Is it just me or are the 00s overlooked for music today by programmers?

[tall_guy1]

I noticed in the show "Throwback 2k with kris kruz" on audacy stations, theres a lot of music from 2010-2013 on the show despite being a show about the 00s. There also seems to be a lot of focus on the tail end of the decade where a new "style" of the early 10s was starting to develop (like iyaz-replay which had more of an early 10s spund than most of the 00s.) You dont really see that for other decades like the 90s and 80s (an 80s show does not extend to 93 for instance.) Is this decade overlooked?

 

[victorres43]

Many AC programmers would rather play Katy Perry than Britney Spears it seems.

On the flipside, KZIS in Sacramento advertises as "90s and 2000s Hits", yet they rarely, if ever, play the likes of Dave Matthews Band, R.E.M., Oasis, Aerosmith, or (dare I say it) Creed. All of which were played at least significantly on "Gen X" radio stations in the early 2010s, Clear Channel-owned or otherwise. (And it's not like KZIS is heavily rhythmic, given the presence of sister station KHYL.)

 

[mightynine]

A lot of 90s and 00s don’t really test well is what I’ve always been told.

 

[tall_guy1]

Many AC programmers would rather play Katy Perry than Britney Spears it seems.

On the flipside, KZIS in Sacramento advertises as "90s and 2000s Hits", yet they rarely, if ever, play the likes of Dave Matthews Band, R.E.M., Oasis, Aerosmith, or (dare I say it) Creed. All of which were played at least significantly on "Gen X" radio stations in the early 2010s, Clear Channel-owned or otherwise. (And it's not like KZIS is heavily rhythmic, given the presence of sister station KHYL.)

I remember "gen x" radio played a lot of 90s/00s rock leaning songs you no longer hear! (And that was even a decade ago!)

 

[jt99]

A lot of 90s and 00s don’t really test well is what I’ve always been told.

Perhaps that's true of an older audience (think 45+), but I think there's a solid amount of songs from both decades that would test well if tested exclusively with an audience along the lines of 25-39, or something close.

 

[victorres43]

I remember "gen x" radio played a lot of 90s/00s rock leaning songs you no longer hear! (And that was even a decade ago!)

Next to Sir Mix-A-Lot, Warrant, and 50 Cent. Yes, really.

A lot of 90s and 00s don’t really test well is what I’ve always been told.

Well... Lots of classic country stations are going all in when it comes to the 90s. Classic rock hasn't ignored grunge, either. And Urban ACs are picking up the hip-hop throwbacks. And classic hits stations such as WEAT in Palm Beach are a bit friendlier towards 90s/early 00s teen pop.

Yet mainstream ACs are more adamant playing music from 2008-2014 than hits from 1996-2002.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Here is a YouTube Pundit who is finding cool gems from the 2000's. Yes Rick Beato is finding some of the top one hit wonders from the decade. I don't think it's overlooked it's a demographics issue.

 

[mightynine]

Next to Sir Mix-A-Lot, Warrant, and 50 Cent. Yes, really.


Well... Lots of classic country stations are going all in when it comes to the 90s. Classic rock hasn't ignored grunge, either. And Urban ACs are picking up the hip-hop throwbacks. And classic hits stations such as WEAT in Palm Beach are a bit friendlier towards 90s/early 00s teen pop.

Yet mainstream ACs are more adamant playing music from 2008-2014 than hits from 1996-2002.

What I’ve been told is in reference to the AC format. The 80s stuff still does very well, 90s/00s not so much. I do wonder if it’s because there hasn’t been that big nostalgia wave for that time period just yet.

 

[tall_guy1]

What I’ve been told is in reference to the AC format. The 80s stuff still does very well, 90s/00s not so much. I do wonder if it’s because there hasn’t been that big nostalgia wave for that time period just yet.

There used to be a syndicated show out of here in kc called round trip with dave o which ran a decade. The host on social media said he discontinued it because affiliates diminished and 90s no longer tested well in large part. The audacy 00s show ("throwback 2k") seems in large part hits from 08-13 and not a ton else (generally rhythmic as well).

 

[Kelly A]

It's just you.

 

[kevtronics]

'70s Disco was less than 15 years old when it started becoming popular again in the early '90s. But 2000s music is taking longer to come back because '80s music just won't quit. Many AC stations play 1980s and 2020s music and almost nothing in between.

 

[Kelly A]

What I find interesting, but not surprising, is that somehow if a topic arises about something in the 21st Century, it almost immediately devolves to how things were in the 20th Century. Particularly when it comes to discussing radio; that memory devolution almost always involves the 70's and 80's.

 

[CTListener]

What I find interesting, but not surprising, is that somehow if a topic arises about something in the 21st Century, it almost immediately devolves to how things were in the 20th Century. Particularly when it comes to discussing radio; that memory devolution almost always involves the 70's and 80's.

Probably because that's when most of the users of RadioDiscussions were most excited about discovering new music and using radio to do it. If this were a forum for millennials and later, we wouldn't be getting that devolution. There may be some under-30s who listen to recordings of '70s and '80s music radio and think they'd like to have new music presented to them in that manner today, but I wouldn't expect them to be much more than outliers. Some of hottest flame wars on the old XMFan boards erupted when some teenager would start ranting about "disc jerkies" and how they should all either shut up or be fired because anything they say interferes with the music. The Boomers and X'ers would then rush in and tell Junior how it was back in the day when DJs were demigods and the music was legendary and so much better than today's "auto-tuned garbage."

Am I right?

 

[Kelly A]

Probably because that's when most of the users of RadioDiscussions were most excited about discovering new music and using radio to do it.

More than likely it's because many on this site could be considered senior citizens who can't relate to the new ways people consume music and entertainment.

If this were a forum for millennials and later, we wouldn't be getting that devolution. There may be some under-30s who listen to recordings of '70s and '80s music radio and think they'd like to have new music presented to them in that manner today, but I wouldn't expect them to be much more than outliers.

Agree. It's like there has been this reoccurring assumption that there are somehow Millennial or Gen-Z 'audiophiles' sitting between giant speakers, like back in their day. Again, goes to lack of awareness with modern trends.

Some of hottest flame wars on the old XMFan boards erupted when some teenager would start ranting about "disc jerkies" and how they should all either shut up or be fired because anything they say interferes with the music.

To of an extent, that's a valid yet harsh argument. Consumers under 50 don't want music interrupted by yakky DJ's. That's just not entertainment to them. If they want to listen to talk radio like some morning shows, they'll do that. In this modern era for people under 50, talk and music don't mix. Full stop.

The Boomers and X'ers would then rush in and tell Junior how it was back in the day when DJs were demigods and the music was legendary and so much better than today's "auto-tuned garbage."

Am I right?

You're wrong about this last part. Sure, there might be some younger consumers who have been influenced from the nostalgic wayback machine references from their parents, but not only are they a teeny tiny percentage of a greater audience, they more than likely consume music and entertainment like all their age appropriate peers.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

Probably because that's when most of the users of RadioDiscussions were most excited about discovering new music and using radio to do it. If this were a forum for millennials and later, we wouldn't be getting that devolution. There may be some under-30s who listen to recordings of '70s and '80s music radio and think they'd like to have new music presented to them in that manner today, but I wouldn't expect them to be much more than outliers. Some of hottest flame wars on the old XMFan boards erupted when some teenager would start ranting about "disc jerkies" and how they should all either shut up or be fired because anything they say interferes with the music. The Boomers and X'ers would then rush in and tell Junior how it was back in the day when DJs were demigods and the music was legendary and so much better than today's "auto-tuned garbage."

Am I right?

😊 True, LOL. I saw DJ’s as being gods. They had the power to determine the musical tastes of the time. If they praised a recording, then that influenced the purchasing choices of teen listeners.

 

[Kelly A]

😊 True, LOL. I saw DJ’s as being gods. They had the power to determine the musical tastes of the time.

To an average listener who didn't know any better, they did. But in reality, they were following a list of music consistent with the format and branding of the station. There are rare exceptions of course, but those were on smaller, less popular stations by volume.

If they praised a recording, then that influenced the purchasing choices of teen listeners.

Their job was to promote the station and encourage listeners to stick around. Many times that included promoting the music played on that very station.

 

[davideduardo]

To of an extent, that's a valid yet harsh argument. Consumers under 50 don't want music interrupted by yakky DJ's. That's just not entertainment to them. If they want to listen to talk radio like some morning shows, they'll do that. In this modern era for people under 50, talk and music don't mix. Full stop.

While I think your generalization is correct, I do find that within certain formats and their corresponding listener groups there are differences.

For example, with Regional Mexican there is a desire in essentially all dayparts for "company" during the workday and in other "places" in life. There are no doubt social issue in play, where a sometimes marginalized group wants to feel a belonging that DJs can provide.

At the other end of the social spectrum, some niche formats like AAA appear to thrive with talent "hosting" (as opposed to "yakking") the music.

The old "Teddy Turntable" approach of "hitting the post" will never return, and listeners appear to find that talking just to talk is superfluous. In most contemporary formats, it seems that, outside of mornings, the Disk Jockey has been replaced by the club-style deejay, with flow and mix being more important than vocalizing between songs.

I'd be interested in how people in the business as well as "just" listeners feel about host/DJ/commentator presence in different formats.

 

[davideduardo]

😊 True, LOL. I saw DJ’s as being gods. They had the power to determine the musical tastes of the time. If they praised a recording, then that influenced the purchasing choices of teen listeners.

That worked when the DJ and his station (remembering that there were few female Top 40 or pop announcers when AM was still thriving) were the only links to young people's music.

Evidence: teens and young adults would go to a station remote at a sleazy car dealer's lot just to have contact with the station and the music!

As the world opened up with the Internet (and I find the web to be the agent of change here) the DJ lost authority and involvement. How many radio music announcers today could achieve enhanced fame by calling themselves "the 5th Beatle" and the like? And how many artists today care what radio jocks say or do, other than those with a bigger than radio aura like Seacrest, Bobby Bones, Charlemagne and a few others. The opinion leaders today are modeled after Simon Cowell who rose with the web, social media and are the opposite from Ed Sullivan in their almost adversarial role with talent.

Socially, this is a doctoral thesis subject as it represents a change in the way opinions and tastes are formed at the societal level.

 

[Kelly A]

While I think your generalization is correct, I do find that within certain formats and their corresponding listener groups there are differences.

For example, with Regional Mexican there is a desire in essentially all dayparts for "company" during the workday and in other "places" in life. There are no doubt social issue in play, where a sometimes marginalized group wants to feel a belonging that DJs can provide.

True statement, but I think it's safe to generalize also that whether radio or TV, Spanish language listeners/viewers expect different things from the presentation than particularly white audiences. For example; I've got a screen right between my two PC monitors as I type with a series containing scantly clad and very voluptuous women courtesy of Telemundo. If this kind of presentation were on an English language network? There would be hoards of complaints to the FCC and higher ups.

At the other end of the social spectrum, some niche formats like AAA appear to thrive with talent "hosting" (as opposed to "yakking") the music.

Agreed, but anymore, AAA is a rather niche format.

I'd be interested in how people in the business as well as "just" listeners feel about host/DJ/commentator presence in different formats.

I'd bet if someone enjoyed 60's Gold on SXM, they're more appreciative of Humble Harv or Plash Phelps, verses someone who's listening to TikTok radio on SXM.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

That worked when the DJ and his station (remembering that there were few female Top 40 or pop announcers when AM was still thriving) were the only links to young people's music.

Evidence: teens and young adults would go to a station remote at a sleazy car dealer's lot just to have contact with the station and the music!

As the world opened up with the Internet (and I find the web to be the agent of change here) the DJ lost authority and involvement. How many radio music announcers today could achieve enhanced fame by calling themselves "the 5th Beatle" and the like? And how many artists today care what radio jocks say or do, other than those with a bigger than radio aura like Seacrest, Bobby Bones, Charlemagne and a few others. The opinion leaders today are modeled after Simon Cowell who rose with the web, social media and are the opposite from Ed Sullivan in their almost adversarial role with talent.

Socially, this is a doctoral thesis subject as it represents a change in the way opinions and tastes are formed at the societal level.

Agreed, David. And yes, this topic would be a very interesting doctoral thesis. - Daryl