If Vh1 Classic Is Hiring, I Can Fix Metal Mania

I've written about Metal Mania lots of times here. I was so excited a couple years ago when my husband upgraded us to expensive cable and I found Metal Mania on Vh1 Classic. All the best Glam videos - in a giant block! Since that first discovery, I've been very loyal to the broadcast. I tape it in the DVR each week.

These days Metal Mania sucks worse than the return on my 401(K) investments.

Seriously, I just watched the broadcast from last weekend. In one program were several videos by Queensryche, Europe and AC/DC. Now, I like all these bands. Quite a lot actually, but that is not the point. The point is that there are zillions of Glam videos to go around - many of them obscure - so show them!

Each week Metal Mania shows the same crap: over and over - all this does is turn off both casual and loyal viewers. 

Please believe, if Viacom (the company that owns Vh1 Classic) wants Metal Mania fixed, I can do the job. I know the genre. I know television production. I know how not to piss off viewers. This is a no brainer: if Viacom fixed Metal Mania, they could probably extended their market share. Yes, the people that watch Vh1 Classic are die hard music fans. These are also the same fans that have disposable income and are likely susceptible to brand placement in advertising space. Viacom owns a lot of other networks like MTV, Nickelodeon, TV Land, CMT...not to mention film holdings. I mean, seriously. The marketing power is there - and it's just being wasted. Big time.

Easiest way to fix Metal Mania? Mandatory video switches. No two bands in the same broadcast. If Motley Crue's "Dr. Feelgood" is featured the first week of the month - that's it - and the band is represented by a different video thereafter. I'd also suggest bringing back a VJ - and moving the show out of the middle of the night to prime time. Create something fun, like a "Classic Video Countdown" and compare our favorite Glam videos to clips from today. Finally, I say make Metal Mania a wholly interactive experience. Have fans vote for the weekly Top Ten videos online. Twitter the show. Do the Myspace thing.

If Viacom doesn't want to spend a dime on fixing Metal Mania, there is one other little trick they can do: check the programming vault to track clips. Simply change the settings so the same four bands don't pop up non-stop. That alone would signal an end to the crappy rundowns.

I'm a genius.

***How would you fix Metal Mania?

Comments

[MotleyCrue666]

You have said it all!

[Roy]

My wife & I have been complaining about that Metal Mania for a while. I cant even watch it anymore. You have my vote. PLEASE FIX IT!!!!

[kari]

I'm with ya on this Ally. First off, MM plays entirely too many Scorpions videos and if I see Kiss Me Deadly one more time I'll never listen to the song ever again. Lately I do see a small (very small) improvement though b/c I've seen some videos that they don't normally play (Girlschoo by BF, Ride The Wind), but yes, for the most part it's the same old repetative b.s. (hell, this weekend they had three Europe videos and 3 scorp videos in a 4 hour period). I do like the fact that they are playing some of the newer videos (Lay Down Your Love by Whitesnake)-that's probaby the only airplay that will ever get.

more diversity is surely the way to go (but i've always said this about radio programming too)

[aXe mAn]

Very well said Allyson! You are the perfect person for the job. There are so many videos out there that aren't getting played..

I have been wanting to get digital cable just because of VH1 Classic...but we'll see.

[Chessie >^..^<]

well, maybe there is something to be said for discontinuing our FiOS cable...not! I miss Metal Mania! Oh well there's always YouTube... ;)

[Makel]

I agree completely. I tape the show everytime it's on, and I always end up seeing the same videos. Ratt's Round and Round gets played way too much, especially for all their videos they have. I'd much rather watch Nobody Rides For Free, which is seen occasionally.

[Lucifer]

Unfortunately i dont live in ol' america, so i dont get metal mania. If i did however, I think you have all the right ideas, and I cant think of a single thing you could do more than what you've said. oh except for have theme days occasionally. Like a day with only motley videos. Yes I'd like that.

[r0ck0n]

dude. they DO play too many scorpions videos. and I never, ever want to see "Here I Go Again" another time. Even if I were a hardcore Whitesnake fan I think I would be tired of that video. Unfortunately, that's the kind of video that casual viewers/channel-flippers latch onto and stick around to watch...nostalgia...if they show something obscure, I guess they think they'd lose that audience.... Whatever. I guess they haven't yet discovered that the true fans are more reliable viewers and totally worth catering to.

Although, I have to say, they could show Motley and GNR and Bon Jovi all day and all night and I would never tire of it. I don't think. maybe it just depends on personal preference. But still, I agree...there are so many great bands out there who deserve a little air time. Even newer bands that fit in the genre would be cool to see.

Ps-you tape it? haha, what a nerd.

[Lisa]

First off, I'd bring back the intro/logo they had like 3-4 years ago (the red one, where they scream "LORDS OF METAAAL!!" and it has a skull). That was awesome.

They play way too many videos by Scorpions and Judas Priest. I like both of those bands, but not to that extent, like you said. I've never seen a single video on there by any of my favorite obscure bands, i.e. Tora Tora, Southgang, etc. They only play one Trixter video. (How many were made?)

In other news, though, Hair Nation on Sirius seems to be expanding their playlist. Lately I have heard Killer Dwarfs and D.A.D. on there.

[PlainJane]

Yeah, take Whitesnake's "Is this Love" out of the rotation and it's over. I'm the type that can watch the same thing over and over and be ok, but it's obvious the video selection isn't too broad, and like you said, there are soooo many great videos out there. I'd like to see more Skid Row.

[strutter]

Youre complaining to much. I never get to see those video's over here in the netherlands. We only get top 40 sh#t over here!Because of the internet i can finally see metal vids from the 80's !

[Glenn]

I think VH1 Classic underestimates its audience, although there is an aspect of nostalgia,more "classic /current" features would introduce fans, new and old to fresh material.Many great obscure videos I see on Youtube have the VH1 classic logo (spread eagle, law and order, badlands,junkard etc.)SHOW THEM! Those vids sprinkled in with new music from classic artists would make it unpredictable and a must watch. Simple enough; too bad they won't do it(at least I won't hold my breath)

[Lucas]

I'll send they an email asking to admit a friend of mine called Allyson Crawford...hehehehe

[Matty]

I agree with pretty much all the comments made. I think they need to make it more random. That is what glued me to the tv back in the 80s when MTV was king. There was diversity, and you didnt know (at least I have no idea) what was coming next. Would I like it? hate it? flip it? You just didnt know.

[EddieLongHair]

Hey Allyson, I'd say I'd join you over there when you get the job (they're just around the corner from me), but I hear they pay CRAP! You might want to reconsider that career move! LOL.