Local On The 8s - Music

Music

The Weather Channel released its own Smooth Jazz CD in 2007, The Weather Channel Presents: The Best of Smooth Jazz, based on collections of popular music played on the "Local On the 8s" segments. It peaked at #1 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz charts in the same year. Artists included on this CD are Joyce Cooling, Dave Koz, Paprika Soul, Four 80 East, Jeff Lorber, Pieces of a Dream, Chick Corea, Jeanne Ricks, Ryan Farish, Mark Krurnowski, Najee, 3rd Force. In 2008, their second compilation CD containing their most requested music was released, titled The Weather Channel Presents: Smooth Jazz II. Artists on this CD include Russ Freeman & The Rippingtons, Jeff Lorber, Ramsey Lewis Trio, Bradley Joseph, Bernie Williams, David Benoit, Spyro Gyra, Norman Brown, Chris Geith, Joe Sample, Charlie Parker Quartet, and Eric Marienthal.

Other artists that can be heard during this segment include the Network Music stock music service, Trammell Starks (who composed 40 tracks specifically for The Weather Channel), The Rippingtons, Moby, EKO, Shadowfax, Chris Camozzi, Scott Ward, Miles Davis, Robert A. Wolf, David Becker, Kent Marcum, and many others. Instrumentals performed by bands such as The B-52's ('Follow Your Bliss'), Derek and the Dominos (the Layla piano exit), The Who (the beginning intro of Eminence Front), the Allman Brothers Band (Jessica), parts of Shine On You Crazy Diamond and Terminal Frost by Pink Floyd, and Divided Sky by Phish can also be heard during this segment. When Wake Up With Al premiered in July 2009, music from 3 Doors Down including Here Without You was added to the lineup, marking the first time the broadcast played music with lyrics. Most recently, much of the solo piano music is provided by new age pianist, Matthew C. Shuman, with his original pieces ('Chasing the Wind'), ('Stormy Sea'), ('Finding Freedom'), ('Frosty Sunrise'), ('Fallen Snow'), ('Falling Rain'), ('Night Storm'), ('Mixed Emotions') and ('White Water').

Other songs containing lyrics from artists such as Taylor Swift and Vanessa Carlton have been rotated into the local forecast cycle since then, though the inclusion of lyrical songs poses a problem as the audio ducking feature on the Intellistar system at cable headends causes both the music and lyrics to be nearly muted (this is not seen on the Intellistar 2) as the Vocal Local function is played especially during the local forecast narrations, when the Vocal Local narration is nearly continuous until the end of the 24-48 hour forecast segment. This is in addition to the fact that the songs will not be played in their entirety due to the local forecast lengths which now range from 60 seconds to two minutes (prior to 2008, all local forecasts were roughly two minutes in length).

The Weather Channel suspends the music during local forecasts when a hurricane approaches the United States coastal areas and airs the "Storm Alert" music during the Local on the 8s. During the holiday season, appropriately-themed music such as instrumental versions of popular Christmas carols and music from A Charlie Brown Christmas is often played during the Local on the 8s. Music and score from various films have also been played including; Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, Home Alone, Shaft, and Tron: Legacy.

Also, on July 7, 2009 (and on into the early morning of July 8), The Weather Channel played "Billie Jean" by the late singer/dancer Michael Jackson in honor of his memorial service held that day in Los Angeles. It was also played during the Wake Up with Al playlists in the months following.