Have you met Alex? Alex is Music Programmer for MTV Hits and gives us a rundown of his favourite music… Just don’t ask him to take control of the AUX cord.
What is your current role and how long have you worked for Paramount?
I joined Paramount in September 2021, and am currently working as the Music Programmer for MTV Hits.
What do you love about your role?
I listen to dozens of songs every day, some great and some truly awful, and I get paid for it! It’s iconic.
A lot of people don’t realise how many music channels we have in the business, can you give us an overview of the channels?
My team and I take care of four music channels – MTV Hits, MTV Classic, Club MTV and CMT.
Hits is all about the stars of today and tomorrow. If it’s charting somewhere we’ve got it on Hits. And if you’re more into the emerging acts then check out our Upload program – 18 tracks a fortnight by up and coming Australian and New Zealand talent.
Classic is our throwback channel, all the best tunes from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s. Gen Rigney’s got you covered there, with countdowns galore.
Club MTV is a vibe – we won’t add anything unless you can dance to it. From dance and electronic to hip hop and RnB, Kath Devaney keeps the energy high 24/7.
CMT is for the country fans – and taken care of by the future-most-powerful-man-in-country-music, San Man! A heavyweight in a growing genre, CMT covers the best of country from here and abroad.
As a music professional, talk us through your Spotify account.
I think because I do this every day, it’s made me really hate being passed the AUX cord in real life.
Ask me about the best new releases while I’m at work and I’ll give you 15 songs to check out, but when I’m off the clock my mind goes empty. Crickets!!
That said, I’ve got some playlists that are pretty close to my heart – a 13 hour disco one and another called 90s Female Fierceness.
What song will never fail to get you on the D-floor?
Right now, it’s all about Beyoncé. She’s back in the game with a house banger called Break My Soul, and the fact I haven’t heard it in a club yet is truly tragic.
If I’m picking all-time favourite though – it’s gotta be Robyn. Call Your Girlfriend/Hang With Me/Dancing On My Own, all do the trick.
What do you love to do outside of work?
I love a dancefloor, whether live music or a seedy nightclub. I’m also a bit of a reality TV die-hard, and I’ve got a two-year-old cat called Chicken who I sometimes think I would die for.
