About TEXAS Regional Radio Report

It looks like we need to have an interpretation and update of the T3R artist criteria, designation and chart usage.   Let me start by telling you why the T3R chart came into existence.

First, the Texas Regional Radio Report was designed as a tool to help develop the artists from this regional area who dream of the shot at Nashville as it feels like a faraway dream. T3R offers the opportunity to learn career building techniques and music business procedures as they gain new steps in their musical career growth.

In the beginning: 

“In January 2004, the Texas Regional Radio Report was initiated and made available to all interested in the Texas Music Industry. This chart-based publication was developed to bring credible recognition to the sizeable assortment of TEXAS RD music being played in this "regional" market. It has a purpose to help promote Texas Music and the artists that perform that music throughout the great region of Texas…and beyond. It can assist in the development of an artists’ recording career by authenticating the activity of their music being played within the Texas Regional Radio network as well as give the artist a sense of direction and conviction in the Texas music scene.”

This statement of purpose is as true today as it was in the beginning. 

Since the inception of the T3R (TRRR) in 2004, the development of the Texas Red Dirt genre has grown in spectacular measures.  General interests of our successes in Texas have triggered a windfall of releases to the T3R Reporting Panel from and of all classes, brands and attitudes… some of those actually take away the original purpose of Texas Regional Radio Report and Top 100 chart. That said, T3R wants to ensure that it stays effective, pertinent and loyal to the original purpose…

Whether some believe they meet the Texas artist qualifications as written, the innovative and unique purpose of the T3R seems - in many instances – overlooked, ignored or misunderstood.  Many artists have elevated themselves into the next career level without ever spending time in our Texas Red Dirt atmosphere. Even though they may meet one of the qualifications of Texas artists and radio may choose to air their releases, at some point in those careers, they have advanced beyond the T3R original purpose. ..to promote and help advance the up and coming Texas Red Dirt talent to the next level.

While T3R DOES NOT and WILL NOT tell radio what to play, we expect radio to report what they play as accurately as possible. Selection of music is their choice. Some releases sent to the T3R panel by artists are beyond the young thriving hopeful artists.   However, this reported airplay must be charted to authenticate the activity and successes.  While we tried to accommodate those releases by figuring out ways to fit said releases into the top 100 chart it sometimes resulted in taking up space for the original purpose and began to confuse the issue.

To keep our Top 100 chart purpose from becoming crowded, congested and taking away from the “young guns of Texas”   the T3R will revert back to the two chart system initially developed for separating the Texas Red Dirt young up and coming artists from all others.

For those who don’t remember the TWO CHART system…. Here’s a snippet of the original T3R excerpt…

“… The TRRR initially featured TWO charts.  A "Texas Only" Chart to reflect the song activity of the young "Texas Red Dirt" Artists and the "Top 75 All*Inclusive" Chart to track everything the reporting panel reports to TRRR including the experienced Texas artist.”

Early on, there was not enough Texas-RD music released to fill a 24 hour clock. Nashville and other country sounds filled the remaining portions of the clock to substantiate programming. Music directors were uncertain how to label some of the artist whether “Texas artist or not”. To make reporting easy and consistent, T3R established a system by which the editor and Board chose the artist by researching the artist, match the criteria and guidelines

The thought of a two chart system was the way of thinking and finally executing. The Texas Only Chart was a Top 50 soon expanding to Top 100 with 15 Bubbling Under selections. With the inclusion of Nashville and other sounds of country music the programming clock filled. This product would not be found on the Texas Only Top 100 chart but has reserved spaces in the All*Inclusive Top 75 chart. These artists had already elevated their careers putting full force efforts into that particular career level.  As time grew, more Texas Red Dirt product surfaced and the big show product was losing enough ground that the Top 75 chart became less beneficial… until now. Both charts have equal value. One shows the progression of the regional artists and the other displays the status of everything being played and reported.

As said earlier, T3R wants to ensure that it remains effective, applicable and loyal to the current and future regional artists for which the T3R Texas Only chart was designed and established. Today, we have enough Texas Red Dirt material offered to fill a 48 hour clock and only 115 chart positions to accommodate the qualified releases.  Those T3R reporters who will report the non-Texas artist will find those releases charted within the All*Inclusive Top 75 chart and mixed in with the regional artists once qualified.

The percentage ruling initiated earlier no longer exists and the Top-Texas artist (formerly known as “Non-Texas” artists will not be moved over to the Texas Top 100 chart effective 1/1/2021

How the two chart system will work…

Let’s clarify for simplicity…

•   Texas Red Dirt artists will be known as “Texas” artists
•    All other artists will be known as “Non-Texas ” artists

The artist/title clarifications are defined by colors.  Two font colors will simplify artist/song description…Red and Black fonts...   Titles listed in RED font will specify a regional Texas-RD artists on both charts and the artist/titles printed in BLACK font will designate the TOP-Texas artist only found in the All*Inclusive Top 75 chart.  Both chart counts will be compiled from ONE T3R Reporting Panel.   It will be up to the promotion person/team, the management team or label to inform all concerned - especially radio - which chart to follow when indicating the artist chart positions. To be included in either chart, the artist must meet the parameters set within to be considered for chart positions in either chart. Should your artist designation be contested, the T3R Board of Directors will review the artist credentials for a final decision. 

• UPDATE CRITERIA effective January 1, 2021 …

To be considered a Texas Red Dirt artist for inclusion within either of the T3R charts, any combination of TWO of the following criteria must be met:

1.     Entertainer must be born, reared or currently living in Texas/Oklahoma/Louisiana/Arkansas/New Mexico.

2.     Entertainer must pay property taxes in one of these states – Texas/Oklahoma/Louisiana/Arkansas/New Mexico – a year prior to, during and after the single campaign{s}.

3.     GIG/Show/Tour itinerary should include 30% playing dates in Texas/Oklahoma/Louisiana, Arkansas/New Mexico within a six (6) month period prior to, during and after the single campaign(s) despite COVID restrictions.

a.     Does not include private parties, gigs, events or house parties

b.     Ticket sales for gigs listed MUST be verifiable thru the venue listed or hosted and/or a credible ticket agency responsible for the posted dates

4.     Artist cannot be listed in the Texas Only top 100 Chart if at any time the artist was or is recognized, listed or designated as an artist who has been elevated to a higher career level.

a.     Any artist who started as a Texas RD artist and has worked his/her way through the T3R system then advanced to the next level will always be considered for the “RED” font indication and will remain on BOTH charts.

b.     Any artist who did not start their career as a Texas RD artist despite the pre-T3R era and has obtained the advanced level from another format/genre will be indicated by the Non-Texas designation and only charted in the “Top 75 All*Inclusive” chart.

c.      Any artist who did not start their career as a Texas RD artist and who did not support the Texas/RD format prior to exhausting all other formats successfully or unsuccessfully will only be indicated by the Non-Texas designation and will only be charted in the “All*Inclusive Top 75” chart.

The faces of this format are looking promising for the genres’ future. Let’s keep our genre as pure as possible

The charts are published weekly and are compiled from accumulated total airplay spins or rotations submitted weekly from the TRRR reporting panel. The panel is comprised from radio stations, special and syndicated programs and qualified internet radio stations.

A chart position and placement is a result of the total weekly spins reported by the TRRR/T3R Reporting Panel. The song with the most spins for the week is number one in either chart and declines to #115 or #100 depending on the chart and based on spin count totals.

Because at times songs take a slow road in coming down after peaking, or as one song is declining and another song by the same artist is released, there will be terms and limitations on those tunes in the current chart that would potentially cause a chart to becomes clogged or congested.  If a tune occupies space on the chart for an excessive period of time it is subject for removal into recurrent status.  If a song remains on the chart 24 wks or longer and between the chart numbers of 26-115 or has 3+ consecutive weeks of declining spin counts or chart position, that song will be removed to a Recurrent status in an effort to help maintain a fresh reflection of what “current” product is being played in Texas.  Any song within positions 1-25 can remain on the chart as long as it remains within the top 25 chart spots.

If there is a tie for any particular weeks total spin counts then the song with the greater increase in spins will receive the higher numbered slot on the chart. Should the songs still be tied, then the song with a greater number of new station adds will prevail. However, should there still be a tie after two tie-breakers, than whichever artist has the most number 3's in their Texas license plate will prevail... If there are no number 3's in the license plate ...... then the first artist that can call TRRR and correctly tell us where Gottabachertschnoggin, Texas is located will prevail!  Good Luck!

Fair and Balanced Reporting Results:   In late 2006, after it was found that unfair practices were being executed, a level playing ground stipulation was created that would limit the number of stations any one programmer or consultant had the authority to report spin counts that could potentially control the final spin count result on any given weeks chart for any reported song or title.  It was decided at that time, that a limit of three reporting stations controlled by one programmer or consultant would be fair and balanced and eliminate any controlling aspect of a charts results given intentionally or unintentionally.  This stipulation may be reviewed in the future for continuation or revision.

While you're in the website, be sure to visit the charts. You'll love the size of our charts because they allow a quicker opportunity for you, our industry and the fans of Texas Red Dirt Music to see your song charted in a Texas chart.  We appreciate you stopping by to see what the Texas Regional Radio Report is all about.