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Congrats on replacing Curelop at KZOK, but "I Melt With You" ain't Classic Rock.
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In 1983 it got to number 7 on the "Rock Albums and Top Tracks" Chart, which is known as the "Mainstream Rock" chart today. It made it as high as number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year. Obviously a much bigger "rock" track than anything else. Probably a bigger "rock" chart hit than many of the "classics" they spin over on Seattle's Classic Rock Station!
I heard that today and was very surprised. While it might be old enough and was on some charts, it was never played on the likes of KISW or KZOK at the time. Classic New Wave, yes. Classic Rock, eh, no. In my opinion of course. I wonder what the response (if any) to the station was?
By the way, what happened to Curelop?
I always considered New Wave part of the evolution of rock, although some acts associated with the subgenre were more poppish than others. If you consider the Pretenders to have been New Wave, does that make their huge pop hit "Back on the Chain Gang" rock? Did the band get played at all on your favorite stations of the late '70s/early '80s? They certainly recorded plenty of other songs that would fit more comfortably into your smaller "rock" pigeonhole. How about Blondie, Talking Heads, The Cure? I remember listening to all those acts as well as Aerosmith, J. Geils, ZZ Top on the same radio stations then. Surely their rock credentials can't be questioned. I say all of it is classic rock today.
Regardless of what others might think does or does not belong on KZOK, I always thought it was more of a balancing act to program both a Classic Hits and a Classic Rock station in the same cluster without cannibalizing each other. Regardless of whether the above mentioned song belongs on KZOK, KJR-FM has been playing it for years, and now that they're under the same ownership, I would either not play it at all or play it very infrequently on KZOK to avoid as much overlap as possible with KJR-FM.
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IHeart has been quietly shedding salaries, part of exiting bankruptcy protection. Curelop was released a month ago, as was someone in production.
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Just because you remember listening to something in the 1980s, it doesn’t mean it’s Classic Rock. If 1980s New Wave is the qualifier, then KZOK should be playing “Hungry Like The Wolf” after “Black Dog.” Then they’re sounding like Jack.
I would have said “Stairway to Heaven”, but KZOK doesn’t even play that anymore (another brilliant move).
They played Stairway to Heaven on the HD-2 channel when it was "Deep Cuts" which was a great format. Whatever they have on there now is like a harder version of Jack... Random programming that sounds like no thought at all was given to the playlist. I would like the Deep Cuts back please, Sarge.
Years and years and years ago, when Jim Keller did his Resurrection Flashback show on Sunday mornings on The End, he would often do whole blocks of New Wave music.
When I was in high school, I was like - WTF is this? Later, in his second time around at The End, I would listen and go "hey this is really great stuff."
For the most part, the hits of New Wave, while occasionally played individually, have been absent from commercial radio for many years. I'm all in favor of this stuff getting a little more air time.
That's fine. Just not on a classic rock station.
A lot of these "new wave" songs were played on rock stations. Not all, but most. So Classic Rock can play them today, IMO. The new wave was about 30-40 years ago give or take. So if a classic rock station today plays it today, then that rock station is indeed "classic" rock by definition. Today we see rock stations that only focus on new rock, some who combine new rock with classic rock, and some that lean alternative. It is just a piece of the pie at this point. The biggest piece of the pie usually has the best ratings and revenue.
In my NW market, there is a traditional classic rock station that plays 70's through 90's. Another rocker who plays 80's through today. They both can get a little "head-bangitis", but that is neither here nor there. They both seem to be doing well as their commercial breaks are full.
Sarge is a smart guy. He reacts to trends. The market is too important to be just a guessing game. All this is backed up by research fortunately or unfortunately.
There are some classic rock stations that are attempting to differentiate themselves musically by playing new wave 80s rock. The classic rock format is mainly defined as a 60s/70s format, but we've seen a few stations attempting to infuse newer music into the format. It's likely to become its own format at some point.
As exemplified by this discussion:
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?717150-The-Next-Generation-of-Classic-Rock
Of course this song is also showing up in playlists of classic hits stations.
As exemplified by this discussion:
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?717150-The-Next-Generation-of-Classic-Rock
Of course this song is also showing up in playlists of classic hits stations.
I have to agree, I Melt With You wasn't played on KISW or KZOK back in the 80's. It was played on KYYX, KHIT, KNBQ, KPLZ, etc.
It might fit now, I suppose. Even what is "classic rock" changes over time. But I would think a classic rock station of today would be playing Def Leppard, GNR, and hair band music if they were going to be playing stuff from the 80's.
It might fit now, I suppose. Even what is "classic rock" changes over time. But I would think a classic rock station of today would be playing Def Leppard, GNR, and hair band music if they were going to be playing stuff from the 80's.
Where they were played when they were new is irrelevant to where they should be played today. Spinning new wave tunes on a classic rock station turns it into a classic hits format and ticks off the P1s.
The older ones, the ones who AREN'T the P1s for an '80s/'90-centered classic rock station.
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Using 1980s programming metrics in a much more fragmented radio landscape is a terrible justification. Especially considering the stations known for playing that music are in the same building.
Actually, "I Melt With You" did get some brief airplay on KISW and KZOK at the time of it's 1982 release (I say brief because it was only roughly a few weeks before disappearing completely from both stations playlists.) It wasn't in any high rotation either, but A Flock of Seagulls and Missing Persons were also played on KISW and KZOK in 1982.
I remember Flock of Seagulls being played on KISW at the time (Missing Persons also, and a couple others of that subgenre). KISW went through a phase in 1982-1983 where they couldn't ignore the influence of some of the guitar oriented Wave (and related) bands. They took some heat from listeners for it, but they were still playing Seagulls a couple years later from time to time. By then the New Wave of Metal (British and otherwise) had kicked in pretty heavy and replaced the New Wave-oriented stuff.
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