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I just don't like the classic rock format compared to stations like the Brew one

ones. I listen to the 3 Brew radio stations by Clear Channel and similar 80s rock stations and they are much better than ordinary classic rock radio stations as far as songs go. WQBW 97.3 The Brew here in my area particularly - I listen to it a lot in the car and shower. They play more known classic songs than pure classic rocks. Every market should have stations like the Brew and artists like Foreigner and ones who do these long drawn out classics make me hate that format. Like all the classic rock stations should be redone with 80s rock music IMO. Earlier than the 80s decade, it just doesn't add up really.
 
The "Classic Rock" format, by it's very definition, is narrow and repetitive.

So, when your hear the words "Classic Rock" in the realm of radio.....

Run.... For the Hills ! ! ! !

This beast, is what it is...... FOOLISH TO EXPECT IT TO CHANGE IT'S NATURE.....

Better to CHANGE to a ROCK Format, than wistfully try and change the "Classic Rock" Format !
 
Classic Rock radio does play 80's material: VH, Journey, The Police, Talking Head, U2, ZZ Top, Tom Petty, etc... are all regulars. I know that many of the act mentioned are from the late seventies, but most really took off in the 80's.
...but I don't know about Foreigner being a good thing ;)
 
Shallow playlists... now over 3 decades.... Why is that a Good Thing ? ? ?

Quite honestly it's because familiarity is king.

While hearing "Layla" for the 1,000th time to us is like nails on the chalkboard, you had better damn well be playing that song every day (or other day at the most).

Why? Because if you're not people will not listen. Deep-cut classic rockers seldem work, and if they do they don't pull high numbers. Just like oldies stations, tight-listed classic rockers work.

People like what they know. It's just that simple.
 
Countrykev said:
Shallow playlists... now over 3 decades.... Why is that a Good Thing ? ? ?

Quite honestly it's because familiarity is king.

While hearing "Layla" for the 1,000th time to us is like nails on the chalkboard, you had better damn well be playing that song every day (or other day at the most).

Why? Because if you're not people will not listen. Deep-cut classic rockers seldem work, and if they do they don't pull high numbers. Just like oldies stations, tight-listed classic rockers work.

People like what they know. It's just that simple.

Exactly... and I know deep-cut rockers.

And, I expect a "Rock" audience, with a "Rock" station, to appreciate those deep cuts... all of the time.

However, the "Classic Rock" audience is not the crowd I would ever hope to "hang" with...

Classic Rock is on "FM" radio.... but it's "AM"... And I don't go there for Music. Never did. ( Except when you count KFJZ-AM, when they were rocking).
 
The things that baffle me after all these years about classic rock radio:
1. At one point, there were many songs that were regulars on a playlist that have all but disappeared...too many examples to list.
2. Why isn't Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, etc...not considered classic rock....the Clash is.... how are these imaginary lines in the sand drawn...why is Elton John classic rock, and Chicago isn't.
3. Why isn't a band like the Moody Blues played more often (2 #1 albums, 1 #2, 2 #3) all within a ten year span.
4. Why has heavy metal/ hard rock/ progressive rock all but shunned by classic rock programming?
In it's hey day, it was the largest attraction in both record sales and concert attendance, but represents very little on classic rock formats.
5. The British Invasion has been reduced to the "big three": Stones, Beatles, The Who...why are The Kinks, The Animals, Yardbirds, Donovan so poorly represented...regarding airplay.
6. Last but not least: how did so much music, most of which laid the fondation of what is now "classic rock", fall thru the cracks?
 
Re: I just don't like the classic rock format compared to stations like the Brew

It seems to me as the years progress ,the classic rock artists you heard more often ten or fifteen years ago, get pushed aside for the Metallicas, Nirvanas ,Pearl Jams and Chili Peppers of the world....not that its totally wrong, but where is the EARLY Chicago (before Cetera made them wimp out) ,Blood Sweat & Tears, Chase ...Moody Blues,Yardbirds, etc....?
 
mcamp said:
The things that baffle me after all these years about classic rock radio:
1. At one point, there were many songs that were regulars on a playlist that have all but disappeared...too many examples to list.
2. Why isn't Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, etc...not considered classic rock....the Clash is.... how are these imaginary lines in the sand drawn...why is Elton John classic rock, and Chicago isn't.
3. Why isn't a band like the Moody Blues played more often (2 #1 albums, 1 #2, 2 #3) all within a ten year span.
4. Why has heavy metal/ hard rock/ progressive rock all but shunned by classic rock programming?
In it's hey day, it was the largest attraction in both record sales and concert attendance, but represents very little on classic rock formats.
5. The British Invasion has been reduced to the "big three": Stones, Beatles, The Who...why are The Kinks, The Animals, Yardbirds, Donovan so poorly represented...regarding airplay.
6. Last but not least: how did so much music, most of which laid the fondation of what is now "classic rock", fall thru the cracks?

Bottom Line CONsultants makes these artless deceisions.

It's Bizness As USEual.

Pomopusness and Hype. That's all it is. This Radio of "Today" . . .
 
the reason underground radio in the late sixties flurished was because am top 40 with its boring same few songs started to bore the listeners.

todays fm almost is that bad. the songs they play are just better but it is still too restricted.what happened to the listeners who made underground popular and why don`t new generations continue it?
 
flashback said:
the reason underground radio in the late sixties flurished was because am top 40 with its boring same few songs started to bore the listeners.

todays fm almost is that bad. the songs they play are just better but it is still too restricted.what happened to the listeners who made underground popular and why don`t new generations continue it?

I know that people my age remember the good old days of FM "ROCK" radio, which REALLY was an Alternative to "AM" and it's rock playlists.

When most stations today say they are "expanding thier playlist"... that just means that they are going to play a few "more" tired hits in their regular rotation. :-\

When I see that an FM station is a "Classic Rock" station.... I run, becuase I already know what their tired sorry playlists looks like. "Classic Rock" with reference to radi playlists is putrid to me.

Until an FM Rock station has the musical integrity to leave the "AM" hits out, and the cool and groovy music "in", then any changes in radio will still s-u-c-k.

The McDonaldization of Radio. Have another McSong with your McFries. :mad:
 
Re: I just don't like the classic rock format compared to stations like the Brew

I've often wondered why some underdog stations don't once again try a progressive format. It seems with people trying all sorts of quick fix niche formats and fads, it would be logical for someone to hire some knowledgeable DJs, set a target audience, and have them go with it and create an eclectic mix. I don't expect it to get huge numbers but it seems it couldn't do any worse than some stations are already doing. I believe it can be done.
 
Re: I just don't like the classic rock format compared to stations like the Brew

JimmyJames said:
I've often wondered why some underdog stations don't once again try a progressive format. It seems with people trying all sorts of quick fix niche formats and fads, it would be logical for someone to hire some knowledgeable DJs, set a target audience, and have them go with it and create an eclectic mix. I don't expect it to get huge numbers but it seems it couldn't do any worse than some stations are already doing. I believe it can be done.

"Everything" in Radio is now working in the "Fast Food" Model... Everything....

with the exception of Classical Stations, and Community Radio (way too eclectic for me), and perhaps some Jazz/Smooth Jazz stations still operating.

Everyone else --- in many more genres now ! ! ! ! is on the corner with it's Drive-Thru Box.

THAT .... is the De-Regualted Cultural Musical Landscape we now live in in America.

To have ONLY "Fast Food" offerings on The People's airwaves S-U-C-K-S ! ! ! !
 
Re: I just don't like the classic rock format compared to stations like the Brew

flashback said:
the reason underground radio in the late sixties flurished was because am top 40 with its boring same few songs started to bore the listeners.

todays fm almost is that bad. the songs they play are just better but it is still too restricted.what happened to the listeners who made underground popular and why don`t new generations continue it?

Exactly.

When I got in the business the only time you heard "underground" stuff on AM was during the midnight shift and that could be risky.

Nothing like driving across country circa '72,tuning the AM dial around 3 AM.,hearing the Doors "nasty" version of "Gloria" coming up out of the static,and knowing somewhere a jock was risking his neck to play it.

FM became an outlet for underground music because it was seen as trivial medium by station owners then.Blue haired old ladies listened to opera on it. AM was where the money was at and station owners would let restless talent play over on the FM outlet rather than lose them to another AM station in the same market that was lil' looser.

The first FM rock gig I did,circa '74,daytime the station ran a country format and AOR from 6pm.to the midnight sign-off.(2am Fridays and Saturdays!) We had fire and brimstone preachers all day Sunday.

As long as we didn't use any of the "words" we could play just about anything we wanted. That went on for about 3 years until we were AOR 24/7 and were making more money than the AM side.Things began to tighten up on what we had to play then. In '78 we joined a "service" and that my friend was that. It was the same all over the country.

The first true underground stations I remember hearing about were the offshore AM pirates in the UK in the mid 60's and the Bay Area FM'er's in the late 60's.

(Not counting tons of kids out there with amped up Lafayette phono oscillators and hunk of wire rockin' the AM band in their neighborhoods from the late 50's on.I used to play the Arlo Guthrie set from Woodstock over and over on mine.)
 
I think that the Classic Rock playlists are from the Pit of Hell.

I see CR as a mockery of what 'FM" Music was.

I look with disdain on CR stations the way I have done for "AM" Hits stations all along.

The Marketplace os Musical Ideas, has shut out great music.

ONLY the Hits.... That does not meet the "FM" definition of great music.

Just because there are tens of thousands of great music lovers, and not hundreds of thousands of vapid pop music lovers, does not mean that great music should be shut out. I'd like to see a re-vamp of the entire public airwaves of radio, to culturally have a place for great music.

Ahhhhh..... but the Cororpate Big Brother doesn't mind you buying and listenening to great music.... he just does not want great music played over the airwaves for the masses to hear. That kind of cultural uplifting does not dumb down --- and that's what their advertister Masters prefer, a nice dumb-downed mass audience to but their products. I want to bring back the Soul of great music to radio.
 
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