Volume 23: The Cities 97 CD Sampler Sells Out Again

By Lisa Kroulik © November 19, 2011

For the 23^rd consecutive year, Cities 97, an alternative music station based in Minneapolis/St. Paul, has sold out its Cities Sampler CD to benefit local charities. The sampler CD was released at several Target stores at 8 am on Thursday, November 17. The CD is so popular that people begin waiting in line hours before the stores open to insure that they get a copy. Cities 97 is limited to producing 33,000 copies of the CD due to licensing rights of in-studio musical performances. Due to the difficulty of getting licensed for multiple artists, the Cities 97 Sampler is not available for download.

The 2011 version of the Cities 97 Sampler CD contains songs by 19 different artists that were produced live in the studio. The complete playlist can be found at the radio station’s website, listed below.

This year, the radio station had a goal of raising $800,000 by selling out all copies of the CD. They have met this goal, which brings the total raised for charity since 1989 to over 8 million dollars. According to the website of Cities 97, the money is divided between several local charities serving the homeless, animals, the disabled, abuse victims and more. Some of this year’s recipients included the Alzheimer’s Association, the Animal Humane Society, Second Harvest Food Bank and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

The radio station Cities 97 went on the air in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area of Minnesota in March of 1984. It is known for featuring the music of new artists as well as for inviting artists to perform live in the studio at the radio station. Many singers and songwriters who got their start on Cities 97 went on to have rewarding careers in music. The music could be described as New Age or alternative and often features instrumental only pieces in addition to vocals.

Five years after its debut, the management of Cities 97 decided to compile a CD of the best new artists of the year and sell it to the public to benefit charity. The production is always limited to drive demand and the CD has sold out every year since 1989. The radio station donates 100 percent of the proceeds from the Cities Sampler to charities in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding communities. The cost of the 2011 Cities Sampler is $24.95.

Cities 97 limits people to two copies a piece of the Cities Sampler, but it sells like hotcakes even with this limit strictly enforced. Many people buy one copy for themselves and another to put on eBay, where they can get nearly twice the list price after the CD has officially sold out. The radio station itself lists several copies on eBay, but it is with the intention of further benefiting the selected charities. They also hold raffles for sold out copies and play the entire CD on the air the Saturday after its release date.