Classic Hits include 50s?

[Vanlen]

With the demographics of Classic Hits as the years add up now is it possible to include late 50s hits as well or is that another format that I haven't come to grips with. Confusing with Variety Hits, Classic Hits etc.

Inquiring minds would like to know

Cheers

 

[oldies76]

Well 50's music is very limited on many stations now, except for select AM's which still feature some, mixed in with 60's and 70's.

But major FM's, like KRTH and WCBS still will play a few staples (Elvis, Chuck Berry, The Champs, Everly Brothers, Bill Haley, Platters...etc..)

50's to about 1963 is considered golden oldies, but heck I would include a few on a classic hits format....it's all rock and roll.

There will be some that say, kill the 50's, since the demos are too old, but I'm sure many 55+ will be happy once again to hear their favorites from a long ago time. It's all about pleasing the listeners, in my view.

 

[davideduardo]

With the demographics of Classic Hits as the years add up now is it possible to include late 50s hits as well or is that another format that I haven't come to grips with. Confusing with Variety Hits, Classic Hits etc.

Recognizing that "oldies" and "classic hits" are terms of the trade, and not necessarily reflective of the positioning phrases and statements used for listeners on the air...

Classic Hits is a 70's core CHR hits format with a much smaller, and declining, amount of late 60's stuff and a growing amount of 80's material.

Oldies is a 60's core Top 40 hits format, sometimes with 50's material, and sometimes with some early 70's stuff.

Classic hits appeals to a prime sales age range of 35 to 54. Oldies appeals to a sales pariah demo of 55+.

 

[nfladxer]

With the demographics of Classic Hits as the years add up now is it possible to include late 50s hits as well or is that another format that I haven't come to grips with. Confusing with Variety Hits, Classic Hits etc.

Recognizing that "oldies" and "classic hits" are terms of the trade, and not necessarily reflective of the positioning phrases and statements used for listeners on the air...

Classic Hits is a 70's core CHR hits format with a much smaller, and declining, amount of late 60's stuff and a growing amount of 80's material.

Oldies is a 60's core Top 40 hits format, sometimes with 50's material, and sometimes with some early 70's stuff.

Classic hits appeals to a prime sales age range of 35 to 54. Oldies appeals to a sales pariah demo of 55+.

David's description, as usual, is very precise and accurate! However, some operators, like Cox, label their Eagle formatted stations as "Classic Hits", but their version doesn't seem to strictly follow this definition. They seem more "Rock" edged. IMHO, the biggest and best Classic Hits stations, (Like WCBS-FM) are a smart blend of "Classic Hits" and "Oldies", presented by real on-air personalities, not just repetitious "produced" liners between songs.

 

[Vanlen]

Thanks all for your great explanations. It seems that for Classic Hits, as DavidEduardo pointed out more of a terms of the trade, it would sense to add from the 80's category as time marches on rather than my earlier thought of additions from the 50s.

Cheers

 

[billyg]

I wonder how far Classic Hits stations can go into the 80's or early 90's. KLUV in Dallas played the B-52's "Love Shack" from 1989, but that record had a retro vibe to it that made it easy to mix with the 70's and early 80's hits.

And many like WLS-FM are playing the same music as Classic Rock stations, but with Jingles and upbeat DJ's.

 

[firepoint525]

Hippie Radio here in Nashville (http://www.hippieradio945.com) plays "Tequila," but doesn't play anything else from the pre-British invasion days.

 

[TheFonz]

Thanks all for your great explanations. It seems that for Classic Hits, as DavidEduardo pointed out more of a terms of the trade, it would sense to add from the 80's category as time marches on rather than my earlier thought of additions from the 50s.

Cheers

I do believe that listeners interested in '50s music have moved away from commercial radio. We haven't heard '50s in most markets for over 10 years. Satellite and internet radio is now the choice for '50s music.

 

[davideduardo]

I do believe that listeners interested in '50s music have moved away from commercial radio. We haven't heard '50s in most markets for over 10 years.

99% of those interested in a steady diet of 50's stuff are in their late 60's and beyond. Since the life expectancy in the US is an average of 78 years, you do the math on how many in that group are even alive.

Beyond that, a huge percentage of 65+ persons don't listen to oldies of any era... 50's or later. You write as if 100% of people in a certain age group only want Top 40 50's oldies. They don't.

 

[davideduardo]

Beyond that, a huge percentage of 65+ persons don't listen to oldies of any era... 50's or later. You write as if 100% of people in a certain age group only want Top 40 50's oldies. They don't.

As a follow up, I looked at persons 65 and over in Chicago back when WLS was a "True Oldies" station.

The leading two stations were talk, and #3 is all news, followed by classical and smooth jazz. Together, these 5 had a 51 share of all listening in that demo.

WLS's "True Oldies" had a 5 share.

 

[radioman148]

Beyond that, a huge percentage of 65+ persons don't listen to oldies of any era... 50's or later. You write as if 100% of people in a certain age group only want Top 40 50's oldies. They don't.

As a follow up, I looked at persons 65 and over in Chicago back when WLS was a "True Oldies" station.

The leading two stations were talk, and #3 is all news, followed by classical and smooth jazz. Together, these 5 had a 51 share of all listening in that demo.

WLS's "True Oldies" had a 5 share.

We'll see how WLS-FM does in future ratings books. Lots of people in the Chicago area are not happy with their music direction which is already featured on several Chicago stations.

 

[TheFonz]

I do believe that listeners interested in '50s music have moved away from commercial radio. We haven't heard '50s in most markets for over 10 years.

99% of those interested in a steady diet of 50's stuff are in their late 60's and beyond. Since the life expectancy in the US is an average of 78 years, you do the math on how many in that group are even alive.

Beyond that, a huge percentage of 65+ persons don't listen to oldies of any era... 50's or later. You write as if 100% of people in a certain age group only want Top 40 50's oldies. They don't.

No need for math. Just look at the Social Security projections. And you need to re-read my post............I said nothing about age.

 

[davideduardo]

No need for math. Just look at the Social Security projections. And you need to re-read my post............I said nothing about age.

When you talk about 50's songs, you are immediately introducing age, since nearly nobody who did not live the early years of rock n roll wants to hear that music... meaning "over 65" whether you mention it or not.

 

[TheFonz]

Beyond that, a huge percentage of 65+ persons don't listen to oldies of any era... 50's or later. You write as if 100% of people in a certain age group only want Top 40 50's oldies. They don't.

As a follow up, I looked at persons 65 and over in Chicago back when WLS was a "True Oldies" station.

The leading two stations were talk, and #3 is all news, followed by classical and smooth jazz. Together, these 5 had a 51 share of all listening in that demo.

It's curious that you mention "65 and over" in your last couple of posts. I thought that the radio standard for losing interest in listeners was always 55 and over. Maybe radio is learning something. There's no doubt that Talk is saving commercial radio. I hope that you radio guys kneel at the Altar of Rush every day.

 

[davideduardo]

It's curious that you mention "65 and over" in your last couple of posts. I thought that the radio standard for losing interest in listeners was always 55 and over. Maybe radio is learning something. There's no doubt that Talk is saving commercial radio. I hope that you radio guys kneel at the Altar of Rush every day.

I mention "65+" in the context of 50's oldies because 55-64 is not going to find 50's music particularly appealing. A 55 year old was born the year "At the Hop" came out...

And the lack of interest in appealing to 55+ (or, for that matter, 65+) is not a radio issue. It's an advertiser issue among those advertisers who buy through agencies (and tend to be research driven and quite sophisticated in marketing). Those clients, in quite near 100% of all cases, specify a target consumer to their agency which purposely excludes 55+. Radio can not program to a group of listeners that advertisers have no interest in reaching because there will be no available revenue.

 

[John FL]

Occasionally, CBS Radio classic his stations will feature a tune from the 50's especially when tied to a music special or a one-off situation such as celebrating the King of Rock 'N Roll's birth. When done right and done sparingly, it can be an effective strategy to help seperate the format from all others.

Earlier in this string, a poster pointed out that a station he listens to features way too much music featured on other stations. While many of us understand the critical importance of making a good showing in the money demo, the downside is the "sweet spot" for the time period of when these songs were originally hits is not really unique as they are heard elsewhere.

As time keeps marching on, songs that may be familiar to those who grew up 10, 15, 20 years prior to whatever sweet spot is set will naturally be disastisfied. There's another issue to and it has to do with the cluster. It's high probability the classic hits format is probably not the greatest biller in the cluster. As a result, the cash cow is protected at all costs. There are probably dozens and dozens of songs that could be a part of a classic hits playlist. But if the AC features them or perhaps even a rhythmic AC as well, what's allowed on Classic Hits can get old and tired fast. Then when the format doesnt make it, no one should be surprised at the outcome.

There are exceptions. I'm sure some mom and pop operators across the country do the format very well. From a large company perspective I give props to CBS Radio. I will admit to being a programming junkie and I have studied CBS' s approach for a long time. The same music scheduling concepts that can be found on Variety Hits formats can be found with CBS and hybrid oldies/classic hits. There is a little bit of this and a little bit of that. While some overlap is inevitable because radio features music familiar to the most people, it's those occasional wow songs and the music specials that make the biggest difference.

I've always maintained that it's not how old a song is but rather how familiar and good it is. To me, at any rate, as we get ready for the Christmas format starting next month, even the most contemporary of formats will go way back in time featuring artists that are never heard anywhere during the rest of the year. Younger listeners can handle a real golden oldie as long as they get their fix of favorites from their time.

Probably, the edgiest and most 80's intensive classic hits station for CBS Radio is WOCL (Sunny 105.9) in Orlando Fl. They are not your parents oldies station yet even they go way back in time on occasion. Classic Hits can be a great format when given a little wiggle room and time to succeed. Having the right people in place is a plus too. Too much of radio sounds alike nowadays and how sweet it is when something different succeeds.

 

[oldies76]

And the lack of interest in appealing to 55+ (or, for that matter, 65+) is not a radio issue. It's an advertiser issue among those advertisers who buy through agencies (and tend to be research driven and quite sophisticated in marketing). Those clients, in quite near 100% of all cases, specify a target consumer to their agency which purposely excludes 55+. Radio can not program to a group of listeners that advertisers have no interest in reaching because there will be no available revenue.

All said, people in their 60's and 70's still listen to select stations that carry this older music. People listen to the radio for music, not minutes upon minutes of commercials and chatter.

 

[oldies76]

While some overlap is inevitable because radio features music familiar to the most people, it's those occasional wow songs and the music specials that make the biggest difference.

It's adds that extra variety in a station, not stagnation. Weekends and holidays are perfect for specials and make sure they are specials with music not heard otherwise during the week, or mixed them in at the very least.

 

[willdav713]

Beyond that, a huge percentage of 65+ persons don't listen to oldies of any era... 50's or later. You write as if 100% of people in a certain age group only want Top 40 50's oldies. They don't.

As a follow up, I looked at persons 65 and over in Chicago back when WLS was a "True Oldies" station.

The leading two stations were talk, and #3 is all news, followed by classical and smooth jazz. Together, these 5 had a 51 share of all listening in that demo.

It's curious that you mention "65 and over" in your last couple of posts. I thought that the radio standard for losing interest in listeners was always 55 and over. Maybe radio is learning something. There's no doubt that Talk is saving commercial radio. I hope that you radio guys kneel at the Altar of Rush every day.

I'm 32 and I listen to Rush.
Not every day, just when going to work if my shift begins at 2-pm to usually 10:30 pm
He's on from 11-2 on KLBJ AM 590/99.7 FM. My grandfather was the first one introduce me to the Rush Limbaugh TV show, which I liked better. I have a few tapes from Rush's early days.

I started getting into politics when they moved the first day of school from Labor Day of 1988 to August 28, 1988. I was 8.

 

[radioman148]

Beyond that, a huge percentage of 65+ persons don't listen to oldies of any era... 50's or later. You write as if 100% of people in a certain age group only want Top 40 50's oldies. They don't.

As a follow up, I looked at persons 65 and over in Chicago back when WLS was a "True Oldies" station.

The leading two stations were talk, and #3 is all news, followed by classical and smooth jazz. Together, these 5 had a 51 share of all listening in that demo.

It's curious that you mention "65 and over" in your last couple of posts. I thought that the radio standard for losing interest in listeners was always 55 and over. Maybe radio is learning something. There's no doubt that Talk is saving commercial radio. I hope that you radio guys kneel at the Altar of Rush every day.

I'm 32 and I listen to Rush.
Not every day, just when going to work if my shift begins at 2-pm to usually 10:30 pm
He's on from 11-2 on KLBJ AM 590/99.7 FM. My grandfather was the first one introduce me to the Rush Limbaugh TV show, which I liked better. I have a few tapes from Rush's early days.

I started getting into politics when they moved the first day of school from Labor Day of 1988 to August 28, 1988. I was 8.

Just out of curiosity why did the date change of school opening get you interested in politics?