Does Elvis Still Matter

[epsilon]

Today is the 28th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death. When I had the chance I flipped around the dial to see if anyone was playing anything by him (mostly B101, Oldies 103, Cool102, and WROR). Didn't hear anything by him.

Does Elvis still matter to radio programmers, or has he passed into the "undesirable" demographic?

Just wondering.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

> Today is the 28th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death. When
> I had the chance I flipped around the dial to see if anyone
> was playing anything by him (mostly B101, Oldies 103,
> Cool102, and WROR). Didn't hear anything by him.
>
> Does Elvis still matter to radio programmers, or has he
> passed into the "undesirable" demographic?

Only a few of his late 60's hits are still played on most mainstream oldies stations. "Suspicious Minds" (1969) is still in frequent rotation. You still may hear "Burning Love" (1972) and "Kentucky Rain" (1970). That's about it during regular programming.

"Real Oldies" or "True Oldies" stations still play a handful of his 50's and 60's hits. You may hear them on the "True Oldies" satellite on WCRN Worcester, and on oldies based variety stations such as WATD Marshfield and WBOQ Gloucester.

Also, a number of his softer hits are now played on Adult Standards and some oldies leaning Soft AC stations. They can be heard on WJIB Cambridge, WPLM Plymouth, WJDA Quincy, WESX Salem, etc...

 

[raccoonradio]

> Today is the 28th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death. When
> I had the chance I flipped around the dial to see if anyone
> was playing anything by him (mostly B101, Oldies 103,
> Cool102, and WROR). Didn't hear anything by him.
>
> Does Elvis still matter to radio programmers, or has he
> passed into the "undesirable" demographic?
>
> Just wondering.
>
Many oldies stations like WODS only play a few select tunes like Burning
Love or Suspicious Minds, though they do have the Elvis Only show on
Sunday Mornings. Hound Dog, Return to Sender, All Shook Up--in the WODS
universe, those songs don't exist (except when Jay Gordon might play them)

He might do OK on "True Oldies Channel" but as far as many oldies stations
are concerned, Elvis has left the building.<P ID="signature">______________
News and views about Boston and New England Radio:

http://www.livejournal.com/community/boston_radio</P>

 

[raccoonradio]

I've even gotten away with playing some of his bluesier cuts on my
blues show (like stuff from the Reconsider Baby album; Hard Headed
Woman, Way Down, Trouble, etc.

Elvis is everywhere, elvis is everything
Elvis is everybody, Elvis is still the king...

--Mojo Nixon (who also did 619-239-KING)

Bellbottom jump suits that's them in a pile
But he won't need them now 'cause he's making Jesus smile
Oh, Elvis has just left the building
Those are his footprints right there

--Frank Zappa

"We got a request for 'Blue Christmas' but we won't be playing
that. We know Elvis is Everywhere, but not at 'GBH"

--a tongue-in-cheek Mai Cramer, one night on "Blues After Hours"


> Also, a number of his softer hits are now played on Adult
> Standards and some oldies leaning Soft AC stations. They can
> be heard on WJIB Cambridge, WPLM Plymouth, WJDA Quincy, WESX
> Salem, etc...
>
<P ID="signature">______________
News and views about Boston and New England Radio:

http://www.livejournal.com/community/boston_radio</P>

 

[kzrockwell]

Re: Does Elvis Still Matter ? YES!

WATD 95.9 . We still play the King in regular rotation, early and late Elvis.<P ID="signature">______________
It's not the size of the tower.....
It's how you use it.</P>

 

[CrankyYankee]

Re: Does Elvis Still Matter ? YES!

...if "The King" is following this thread in rock & roll heaven, I bet the only thing he'd put in his post, is, "Don't Be Cruel".

===============================================================================
IF Elvis were alive today, what do you think his screen name might be?

<P ID="signature">______________
"What's That?" "French Horns!"

</P>

 

[fccfight]

Re: Does Elvis Still Matter ? not as much as he used to

There will be Elvis revivals, but The Beatles, Hendrix and other artists who are composers as well, have a leg up on old El'.

When the in-concert "holograms" (kind of like a concert version of IMAX) start their tours - Elvis, Joplin, Jimi, big holograms with the original bandmembers (those still alive) backing them up, you'll see the sheep...i mean the public - start raving about great art again.

But if it's off the radar screen it falls back into the cult zone - though
Elvis - admittedly - has a pretty huge cult - ready to erupt when anything of great significance happens.


> ...if "The King" is following this thread in rock & roll
> heaven, I bet the only thing he'd put in his post, is,
> "Don't Be Cruel".
>
===================> ============================================================
>
> IF Elvis were alive today, what do you think his screen name
> might be?
>

 

[MrAl]

Re: Does Elvis Still Matter ? not as much as he used to

this is a bit of blatant promotion, but I did a sort of punk tribute to Elvis on my radio show yesterday... I played these covers:

Tales of Terror-Hound Dog
Saints-Kissin' Cousins
Dead Kennedys-Viva Las Vegas
Leatherface-In The Ghetto

and a couple of songs that, uh, aren't quite as complimentary about the King.. fair and balanced!

if you're curious... http://sonicoverload.moocowrecords.com

Elvis probably doesn't matter to most of the youngsters... you have to be at least in your 40s to have any first-hand remembrances of Elvis... for the younger generation, it's likely restricted to those who have an appreciation of the history of rock 'n roll... they're still out there but it's dwindling.

 

[epsilon]

Re: Does Elvis Still Matter ? not as much as he used to

> this is a bit of blatant promotion, but I did a sort of punk
> tribute to Elvis on my radio show yesterday... I played
> these covers:
>
> Tales of Terror-Hound Dog
> Saints-Kissin' Cousins
> Dead Kennedys-Viva Las Vegas
> Leatherface-In The Ghetto
>
>

I played a lot of the stuff from the "Last Temptation of Elvis" compilation, along with some other covers - Fine Young Cannibals "Suspicious Minds", Nick Cave "In the Ghetto", John Cale "Heartbreak Hotel", and stuff like Kirsty MacColl's "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis", and, of course, Mojo & Skid.

"Elvis needs boats, Elvis needs boats, Elvis Elvis Elvis Elvis Elvis Elvis Elvis needs BOATS"

 

[epsilon]

Re: Does Elvis Still Matter ? not as much as he used to

> There will be Elvis revivals, but The Beatles, Hendrix and
> other artists who are composers as well, have a leg up on
> old El'.
>

If Elvis' music is disappearing from radio formats now then I wonder, if we project 25 to 30 years into the future, if we'll see the Beatles start to disappear as well? Will the "Oldies" stations of 2035 be a steady rotation of Britney Spears, Mariah Carey and J-Lo?

 

[Oldbones]

Re: Does Elvis Still Matter ? not as much as he used to

>
> If Elvis' music is disappearing from radio formats now then
> I wonder, if we project 25 to 30 years into the future, if
> we'll see the Beatles start to disappear as well? Will the
> "Oldies" stations of 2035 be a steady rotation of Britney
> Spears, Mariah Carey and J-Lo?
>

I've often wondered what will be considered "oldies" 20+ (or even 10) years from now. The trouble is, by the mid-80s music tastes had become rather fragmented...rock listeners knew/cared little about urban or Top 40 music and so forth. As time went on rock further fragmented with alternative/new wave splitting of into it's own format. There are few, if any across the board hits these days. Who would be your core artists? There is no equivalent of Elvis, Beatles, Beach Boys, etc. today.

 

[JIBGUY]

WJIB-740 and WJTO-730 have about 20 of his songs in regular rotation.. generally the softer ones, but many of the rhythmic ones too such as Don't Be Cruel, Return To Sender, His Latest Flame, etc.... but I did nothing special for his birthday or death-day whichever one it was that just passed.


> Today is the 28th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death. When
> I had the chance I flipped around the dial to see if anyone
> was playing anything by him (mostly B101, Oldies 103,
> Cool102, and WROR). Didn't hear anything by him.
>
> Does Elvis still matter to radio programmers, or has he
> passed into the "undesirable" demographic?
>
> Just wondering.
>

 

[OldiesCat]

Elvis Still Matter

Programmers' job is to play music that reflects the desires and expectation of their audience.

Over the years (sadly), the image of Elvis to the younger demos (in their 40s) Oldies stations are now targeting is almost a caracature of himself. To people over 60, he IS the king of rock & roll and deservedly so.

The Elvis people in their 40s and early 50s were exposed to was the Elvis on the tabloid covers, bloated and sweaty and the image of jelly donuts & twinkies.
Doesn't mean it's justified, but it is what it is. The Beatles were the icons of rock & roll by the mid-60s and Elvis was the parents' or older sibling's music.

That being said, he IS the King of rock & roll- it's just the rock & roll era that preceeded The Beatles.

>
> Does Elvis still matter to radio programmers, or has he
> passed into the "undesirable" demographic?
>
> Just wondering.
>

 

[epsilon]

Re: Does Elvis Still Matter ? not as much as he used to

> As time went on rock further fragmented with alternative/new
> wave splitting of into it's own format. There are few, if
> any across the board hits these days. Who would be your
> core artists? There is no equivalent of Elvis, Beatles,
> Beach Boys, etc. today.
>

U2 and the Foo Fighters probably come closest.