James Bay [NBC]
Grammy nominee James Bay is the latest beneficiary of iHeartRadio’s coveted “On The Verge” program.
The radio giant formally confirmed the selection late Tuesday night, hours after a Bay performance was featured on NBC’s “The Voice.”
The “On The Verge” push will focus on Bay’s platinum-certified single “Let It Go.”
In addition to branding support, “On The Verge” songs received guaranteed airplay from all iHeartMedia stations within a designated format.
In this case, it appears “Let It Go” will receive its airplay support at pop radio.
The timing of iHeartRadio’s announcement is interesting. Whereas many songs are confirmed as “On The Verge” selections early in their radio runs (if not prior to officially impacting), “Let It Go” is already in its twelfth week on the Mediabase pop radio airplay chart. It is already inside the chart’s Top 20.
It is unclear if any (and if so, how much) of the song’s previous airplay came in conjunction with “On The Verge,” but it is worth noting that numerous iHeart stations have ramped up their support this past week.
LA’s 102.7 KIIS, for instance, played “Let It Go” 87 times over the past seven days. It provided only 17 spins during the previous 7-day period. Orlando’s XL 106.7 played “Let It Go” 103 times during the trailing seven days after playing it 61 times the week prior.
“Let It Go” may have already peaked at the hot adult contemporary format. After going as high as #4 earlier this year, it was #8 on the most recent Mediabase Hot AC airplay chart.
Bay was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2016 Grammy Awards. Interestingly, Bay is the third of the year’s Best New Artist nominees to receive support from the “On The Verge” program. Fellow nominee Sam Hunt’s “Leave The Night On” was an “OTV” selection at country, while Tori Kelly’s “Nobody Love” received “On The Verge” support at pop.