AC's Core Artists

[BoscoGoldBear]

Here is the list of adult contemporary's (i.e. easy listening) core artists, many which came from (or could come from if it existed today) Boston heavy metal giant WCOZ's playlist (some are alt-rocker WFNX artists as well):

40. Pat Benatar
39. Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
38. Cyndi Lauper
37. Santana
36. Faith Hill
35. Maroon 5
34. Matchbox Twenty
33. REO Speedwagon
32. John Mayer
31. LeAnn Rimes
30. Uncle Kracker/Kid Rock
29. Whitney Houston
28. Bee Gees
27. Lionel Richie
26. Cher
25. James Taylor
24. Huey Lewis and the News
23. Hootie and the Blowfish
22. Mariah Carey
21. Celine Dion
20. Eric Clapton
19. Goo Goo Dolls
18. Sheryl Crow
17. Kelly Clarkson
16. Prince
15. Commodores
14. Chicago*
13. John Mellencamp
12. Shania Twain
11. Genesis
10. Bryan Adams
9. Journey
8. Hall and Oates
7. Fleetwood Mac**
6. Phil Collins***
5. Madonna
4. Billy Joel****
3. Eagles
2. Rod Stewart*****
1. Elton John******

*-washed up as rockers by "Just You'N'Me"
**-washed up as rockers because of "Tusk" LP
***-only "In The Air Tonight" still played on hard rock stations like 'HJY - the original and not just the Disturbed version
****-I have to include Billy on the rock list because most classic rockers like 'ZLX play enough of his songs, like "Piano Man," "Italian Restaurant," "You May Be Right" and "My Life"
*****-again the 'ZLX classic rock factor (especially "Maggie May")
******-Elton has many classic rockers, but not enough to classify him as rock

Bold-'COZ/classic rock-type music
Bold and Italics-'FNX alt-rocker

 

[mistermicrophone]

Here is the list of adult contemporary's (i.e. easy listening) core artists, many which came from (or could come from if it existed today) Boston heavy metal giant WCOZ's playlist (some are alt-rocker WFNX artists as well):

40. Pat Benatar
39. Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
38. Cyndi Lauper
37. Santana
36. Faith Hill
35. Maroon 5
34. Matchbox Twenty
33. REO Speedwagon
32. John Mayer
31. LeAnn Rimes
30. Uncle Kracker/Kid Rock
29. Whitney Houston
28. Bee Gees
27. Lionel Richie
26. Cher
25. James Taylor
24. Huey Lewis and the News
23. Hootie and the Blowfish
22. Mariah Carey
21. Celine Dion
20. Eric Clapton
19. Goo Goo Dolls
18. Sheryl Crow
17. Kelly Clarkson
16. Prince
15. Commodores
14. Chicago*
13. John Mellencamp
12. Shania Twain
11. Genesis
10. Bryan Adams
9. Journey
8. Hall and Oates
7. Fleetwood Mac**
6. Phil Collins***
5. Madonna
4. Billy Joel****
3. Eagles
2. Rod Stewart*****
1. Elton John******

*-washed up as rockers by "Just You'N'Me"
**-washed up as rockers because of "Tusk" LP
***-only "In The Air Tonight" still played on hard rock stations like 'HJY - the original and not just the Disturbed version
****-I have to include Billy on the rock list because most classic rockers like 'ZLX play enough of his songs, like "Piano Man," "Italian Restaurant," "You May Be Right" and "My Life"
*****-again the 'ZLX classic rock factor (especially "Maggie May")
******-Elton has many classic rockers, but not enough to classify him as rock

Bold-'COZ/classic rock-type music
Bold and Italics-'FNX alt-rocker

uummmm....huh? Since I am from the Boston area, I know the stations you reference, but what's your freakin' point?

By the way, I forgot about that heavy metal vixen, Cyndi Lauper!!! That riff in Time After Time has inspired millions to pick up the guitar!

 

[BoscoGoldBear]

Here is the list of adult contemporary's (i.e. easy listening) core artists, many which came from (or could come from if it existed today) Boston heavy metal giant WCOZ's playlist (some are alt-rocker WFNX artists as well):

40. Pat Benatar
39. Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
38. Cyndi Lauper
37. Santana
36. Faith Hill
35. Maroon 5
34. Matchbox Twenty
33. REO Speedwagon
32. John Mayer
31. LeAnn Rimes
30. Uncle Kracker/Kid Rock
29. Whitney Houston
28. Bee Gees
27. Lionel Richie
26. Cher
25. James Taylor
24. Huey Lewis and the News
23. Hootie and the Blowfish
22. Mariah Carey
21. Celine Dion
20. Eric Clapton
19. Goo Goo Dolls
18. Sheryl Crow
17. Kelly Clarkson
16. Prince
15. Commodores
14. Chicago*
13. John Mellencamp
12. Shania Twain
11. Genesis
10. Bryan Adams
9. Journey
8. Hall and Oates
7. Fleetwood Mac**
6. Phil Collins***
5. Madonna
4. Billy Joel****
3. Eagles
2. Rod Stewart*****
1. Elton John******

*-washed up as rockers by "Just You'N'Me"
**-washed up as rockers because of "Tusk" LP
***-only "In The Air Tonight" still played on hard rock stations like 'HJY - the original and not just the Disturbed version
****-I have to include Billy on the rock list because most classic rockers like 'ZLX play enough of his songs, like "Piano Man," "Italian Restaurant," "You May Be Right" and "My Life"
*****-again the 'ZLX classic rock factor (especially "Maggie May")
******-Elton has many classic rockers, but not enough to classify him as rock

Bold-'COZ/classic rock-type music
Bold and Italics-'FNX alt-rocker

uummmm....huh? Since I am from the Boston area, I know the stations you reference, but what's your freakin' point?

By the way, I forgot about that heavy metal vixen, Cyndi Lauper!!! That riff in Time After Time has inspired millions to pick up the guitar!

(Sigh!) As indicated, I put Cyndi Lauper (3 songs in Mediabase's AC list) in italics, indicating that she is alt-rock/new wave (same thing). My point is that I'm a traditionalist, and consider that AC should be easy on the ears, and anything which ever came from the 'COZ/'AAF files ISN'T (that includes "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", which is as hard as any AC/DC song - I clearly had more than my fill of WCOZ for several lifetimes - thanks to my then-SOB brother - and it's been gone for almost a quarter of a century!).

 

[mistermicrophone]

Here is the list of adult contemporary's (i.e. easy listening) core artists, many which came from (or could come from if it existed today) Boston heavy metal giant WCOZ's playlist (some are alt-rocker WFNX artists as well):

40. Pat Benatar
39. Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
38. Cyndi Lauper
37. Santana
36. Faith Hill
35. Maroon 5
34. Matchbox Twenty
33. REO Speedwagon
32. John Mayer
31. LeAnn Rimes
30. Uncle Kracker/Kid Rock
29. Whitney Houston
28. Bee Gees
27. Lionel Richie
26. Cher
25. James Taylor
24. Huey Lewis and the News
23. Hootie and the Blowfish
22. Mariah Carey
21. Celine Dion
20. Eric Clapton
19. Goo Goo Dolls
18. Sheryl Crow
17. Kelly Clarkson
16. Prince
15. Commodores
14. Chicago*
13. John Mellencamp
12. Shania Twain
11. Genesis
10. Bryan Adams
9. Journey
8. Hall and Oates
7. Fleetwood Mac**
6. Phil Collins***
5. Madonna
4. Billy Joel****
3. Eagles
2. Rod Stewart*****
1. Elton John******

*-washed up as rockers by "Just You'N'Me"
**-washed up as rockers because of "Tusk" LP
***-only "In The Air Tonight" still played on hard rock stations like 'HJY - the original and not just the Disturbed version
****-I have to include Billy on the rock list because most classic rockers like 'ZLX play enough of his songs, like "Piano Man," "Italian Restaurant," "You May Be Right" and "My Life"
*****-again the 'ZLX classic rock factor (especially "Maggie May")
******-Elton has many classic rockers, but not enough to classify him as rock

Bold-'COZ/classic rock-type music
Bold and Italics-'FNX alt-rocker

uummmm....huh? Since I am from the Boston area, I know the stations you reference, but what's your freakin' point?

By the way, I forgot about that heavy metal vixen, Cyndi Lauper!!! That riff in Time After Time has inspired millions to pick up the guitar!

(Sigh!) As indicated, I put Cyndi Lauper (3 songs in Mediabase's AC list) in italics, indicating that she is alt-rock/new wave (same thing). My point is that I'm a traditionalist, and consider that AC should be easy on the ears, and anything which ever came from the 'COZ/'AAF files ISN'T (that includes "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", which is as hard as any AC/DC song - I clearly had more than my fill of WCOZ for several lifetimes - thanks to my then-SOB brother - and it's been gone for almost a quarter of a century!).

I undersdtand that you are a "traditionalist" by the way you blast stations on the Boston board for playing songs just outside their given format. The problem for you is, radio formats evlove...and you don't. Cyndi Lauper may have been "new wave" back in the day, but music of that texture is not what Alt Rock is today...why? Becuase the format has evolved and adapted to different trends.

It doesn't matter what station the demo (which you are NOT) heard Cyndi Lauper, Rod Stewart or Billy Joel back in the day; it does matter that they like the songs today and want to hear them.

 

[TinaDelgado]

Core artists may be a thing of the past. Wouldn't you say AC's of today are song driven?

 

[dave73]

Core artists may be a thing of the past. Wouldn't you say AC's of today are song driven?

I always thought that AC was song driven and not artist driven. I remember a certain amount of country songs crossing over into the AC charts. It still does today.

 

[RDO]

AC has always been artist driven, especially in the 90s. Billy Joel, Elton john, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, etc.

If you are programming correctly, then you are making it a song driven format now.

 

[RickSklar77]

AC has always been artist driven, especially in the 90s. Billy Joel, Elton john, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, etc.

If you are programming correctly, then you are making it a song driven format now.

You are absolutely correct!

AC is a format that generally speaking, finds its success based on the fortunes of other formats. At this moment, it's a song driven format because of the wealth of great songs out there by relative newcomers (Sara Bareilles, Leona Lewis, Daughtry, Plumb, etc.).

Still, the question of who the format's core artists are is so important, especially if you're lucky enough to have an external marketing budget that will allow you to explain to your market who you are.

 

[vchimpanzee]

In response to the first post, adult contemporary is NOT easy listening and has not been for years. I get sick and tired of people trying to say adult con temporary is easy listening. It is LOUD and I'm sick and tired of hearing it in businesses. It is not fit for a professional office environment.

And the proof is all the artists and groups in boldface in the first post, except for those wih stars by their names.

I listen to a REAL easy listening satellite format. Not the kind they used to call beautiful music, but its critics on this site try to call it AC. Another satellite format is similar and really gets pounded as nothing but AC by its detracotrs here.

Cyndi Lauper, unfortuantely, has found her way onto local stations in this format category. The one I am describing, not what is defined as AC. WDUV Sarasota, FL, WLOW Hilton Head, SC, and several other stations really need a category other than AC. WYEZ Myrtle Beach, SC, is probably real AC as it was defined a few years ago, but that ship has sailed.

 

[Oldbones]

In response to the first post, adult contemporary is NOT easy listening and has not been for years. I get sick and tired of people trying to say adult con temporary is easy listening. It is LOUD and I'm sick and tired of hearing it in businesses. It is not fit for a professional office environment.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here.
AC is generally a 25-49 female format. Today's women in that age group aren't interested in hearing Bread, James Taylor or the Captain & Tennille. Non-edgy 80s/90s pop music is what works if you want to reach that demographic.

I'm not familiar with any of the stations you mentioned. What is your idea of "proper" AC/music for a "professional office environment"?

 

[vchimpanzee]

In response to the first post, adult contemporary is NOT easy listening and has not been for years. I get sick and tired of people trying to say adult con temporary is easy listening. It is LOUD and I'm sick and tired of hearing it in businesses. It is not fit for a professional office environment.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here.
AC is generally a 25-49 female format. Today's women in that age group aren't interested in hearing Bread, James Taylor or the Captain & Tennille. Non-edgy 80s/90s pop music is what works if you want to reach that demographic.

I'm not familiar with any of the stations you mentioned. What is your idea of "proper" AC/music for a "professional office environment"?

You said "non-edgy". That's not Prince or Pat Benatar.

My point is that there are people who call AC "easy listening" when it's not. And not that it matters since I am not female and just barely qualify as 25-49, I do enjoy Bread, James Taylor and The Captain and Tennille, which is exactly what my station plays. It's not AC regardless of what the critics say.

As for what is "proper" in the office, see the "Muzak" thread I started.

 

[imhomerjay]

You said "non-edgy". That's not Prince or Pat Benatar.

Actually, yeah, it is. 20+ years later, those songs can rightly be considered the anthesis of edgy. Nothing wrong with them, but they're not edgy and do represent what AC of today is.

 

[firepoint525]

In response to the first post, adult contemporary is NOT easy listening and has not been for years. I get sick and tired of people trying to say adult con temporary is easy listening. It is LOUD and I'm sick and tired of hearing it in businesses. It is not fit for a professional office environment.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here.
AC is generally a 25-49 female format. Today's women in that age group aren't interested in hearing Bread, James Taylor or the Captain & Tennille. Non-edgy 80s/90s pop music is what works if you want to reach that demographic.

I'm not familiar with any of the stations you mentioned. What is your idea of "proper" AC/music for a "professional office environment"?

James Taylor still gets some AC play, but the others you mentioned (along with the Carpenters from the other thread) do not. But I would say that James Taylor's days on AC radio are probably numbered.

Seems to me that modern-day AC plays whatever was considered CHR back in the '70s/'80s, while the AC from those days (Barry Manilow and the others previously mentioned) are off the air altogether nowadays.

 

[imhomerjay]

In response to the first post, adult contemporary is NOT easy listening and has not been for years. I get sick and tired of people trying to say adult con temporary is easy listening. It is LOUD and I'm sick and tired of hearing it in businesses. It is not fit for a professional office environment.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here.
AC is generally a 25-49 female format. Today's women in that age group aren't interested in hearing Bread, James Taylor or the Captain & Tennille. Non-edgy 80s/90s pop music is what works if you want to reach that demographic.

I'm not familiar with any of the stations you mentioned. What is your idea of "proper" AC/music for a "professional office environment"?

James Taylor still gets some AC play, but the others you mentioned (along with the Carpenters from the other thread) do not. But I would say that James Taylor's days on AC radio are probably numbered.

Seems to me that modern-day AC plays whatever was considered CHR back in the '70s/'80s, while the AC from those days (Barry Manilow and the others previously mentioned) are off the air altogether nowadays.

True, but don't forget a staple of ACs in the '70s & early '80s was former pop hits, just like AC now plays former pop hits. The format really isn't that dramatically different--the songs that make up the mix have changed, but the idea is similar.

 

[firepoint525]

In response to the first post, adult contemporary is NOT easy listening and has not been for years. I get sick and tired of people trying to say adult con temporary is easy listening. It is LOUD and I'm sick and tired of hearing it in businesses. It is not fit for a professional office environment.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here.
AC is generally a 25-49 female format. Today's women in that age group aren't interested in hearing Bread, James Taylor or the Captain & Tennille. Non-edgy 80s/90s pop music is what works if you want to reach that demographic.

I'm not familiar with any of the stations you mentioned. What is your idea of "proper" AC/music for a "professional office environment"?

James Taylor still gets some AC play, but the others you mentioned (along with the Carpenters from the other thread) do not. But I would say that James Taylor's days on AC radio are probably numbered.

Seems to me that modern-day AC plays whatever was considered CHR back in the '70s/'80s, while the AC from those days (Barry Manilow and the others previously mentioned) are off the air altogether nowadays.

True, but don't forget a staple of ACs in the '70s & early '80s was former pop hits, just like AC now plays former pop hits. The format really isn't that dramatically different--the songs that make up the mix have changed, but the idea is similar.

If we project this into the future, the ACs of, say, 20 years from now won't still be playing Michael Bolton and Celine Dion. Seems that the artists who get maligned by critics (and I'm saying this because Barry Manilow is already in the same boat) just don't have any real staying power.

 

[imhomerjay]

If we project this into the future, the ACs of, say, 20 years from now won't still be playing Michael Bolton and Celine Dion. Seems that the artists who get maligned by critics (and I'm saying this because Barry Manilow is already in the same boat) just don't have any real staying power.

Sure, 20 years from now today's currents (a subset of them) will be the gold product. What subset? Who knows.

All three of the artists you mention have had staying power to some degree or another. In the case of Manilow and others before, even staying power eventually wears off, as it will for the Boltons and Celines of the world eventually.

 

[vchimpanzee]

If we project this into the future, the ACs of, say, 20 years from now won't still be playing Michael Bolton and Celine Dion. Seems that the artists who get maligned by critics (and I'm saying this because Barry Manilow is already in the same boat) just don't have any real staying power.

Sure, 20 years from now today's currents (a subset of them) will be the gold product. What subset? Who knows.

All three of the artists you mention have had staying power to some degree or another. In the case of Manilow and others before, even staying power eventually wears off, as it will for the Boltons and Celines of the world eventually.

I like the sound of this. I wish Celine Dion was gone from standards. My Stardust affiliate played Michael Bolton when they did their music loclly, but the satellite format never went that route. Though Stardust is pretty much history. What they call Timeless is really oldies.