Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

[MarcB]

was surprised to hear Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen on 3 stations in 3 different markets today (which technically is 5 stations in 5 markets being how 2 of the stations use the same playlist and voice tracked jocks of a 3rd.

At about 2:05PM I heard it on WHJY 94.1 out of Providence, RI. They were coming in semi-strong in Cheshire, Connecticut mixing with the weak WNNW translator on 94.1 out of West Hartford.

Then as the song was winding down I changed stations and it was just beginning on I-95 WRKI (95.1) in the Danbury, CT market.

Then during the 6PM hour it played on Kool Radio (96.1/990 in the Hartford Market, 100.1/1270 in the Springfield Market, and 104.3/1180 in the Westerly Market).

 

[landtuna]

Perhaps today was "Queen For A Day".

 

[Silkie]

Did people do the fandango?

 

[oldies76]

was surprised to hear Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen on 3 stations in 3 different markets today (which technically is 5 stations in 5 markets being how 2 of the stations use the same playlist and voice tracked jocks of a 3rd.

At about 2:05PM I heard it on WHJY 94.1 out of Providence, RI. They were coming in semi-strong in Cheshire, Connecticut mixing with the weak WNNW translator on 94.1 out of West Hartford.

Then as the song was winding down I changed stations and it was just beginning on I-95 WRKI (95.1) in the Danbury, CT market.

Then during the 6PM hour it played on Kool Radio (96.1/990 in the Hartford Market, 100.1/1270 in the Springfield Market, and 104.3/1180 in the Westerly Market).

Overstauration as usual. No thanks.

 

[CTListener]

Overstauration as usual. No thanks.

The 99 percent can't hear it often enough, sadly.

 

[MarcB]

Overstauration as usual. No thanks.

Speaking of oversaturation, the above mentioned "Kool Radio" is obsessed with The Beatles. On more than one occasion I've heard them play 10 Beatles songs in an 8 hour period. That's oversaturation. They also pride themselves as playing less commercials. So in-between segments during a syndicated show such as Casey's Top 40 or Greatest Hits USA they will play one or two songs. One of them is usually a Beatles track.

 

[oldies76]

Speaking of oversaturation, the above mentioned "Kool Radio" is obsessed with The Beatles. On more than one occasion I've heard them play 10 Beatles songs in an 8 hour period. That's oversaturation. They also pride themselves as playing less commercials. So in-between segments during a syndicated show such as Casey's Top 40 or Greatest Hits USA they will play one or two songs. One of them is usually a Beatles track.

Oversaturation of the Beatles themselves or certain songs by them. Their catalog is easily around 80-100 playable songs, but ten songs in 8 hours seems a bit excessive, granted many of them are only 2 minutes or so long, especially the early stuff.

 

[oldies76]

The 99 percent can't hear it often enough, sadly.

I can probably name at least 30 songs from 1976, I'd rather hear instead....

 

[firepoint525]

Speaking of oversaturation, the above mentioned "Kool Radio" is obsessed with The Beatles. On more than one occasion I've heard them play 10 Beatles songs in an 8 hour period. That's oversaturation. They also pride themselves as playing less commercials. So in-between segments during a syndicated show such as Casey's Top 40 or Greatest Hits USA they will play one or two songs. One of them is usually a Beatles track.

Classic hits 93.3 here in Nashville (also voice-tracked) has the "Beatles break" about 10:30 every morning. Usually one song from their early career, and one from their later career ("Penny Lane" or later). I usually prefer the latter. And they are (fortunately) not afraid to play some album tracks that we don't normally get to hear anymore.

Oversaturation of the Beatles themselves or certain songs by them. Their catalog is easily around 80-100 playable songs, but ten songs in 8 hours seems a bit excessive, granted many of them are only 2 minutes or so long, especially the early stuff.

This would be unusual now, unless it were some type of Beatles feature program, like Breakfast with the Beatles or Beatles Brunch.

I can probably name at least 30 songs from 1976, I'd rather hear instead....

Unfortunately, because of Wayne's World, we are probably stuck with this one in heavy rotation for probably another 20-30 years or so. I can't hear the song now WITHOUT seeing Wayne and Garth lip-syncing to it. Interestingly enough, it is the only song of its length, which, to the best of my knowledge, has NEVER been edited. (And just think, I heard it on the radio this morning, myself.)

But all hope is not lost. Got to see Steve Miller Band and Peter Frampton in concert at the Opry House less than two weeks ago! 1976 lives! (The wife wanted to see Frampton; I was there to see SMB.)

 

[firepoint525]

Overstauration as usual. No thanks.

The 99 percent can't hear it often enough, sadly.

Preach it, guys!

 

[oldies76]

1976 lives!

And the funny thing, that Queen song is my least favorite of that time. I dig Lou Rawls, KC, Starbuck, Boz, Bee Gees, Maxine, Steve Miller, Chicago, Rod Stewart, Paul McCartney, Andrea True...etc...so many great tunes that year. 1976 lives is right! Radio has all but abandoned it.

 

[TheBigA]

1976 lives is right! Radio has all but abandoned it.

It was 42 years ago. How many radio stations in 1976 played songs from 1934? Not many.

 

[oldies76]

It was 42 years ago. How many radio stations in 1976 played songs from 1934? Not many.

Music from that time suffers from sound quality and is not rock and roll, a totally different time period in music. You cannot mix oldies from the 50's and 60's, with music from that time on the same format. Today, it's much easier to play music from the 70's, mixing it up with newer classics and even older ones from the 60's. You are dealing with eras in music, not whether it's four decades ago.

The farthest back I could possibly mix in my oldies format would be select tunes from the earlier 50's, if that.

 

[TheBigA]

Today, it's much easier to play music from the 70's, mixing it up with newer classics and even older ones from the 60's. You are dealing with eras in music, not whether it's four decades ago.

The 70s was pre-digital, and studio technology for most 70s songs was still pretty ancient. Things improved by leaps & bounds in the 80s, once they knew they were mixing for CD rather than vinyl.

 

[davideduardo]

And the funny thing, that Queen song is my least favorite of that time. I dig Lou Rawls, KC, Starbuck, Boz, Bee Gees, Maxine, Steve Miller, Chicago, Rod Stewart, Paul McCartney, Andrea True...etc...so many great tunes that year. 1976 lives is right! Radio has all but abandoned it.

Radio does not "abandon" songs. Radio looks at the songs listeners want to hear today and plays them if they fit each station's format.

If a station's listener target group does not want to hear a particular song... or group of songs... why would the station play them anyway?

 

[davideduardo]

Oversaturation of the Beatles themselves or certain songs by them. Their catalog is easily around 80-100 playable songs...

How about from 0 up to a maximum of 0 playable songs?

I looked at CBS-FM, and no Beatles at all. Then I looked at the bit broader WOGL, and no Beatles.

I trust the quality of the research those stations do. If they play no Beatles, their target listeners don't want to hear Beatles songs. Confirmed, a verified fact.

Then I looked at the 68 station BDS classic hits airplay monitor. Two songs, "Let it Be" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice"*, got 90 plays on around 30 of the stations, between 1 and 4 spins a week. The rest of the 9 Beatles songs that got any play at all had a maximum of 20 stations playing them, and an average of one spin per week on those stations. Some of the panel stations are in below the top 100 markets, and that is where much of the Beatles play was found... stations that can't afford real research. The rest was on AM oldies stations like KOSI in Denver and WGH in Tidewater, stations with few listeners and fewer still under 65.

A person 55 years old today was still in diapers when the first Beatles song became a real hit in the USA, and they were not even in grade school when the last one came out.

The songs may be familiar to many people under 55, just as Benny Goodman is familiar to me. But just as I do not want to hear Benny as a regular thing, those pre-seniors don't want to hear the Beatles regularly.

* Should be "Let it Be". My error.

 

[tbolt909]

How about from 0 up to a maximum of 0 playable songs?

I looked at CBS-FM, and no Beatles at all. Then I looked at the bit broader WOGL, and no Beatles.

I trust the quality of the research those stations do. If they play no Beatles, their target listeners don't want to hear Beatles songs. Confirmed, a verified fact.

Then I looked at the 68 station BDS classic hits airplay monitor. Two songs, "Let it Be" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice", got 90 plays on around 30 of the stations, between 1 and 4 spins a week. The rest of the 9 Beatles songs that got any play at all had a maximum of 20 stations playing them, and an average of one spin per week on those stations. Some of the panel stations are in below the top 100 markets, and that is where much of the Beatles play was found... stations that can't afford real research. The rest was on AM oldies stations like KOSI in Denver and WGH in Tidewater, stations with few listeners and fewer still under 65.

A person 55 years old today was still in diapers when the first Beatles song became a real hit in the USA, and they were not even in grade school when the last one came out.

The songs may be familiar to many people under 55, just as Benny Goodman is familiar to me. But just as I do not want to hear Benny as a regular thing, those pre-seniors don't want to hear the Beatles regularly.

"Wouldn't It Be Nice" is a Beach Boys song. Your credibility is dubious.

Sirius Radio has a Beatles Channel. Every time another Beatles record is re-released (remastered or new compilation), it outsells virtually every "active" artist. People of all ages are still listening to The Beatles. They are just not Commercial Radio users. Some artists transcend time. Shakespeare's​ work is still performed & read today...

 

[davideduardo]

"Wouldn't It Be Nice" is a Beach Boys song. Your credibility is dubious.

Sirius Radio has a Beatles Channel. Every time another Beatles record is re-released (remastered or new compilation), it outsells virtually every "active" artist. People of all ages are still listening to The Beatles. They are just not Commercial Radio users. Some artists transcend time. Shakespeare's​ work is still performed & read today...

Sorry. The song was "Come Together". I mistakenly did a copy and paste of the wrong line from the report I was looking at.

Since I played all those Beatles songs, from the first to the last before the breakup, as currents, I am well familiar with the tunes. I just simply made a mistake, and you noticed it. And I corrected it thanks to your observation. All cleared up!

More on subjects, I've been in Classic Hits music tests. If one is looking for an audience that has enough 25-54 to be salable to transactional buyers, the Beatles (or Tommy Roe or Bobby Vinton or the 1910 Fruitgum Company) are not going to hold an audience.

While there may be a group of Beatles partisans under 55, they are going to be an eclectic group and the rest of the songs a Classic Hits station plays to attract a mass audience are not going to be of extreme interest to them.

And, yes, the Beatles sets do sell well... within the nearly depleted sales of physical product. In case you have not noticed, even affinity (those that also sell audio and related equipment) retailers like Best Buy have cut way back or eliminated CD sales entirely.

See this article about the company, which was at one time the biggest retailer of music in the nation: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobbyowsinski/2018/07/07/best-buy-cd-sales/#7f2422c61d2e

So some sales of Beatles boxed sets is rather irrelevant to determining mass appeal songs for radio broadcast.

Oh, yeah, and the Beach Boys song got many more plays last week than any Beatles song. Just saying...

 

[TheBigA]

How does a conversation about Queen and 1976 turn into a discussion about The Beatles? By 1976, the Beatles had been broken up for six years. By 1976, the currents-based stations had stopped playing Beatles songs. The rock stations had stopped playing Beatles songs. So as old as people are who can remember 1976, they are still not old enough to remember 1965.

Yes there are people who still like The Beatles. No one is disputing that they still have an audience. But that audience isn't sellable to advertisers. That audience owns their music on their personal devices, and don't need to have it played for them on the radio. Syndicated shows spotlighting The Beatles have moved from commercial radio to non-commercial radio. That's appropriate. Once again, we're dealing with music that's 50 years old! Imagine radio stations in the 70s playing music from the 20s! Even your parents weren't interested in music from the 20s!

 

[tbolt909]

Mr. A, please explain the Classic Rock & Hits formats. Those are Commercial Radio stations playing music that is 40 to 50 years old. 1968 was 50 years ago.

It's true that some have attempted to pad the tired playlists​ with more 80s and 90s stuff. People don't care if a song is 50 years old or 25 years old. They like it or they don't. Someone who was 20 in 1990 is now 48. That puts them on the edge of obsolescence to Ad Agencies...