Can someone explain to me the logic of the "A to Z" thing where a classic rock station plays everything in their library from A to Z? I've heard it a couple of times on WEGR Rock 103 and our pitiful classic rock station here in Knoxville WIMZ has done it 3 times. (Rock 103 listeners, as bad as some of you might think they are, you ought to have to be stuck with WIMZ - absolutely the worst excuse for a classic rock station I've ever heard - but I digress).
Is this something done to try to increase ratings during sweeps? If so, and it does bring in more listeners, then shouldn't that tell station management that people want MORE songs from MORE artists instead of the restrictive wasteland of most classic rock formats?
When WIMZ did the A to Z the first time around, I just happened to be listening during part of the S segment and noticed I did not hear "She's A Rainbow" by the Rolling Stones which has always been a favorite of mine. The station said if you didn't hear a song, to call them and they'd try to add it the next time. Well, I called, and to my surprise, the next A to Z they did I made it a point to listen and they did play it! But, the last time they did A to Z, they did not play the song.
The sad part of the A to Z is that a lot of songs don't make it that are readily available on "Best of " compilation CD's. This tells me that stations don't bother to keep a "real" library anymore - they just play what some consultant tells them they OUGHT to play.
An interesting side note: several years ago, Kelly Cruise was at a Seessel's store in the Rock 103 motor home taking live requests for donations to a Christmas cause. I made a donation and for the fun of it tried to stump Rock 103 by requesting "Conquistador" by Procol Harum. And they had it! Shocked the heck out of me, but that's just another song you won't hear on classic rock today (at least not on WIMZ, but then again you won't hear the Moody Blues or much of the Rolling Stones outside of "Beast of Burden" or "Start Me Up" either - this from the station that brags to have "Knoxville's largest on-air library" - give me Rock 103 any day).
AO
Is this something done to try to increase ratings during sweeps? If so, and it does bring in more listeners, then shouldn't that tell station management that people want MORE songs from MORE artists instead of the restrictive wasteland of most classic rock formats?
When WIMZ did the A to Z the first time around, I just happened to be listening during part of the S segment and noticed I did not hear "She's A Rainbow" by the Rolling Stones which has always been a favorite of mine. The station said if you didn't hear a song, to call them and they'd try to add it the next time. Well, I called, and to my surprise, the next A to Z they did I made it a point to listen and they did play it! But, the last time they did A to Z, they did not play the song.
The sad part of the A to Z is that a lot of songs don't make it that are readily available on "Best of " compilation CD's. This tells me that stations don't bother to keep a "real" library anymore - they just play what some consultant tells them they OUGHT to play.
An interesting side note: several years ago, Kelly Cruise was at a Seessel's store in the Rock 103 motor home taking live requests for donations to a Christmas cause. I made a donation and for the fun of it tried to stump Rock 103 by requesting "Conquistador" by Procol Harum. And they had it! Shocked the heck out of me, but that's just another song you won't hear on classic rock today (at least not on WIMZ, but then again you won't hear the Moody Blues or much of the Rolling Stones outside of "Beast of Burden" or "Start Me Up" either - this from the station that brags to have "Knoxville's largest on-air library" - give me Rock 103 any day).
AO
