CBS ever so slowly scaling back on the 60s

[adma]

Though something to keep in mind re the "demographic evolution" of oldies: by that supposition, just as the 60s generation was defined through classic-era Beach Boys, the present target generation is defined through "Kokomo", or David Lee Roth's "California Girls", or Wilson Phillips. Uh, no. I'll suppose that even they, who weren't even there in the first place, will still opt for the originals over any of the above...

 

[michael hagerty]

Though something to keep in mind re the "demographic evolution" of oldies: by that supposition, just as the 60s generation was defined through classic-era Beach Boys, the present target generation is defined through "Kokomo", or David Lee Roth's "California Girls", or Wilson Phillips. Uh, no. I'll suppose that even they, who weren't even there in the first place, will still opt for the originals over any of the above...

That's defining a generation on some very marginal records that have little in common with the rest of that generation's music.

 

[adma]

That's defining a generation on some very marginal records that have little in common with the rest of that generation's music.

"Kokomo" isn't exactly "marginal" (I'm not saying it's a worthy part of the BB canon; just that it isn't "marginal"). I'm just questioning whether that particular generation defines itself so bluntly through "its" music--or at least, in such a way that involves radio, at least as a strict continuum from the hit radio of the day.

They'd probably sooner choose a non-hit like "How Soon Is Now" or "Bizarre Love Triangle" over anything by Wilson Phillips, or even "Kokomo" (which might as well be like "Strangers In The Night" was to 1966)

 

[landtuna]

Though something to keep in mind re the "demographic evolution" of oldies: by that supposition, just as the 60s generation was defined through classic-era Beach Boys, <snip>

I'd suggest that the "60's generation" is far more defined by the British invasion than surf/car music.

 

[michael hagerty]

That's defining a generation on some very marginal records that have little in common with the rest of that generation's music.

"Kokomo" isn't exactly "marginal" (I'm not saying it's a worthy part of the BB canon; just that it isn't "marginal"). I'm just questioning whether that particular generation defines itself so bluntly through "its" music--or at least, in such a way that involves radio, at least as a strict continuum from the hit radio of the day.

They'd probably sooner choose a non-hit like "How Soon Is Now" or "Bizarre Love Triangle" over anything by Wilson Phillips, or even "Kokomo" (which might as well be like "Strangers In The Night" was to 1966)

I think to a 19 year old in 1988, "Kokomo" was marginal, and if it hadn't been in the "Cocktail" soundtrack, CHRs wouldn't have gone near it. Your "Strangers In The Night" analogy is a good one.

 

[flashback]

Though something to keep in mind re the "demographic evolution" of oldies: by that supposition, just as the 60s generation was defined through classic-era Beach Boys, <snip>

I'd suggest that the "60's generation" is far more defined by the British invasion than surf/car music.

with all the diffrent kind of music(surf/car, british invasion ,r & b, psychadelic and anything that escapes me now i would say that there is no simplistic way to musically define the `60`s generation.

 

[davideduardo]

with all the diffrent kind of music(surf/car, british invasion ,r & b, psychadelic and anything that escapes me now i would say that there is no simplistic way to musically define the `60`s generation.

From a programming perspective, it is somewhat more simple. There are hits. There are songs that are not hits. And there are songs that were hits, but are not hits anymore. It all comes down to the fact that today's playable music from any prior era consists of songs that were hits then and that people still want to hear today.

Trying to analyze trends and fads and why some songs are or were popular is a nice theme for a doctoral dissertation.

 

[landtuna]

with all the diffrent kind of music(surf/car, british invasion ,r & b, psychadelic and anything that escapes me now i would say that there is no simplistic way to musically define the `60`s generation.

I would somewhat agree except that the British invasion had much more of an effect upon the music of the 60's than did surf/cars/Motown/protest&folk rock/psychedelic etc. And it set the stage for a lot of the performers and music of the 70's as well and even into the early 80's.

The British invasion was the same kind of impact upon popular music that early Rock and Roll had in the mid-to-late 50's except that it lasted a whole lot longer. I can't think of any other musical event having anywhere near the same effect upon the industry since.

 

[adma]

I think to a 19 year old in 1988, "Kokomo" was marginal, and if it hadn't been in the "Cocktail" soundtrack, CHRs wouldn't have gone near it. Your "Strangers In The Night" analogy is a good one.

Unfortunately, by extension, I'd suggest that to a 19 year old in 1988, "mainstream CHR" at large was marginal, with "Kokomo" a symptom rather than an exception. It was the stuff their parents liked (largely by way of continuum from their own youth), even if it appeared to skew younger. Their own tastes (conditioned in large part through MTV and all that it begat) tended more t/w the rhythmic/rock/modern edges: the idea of "mainstream CHR" was old hat.

Which may be a way of saying that "oldies" as such might just as well be "evolving" to extinction. Just like the old easy-listening/beautiful music axis: I suppose that 30-40 years ago, it was presumed that the realm of Ray Conniff and the Hollyridge Strings would keep on adapting on behalf of newer generations of audiences, all it takes is a few wah-wah guitars and clavinets and presto, you're keeping up with the times. Er, it wasn't so simple. (NB: keep in mind when I say that the future of "oldies music" will be as more of a boutique taste: that today's fresh taste for Conniff or Hollyridge is more Irwin Chusid/WFMU than anything.)

 

[landtuna]

My middle son was 9 years old in 1988 and "Kokomo" was his favorite song. A few years earlier it was Berlin's "Take My Breath Away".

You just never know what will float their boat.

 

[semoochie]

I've mentioned this before: My daughter traveled to Seattle to see New Kids on the Block. A short time later, they were in Portland and she saw them here. She wouldn't walk across the room to hear them now!

 

[oldies76]

I've mentioned this before: My daughter traveled to Seattle to see New Kids on the Block. A short time later, they were in Portland and she saw them here. She wouldn't walk across the room to hear them now!

Most teens will scream for their groups when they are popular during their years, will be embarrased to mention them or listen to their music in their 20's, but most likely will embrace them as oldies, many years later.

I disliked many songs too, but enjoy them now as classics. We had Musical Youth in 1983!!

 

[adma]

My middle son was 9 years old in 1988 and "Kokomo" was his favorite song. A few years earlier it was Berlin's "Take My Breath Away".

You just never know what will float their boat.

But in your case (and simply posting on this board proves it), it's likely through "shared with parents" media--a different case from the (presumed) more generation-gappy patterns in the 60s.

And besides, it isn't like 9-year-old taste is forever--in practice, I'd imagine that very few 9-year-old "Kokomo kids" would choose Kokomo-centric oldies in their 30s, a lot of that the result of how taste and technology has evolved over the intervening years...

 

[landtuna]

But in your case (and simply posting on this board proves it), it's likely through "shared with parents" media--a different case from the (presumed) more generation-gappy patterns in the 60s.

I have absolutely no idea what that paragraph means.

And besides, it isn't like 9-year-old taste is forever--in practice, I'd imagine that very few 9-year-old "Kokomo kids" would choose Kokomo-centric oldies in their 30s, a lot of that the result of how taste and technology has evolved over the intervening years...

I'll have to ask him next time I talk to him but I'm guessing he has just added to his former favs, not replaced them.

 

[DToTheJ]

Heard this morning in the 4 AM hour on CBS-FM: "Take On Me" by A-Ha, cold-segueing into "Jimmy Mack" by Martha and the Vandellas. Yep - a 60's song right after an 80's song. I've heard worse trainwreck segues on WRXP!

 

[frozenfiresb]

Heard this morning in the 4 AM hour on CBS-FM: "Take On Me" by A-Ha, cold-segueing into "Jimmy Mack" by Martha and the Vandellas. Yep - a 60's song right after an 80's song. I've heard worse trainwreck segues on WRXP!

'PLJ is now branding themself as "Today's smash hits and the smash hits of yesterday". This liner aired between Christina Aguilera's "Genie In A Bottle" and "Jump" by Van Halen.

 

[adma]

But in your case (and simply posting on this board proves it), it's likely through "shared with parents" media--a different case from the (presumed) more generation-gappy patterns in the 60s.

I have absolutely no idea what that paragraph means.

It is commonly assumed that in the 60s cultural structure of things, parents listened to parents' radio, and kids listened to kid's radio, mamas weren't supposed to dance and daddies weren't supposed to rock & roll, etc. By the late 80s, it blurred--the kids of yesterday were the parents of today, they *weren't* so phobic about mainstream Top 40. So if your kid liked "Kokomo", well...again. It would have been like "Strangers In The Night" in 1966. Or some sort of Frankie Laine or Patti Page fare over Elvis in the 50s.

And besides, it isn't like 9-year-old taste is forever--in practice, I'd imagine that very few 9-year-old "Kokomo kids" would choose Kokomo-centric oldies in their 30s, a lot of that the result of how taste and technology has evolved over the intervening years...

I'll have to ask him next time I talk to him but I'm guessing he has just added to his former favs, not replaced them.

It may also depend on what he "evolved" to post-"Kokomo"--that is, if his early 90s inclinations were more t/w the Garth Brooks end than the Nirvana end, he's probably more likely to be non-Kokomophobic, or non-commercial-radio-phobic, for that matter...

 

[davideduardo]

It is commonly assumed that in the 60s cultural structure of things, parents listened to parents' radio, and kids listened to kid's radio, mamas weren't supposed to dance and daddies weren't supposed to rock & roll, etc.

In that context, how did we see, during most of the 60's, Top 40 stations accounting for over half the total listening in many markets?

It was not until the late 60's when Top 40 fragmented, with young males branching into progressive or album rock and post-teen females moving towards what would become chicken rock and then AC.

 

[lalumia]

in the 60s, queen agers like myself grabbed control of the radio dial in the car on the way to where ever,
and daddy got exposed to The Supremes, while the 13/14/15 year old me got to know all the words to
Strangers In The Night" and "It Must Be Him" by Vicki Carr, right after a Rolling Stones or Yardbirds
single; no train wrecks involved, each recording was treated as an event, song title and artist, what number
it was that week on the Super Hit survey and as a result, each record BECAME an event unto itself;
in the mudslide era of '11 in a row', no song i.d., no nothing,pop music on the radio became background
noise, less important, non eventful, and was treated as such by the less fortunate generations exposed
to this 'no frills', no thrills approach.

 

[mjb1124]

I'm 26, and I like both Nirvana and The Beach Boys. I don't think "Kokomo" is one of their best, but it's still a fun party/summer song. Of course, admittedly my musical tastes are broader than those of most people my age, especially the ones that are more inclined to listen to radio.