80s on Classic Hits?

[finallyescaped]

Many Classic Hits stations are starting to also play some 80s (KRTH, WOCL, etc.). How long until 60s are off the radio for good? After all, most 60s songs are now over 40 years old. Anyone older than 15 40 years ago is out of any real salable demos.

Should Classic Hits start branding as "70s and 80s" sooner than later?

I think so...

 

[andreajesus]

Our station in New York, WCBS-FM 101.1 - they play "the Greatest Hits of the 60's, 70's, AND 80's"...I suspect a LOT of the Classic Hits stations are ALREADY branding themselves as "60's, 70's, and 80's" - I don't know if you could really leave out the 60's at this point, 'cos you got your Beatles, you got your Beach Boys, you got your Four Seasons - whose music is getting a rebirth, at least here on the East Coast, thanks to a little Broadway musical called "The Jersey Boys" -- this stuff is TIMELESS - you're ALWAYS gonna have a demand, albeit a smaller one than in past years, for these artists and others similar - as I write this, WCBSFM is playing "Jackie Blue" by The Ozark Mountain Daredevils - a 70's record that even the most jaded student of this genre can remember and groove with and enjoy along with....

 

[oldies76]

Many Classic Hits stations are starting to also play some 80s (KRTH, WOCL, etc.). How long until 60s are off the radio for good? After all, most 60s songs are now over 40 years old.

Why not? Music from 1983 is 25 years old now (WOW!) In 1985, music from 1960 was 25 years old (then) and were considered oldies. Music from 1983 should be considered oldies or classic hits (take your pick). Bring on the 80's, especially early to mid 80's hits.

60's, 70's, 80's and a touch of 50's (what WCBS-FM does) is a perfect mix.

KRTH plays an infintile number of 80's songs, it's not even worth mentioning yet.

 

[jonbruce]

Yes ! Denitely the early and mid 80's.

 

[KFodor]

Many Classic Hits stations are starting to also play some 80s (KRTH, WOCL, etc.). How long until 60s are off the radio for good? After all, most 60s songs are now over 40 years old. Anyone older than 15 40 years ago is out of any real salable demos.

Should Classic Hits start branding as "70s and 80s" sooner than later?

I think so...

Just my opinion here, but...

The Early 60's music (pre-Beatles) has all but gone away now (with the exception of features - "Way Back Wednesday", Fabulous 50's weekend, etc).

Many stations are playing only about 4-5 60's era songs per hour now. I'd say give it 5 years or so and most of the 60's will be gone. (Or relegated to feature presentations) The Beatles might be an exception, though...some cuts may turn out to be timeless and test on until most of us are dead. Maybe even some Rolling Stones stuff.

The 80's will work on these stations, particularly if they keep it to the pop/rock side of that decade. Some of the new wave music will fit, but the deep cuts won't make it. Ditto with the early rap/hip hop and metal stuff from 1987-1990. That may be folded in with some other type of format, but the charts, and radio were beginning to fragment then and it just doesn't work with a mainstream pop-type station.

In about 5 years, you'll see a lot more 70's/80's branding. By then, the 80's music will be right around 30 years old. And its' audience should be into the nostalgia phase of their lives by then.

 

[KFodor]

Our station in New York, WCBS-FM 101.1 - they play "the Greatest Hits of the 60's, 70's, AND 80's"...I suspect a LOT of the Classic Hits stations are ALREADY branding themselves as "60's, 70's, and 80's" - I don't know if you could really leave out the 60's at this point, 'cos you got your Beatles, you got your Beach Boys, you got your Four Seasons - whose music is getting a rebirth, at least here on the East Coast, thanks to a little Broadway musical called "The Jersey Boys" -- this stuff is TIMELESS - you're ALWAYS gonna have a demand, albeit a smaller one than in past years, for these artists and others similar - as I write this, WCBSFM is playing "Jackie Blue" by The Ozark Mountain Daredevils - a 70's record that even the most jaded student of this genre can remember and groove with and enjoy along with....

You raise a very good point here. The rebirth of the Four Seasons is an East Coast thing, what with the "Jersey Boys" being such a hit on Broadway for so long. (I'm not knocking the group - I love their music. But their "revival" is, largely an East Coast thing.)

But, yes, there will come a time when most of the 60's will be gone. (How many times can you smoke that "electrical banana" anyway?)

I'm sure there could be a few songs that may, as you suggest, turn out to be timeless. But, it'll be a fairly small number of tunes. And, it will be overshadowed by the 70's (which will go away, too) and eventually, the 80's that will then dominate the classic hit playlists.

Can't wait for that "Greatest Hits of the 90's/Aughts and more" mutation. Hope you read my sarcasm here. But, I bet it'll happen...

 

[andreajesus]

Our station in New York, WCBS-FM 101.1 - they play "the Greatest Hits of the 60's, 70's, AND 80's"...I suspect a LOT of the Classic Hits stations are ALREADY branding themselves as "60's, 70's, and 80's" - I don't know if you could really leave out the 60's at this point, 'cos you got your Beatles, you got your Beach Boys, you got your Four Seasons - whose music is getting a rebirth, at least here on the East Coast, thanks to a little Broadway musical called "The Jersey Boys" -- this stuff is TIMELESS - you're ALWAYS gonna have a demand, albeit a smaller one than in past years, for these artists and others similar - as I write this, WCBSFM is playing "Jackie Blue" by The Ozark Mountain Daredevils - a 70's record that even the most jaded student of this genre can remember and groove with and enjoy along with....

You raise a very good point here. The rebirth of the Four Seasons is an East Coast thing, what with the "Jersey Boys" being such a hit on Broadway for so long. (I'm not knocking the group - I love their music. But their "revival" is, largely an East Coast thing.)

But, yes, there will come a time when most of the 60's will be gone. (How many times can you smoke that "electrical banana" anyway?)

I'm sure there could be a few songs that may, as you suggest, turn out to be timeless. But, it'll be a fairly small number of tunes. And, it will be overshadowed by the 70's (which will go away, too) and eventually, the 80's that will then dominate the classic hit playlists.

Can't wait for that "Greatest Hits of the 90's/Aughts and more" mutation. Hope you read my sarcasm here. But, I bet it'll happen...

Point #1 - I don't know - but then again, since I've never even smoked a cigarette, much less an "electrical banana" ...but I will say this: I have to suspect that with the success of the "Jersey Boys" on Broadway here, that it's kicked up interest and demand for the Four Seasons ALL OVER THE COUNTRY!!

Point #2 - I have to look at this from TWO perspectives - one as a fan and one as an aficionado and writer all about music and radio - from a FAN'S perspective, your statement about "there will come a time when most of the 60's will be gone"... is a sad one...how I remember the Beach Boys and the Four Seasons and Motown and the R&B acts...from an AFICIONADO/WRITER'S perspective, MOST of the people who grew up with the 50's/60's music have either retired or passed on - if a classic hits/oldies station DOESN'T extend the range of music to bring in the younger people coming up today..well, you can figure the rest....when WCBS-FM came back in July of 2007, the playlist included Chicago, Steve Winwood, ELO, the Doobie Brothers, Prince, Bon Jovi - along with the Beach Boys, the Four Seasons, and the ilk. I personally ENJOY the mix of music that CBS-FM plays today, because it IS the BEST of the 60's, it IS the BEST of the 70's, and it IS the BEST of the 80's - and you know what? As I've told my friends many times, today's WCBS-FM IS a station that I can leave on, because the music is comfortable, the DJs are GREAT, and the spirit of CBS-FM not only lives, IT BREATHES, IT MOVES, IT ROCKS, AND IT ROLLS, BABY, SO BOOK IT!!

Andrea
(oh, and one MORE thing - GO YANKEES!! )

 

[SuperRadioFan]

you got your Four Seasons - whose music is getting a rebirth, at least here on the East Coast, thanks to a little Broadway musical called "The Jersey Boys" I have to suspect that with the success of the "Jersey Boys" on Broadway here, that it's kicked up interest and demand for the Four Seasons ALL OVER THE COUNTRY!!

(oh, and one MORE thing - GO YANKEES!! )

I'm sitting here wearing my "Jersey Boys" T shirt Mrs SRF gave me after we attended the great show at the Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa (Orange County, CA) back in November so I dig your points about my Jersey Boys.... I was born and bred in New Brunswick, saw the Seasons Four at Rutgers way back in '66 or so. (After Bob Gaudio sang "Silly Girl", Frankie sang "Shame on You, you wet your pants")

Oh and Andrea, Luv ya Babe, but:

1) About The Yankees, my sympathies ... the Angels own them (I don't hate the Yanks
but I sure hate the BloSox) Do you miss Joe Torre ?
2) Let's Go Mets

 

[andreajesus]

you got your Four Seasons - whose music is getting a rebirth, at least here on the East Coast, thanks to a little Broadway musical called "The Jersey Boys" I have to suspect that with the success of the "Jersey Boys" on Broadway here, that it's kicked up interest and demand for the Four Seasons ALL OVER THE COUNTRY!!

(oh, and one MORE thing - GO YANKEES!! )

Oh and Andrea, Luv ya Babe, but:

1) About The Yankees, my sympathies ... the Angels own them (I don't hate the Yanks
but I sure hate the BloSox) Do you miss Joe Torre ?
2) Let's Go Mets

Luv ya back, BUT....

1) Yes, I DO miss Joe Torre VERY MUCH...
2) I would like to see a Subway Series this year (of course, MY Yankees are gonna beat YOUR Mets!!)

Andrea

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Luv ya back, BUT....

1) Yes, I DO miss Joe Torre VERY MUCH...
2) I would like to see a Subway Series this year (of course, MY Yankees are gonna beat YOUR Mets!!)

Andrea

Maybe you haven't looked at the standings lately, my luv, but the Yankees are 9 1/2 games out of first (at this moment) and have to climb over Boston and then the Rays in about 43 days. THAT would be a bigger miracle since the '78 team, gal!! And Joe Torre is in Dodger Blue this year, Girardi is no Merlin sorry to say. He's a nice guy, but ....

For the record, I grew up a Mets fan, they are my #2 team after the Angels. The Mets need to erase last year's debacle by at least getting to the NLCS but then again they'd have to win that to erase '06 . No I don't think there'll be a subway series or a freeway series. My guess: Cubs upset the Angels and finally win another World Series. One every 100 years I say.

 

[KFodor]

Our station in New York, WCBS-FM 101.1 - they play "the Greatest Hits of the 60's, 70's, AND 80's"...I suspect a LOT of the Classic Hits stations are ALREADY branding themselves as "60's, 70's, and 80's" - I don't know if you could really leave out the 60's at this point, 'cos you got your Beatles, you got your Beach Boys, you got your Four Seasons - whose music is getting a rebirth, at least here on the East Coast, thanks to a little Broadway musical called "The Jersey Boys" -- this stuff is TIMELESS - you're ALWAYS gonna have a demand, albeit a smaller one than in past years, for these artists and others similar - as I write this, WCBSFM is playing "Jackie Blue" by The Ozark Mountain Daredevils - a 70's record that even the most jaded student of this genre can remember and groove with and enjoy along with....

You raise a very good point here. The rebirth of the Four Seasons is an East Coast thing, what with the "Jersey Boys" being such a hit on Broadway for so long. (I'm not knocking the group - I love their music. But their "revival" is, largely an East Coast thing.)

But, yes, there will come a time when most of the 60's will be gone. (How many times can you smoke that "electrical banana" anyway?)

I'm sure there could be a few songs that may, as you suggest, turn out to be timeless. But, it'll be a fairly small number of tunes. And, it will be overshadowed by the 70's (which will go away, too) and eventually, the 80's that will then dominate the classic hit playlists.

Can't wait for that "Greatest Hits of the 90's/Aughts and more" mutation. Hope you read my sarcasm here. But, I bet it'll happen...

Point #1 - I don't know - but then again, since I've never even smoked a cigarette, much less an "electrical banana" ...but I will say this: I have to suspect that with the success of the "Jersey Boys" on Broadway here, that it's kicked up interest and demand for the Four Seasons ALL OVER THE COUNTRY!!

Point #2 - I have to look at this from TWO perspectives - one as a fan and one as an aficionado and writer all about music and radio - from a FAN'S perspective, your statement about "there will come a time when most of the 60's will be gone"... is a sad one...how I remember the Beach Boys and the Four Seasons and Motown and the R&B acts...from an AFICIONADO/WRITER'S perspective, MOST of the people who grew up with the 50's/60's music have either retired or passed on - if a classic hits/oldies station DOESN'T extend the range of music to bring in the younger people coming up today..well, you can figure the rest....when WCBS-FM came back in July of 2007, the playlist included Chicago, Steve Winwood, ELO, the Doobie Brothers, Prince, Bon Jovi - along with the Beach Boys, the Four Seasons, and the ilk. I personally ENJOY the mix of music that CBS-FM plays today, because it IS the BEST of the 60's, it IS the BEST of the 70's, and it IS the BEST of the 80's - and you know what? As I've told my friends many times, today's WCBS-FM IS a station that I can leave on, because the music is comfortable, the DJs are GREAT, and the spirit of CBS-FM not only lives, IT BREATHES, IT MOVES, IT ROCKS, AND IT ROLLS, BABY, SO BOOK IT!!

Andrea
(oh, and one MORE thing - GO YANKEES!! )

"Jersey Boys" is certainly a hit show...no argument there. But, you can't equate the 1500 to 2500 people who may see it live in a theater in the Midwest during a one week run and call it proof that there's a massive groundswell of new interest in the Four Seasons music...most who go the show are already fans of the group...not necessarily new ones.

Don't worry...I think some 60's music will be around for a long, long time. But, like the music of the 50's and rock's early years, there will, over time, be fewer and fewer songs from the 60's that "test" from a radio perspective. Remember, the audience for this music isn't dead, yet...most are over 55, though which makes them unattractive to advertisers.

I do understand you are coming from the perspective of a music afficianado. But, with all due respects, it is not radio's job to "educate" people about music or "extend the range of music to bring young people coming up today". Our job is to play the music our listeners tell us they want to hear, and do our best to entertain them, thus garnering the ratings which allow us to get advertising which allows us all a paycheck. That's it.

 

[firepoint525]

'80s on classic hits? Why, absolutely! 8) ;D

 

[oldies76]

(oh, and one MORE thing - GO YANKEES!! )

GO DODGERS! Tied for First!

 

[andreajesus]

(oh, and one MORE thing - GO YANKEES!! )

GO DODGERS! Tied for First!

We'll see, we'll see ..of course, it would be VERY interesting if we have a Dodgers-Yankees World Series!! My question then - which Terry Cashman version of "Talking Baseball" would they play??

Andrea
(GO YANKEES!! )

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Talkin' Baseball was a great song that no one plays...

Dodgers-Yankees World Series is about as likely as President Ralph Nader starting his first term in January.

 

[andreajesus]

Alright, so I just like the song "Talking Baseball" (after all, it IS an 80's song!! ) But I would love it EVEN MORE for a Dodgers-Yankees World Series this year (and for all those who are knocking the Yankees simply because they are going thru a slump right now - and I'm a HUGE Yankees fan!! - all I can say are three words:

"Summer of 1978"

Andrea

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Alright, so I just like the song "Talking Baseball" (after all, it IS an 80's song!! ) But I would love it EVEN MORE for a Dodgers-Yankees World Series this year (and for all those who are knocking the Yankees simply because they are going thru a slump right now - and I'm a HUGE Yankees fan!! - all I can say are three words:

"Summer of 1978"

Andrea

You must have missed my post from August 14th, Andrea... Here it is with the updated in bold:

Maybe you haven't looked at the standings lately, my luv, but the Yankees are 10 games out of first (at this moment) and have to climb over Boston and then the Rays and/or have a better record than Chicago or Minnesota to get the Wild Card or the Division Title in about 40 days. THAT would be a bigger miracle since the '78 team, gal!! That '78 team had only ONE TEAM to worry about. And Joe Torre is in Dodger Blue this year, Girardi is no Merlin sorry to say. He's a nice guy, but ....

For the record, I grew up a Mets fan, they are my #2 team after the Angels. The Mets need to erase last year's debacle by at least getting to the NLCS but then again they'd have to win that to erase '06 . No I don't think there'll be a subway series or a freeway series. My guess: Cubs upset the Angels and finally win another World Series. One every 100 years I say.

 

[andreajesus]

Well, my luv :-*, all I can say is: I want to see a NY team win the World Series this year so i can hear Terry Cashman's "Talking Baseball" (interesting version he does mentioning all the DJs from a certain NYC radio station.... )

Andrea

 

[590buddy]

Well back to radio as opposed to overpaid millionaires that play baseball for a living...

And I hope you don't mind that I continue to beat the dead horse thats almost beaten to dust...

Comment was made that the 55+ listeners are unnatractive to the Ad agencies, yeah I know this is the way it is, but it's total BS. That Demo has plenty of $$$$$$$$$$$ to spend. Personally, I like the 55-64 time period as the british invasion ruined rock n roll as we knew it, yeah that includes those 4 hairbags from Liverpool. But back to the point of the 55+ demo...David Eduardo will be in shortly with his know-it-all commentary...

kevlar suit on, turn on the flame thrower: Lenny, the bubbles please???

590buddy ;D

 

[KFodor]

Well back to radio as opposed to overpaid millionaires that play baseball for a living...

And I hope you don't mind that I continue to beat the dead horse thats almost beaten to dust...

Comment was made that the 55+ listeners are unnatractive to the Ad agencies, yeah I know this is the way it is, but it's total BS. That Demo has plenty of $$$$$$$$$$$ to spend. Personally, I like the 55-64 time period as the british invasion ruined rock n roll as we knew it, yeah that includes those 4 hairbags from Liverpool. But back to the point of the 55+ demo...David Eduardo will be in shortly with his know-it-all commentary...

kevlar suit on, turn on the flame thrower: Lenny, the bubbles please???

590buddy ;D

I'll speak up here. You don't need David.

What you and others don't seem to understand is: you're preaching to the choir. We know exactly what you are saying.

The problem is: the ad agencies use other means of advertising to reach the 55+ audience and feel that radio does not deliver a high enough return on their investment. (That's the "ROI" David speaks so much about.)

This happened about 20 years ago with the Beautiful Music format, so you shouldn't be too surprised that now that the original "oldies" audience is reaching their senior years, it's happening with Oldies.

Sure, I realize there's differences between seniors of 20 years ago and today. I'm 51, so I'm not too far behind you and I'm far from dead and will change my buying habits when it suits my needs. But the advertisers and, to a lesser degree the agencies (who take orders from the advertisers) are the people who need to be convinced. Because, they're not. There are radio stations that have tried to change this perception, but have been largely unsuccessful.