There's also "September", if you count that as disco. That's a song that is still played by Classic Hits stations that I don't see getting dropped anytime soon.
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KOLA FM
- Thread starter 30james
- Start date
“September” is still played on a number of AC’s. “Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry, while not exactly disco is still played on most classic stations. As far as Soul/funk, I still hear “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder on most classic hits stations. Other than the ones mentioned, most 70s stuff you still hear on more classic hits stations than not are the rock acts (and soft rock if you want to include the likes of Elton John and Billy Joel).
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
It is the only one of their songs that still tests incredibly well, and I am certain your observation about women loving ABBA is right on the mark. Last year, "Dancing Queen" was the 153rd most played title on Classic Hits radio, according to BDS (down only slightly from 137th in 2020).
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
84th most played last year, up (!) from 103 the year previous.
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
#231 and 268, respectively. In 2020, #161 and 257.
When Classic Hits becomes mostly 90's, I don't think it will be as successful as the current 80's we hear today. The 90's were not kind for CHR. Music fragmented into groups, R&B/Rap/Hip Hop or Rhythmic CHR. And the second being Alternative. Some would listen to both, but most people would only listen to one of the two as their favorite. And CHR was unable to bring the two genres together, unlike the 80's when CHR was popular and dominated.
I think that current formats like Rhythmic Oldies and Classic Alternative is where 90's music will thrive. As well as Adult Hits, another one to capitalize on the 90's. In other words, Classic Hits will suffer the same fragmentation as 90's music. So I think Classic Hits will hang on to the 80's a lot longer than we think, as long as there is an interest with younger demo's, and overall sustained popularity.
I think that current formats like Rhythmic Oldies and Classic Alternative is where 90's music will thrive. As well as Adult Hits, another one to capitalize on the 90's. In other words, Classic Hits will suffer the same fragmentation as 90's music. So I think Classic Hits will hang on to the 80's a lot longer than we think, as long as there is an interest with younger demo's, and overall sustained popularity.
Speaking of that, I want to point out that, until recently, Adult Hits stations and AC stations tend to play less of popular music from 1996-2003 compared to the 80s and even the late 00s / 10s. You'll hear Poker Face or I Knew You Were Trouble more often than Baby One More Time, Livin' La Vida Loca, or even The Real Slim Shady. A bit of a paradox that may need to be highlighted, especially since that time period was good for MTV and pop music in general.
With that being said, plenty of 90s songs (such as Don't Speak, You Get What You Give, The Sign, Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life), What Is Love) seem to blend well with the current 80s selection on Classic Hits radio. And a few Classic Hits and AC stations have added songs like This Is How We Do It.
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
That's the prevailing current consensus within the industry as well. Even stations like KOSF, which was all-80s and now has branched forward and backward to the 70s and 90s, only include one or two titles per hour from those decades.
Adult Hits and Classic Hits stations seem to be open to the Modern AC music that was dominating the radio in the late 1990s, but the selection of the more "pure" pop titles from the decade seems to depend from station to station. WCBS-FM seems to be pretty friendly towards these tracks, whereas other stations pick and choose which pop titles from this era to play (if they even play them), such as KKHH playing "...Baby One More Time" but not "Livin' La Vida Loca". I think Adult Hits and Classic Hits stations will have to be more open towards these songs as time goes on, but I don't see a reason why they wouldn't start adding those songs later in the decade.
Interesting that you mention "This Is How We Do It", since that song only peaked at #15 on Radio & Records CHR/Pop back in 1995. It will certainly be intriguing to see which other Hip-Hop/R&B songs from the decade get added to the format even if they weren't originally big pop hits.
Another problem for 80's based Classic Hits will eventually be an aging audience with the majority 55+ down the road. So, adding 90's titles will need to continue to slow down the audience aging. Or find themselves as unattractive as the "Oldies" format is to advertisers
Another reminder that Modern English's I Melt With You only peaked [within the Billboard Hot 100] at #78 in 1983 and #76 in 1990, never mind the fact that the song did not make the Billboard Year-End charts in either 1983 or 1990.
A person turning 55 years old this year would have been born in 1967. In 1996, that person would have been 29.
A Class of 1990 High School graduate would have been about 50 today, smack dab in the [less widely used] 35-64 bracket. One from the Class of 2000? 40. The middle of 35-54 would have been born around 1977-1978.
Classic Hits radio may need to pick up the pace a bit faster to avoid the same fate as Oldies.
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
Not if -- as we are finding -- the younger demos are also finding the 80s an attractive decade musically.
True and also there are performers like "The Midnight" that make their songs sounds like the 1980's but their songs were made in the 2010's. Sure its not necessarily in radio but its well heard on Youtube.
A fan modified a video with this song to make the song appear like it was done in the 1980's.
I didn't realize until looking it up just now, that KOLA-FM is the market leader in Riverside/San Bernardino, well ahead of the #2 station. Of course, these are the 6+ numbers, but I'm sure they are #1 in 25-54. They must be doing something right. Maybe their version of Classic Hits has really caught on in the IE, and could elsewhere.
In the 3PM hour today, KRTH played 9/12 (75%) 1980s songs, compared to only 7/12 (58%) for KOLA. Assuming that 1980s music will still lead to solid 18-49 performances (and even 18-34 in some cases) for the format in the future, I think you could see a Classic Hits format come 2024-26 that plays about 55-60% 1980s an hour. However, I could also see a scenario where Classic Hits stations at that point play 4-5 1980s and 4-5 1990s an hour, with the rest of the songs being from the 2000s along with whatever 1970s songs still manage to test well.
More 90s and 00s will be added to Classic Hits radio stations as time goes on. However, I'm not sure how many markets in the US have music tastes similar to the Inland Empire (or anywhere in Southern California, for that matter). KOLA seems to like R&B and alternative rock, but are less enthusiastic on late 90s teen-pop; in contrast, multiple Classic Hits radio stations nationwide have been more willing to play the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC. Plus, it may not yet be the right time to add late 00s or 10s music to Classic Hits; you may win over people born 1985-1995 with that approach, but you could risk alienating the moneyed, upper end of 25-54.
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It looks they've been doing this music approach for about 4 years. I wonder if their ratings were just as strong prior to the current Classic Hits version. KRTH does have a good signal in the IE, but it doesn't seem to be hurting KOLA in the ratings. And they still have that great logo! 😊
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
As I suggested in my previous post, I think a lot is going to depend on how much of the demographic that ages out is replaced by younger listeners. We may well find that the current model works longer than a lot of people expect.
I don't think the time is even close to right for adding more 90s titles, much less 2000s. It's been enough of a struggle for most CH stations to find the ones that work for their markets now.
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