While we can barely comprehend it, 31% of Billboard.com readers have no clue what the heck NPR is. To clarify, it’s National Public Radio, people. Either learn to poll or… well, continue to ignore it.
Responding to the query “Have you ever picked up an artist’s album because you heard them on NPR?,” the majority of pollsters (27%) that have listened to the network have picked up an album and loved it.
Runner-up with 25% are the folks who don’t listen to NPR. Eight percent listen but have never thought to pick up a record by an artist they heard and 7% have gotten mixed results when they have. Of the people who have picked up more than one artist? Only 3% said their decision has bred mixed results.
Of commenters writing in to explain their purchases, we particularly liked Wayne J.
“Ira Glass’ ‘This American Life’ makes exceptional use of music, and once made me drive around a congested downtown area, unable to bail to the free parking lot I have access to. Glass’ piece about an area with a high incident rate of cancer used, to great effect, ‘Ten Second News’ from the first Son Volt record — which I bought that day… I also recall being sick to the point of collapse and coming home from work to catch Terry Gross being worked over and moved by Tom Waits. I was delirious with fever, and laughed til I near pissed myself, unable and unwilling to move. That is radio.”
