The Hotel California - You Know What They Say...

[ChannelFlipper]

That's right. At the Hotel California, You can check out any time you like, but you can never...get away from this song!!

I generally don't listen to local radio much in the morning except for the 20 minutes or so that I am in the bathroom and have the trusty little shower radio. Being an old rock 'n' roller, I generally flip around between the three stations that come the closest to playing that music (now known of course as just "classic rock"), which are Jack, The Sound and K-Earth. I can usually count on at least one of them to play what was once, a long time ago, one of my favorite songs, but which I now turn off immediately every time I hear it. (Radio had ruined another one for me, thanks!).

But today I guess the new audience research reports came in and, unsurprisingly, it has the same results as last time, only more so, as all three of these stations spun "Hotel California"* within the approximate span of my shave and shower, between 7:00 and 7:20 this morning. What a coincidence! Or maybe not. I believe that the block between 7:00 and 7:30 am is the most listened to half hour of the entire morning shift, so each one of these stations is bound and determined to get the most overplayed, err, I mean the "highest testing" songs on during that half hour.

Of course since I bet nobody flips channels like I do, I am sure the main part of the general audience doesn't even notice this stuff and if you use the Selector program just right, I am sure it only spins the same record during the morning shift on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and by the time Tuesday and Thursday come around (when the song is oh so cleverly put into the afternoon slot instead) the morning audience has completely forgotten about the repetition and when they hear it again just a few days later, it seems fresh all over again!

"And no, silly ChannelFlipper, they are not insulted in the slightest. They like it that way and we're just giving them what they want when they want it." Or something like that. I always think to myself, the scary part is maybe these guys are right...

* Well the Sound played the live version at least - I guess that's what we call variety these days.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

It's what I've been saying for months on end. You can't underestimate the "intelligence" of the average LA area listener/hearer. They're all morons. I'm not surprised to hear about your Hotel coincidence because I've been there as well.
At least The Sound played the live version. Thanks Dave Beasing.

 

[firepoint525]

Unfortunately, not limited to LA. I live in TN and have been sick of that song ever since it was a hit. The Hotel California is looking more and more like a Roach Motel. Check in but don't check out.

 

[K.M. Richards]

And yet the song obviously continues to test well, as evidenced by your finding it on more than one station in the market, and you can't even call it an ownership bias because one of the three is a standalone.

 

[davideduardo]

It's what I've been saying for months on end. You can't underestimate the "intelligence" of the average LA area listener/hearer. They're all morons.

Having... and preferring familiar, favorite songs is not a function of intelligence. It's a function of how each individual uses and appreciates music.

A very small percentage of adults are avid music explorers. They actually prefer the new and unfamiliar to the familiar. It's in their personality.

Another group of adults has limited acceptance of new music... unfamiliar artists and songs and even genres. But most adults know what they like and prefer music they are familiar with and like.

Many doctoral theses have been written and many "publish or die" articles have been published about music taste acquisition and the parameters of music acceptance into maturation. They pretty uniformly do not associate music usage with intelligence. There is considerable discussion of the nurture and nature aspects, related to environment, educational levels and such. And, of course, there is always reference to "outliers" who a small number of members of any large group who have behaviours vastly different from the norm.

The big playlist, "music that sounds like the other music", broad genre folks in these discussions are examples of outliers.

And, in any study of sociology, outliers tend to believe they have "better" taste and they can't understand why other people don't agree with them... whether it is music, art, fashion, movies, literature or the fundamental perception of beauty. They often do not understand that "different" is not wrong and believe their "superior" sense of "good" should reign supreme.

 

[TheBigA]

As I often say, the way to avoid repetition is become adventurous and try different formats. I promise you that you won't hear Hotel California on KIIS. Flipping channels among similar stations is like going to similar fast food drive-ins complaining that they all serve hamburgers. Reach out of your comfort zone if you truly want variety.

 

[landtuna]

"Hotel California" was, and remains, one of my favs. I find new sounds almost every time I hear it (which isn't anything like every day).

 

[Robert Bass]

You can't underestimate the "intelligence" of the average LA area listener/hearer. They're all morons.

WOW! Just insult almost the entire population of LA, why don't you?????

R

 

[Silkie]

The room service and atmosphere in general are better at Hotel California near Champs Elysées, in Paris. Just an observation.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

WOW! Just insult almost the entire population of LA, why don't you?????

R

Sure why the hell not as if I care
Now replace SoCal rock stations with what's available in Chicago, SF, Boston, Portland, et al and you wouldn't hear a peep from me.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Playing right this second on 100.3
Oh Pretty Woman - the big O

That's the Sound not a classic hits station

 

[oldies76]

"Hotel California" was, and remains, one of my favs. I find new sounds almost every time I hear it (which isn't anything like every day).

Great song, sure, #1 in 1977, a huge hit in Southern California, no doubt and one of my favs from the 70's. But hearing it once or twice a month will do.

 

[TheBigA]

Great song, sure, #1 in 1977, a huge hit in Southern California, no doubt and one of my favs from the 70's. But hearing it once or twice a month will do.

I suspect it doesn't get as much airplay in other parts of the country as it gets in its home city. Just as you probably don't hear New York New York very often in Boston.

There are stations in Dallas that give a few extra spins to songs, sometimes even album cuts, that have the city or state in the title.

 

[CTListener]

I suspect it doesn't get as much airplay in other parts of the country as it gets in its home city. Just as you probably don't hear New York New York very often in Boston.

"Hotel California" is just as much a classic hits/classic rock staple here in Connecticut -- and in Boston -- as it is in California. A more appropriate comparison would be to the Ad-Libs "The Boy From New York City," which was a national smash and had a place on oldies stations' playlists in Boston and everywhere else until the format started dropping older music in the '90s.

 

[Robert Bass]

"Hotel California" is just as much a classic hits/classic rock staple here in Connecticut -- and in Boston -- as it is in California. A more appropriate comparison would be to the Ad-Libs "The Boy From New York City," which was a national smash and had a place on oldies stations' playlists in Boston and everywhere else until the format started dropping older music in the '90s.

How about the Manhattan Transfer version? I use it on my web station.

R

 

[K.M. Richards]

Great song, sure, #1 in 1977, a huge hit in Southern California, no doubt and one of my favs from the 70's. But hearing it once or twice a month will do.

Then don't listen more than the average listener, so the rotation and separation in the music scheduler can work for you.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

Then don't listen more than the average listener, so the rotation and separation in the music scheduler can work for you.

That's right Oldies, it is YOUR fault that your listening habits do not match the tight rotation the all-knowing PD programmed into the computer. You will hear "Hotel California" every other day and LIKE IT because it is a high performer in the test and everyone else wants to hear it, so suck it up.

 

[davideduardo]

That's right Oldies, it is YOUR fault that your listening habits do not match the tight rotation the all-knowing PD programmed into the computer. You will hear "Hotel California" every other day and LIKE IT because it is a high performer in the test and everyone else wants to hear it, so suck it up.

It's not his fault that his tastes and listening patterns do not match those the station programs to.

It is his fault for not finding a station or stream he likes.

It is also his mistake for not understanding that a station in Los Angeles has no interest in having a listener in Colorado, and that the LA station will make no effort to program for anything other than the largest possible audience in its home market.

 

[oldies76]

It is his fault for not finding a station or stream he likes.

It is also his mistake for not understanding that a station in Los Angeles has no interest in having a listener in Colorado, and that the LA station will make no effort to program for anything other than the largest possible audience in its home market.

Actually David, I've already found several stations that suit my listening ways. You're right, KRTH does not anymore (and hasn't for many years), but many small market stations that have nice, in-depth playlists, do just fine. Also the Sunday Night countdown is a nice addition to CBS-FM, with 1977 being featured tonight. But you have already downplayed them numerous times, since they have lower ratings.

Oh, I understand it alright. I pick up their stream, so until the day comes when stations like KRTH count online listeners, you're right, they won't care about any listeners outside of L.A. or in Prescott, Arizona as well.

But frankly, I'm not listening to much radio lately. It's all about the World Cup and the success of the Latin American teams so far....and USA!

 

[davideduardo]

... but many small market stations that have nice, in-depth playlists, But you have already downplayed them numerous times, since they have lower ratings.

Actually, what I said is that radio listening in those hours is extremely low. So even if a station gets a 10 share there, it won't materially affect the full week sales numbers.

Oh, I understand it alright. I pick up their stream, so until the day comes when stations like KRTH count online listeners, you're right, they won't care about any listeners outside of L.A. or in Prescott, Arizona as well.

Online listening is counted, and streams are encoded: they show up in Nielsen local market reports for PPM markets and in streaming measurements showing session starts and length of session. The issue is that listening outside a station's home metro is not salable by the station itself. That said, the larger broadcasters can and do sell web listening to monetize the commercial avails sold for AFTRA-talent agency spots where a "no stream" dictate is in effect.