Krth 101 personality changes - weekends purged?

[Thomps2525]

K.M., I know how music research works. I know about call-out research and focus groups and auditorium tests. I know that chart performance isn't necessarily relevant. I'm just curious about Jamming. I can understand somebody deciding to test hundreds of top-ten hits that are no longer being played but I can't understand how or why somebody would decide to test Jamming: "Hey, here's a 37-year-old single that never charted in the US---maybe our listeners would want to hear it now." It's fine that KRTH is playing it; I was just surprised the first time I heard it. If KRTH wants to play '70s songs that never charted, I can suggest several tracks from Emitt Rhodes' excellent 1970 solo album The American Dream. (Rhodes was the lead singer of the Merry-Go-Round.)

 

[davideduardo]

eriedj, did you ever hear Por Amor Viveremos, the Spanish-language version of Love Will Keep Us Together? It was recorded over the original backing track, so while the Captain & Tennille were singing "Yo soy, yo soy, yo soy," the background singers were singing "I will, I will, I will." That sounded bad. Couldn't A&M have afforded to re-record the background vocals? The song peaked at #49 just two months after the original version spent six weeks at number one.

There were a lot of major label covers in Spanish in the mid to late 70's, all using the original tracks with just the change of the lead vocals. None were hits in Latin America, where if a song is good in English, that version gets pop station airplay.

 

[Thomps2525]

Italy would not televise the 1966-68 tv series The Monkees unless it was in Italian. The Monkees recorded the theme song in Italian but Micky Dolenz had such a hard time learning the words phonetically, one of the verses he sang was used twice on the recording so he wouldn't have to learn an additional verse. (The Monkees also recorded the theme in French and Spanish.) Here is the sloppily-edited Tema dei Monkees:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxQcD7DMNlw

 

[K.M. Richards]

Anyway, in 1977 I listened to KHJ, KIIS, KKDJ, KTNQ, KDAY,KMET, KLAC and KGBS-FM. I never heard the Bob Marley song on any of them.

(edit)

Since I had never heard Jamming before, I honestly couldn't understand why KRTH would be playing it so often in 2014.

I think the "perception change after the fact" factor applies. While it is true that the single got no airplay when it was new (and I want to know how you listened to KKDJ two years after it became KIIS-FM), KROQ played many Bob Marley songs in the 80s, which resulted in Jamming being added as gold there even though it had never been a current there.

The same factor applied pretty much nationwide with Billy Joel's Piano Man, which stalled well short of the top-10 when it was a current in 1974, and got no gold airplay as a result ... until Just The Way You Are peaked in the top-10 in 1978 and got the Grammy awards for Record & Song of the Year. Programmers pulled out the 1974 single, started playing it as gold, and it then gained momentum. I have run across several people who swear Piano Man was a top-5 hit when it was a current, because their perception changed after the fact.

Does that help?

 

[K.M. Richards]

There were a lot of major label covers in Spanish in the mid to late 70's, all using the original tracks with just the change of the lead vocals. None were hits in Latin America, where if a song is good in English, that version gets pop station airplay.

And then there was the reverse: The flip of Eres Tu by Mocedades was the English Touch The Wind which was the same track but with new, original English lyrics (not a translation of the Spanish lyrics).

 

[CTListener]

And then there was the reverse: The flip of Eres Tu by Mocedades was the English Touch The Wind which was the same track but with new, original English lyrics (not a translation of the Spanish lyrics).

I was in Syracuse, NY, when that was a Top 40 and AC hit and remember only the English being played on one station (WOLF) and only the Spanish being played on the others (WHEN, WNDR, WFBL).

 

[Thomps2525]

K.M., I don't know why I said I listened to KKDJ in 1977. Maybe I had a "perception change after the fact."

I got up early on October 1, 1975, so I could record an aircheck of Charlie Tuna presiding over the "wedding" of KIIS-AM and KKDJ-FM. Charlie's first words were "Anybody got a shotgun?" After the ceremony, KIIS was an AM-FM combo. As for KROQ, I listened to the AM quite often in 1972-73 when it was top 40 (and Charlie Tuna was there too!) but I seldom listened to KROQ-FM. When I did, it was usually to Kevin & Bean. What a thrill hearing them broadcasting from a celebrity's house and describing what is in his refrigerator! Anyway, I never heard Jamming until 2014 and I thank you for your helpful explanation as to why it's being played now. Please, kind sir, could you maybe also explain how Paul Simon's You Can Call Me Al could be re-released and then make the chart again just six months after it charted originally? By the way, I don't think the guy lip-synching that song in the video was really Paul Simon.

{Note to Michael: Please don't take that last sentence seriously and post a reply that would make me look like a dum-dum. I was just being funny. Thank you.)

 

[michael hagerty]

Please, kind sir, could you maybe also explain how Paul Simon's You Can Call Me Al could be re-released and then make the chart again just six months after it charted originally?

Simple. It stiffed at #44 the first time around. Since the Billboard Hot 100 had begun factoring in airplay in 1981, if you could get stations to play it again, you'd get some chart oomph. It did well in the UK (#4), so Warners put more promotion behind it here in the states, got more stations on it, probably sold a few thousand more singles than they did the first time around, and.....Voila!...it stiffed at #23. What went wrong? Nothing. The single and the video just sold a bunch more albums (Graceland) than they did singles. By 1986/87, 45 sales were in the final stages of drying up. They peaked at 200 million in 1974. They were well under 100 million in 1986 and by that decade's end, they were pretty much done.

 

[K.M. Richards]

I got up early on October 1, 1975, so I could record an aircheck of Charlie Tuna presiding over the "wedding" of KIIS-AM and KKDJ-FM. Charlie's first words were "Anybody got a shotgun?" After the ceremony, KIIS was an AM-FM combo.

I was listening and rolling tape as well. Go back and listen to it again. Charlie's first words were the legal ID, followed by "would someone please hand me the Bible and the shotgun?"

Don Elliot gave me a clean copy of the "wedding" many years later. And they became K-double I-S, but only simulcast 6am to 6pm.

If your aircheck ran through the first half-hour of Charlie's show, he later back-announced an Eagles as "Your Lyin' K-double Eyes."

By the way, I don't think the guy lip-synching that song in the video was really Paul Simon.

Chevy Chase didn't think it was either.

 

[MadMan]

MadMan, nobody has called me "young" since the William McKinley administration! Well.....okay, I'm not that old.....but I'm not really young either. Anyway, in 1977 I listened to KHJ, KIIS, KKDJ, KTNQ, KDAY,KMET, KLAC and KGBS-FM. I never heard the Bob Marley song on any of them. I appreciate ChannelFlipper's reply. And no, K.M., I'm not playing dumb. Since I had never heard Jamming before, I honestly couldn't understand why KRTH would be playing it so often in 2014. If I seem dumb sometimes, it could be because I am dumb sometimes.

Yes I worked for that administration as well, wait it was William Clinton? All I know is I wasn't hip to Bob Marley in 1977 but Bill Drake must have been, playing him nationwide as a current on the XT 40 format? Watched a documentary on Bob Marley yesterday and I learned a lot more about the man. How can somebody step on your toe and then you die of melanoma in every part of your body? In any case Bob Marley was an international legend, received little U.S. airplay, and honestly I thought you said the first time you heard of him was recently on KRTH. If KEARTH played the Vapors I could see them also playing Marley back in the day!

 

[Thomps2525]

K.M., Charlie Tuna also announced Art Garfunkel's remake of a Flamingos hit as I Only Have K-Double-Eyes For You. The "IIS" call letters were chosen because they resembled the first three numbers of the dial position, 1150. The daytime jingle was "AM...FM...K-Double-I-S." Does anyone know who was the first to pronounce the KIIS call letters as "Kiss"?

In the past 24 hours, KRTH has played Sweet Home Alabama, Baker Street, Don't Stop Believin', Don't You Forget About Me, Living On A Prayer, The Logical Song, Old Time Rock & Roll and Billy Idol's Mony Mony three times each. Earth Wind & Fire's September has been played four times! And the past 24 hours is typical of any 24-hour period. KRTH is more repetitious than ever. In addition to the aforementioned songs, Hotel California, I Melt With You, Bohemian Rhapsody and many others air two or three times a day. I used to complain that KRTH plays the same few songs every day. KRTH now plays the same few songs every eight hours.

 

[K.M. Richards]

The "IIS" call letters were chosen because they resembled the first three numbers of the dial position, 1150. The daytime jingle was "AM...FM...K-Double-I-S."

"AM and FM...K-Double-I-S."

Does anyone know who was the first to pronounce the KIIS call letters as "Kiss"?

Yes, it was Chuck Blore, who was brought in to program what was supposed to be "K-115" in 1970*. He rejected the concept and called it "Kiss" instead.

*-Which left the field wide open for KFOX-FM to become KIQQ three years later, and call itself "K-100".

 

[K.M. Richards]

I used to complain that KRTH plays the same few songs every day. KRTH now plays the same few songs every eight hours.

Separate response for separate issues.

I will remind you that the average listener does not listen continuously like you do and therefore does not notice the repetition. They are likely only hearing any specific song once or twice a week.

Again, I ask you: You aren't stupid, this has all been explained over and over ... why do you keep bringing it up?

 

[MadMan]

What does all this stuff have to do with the original thread, KRTH 101 personality changes - weekends purged? Now I understand why the other mega KRTH thread is now in the graveyard section. I have the worst memories of KRTH when the APD asked if I could leave his Studio and be trained in the Hallway. I didn't know RKO was using me to supposedly violate their union contract. I will never forgive that 'Mr. Rock & Roll'© Creepy place!

 

[K.M. Richards]

What does all this stuff have to do with the original thread, KRTH 101 personality changes - weekends purged? Now I understand why the other mega KRTH thread is now in the graveyard section.

It has nothing to do with the original topic, Scott, and you are correct in presuming that any thread about KRTH will be turned into a discussion of its playlist ... because some people (and they know who they are) can't seem to help but push the conversation into that pointless direction.

 

[LKellerIII]

"AM and FM...K-Double-I-S."



Yes, it was Chuck Blore, who was brought in to program what was supposed to be "K-115" in 1970*. He rejected the concept and called it "Kiss" instead.

*-Which left the field wide open for KFOX-FM to become KIQQ three years later, and call itself "K-100".

When KIIS-AM premeiered, they advertised the station on billboards all over town - a giant pair of lips, with the caption; "KIIS...And Listen." At that same time, KDAY 1580 was trying to promote its new album rock format, and parodied the KIIS billboards with a picture of a very hot young hippie type woman, and the caption "KDAY...And Get It On."

 

[Thomps2525]

K.M., KRTH's everyday playlist is estimated to be between 300 and 400 songs. An average of 16 songs per hour means KRTH plays 384 songs a day. There is absolutely no reason that any song should be played three or four times a day. And you can't use the argument that the overplayed songs are the "biggest hits" and "test well." Every song on KRTH is a big hit and tests well. As I said, KRTH is more repetitious than ever. And MadMan is correct: a playlist discussion has nothing to do with the "personality changes" at KRTH. What can really be said? Four DJs and a DJ/APD were fired. Until we can see if the firings (and Scott Shannon's show) have any effect on the ratings, there isn't much to discuss. So...let's have Scott lock this thread and we can all move on.

 

[TheBigA]

Where do you get 16 songs an hour? That seems pretty high to me.

You're also assuming all songs get played equally, and that's not correct.

 

[Thomps2525]

Sixteen songs an hour is a high estimate. And I'm not assuming that all songs are played equally. Many are played four times a day while others (Vacation, Bust A Move, Let It Whip, Dirty Laundry, The Metro et al) are played only two or three times a week. The playlist is pathetically small but it's still large enough that KRTH could go an entire day with no repeats. My question is: Why don't they? Why maintain such mind-numbing repetition? KRTH used to be on the radio at my workplace every day until several of us complained about hearing the same few songs over and over and over. With every song played, at least one of us--usually me---would exclaim, "Ooh, I haven't heard one this since yesterday!" or "Ooh, a 45-year-old song that I've been sick of for 44 years!" The supervisor finally changed the radio to KHHT. And KRTH was not nearly as repetitious then as it is now. Today, for almost every song, I can say, "Ooh, I haven't heard this one for six hours!"

 

[michael hagerty]

Sixteen songs an hour is a high estimate. And I'm not assuming that all songs are played equally. Many are played four times a day while others (Vacation, Bust A Move, Let It Whip, Dirty Laundry, The Metro et al) are played only two or three times a week. The playlist is pathetically small but it's still large enough that KRTH could go an entire day with no repeats. My question is: Why don't they? Why maintain such mind-numbing repetition? KRTH used to be on the radio at my workplace every day until several of us complained about hearing the same few songs over and over and over. With every song played, at least one of us--usually me---would exclaim, "Ooh, I haven't heard one this since yesterday!" or "Ooh, a 45-year-old song that I've been sick of for 44 years!" The supervisor finally changed the radio to KHHT. And KRTH was not nearly as repetitious then as it is now. Today, for almost every song, I can say, "Ooh, I haven't heard this one for six hours!"

When records were three minutes long, you could do 16 songs if you only played 12 minutes of commercials an hour. With typical song lengths in Classic Hits, you're probably maxing out at 12 records most hours.

And Steve, you're still not answering KM's question:

(screen goes all wavy, harp music plays)

I will remind you that the average listener does not listen continuously like you do and therefore does not notice the repetition. They are likely only hearing any specific song once or twice a week.

Again, I ask you: You aren't stupid, this has all been explained over and over ... why do you keep bringing it up?