Rover won't like this, but what he wants is something that hasn't really been on the radio since the 1970s...progressive rock and album rock. Stations like KFWD/KTXQ, KAMC and KAFM once played this format. Problem is these days, the younger demo doesn't know those songs, nor do they care to learn about them. Rover's demo (which appears to be MY demo as well) is not coveted much, and we're about to trail off into oblivion in a few short years (according to the agencies.) Personally, I have no problem with those formats, and it'd be great to hear some of those songs again...BUT...the only classic rock-related format that I truly believe would work *right now* is "Modern Classic Rock." (XM "Big Tracks" for example.) This is heavy on 80s and 90s "classic" rock, with a few select late 70s thrown in. It's basically a maturation of what we normally call "classic rock." 25-44 males would eat it up, esp compared to what The Bone and the former KZPS are/were playing. Much like we talk about KLUV's or KEOM's oldies lineup having to "mature" with its audience, the same has to happen with Classic Rock. The old stuff doesn't cut it anymore...just check FOUR years of The Bone's ratings. Anyone else would have dumped out of The Bone long ago...and looking at the last 2 or 3 books, there was really no audience "inherited" from KZPS.
Consider, too, that as some folks get older, their musical tastes change. I think a lack of hearing "their" music on the radio anymore makes listeners disenfranchised, and they eventually defect from their younger days of Top 40 and Classic Rock over to Country, Soft Rock/AC and even Smooth Jazz, just to have something to listen to. I know plenty of 40-somethings who have gravitated towards Country from various unrelated types of music, for whatever reason.
I know many of us here are die-hard and true to our musical tastes, no matter how long we've cherished them. Your common, 'everyman' listener probably doesn't track stations like we do, nor has a huge CD or record collection to draw from when the radio lets us down, etc..."Normal People" (which obviously we're not, thank God) don't care about the nuts-and-bolts like we do, but hey, they fill out the diaries. If they turn off The Bone and start listening to KSCS, it defies logic, but it happens...and probably WAY more than we even realize.
;D
