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Is what is considered "Mainstream AC" going older
- Thread starter Seltzer
- Start date
The target is really, in most markets, 30-49 females. If the owner has a Hot AC... or even a CHR... as well, it may be more like 35-54.
The former. Reality vs. conspiracy theory. Record companies record what the public indicates it wants.
Maybe during the day. But at night there was only one 80s song an hour. Now that WOGL is mostly classic rock, there are a lot of 80s pop songs they don't play. My first thought when I saw your post was that they're stepping on WOGL. But WOGL doesn't play as much pop.
The other thing I've noticed is that iHeart CHRs are playing some 90s Gold. So perhaps it's not just AC that's going older.
Over the long run, they certainly have when we consider that music from the eighties is now forty years old. AC first became prominent as a format in the late seventies and early eighties -- and at that time, the oldest music you heard in the format was less than twenty years old. I know that you're thinking in terms of more recent changes, but I think that if we look back at the history of the format it will turn out that the number of years that the format will reach back has been gradually increasing for a long time.
Of course musical taste has changed. It comes down to the sort of music that AC listeners were exposed to in their formative years, and that has changed dramatically.
Actually, the first AC stations as we know them now... select CHR currents for adults and lots more gold... began in the earlier 70's. In my experience, WJDX in Jackson, MS, under Bill Tanner, WGAR in Cleveland with Lund, WERC in Birmingham under, well, me... were examples of non-MOR AC stations and that was in 1972.
That is true. I'm not sure about this myself, but I also believe we have a much larger population from the 45-54 demo. Or you can say 45-69 if you want to look at it from the 6+ perspective. We have a much smaller population from the 25-44 demo. So, it's still beneficial for AC, Soft AC, Classic Hits, Adult Hits, and Classic Rock to cater their music to the 45-54 portion of the demo.
That's why a lot of Classic Hits, Adult Hits, and Classic Rock are now positioning themselves as "80s and More..." with a strong emphasis on 80s as they're phasing out 70s, but still not adding enough 90s and 2k.
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And many AC stations are adding certain 80s titles they wouldn’t play 3 years ago.
I think it is mainly Classic Hits stations that are doing that. Adult Hits stations usually use “90s and Whatever” after that (particularly Bob FM) because they are broader than just one decade. Depends on the brand though since Jack FM is the only brand that does “Playing What We Want”. Classic Rock Stations usually use the cities name then “Classic Rock” or “Classic Rock Station” after that.
Because there is less playable current music. That has been a practice by both CHR and AC formats since the 70's... if there are fewer big currents during a period of time, add more recurrents and gold to the clock.
You are generalizing way, way, way too much in all your posts tonight. Stations program not only for a target audience but to fit into the local competitive array.
I think it depends on what their compeiitors are playing. Some Classic Hits stations compete with Classic Rock/Adult Hits stations and/or an AC station. There are some that compete with Soft AC’s in certain markets. I’m sure they make tweaks based off of that.
Think about it for a second. If you were a PD at another AC station across town, chances are your station is already playing a similar, if not identical playlist based on research. The difference between the stations is the occasional different trip down memory lane song, which in most cases, could present a potential tune-out factor. In other words, copying your competition's playlist isn't going to steal your competition's lunch money. What is, is creative promotion and an edge between drive time talent. 'Tweaking playlists' is a time waster that could end up ultimately shooting yourself in the foot.
Maybe TikTok is causing these stations to increase 80s titles. Numerous AC stations are increasing the amount of 80s on the weekends and labeling it “Best of the 80s Weekends” every weekend except during their Christmas music programming which is probably going to continue for a while longer possibly even a few years longer. I think IHeartMedia is the main company that does this on their AC stations. WNIC doesn’t do it though but just about every other station owned by them including KKCW, KOST, and WLTW (who started that trend several years before the other stations started doing it) is doing it.
As has been mentioned many times already; in medium to large markets, nights and weekends are considered filler time. As in; there is little to no revenue associated with those days/hours. Unless sold as a local ad package; sticking something unique like era-specific content remains just filler content.
Your obsession with Christmas music and any potential impact on 6+ ratings is nothing more than repetition. Whereas I think you have unique insights, it would be nice if you would consider merging your insights with actual industry knowledge from pros on this site. Who knows, you might learn something.
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