It's not just KRTH, and not just Los Angeles.

[davideduardo]

How many times do we have to say this?

Music---especially Gold----in ANY format---isn't a factor of arbitrary dates. It's whatever your target audience wants to hear at the time.

Period.

What amazes me is the fascination with decades, as if there was some kind of physical wall between the last year of one decade and day one of the next.

Going way back, the early 60's has nothing to do with the post-64 period. And the 1975 to early 1980 disco moment was unlike the ongoing 80's or the earlier 70s. And so on.

 

[davideduardo]

Okay, we've concluded it's logical, but only for "classic hits" stations, and for the stations that stayed traditional, "oldies" is the term.

And, as I said long ago in this thread.... stations playing the newer end of pop oldies adopted "classic hits" as the format name they selected from Arbitron's list to distinguish themselves from "oldies" which had taken on a very negative connotation among agencies and agency buyers.

The renaming is all about sales and clients, not listeners and programming.

 

[TheBigA]

Going way back, the early 60's has nothing to do with the post-64 period. And the 1975 to early 1980 disco moment was unlike the ongoing 80's or the earlier 70s. And so on.

If you really want to hear oldies, listen to KUSC. You can hear 300 year old songs. Their artists are decomposing.

 

[davideduardo]

If you really want to hear oldies, listen to KUSC. You can hear 300 year old songs. Their artists are decomposing.

I once owned a classical music station and sometimes felt I was decomposing...

 

[michael hagerty]

What amazes me is the fascination with decades, as if there was some kind of physical wall between the last year of one decade and day one of the next.

Going way back, the early 60's has nothing to do with the post-64 period. And the 1975 to early 1980 disco moment was unlike the ongoing 80's or the earlier 70s. And so on.

It's a psychological thing, David, the need to have order where there is none---and common among people who either have never programmed a radio station or are very early in learning it. They need lines to color within, and don't realize that the audience re-draws the lines continuously.

 

[Mediafrog+]

If you really want to hear oldies, listen to KUSC. You can hear 300 year old songs. Their artists are decomposing.

I’ve sometimes thought that an interesting stunt format would consist of songs released 1955 and later, but only from artists that were no longer alive…basically “All dead, all the time.” There would be no shortage of material, and a lot of people would be quite surprised at what was in the overall playlist.👻💀

 

[michael hagerty]

If you really want to hear oldies, listen to KUSC. You can hear 300 year old songs. Their artists are decomposing.

Well, what the hell---it's not like this thread can get any more off topic:

 

[TheBigA]

I’ve sometimes thought that an interesting stunt format would consist of songs released 1955 and later, but only from artists that were no longer alive…basically “All dead, all the time.” There would be no shortage of material, and a lot of people would be quite surprised at what was in the overall playlist.👻💀

Perfect for Halloween. The living dead. I hear dead people. We could go on and on.

 

[michael hagerty]

I’ve sometimes thought that an interesting stunt format would consist of songs released 1955 and later, but only from artists that were no longer alive…basically “All dead, all the time.” There would be no shortage of material, and a lot of people would be quite surprised at what was in the overall playlist.👻💀

I mean, that's not terribly far from the reality for those stations still doing old-school Oldies formats.

 

[Mediafrog+]

I mean, that's not terribly far from the reality for those stations still doing old-school Oldies formats.

When listening to Classic Hits formats you realize a lot of the artists are gone, and those tunes are 20 to 30 years newer than the Oldies playlists.⚰️🪦

 

[michael hagerty]

When listening to Classic Hits formats you realize a lot of the artists are gone, and those tunes are 20 to 30 years newer than the Oldies playlists.⚰️🪦

Yep.

George Michael, Prince, Freddie Mercury, Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, David Bowie...

Time does what time does, though all of those people went way too young.

 

[CTListener]

When listening to Classic Hits formats you realize a lot of the artists are gone, and those tunes are 20 to 30 years newer than the Oldies playlists.⚰️🪦

Listening to noncommercial WJMJ Hartford online right now. I hear a few dead people!

Last eight played:
Blind Faith - Can't Find My Way Home
Righteous Brothers - Rock And Roll Heaven
Aretha Franklin and George Michael - I Knew You Were Waiting (for me)
Kenny Loggins and Stevie Nicks - Whenever I Call You Friend
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - The Real Love
Jennifer Paige - Crush
Beach Boys - Do It Again
Barry Manilow - Daybreak

 

[michael hagerty]

Listening to noncommercial WJMJ Hartford online right now. I hear a few dead people!

Last eight played:
Blind Faith - Can't Find My Way Home
Righteous Brothers - Rock And Roll Heaven
Aretha Franklin and George Michael - I Knew You Were Waiting (for me)
Kenny Loggins and Stevie Nicks - Whenever I Call You Friend
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - The Real Love
Jennifer Paige - Crush
Beach Boys - Do It Again
Barry Manilow - Daybreak

So, just to be clear, we're only talking about the first three songs (and Dennis and Carl Wilson).

 

[vchimpanzee]

When listening to Classic Hits formats you realize a lot of the artists are gone, and those tunes are 20 to 30 years newer than the Oldies playlists.⚰️🪦

WBRF Galax VA which plays classic country has DJs and sometimes I wonder why they feel the need to refer to an artist as "The late". Most of them are.

 

[vchimpanzee]

What amazes me is the fascination with decades, as if there was some kind of physical wall between the last year of one decade and day one of the next.

iHeart Cool Oldies was playing where I ate breakfast in the mountains several weeks ago. They kept saying 70s and 80s but I heard "Magic Carpet Ride", "Satisfaction" and "Mrs. Robinson".

Going way back, the early 60's has nothing to do with the post-64 period.

I remember this being true of Kool Oldies, a satellite format. I think it was only pre-Beatles.

63 Big WAYS outside Charlotte may have started out with these years but it's obvious they added the late 60s.

 

[CTListener]

So, just to be clear, we're only talking about the first three songs (and Dennis and Carl Wilson).

Correct. Two members of Blind Faith, two Beach Boys, one Righteous Brother, Aretha and George. Not sure about members of Seger's band.

Second song played after I sent my original post was Jim Croce -- One Less Set of Footsteps. Yet another.

 

[tall_guy1]

It seems like at least decades ago, which is what some stations are working away from now, stations both TV and radio did appear superficially to have their own set of "rules" and moral code which might not have been genuine. For example, ABC put a disclaimer for "adult content" on the Ellen sitcom when she came out as gay. A lot of things like Hot AC said "you won't hear us playing any rap!" Abc Family at first tried to establish itself as a family channel, then got a bit more risque (mature themes), and then as time went on and became Freeform now show Family Guy (some viewers on Facebook got upset.) But really it might have been the value sentiment was smoke and mirrors. That might still carry over today in some perceptions though when it comes to certain stations like classic hits.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

I have a radio question for anybody here. But first, let me make a disclaimer. I like KRTH, I listen to KRTH all the time, and if they want to add newer songs, then that's fine with me. I have no issue with KRTH. It's one of my favorites.

Also, I completely understand that any format name that a station gives to their music is only a label for the advertisers, and there is no set definition for a format. The station can name their format anything they wish, regardless of the decades or the songs they play. So a format name makes no difference. To repeat : I do understand this, and so do most listeners here, because that point has very clearly been made.

Okay-- now to the question. If you were programming KRTH, what would you decide about the imaginary situation below?

As was written here, most classic hits stations like to play uptempo gold. For example, I never heard "Cat's in the Cradle" or "WOLD" on KRTH. Those songs were strong sellers back in the day, but they don't seem to be played on classic hits stations, because they are so sad and depressing. They probably were tested in a focus group of listeners age 35-45, and they did not do well.

But in the 2010's and forward, there were some slow, sad songs, that were big sellers in the recent past. Two of them were by Adele: "Someone Like You" and "Hello". She has a beautiful, strong voice, but those are sad songs. Nevertheless, they charted near the top, and one of those was named song of the year by Billboard. ( I understand that people here don't like Billboard, but nevertheless, it shows a high chart position).

So, if you're doing programming for KRTH and adding newer songs from the 2010's -- present, what do you do?

Do you include these songs in the test list of songs that you send out to the focus group? Do you let the focus group decide?

Or do you just automatically exclude those songs, because even though they were huge, they don't sound like KRTH?

This is just a theoretical question. Please bear with me and don't let it upset you. If you have already discussed it, then I apologize, because I did not know that. I hope that no one is angry with me. Also, you could always put me and the other listeners on "ignore". Thank you, from Daryl

P.S I also realize that we were advised not to have a discussion about individual songs, but I thought that it might be okay here, because this entire thread is about songs. - D.

 

[michael hagerty]

It seems like at least decades ago, which is what some stations are working away from now, stations both TV and radio did appear superficially to have their own set of "rules" and moral code which might not have been genuine. For example, ABC put a disclaimer for "adult content" on the Ellen sitcom when she came out as gay.

That wasn't about moral conduct so much as it was ABC covering its tail with affiliates in more conservative markets. In 1997, this was new territory.

A lot of things like Hot AC said "you won't hear us playing any rap!"

Again, not a rule or moral stance, but a promotional positioning statement. Identify what the competition is doing that might not appeal to a segment of the audience you want and promote yourself as the opposite. 45 years ago, during the "Saturday Night Fever" craze, some stations had "No Bee Gee Weekends."

The moment there's an upside to playing those things, they absolutely will do it.

Abc Family at first tried to establish itself as a family channel, then got a bit more risque (mature themes), and then as time went on and became Freeform now show Family Guy (some viewers on Facebook got upset.)

Again, a positioner. Before it was ABC Family, it was FOX Family, and they had bought it from the Christian Broadcasting Network. They could have blown it up and started fresh, but it made sense not to do that and simply segue that audience to family-friendly programming delivered by a secular company.

Trouble is, there's more attractive, more relevant programming for mom, dad and the kids (maybe not all at once) on TV (especially cable) and it doesn't fly. FOX unloads it to ABC in three years.

ABC, being owned by Disney, seemed like a natural for a family channel, but even the Mouse recognized the limited appeal of "all G-rated, all the time" and started tinkering before they even launched---that was 2002.

But really it might have been the value sentiment was smoke and mirrors.

Anyone who doesn't understand that a business plan and viewer tastes can change over 25 years is really naive.

That might still carry over today in some perceptions though when it comes to certain stations like classic hits.

Huh?

 

[michael hagerty]

I have a radio question for anybody here. But first, let me make a disclaimer. I like KRTH, I listen to KRTH all the time, and if they want to add newer songs, then that's fine with me. I have no issue with KRTH. It's one of my favorites.

Also, I completely understand that any format name that a station gives to their music is only a label for the advertisers, and there is no set definition for a format. The station can name their format anything they wish, regardless of the decades or the songs they play. So a format name makes no difference. To repeat : I do understand this, and so do most listeners here, because that point has very clearly been made.

Okay-- now to the question. If you were programming KRTH, what would you decide about the imaginary situation below?

As was written here, most classic hits stations like to play uptempo gold. For example, I never heard "Cat's in the Cradle" or "WOLD" on KRTH. Those songs were strong sellers back in the day, but they don't seem to be played on classic hits stations, because they are so sad and depressing. They probably were tested in a focus group of listeners age 35-45, and they did not do well.

But in the 2010's and forward, there were some slow, sad songs, that were big sellers. Two of them were by Adele: "Someone Like You" and "Hello". She has a beautiful, strong voice, but those are sad songs. Nevertheless, they charted near the top, and one of those was named song of the year by Billboard. ( I understand that people here don't like Billboard, but nevertheless, it shows a high chart position).

So, if you're doing programming for KRTH and adding newer songs from the 2010's -- present, what do you do?

Do you include these songs in the test list of songs that you send out to the focus group? Do you let the focus group decide?

Or do you just automatically exclude those songs, because even though they were huge, they don't sound like KRTH?

This is just a theoretical question. Please bear with me and don't let it upset you. If you have already discussed it, then I apologize, because I did not know that. I hope that no one is angry with me. Thank you, from Daryl

You test them. IF---and it's unlikely in Los Angeles at this moment---Adele tests very strongly, at a level that would immediately get any other songs on the air, then the question becomes if you can successfully integrate them into the playlist without derailing the overall sound of the station.

Frank Cody, the first PD of The Wave back in 1987, described his station as a "mood service". I think that applies to KRTH today.