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Classic Hits 80s
- Thread starter AM/FMRAINMAN
- Start date
I think single-decade stations (other than CHRs, which by nature have to be focused on the here and now) are strictly a satellite/Internet concept. There probably aren't enough well-known, universally popular '80s songs to make up even a 300-song playlist. If you're playing older music, you need at least two decades.
Seriously? All you have to do is pick up a copy of Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits by Fred Bronson and look at the top 100 songs for each year in the 80s. You can easily find enough familiar songs from every single year for at least 500 useable songs.
R
The late Star 97 here in Nashville had the slogan "the best '80s and more." The "more" must have referred to music that they played on either side of the '80s, as they played from 1978-1993 and later expanded to 1975-1993. But it has been nearly a decade since they ceased being an "'80s" station.
K
K.M. Richards
Guest
Then how the hell did I manage to do it?
When I was referring to focus on the 80s, I mean playing 2/3 of the songs per hour as 80s. I think Khits 104.3 in Chicago, Sunny 105.9 in Orlando and WCBS 101 in NY all play about 2/3 80s. Btw, I am going to check out your 80s channel KM. And these stations def can do it. If they did it with 60s and 70s music, then can do it with 80s and select 90s songs.
A
Avid Listener
Guest
That doesn't even begin to address what I asked. Let me repeat the question. "It makes no logical sense at all for huge numbers of listeners to switch over to a genre of music that they don't like just because the station that plays the music they do like plays a song that sounds good, but isn't totally familiar."
Why would someone who likes classic rock, and prefers it over rap, or country, or some other genre, switch to a station that played rap, country, or some other genre just because the station that played classic rock hits that the listener likes dropped in a B side of a hit single, or an album cut from the album that also contained many of the bands most popular hits?
Burnout would be a significant factor to why it would take awhile for CH stations to be 80's-based. Since the late 90's the same 80's music has been way overplayed. Song like "Boys of Summer" and "Don't you Forget about Me" come to mind. In the late 90's and early 2000's Hot AC pounded these songs to death. In the early 2000's it was All-80's stations, then later in the 2000's it was Mainstream AC's and Adult Hits stations.
Playlists that largely contain 80's music still have a stigma to them. Especially if the 80's aspect is largely evident with station imaging. Mainly due to All-80's stations in the past playing the same 200 songs on shuffle. Plus the fact that most of these stations heavily leaned on "Classic Rock" or Hot 100 hits from the Modern Rock genre. Instead of a big tent approach of Top 40 radio in general.
Playlists that largely contain 80's music still have a stigma to them. Especially if the 80's aspect is largely evident with station imaging. Mainly due to All-80's stations in the past playing the same 200 songs on shuffle. Plus the fact that most of these stations heavily leaned on "Classic Rock" or Hot 100 hits from the Modern Rock genre. Instead of a big tent approach of Top 40 radio in general.
101.5 The Point in Tampa also had the same slogan as Star 97 in Nashville, they initially played music between 1978-1993, then between 1978-2000. Final incarnation was music between 1980-2000. (with a few post 2000 songs) Believe it or not the playlist was actually more diverse when being music between 79-93. Would actually hear songs like "I'm still Standing" by Elton John, "Stay the Night" by Chicago and "Allentown" by Billy Joel. Once the playlist focused more on 90's the short playlist got even shorter. Most non-rock or Alternative Hot 100 hits from the 80's and early 90's would get purged following the format shift into the 90's.
K
K.M. Richards
Guest
If there are no competitors in the format, said listener will go to the station closest to their interests. Or they'll just turn the radio off. And if you drive them away often enough, they will stop listening altogether.
Is that a better answer to your question?
The bottom line is that if you play something that "feels" unfamiliar to them, they will leave. Maybe not to another station, but they will leave.
If you play something that they are sick to death of, or have already heard once or twice today, they will also leave. Gamefreak mentioned "Boys of Summer" and "Don't You Forget About Me." I got sick of the latter WHILE it was a hit, to the point that I will STILL tune out if it is played.
It always befuddled me that Star 97 for some reason could not play Julian Lennon, yet Jack-FM has no problem playing "Too Late For Goodbyes." And Tom Kent (syndicated locally on Mix 92.9 on Friday nights) has no problem playing mainstream '80s songs that too many others are just simply afraid of anymore. "All I Need is a Miracle" was a huge hit, very mainstream, but everyone seems reluctant to touch it anymore, save for Tom Kent. Millions more examples just like it.
A
Avid Listener
Guest
It's better than most answers so far, but still not very good. You still make an observation of what would happen, but not a word to answer the primary interrogation in the question.
Why?
Why would someone change to a station that played music that they don't like, or pick total silence, over hearing a song by an artist whose other songs they like but that is unfamiliar. What is it about human nature that would prompt such a choice?
Listeners don't have one "favorite" station... they generally have three or four, along with several more that they make occasional use of. It's been that way ever since we were able to see individual diary entries with Arbitron going back to the late 60's. And in most cases, listeners don't listen to just one format. They may listen to classic hits, country and classic rock. Or CHR, urban and Hot AC. Or Adult Alternative, Classic Hits and Classic Rock.
When you do one-on-one interviews with listeners, you'll find that station choices are often driven by mood and occasion. And, since these are variables, different stations will be preferred on different days and times.
What upsets the mood-based choice is when a station does not fulfill expectations. You go to the Classic Hits station expecting familiar favorite songs and you hear a song you've developed a dislike for or one that was never a big hit and was never a favorite. The result is unfulfilled expectations, and often this is accompanied by a change in station.
This is why big playlist gold stations in major markets fail, yet there are cases of such poor programming in smaller markets on stations that continue to play long lists, year after year. In the big market, there are plenty of suitable alternatives. In the small market, there are not.
U
Unregistered
Guest
Hey David. Do you think at 80s based classic hits station would work David? I was thinking 1978-1992. I think this would be the ideal market for 35-54.
Hey David. do you think an 80s based classic hit stations would work. I was thinking from 1979-1992. I think this would be perfect for the 35-54 Demo.
A
Avid Listener
Guest
Nice try, but what you say just doesn't make any sense.
Nothing ever makes sense to music fans......on these boards.
You are exactly right! And "Boys of Summer" which to me does not even represent the 80's, since I rarely heard it in 1985 on CHR is a tuneout today. Add to that, the way Don sings it, just makes me want to change stations that much sooner.
I much prefer, "Dirty Laundry" which is played less.
Of course, the information comes directly from one-on-one interviews with real users of radio. And the underlying issues about mood and expectations have not changed over several decades.
Outliers always think that their choices and taste in music is superior to all the (insert pejorative indicating robot-like behaviour of the masses here). They will never be convinced that they are in the majority, and thought lowly of by mainstream listeners.
The same goes for outliers in any type of product, creation or service.
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