Rush Limbaugh Propels Forgotten Composer To Number One In Music

THERE'S WALDO!

Dead Since 1977, Argentine Composer Rockets Up The Charts







As a long-forgotten Argentine composer rocketed up today's music charts, the power of talk radio was once again underscored.

All it took was the airing of a brief selection during Rush Limbaugh's radio program yesterday (and a subsequent mention today) to propel Waldo de los Rios into first place at Amazon, ahead of new releases by Jimi Hendrix and Sade.

Previously, de los Rios works were ranked 130,000 or lower and most titles aren't even in print, forcing his label to "rush" a fresh pressing for the sake of Limbaugh listeners.

De los Rios took his own life in 1977 and his work has attracted little attention since, but retains a cult following. He's best remembered for fusing together classics and pop music, soundtracks and some film work.


Reacting to the sales surge (Serie de Oro, a 2003 re-release of his work, did not reach number one until after today's program), Limbaugh himself expressed amazement:

RUSH: You know, this really is amazing. I very seldom am impressed by anything I do. I've become used to it. But this, this that's happened here with Waldo de los Rios at Amazon is mind-boggling. Now, listen to this been played Waldo de los Rios, Mozart Symphony 40 G minor yesterday, right after the third hour of the program began. I played it because people asked me what I was playing the air violin to here on the Dittocam.

So yesterday at the time we played Waldo de los Rios on Amazon, the CD that we played the song from ranked in 136,000th place. At the moment, Waldo de los Rios is in 31st place. He is up 439,000%. With that song being played one time yesterday, mentioned by me one time on this program. In addition to that, Waldo de los Rios is now number one on Amazon in the Classical Music Imports Latin Music category. After playing the song one time through the flamethrower setting of our Aphex MK-2020, hot dog compressor. I mean, up 486,000%. Stunning! And they sit there and they talk about Oprah.


BREAK TRANSCRIPT


RUSH: Folks, this is incredible here what's happening with Waldo de los Rios. Yesterday I played Mozart symphony 40 G minor one time. Yesterday the CD containing the tune at Amazon was in 136,705th place. Twenty minutes ago it was in 31st place. Right now it's at 19th place. It is up 719,400%.

Now, you gotta figure here, Waldo de los Rios passed away to the great conductor's pit in 1977. He's gotta have family. His record company, "What the hell is happening here?" And, in fact, there are three Waldo de los Rios CDs that are number one, two, and three at Amazon's Movers & Shakers in music, all categories, after playing that tune one time. And now people that didn't hear it yesterday: "Well, what is it?" Pot it up, Brian. I got it playing behind me right now, here's a little sample of it. We're going to play it out of my computer from iTunes so let 'er rip. Right at the top here, from the beginning -- no, it's the end. The end sounds like the beginning. Hear that compression, suck up that beginning.

Consider this another reminder of the power of talk radio's audience. When sales departments claim they can't sell controversial programming because of advertiser fears, it's simply an excuse for poor performance. A devoted listenership supports its favorite hosts financially.

This also obliterates the assertions of a Boston station that recently lost the rights to Limbaugh's program, only to claim in the press it was their own idea to "cancel" him. That outlet was built around its airing of Rush and will struggle to survive without him.



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