- Hot Mom Britney Spears Poses Fully NUDE After Conservatorship Ends - October 1, 2021
- Jennifer Lopez Facetimed Ex-Husband Marc Anthony Before Split Rumors - March 13, 2021
- Which 3 Artists Want Nothing To Do With The Grammys? - March 12, 2021
It’s the end of an era. Radio Disney is to shut down by 2021. The station typically catered to preteen and teenage listeners with a combination of pop music and songs featured on Disney Channel shows. The company made the shocking announcement on Thursday, December 3.
A restructuring is taking place at Disney. The company wants to focus on its streaming platform and television operations. Does that mean there will be a streaming music service in the future? The nostalgic radio station helped boosted the careers of popular artists like Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, and Selena Gomez.
Radio Disney marks the end of everyone’s childhood
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Radio Disney and its country music Radio Disney Country will be slated to end in 2021. The year 2020 and the current radio industry are the reasons behind the decision. Back in 2014, Disney consolidated its radio brands when it sold 22 of its 23 Radio Disney Stations. It only held onto Los Angeles’ KRDC-AM and made the switch to satellite and digital distribution.
Shortly after, Radio Disney Country made its launch. This latest move will end 36 jobs and will mark the end of Radio Disney. Launched in 1996, the station featured some of the hottest acts in pop music along with songs from popular Disney Channel Shows. It was the key venue for young artists to boost their own profiles.
“Division leaders also took into account the fast-evolving media environment that provides more personalized music choices than ever to a generation of young consumers, and the ongoing public health crisis that continues to affect in-person music events,” Disney said in a statement on Thursday.
Will Disney add music to its streaming service?
It’s likely that Radio Disney could become a new streaming service. Back in 2017, former Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger announced his plans to launch direct-to-consumer streaming services. He teases his ideas for Disney Plus, which led to a successful launch last year. Could music also might be added to the mix in the near future?
Insiders told Billboard that it was not in the works. But such a move could happen. DisneyLife is a direct-to-consumer streaming app available only in the United Kingdom and France. It offers consumers both classic and new movies, television episodes from the Disney Channel and Disney Junior, as well as books and music.
Subscribers who pay $6.50 per month get access to music from popular Disney films like Frozen, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid, as well as new music from recording artists signed onto Disney’s Hollywood Records label, such as Alex Maxwell and Zendaya.
“I don’t think it’s front of mind on anybody’s radar screen in a big way right now (in the U.S.), but it’s logical,” Peter Csathy, chairman of media and tech advisory firm CREATV Media told Billboard in 2017. “If I want to hear kid-safe music, why wouldn’t I stream it?”
Veteran music executive Ted Cohen, who operates TAG Strategic, added that Disney has plenty of in-house digital music experience. However, it could be difficult for Disney to introduce a music streaming service that would bring music exclusively. With the demise of Radio Disney, Disney could enter into music streaming. It would also increase healthy competition among music streaming services.