HOW TO DEFINE OLDIES!

[GridLeakBias]

I know this is a tired, wornout argument on these boards, but; I am 69 years old, and obviously love the DooWop and Oldies of the Fifties. I have a new (2010) car in my driveway, a new 46" HDTV, my wife and I shop for groceries and clothing and vacation deals, and things for the grandkids. I cannot believe that there aren't thousands more folks just like me in every major market in the country, yet we are told that the advertisers are not interested in us. I think they are missing the boat on this one.

If you listen to Oldies in the same way I listen to Oldies - it's background with me humming or singing along when a favorite hits the rotation. Sometimes a tune will trigger a sweet spot on my memory chip which causes my brain to go into "reminiscing" mode.

But sales? I will estimate that 90% of the DJ chatter (and sales spots) is wasted, I hear it but ignore it as irrelevant. Yup, I'm in that 55+ crowd.
8)

 

[desertv]

I would rename "oldies" to "Legacy Rock" or the "Founders of Rock"

 

[Paul_Warren]

There are two things to miss here. One is the music, but that's still available if you know where to look.

The other is the fun behind the mic. That's much harder to find in any music format these days, and it's a harsher, distasteful, more cruel kind of fun when you do find it.

Agencies ignoring 55+ is a bummer in some ways, but be careful what you wish for. If agencies did buy this demo, you'd hear oldies stations playing teenage love songs interspersed with spots for dementia drugs and Flomax. I'm not sure it would be the same.

Something I find I enjoy greatly nowadays during breaks from work is thinking about the name of an artist from that era, and typing their names into YouTube. Seeing Chuck Berry in a live performance from the '50s, or even seeing what's left of the original Reflections singing (Just Like) Romeo and Juliet on a recent PBS special, brings a smile.

It's also great bumping into colleagues from throughout my career here on the boards.

I grew up listening to radio in the Golden Age of Top 40, and it inspired a very satisfying 30-year career in the business. I enjoy the memories, and we were blessed to be part of something wonderful. If it lasted forever, it probably wouldn't have been so great at the time, and we might not appreciate it so much now.