CBS-FM's Seven Day Weekend

[RadioFanBoy]

WCBS-FM will once again (I think) recite the musical alphabet all this week, for the 4th of July holiday! It begins at 9am. Just FYI ;D

 

[DToTheJ]

The frequency previously did an A-Z marathon as "Jack-FM" last summer.

Back in 1993, WNEW-FM did "The History of Rock from A to Z", featuring every single deep cut and track from their library. Took a good five weeks to finish, if I recall correctly...

 

[oldies76]

It's about time! Nice to hear stations opening up their massive music libraries and giving the listening public a taste of playlist reality, even if it's a specialty. Hope this is a trend in the works for classic hits stations, getting away from the usual repetition and monotony. Kudos to CBS-FM!

 

[MORE RADIO TRUTH]

Here's David Hinckley's column in the Daily News
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2008/06/30/2008-06-30_countin_down_oldies_on_wcbsfms_a_to_z_co.html

 

[RadioMan203]

I caught a bit of it this morning while running errands and I heard a few tunes I'd swear I don't normally hear on the daily rotation. It was sort of strange, but refreshing at the same time.

 

[scooty430]

This is a superb A to Z. I hope it doesn't go all night so more of it can be heard.

Did JACK do an A to Z? That's pretty atypical for that format.

 

[RadioJunkieMike]

There's a hilarious-but-depressing thread on that other board about this CBS-FM A-to-Z, in which people are complaining about "too many album-rock tracks" on the list -- some woman bitched about having to hear "Barbara O'Reilly" by the Who. ROTFL!

 

[scooty430]

I actually had the same reaction to Baba O Riley. Doesn't fit the format. But really, that's about it so far regarding album tracks. This A to Z is VERY Top 40. I mean....John Denver?

Aside from the XM Radio annual tradition of playing every charting Top 40 song from the 1940s to now, this is probably the biggest Top 40 A to Z I've ever seen.

 

[mikesingh]

This is a superb A to Z. I hope it doesn't go all night so more of it can be heard.

Did JACK do an A to Z? That's pretty atypical for that format.

Yeah, JACK NYC did an A to Z last year before the week before the revert back to CBS-FM... but the wierd part was... they never finished it. If I remember correctly, they got about halfway done on Sunday night, and that was it.. The Monday before the flip to CBS, Amy Scott (morning host) mentioned they'd continue it on Friday afternoon, meaning almost a full week before it would continue. As we know, that never happened. Why?

That Thursday, they flipped back to CBS-FM.

 

[wmgcbs]

There's a hilarious-but-depressing thread on that other board about this CBS-FM A-to-Z, in which people are complaining about "too many album-rock tracks" on the list -- some woman bitched about having to hear "Barbara O'Reilly" by the Who. ROTFL!

I nearly flipped when I read people bitching and moaning about the "A-Z." Boo hoo. So it's not the regular playlist. It's the regular playlist with EXPANDED VARIETY. *Gasp!*

But seriously folks - people (on that "other board") are saying this is like JACK FM and that there is too much 80's, too much rock... I can't disagree more. I haven't enjoyed the station this much since Memorial Day's #1 weekend. I listen regularly, but even with a playlist the size of CBS-FM's, it gets old after a while. This is a superb idea, and I can't applaud the programming department enough for going ahead with this. I loved hearing "Baba O'Reilly," "Always," "Another Day in Paradise," "Baby Don't Go," and many other tracks usually left out of CBS-FM's playlist.

If it weren't for this station, NYC radio would be done for me. Thanks once again to the great folks at CBS Radio and CBS-FM for making this station so great. I don't think I could have asked for anything more right now. Superb! ;D They should without a doubt do this every single year. This would be the one thing I would probably look forward to most.

 

[andreajesus]

FINALLY, someone besides ME who SO GETS IT!!

But seriously, like, I am LOVING TO DEATH this A-Z thing (I already heard "Baby, I'm Yours" by Barbara Lewis - I can't remember the last time I've ever heard that - it's been TOO LONG!! BRAVO, 101 FM!!

 

[scooty430]

List so far, for those curious.....

ABC - Jackson 5 (1/1970)
Abracadabra - Steve Miller Band
Abraham Martin & John - Dion (4/1968)
Act Naturally - Beatles (47/1965)
Addicted to Love - Robert Palmer
After All - Cher and Peter Cetera
After Midnight - Eric Clapton
After The Love Has Gone - Earth Wind & Fire (2/1979)
After The Lovin - Englebert Humperdink
Afternoon Delight - Starland Vocal Band
Against All Odds - Phil Collins
Against The Wind - Bob Seger
Ahab the Arab - Ray Stevens
Ain’t Got No Home - Clarence Frogman Henry
Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell (19/1967)
Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross (1/1970)
Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now - McFadden and Whitehead
Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers (3/1971)
Ain't No Woman - Four Tops (4/1973)
Ain’t Nobody - Rufus and Chaka Khan
Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing - Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell (8/1968)
Ain’t That A Shame - Fats Domino
Ain't That Peculiar - Marvin Gaye (8/1965)
Ain't Too Proud To Beg - Temptations (13/1966)
Ain’t Too Proud To Beg - Rolling Stones
All By Myself - Eric Carmen
*All Day & All Of The Night - Kinks (7/1964)
All I Have To Do Is Dream - Everly Bros (1/1958)
All My Loving - Beatles (45/1964)
All Night Long - Lionel Richie
All Out of Love - Air Supply
All Right Now - Free (4/1970)
All Shook Up - Elvis Presley (1/1957)
*All Summer Long - Beach Boys (LP/1964)
All Those Years Ago - George Harrison
All You Need Is Love - Beatles (1/1967)
Allentown - Billy Joel
Alone - Heart
Alone Again - Gilbert O Sullivan
Along Comes Mary - Association (7/1966)
Already Gone - Eagles
Always - Atlantic Starr
Always & Forever - Heatwave (18/1978)
Always On My Mind - Willie Nelson
Always Something There To Remind Me - Naked Eyes
Amanda - Boston
America - Neil Diamond
America The Beautiful - Ray Charles
American Pie - Don McClean
American Woman - Guess Who (1/1970)
An Everlasting Love - Andy Gibb
An Old Fashioned Love Song - Three Dog Night
And I Love Her - Beatles (12/1964)
And When I Die - Blood Sweat and Tears
Angel Baby - Rosie/Originals (5/1960)
Angel In Your Arms - Hot
Angel Of The Morning - Merrilee Rush/Turnabouts (7/1968)
Angie - Rolling Stones
Angie Baby - Helen Reddy
Annie’s Song - John Denver
Another Brick In The Wall - Pink Floyd
Another Day - Paul McCartney
Another Day In Paradise - Phil Collins
*Another Girl - Beatles (LP/1965)
Another One Bites The Dust - Queen
Another Rainy Day In New York City - Chicago
Another Saturday Night - Sam Cooke
Another Saturday Night - Cat Stevens
Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song - RJ Thomas
Anticipation - Carly Simon
Any Time At All - Beatles (LP/1964)
Any Way You Want It - Dave Clark 5
Anyone Who Had a Heart - Dionne Warwick
Apples Peaches Pumpkin Pie - Jay/Techniques (6/1967)
Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In - 5th Dimension (1/1969)
Are You Lonesome Tonight - Elvis Presley (1/1960)
Are You Ready - Pacific Gas and Electric
Arizona - Mark Lindsay
Arthur’s Theme - Christopher Cross
As Tears Go By - Marianne Faithful
As Tears Go By - Rolling Stones (6/1965)
Ask Me Why - Beatles (LP/1964)
At Last - Etta James
At Seventeen - Janis Ian
At The Hop - Danny and the Juniors
At This Moment - Billy Vera
Atlantis - Donovan
Axel F - Harold Faltermeyer
Baba O Riley - The Who
Babe - Styx
Baby Blue - Badfinger
Baby Come Back - Player
Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me - Mac Davis
Baby Don’t Go - Sonny and Cher
Baby Hold On - Grass Roots
Baby Hold On - Eddie Money (11/1978)
Baby I Love You - Aretha Franklin (4/1967)
Baby I Love You - Andy Kim (9/1969)
*Baby I Love You - Ronettes (24/1963)
Baby I Love Your Way - Peter Frampton (12/1976)
Baby I Love Your Way - Big Mountain
Baby I Need Your Lovin' - Four Tops (11/1964)
Baby I Need Your Lovin' - Johnny Rivers (3/1967)
Baby I'm For Real - Originals (14/1969)
Baby I'm Yours - Barbara Lewis (11/1965)
Baby I'm-A Want You - Bread (3/1971)
Baby It's You - Shirelles (8/1961)
Baby It’s You - Smith (5/1969)
Baby Love - Supremes (1/1964)
Baby Now That I've Found You - Foundations (11/1967)
Baby What A Big Surprise - Chicago (4/1977)
Baby Workout - Jackie Wilson (5/1963)
Baby You’re A Rich Man - Beatles (34/1967)
Baby’s In Black - Beatles
Back In Love Again - LTD (4/1977)
Back In My Arms Again - Supremes (1/1965)
Back In The USA - Chuck Berrym(37/1959)
Back In The USA - Linda Rondstadt (16/1978)
Back In The USSR - Beatles (LP/1968)
Back Off Bugaloo - Ringo Starr (9/1972)
Back Stabbers - O Jays (3/1972)
Backfield In Motion - Mel and Tim (10/1969)
Bad Bad Leroy Brown - Jim Croce (1/1973)
Bad Blood - Neil Sedaka (1/1975)
Bad Girls - Donna Summer (1/1979)
Bad Luck - Harold Melvin (15/1975)
Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival (2/1969)
*Bad To Me - Billy J Kramer/Dakotas (9/1964)
Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty (2/1978)
Ball Of Confusion - Temptations (3/1970)
Ballad of John and Yoko - Beatles (8/1969)
Ballad of the Green Beret - Sgt Barry Sandler (1/1966)
Ballroom Blitz - Sweet (5/1975)
Band Of Gold - Freda Payne (3/1970)

* = K-Earth played it on their Top 1001 of all time, but WCBS did not play it. Overall WCBS looks to have about 3000 songs in this countdown. Awesome.

 

[wmgcbs]

FINALLY, someone besides ME who SO GETS IT!!

But seriously, like, I am LOVING TO DEATH this A-Z thing (I already heard "Baby, I'm Yours" by Barbara Lewis - I can't remember the last time I've ever heard that - it's been TOO LONG!! BRAVO, 101 FM!!

CBS-FM is doing things its pre-2005 counterpart never would have done, and some people just don't like it. Fortunately, I am more than satisfied. I just hope that discouraging comments from others don't, in turn, discourage the programming department at 101.1 from doing more specialty features. As I said before, I would be extremely disappointed if CBS-FM failed to do this A-Z Countdown annually in the future. It's too good to do only once.

 

[andreajesus]

TRUST ME, CBSFM KNOWS what it's doing!! Besides which, if they listened to EVERY complaint that came in (including from even ME at the beginning, they would not have experienced (and continue to experience) the success that they are CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING!! BRAVO 101FM!!

 

[oldies76]

Scooty430 This is a superb A to Z. I hope it doesn't go all night so more of it can be heard.

It will most likely go all night..to play 3000 songs in one week will require it. KDZA's A to Z took 23 days, but they only aired it 9am to 6pm, Monday thru Friday.

Yes, this is a monsterous countdown. If only KRTH would do the same, not some measly 400 song A to Z. ALL classic hits stations should do this and expand its specialties like this. KUDOS TO CBS-FM

 

[oldies76]

andreajesus Besides which, if they listened to EVERY complaint that came in (including from even ME at the beginning, they would not have experienced (and continue to experience) the success that they are CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING!! BRAVO 101FM!!

Anyone complaining about this countdown truely does not appreciate what good music is about and should not be listening to the station. They can sleep with their 400 song repetition, i-pod collection, for all we care.

 

[RadioFixerCLE]

I'm totally stoked with what they're doing right now. Couple it with some much needed improvements and tweaks to the station's airchain, it's awesome!!! Got my dial stuck to 101 FM for the rest of the week.

 

[andreajesus]

Alright, Stephanie, you go, girl!! But seriously, I SO AGREE with you - I've been VERY STOKED since this thing started this morning!! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!

 

[mjb1124]

This countdown rocks! Personally I think it's great that they'll go from "Baba O'Riley" to "Beyond the Sea" to an oft-forgotten 80s pop hit. Not to mention the sheer magnitude of this thing. Nice going, CBS-FM.

 

[scooty430]

Beyond the Sea shows that WCBS is not just Classic Hits......they've still got the Oldies on the air. I expect we'll hear some Frank before too long.....

And sounds VERY good online.