

Retro area around Twisted Timbers. -  50s and 60s music 

I don’t understand why corporately aren’t negotiating rights and developing master playlists. Seems like it would be cheaper to get these play rights for the chain instead of each park working on this. 

[BeeastFarmer]

^Could it be that they want each park to maintain an identity and not a corporate identity?  I want themed music as much as anyone, but what works at Kings Dominion wouldn't work at Schiltterbahn.  Likewise, a playlist for Valley Fair wouldn't work at Kings Island.

However, once we solve the music problem, can we work on area appropriate uniforms? 

 

[cdubbs727]

We were at the park last week, Thursday and Friday. I had coincidentally seen Green Day in concert in Detroit two days earlier. I thought it was "fun" that when I entered the park, the first thing I heard was an instrumental version of their song "Still Breathing." And then I heard it 20 more times between those two days and it was less fun. Same with Bohemian Rhapsody; fun song until it's stuck on near repeat. 

They have a nice mix of styles throughout the different areas of the park, but the they really need longer playlists. But I'm assuming rights issues play a huge role. 

[disco2000]

Or it could be that with a shorter playlist, people tend to move along and not congregate in one location for a length of time.  Hearing the same song 4 times will do that LOL.