KRTH playing 2004 music!

[davideduardo]

No argument here. The unfortunate thing for Burden is that he had the chance to just lose WIFE and save the rest of the stations but didn't and lost them all.

I'm sure that was because he would not 'fess up on the Indiana issues. That made the commission go into "payback" mode. The amazing thing is that this proceeding went on for the better part of a decade... my two posted article extracts were 5 years apart, and the first one was well into the proceedings.

Arrogant? Stubborn? Both?

 

[semoochie]

I'm sure that was because he would not 'fess up on the Indiana issues. That made the commission go into "payback" mode. The amazing thing is that this proceeding went on for the better part of a decade... my two posted article extracts were 5 years apart, and the first one was well into the proceedings.

Arrogant? Stubborn? Both?

I would say that it's more a matter of believing his own press!(They wouldn't do that to me; I'm too big!)For anyone not familiar with this, he lost all five radio stations which at the time, was the largest radio station reclamation ever, soon to be exceeded by the RKO debacle! Speaking of a process dragging on, didn't KRLA have an interim operator for something like 14 years? (I'm trying desperately to connect this to KRTH or at least, LA.)

 

[K.M. Richards]

Speaking of a process dragging on, didn't KRLA have an interim operator for something like 14 years? (I'm trying desperately to connect this to KRTH or at least, LA.)

I just posted something about that over at ReelRadio on Sunday:

When the FCC began the revocation process for Cooke's license, they received numerous applications to relicense the facilities by new owners, a couple of proposals to move 1110 to other parts of the state, and a few interim operator applications. The one that was granted -- to Oak Knoll Broadcasting, so named because of the station's street address at the time -- was approved specifically because it proposed that all profits be used for public television. As this was happening around the same time that KCET was getting underway, they were the only valid recipient of those funds. The composition of their board of directors had little to do with it other than putting that stipulation in their application, which the FCC made a condition of their interim operation.

Eventually (after a 14-year comparative hearing process), the license was awarded to a merger of several applicants, the lead being one owned by Bob Hope (Western Broadcasting) in late 1979. Western acquired the 60% of KRLA it did not own in early 1983. Greater Media acquired it from Western in late 1984.

So ... yes, sir, you are correct. All researched by backtracking in Broadcasting (the archive of which we should be eternally grateful to David for providing).

 

[John Gallagher]

Another album track which KRTH plays fairly regularly is Stevie Wonder's Isn't She Lovely, which Stevie wrote for his new daughter Aisha. However, KRTH always plays the edited version which omits the sounds of a childbirth and the sounds of Stevie playing with Aisha.

There never was an official edit for that song. Stevie wouldn't allow it. I have a copy of the song on the import version of "Song Review" which starts the song about 0:30 in, on the downbeat, and simply fades early - it comes to about 3:19.

 

[John Gallagher]

I haven't been on lately and, I know, my response about one song was random. I personally think many of Stevie's songs are too long. I have all the single versions in my own personal library and recreated many '45 versions' as they were once known.

Carry on...

 

[TheBigA]

Songs In The Key of Life was Stevie Wonder's first album for Motown under a new contract. He had been actively pursued by other labels, and I believe it followed the loss of Michael Jackson to Epic. So Motown was desperate to keep Stevie, and gave him more liberty with this new album than anyone had before. Thus, a two-record set, very expensive packaging, and no restrictions on song length. Songs in the Key of Life became Stevie's Sgt. Pepper, in a way, getting lots of FM rock radio airplay. So the convenience of the AM Top 40 stations, who expected shorter singles, was less of a concern.

 

[oldies76]

I haven't been on lately and, I know, my response about one song was random. I personally think many of Stevie's songs are too long. I have all the single versions in my own personal library and recreated many '45 versions' as they were once known.

Carry on...

"Love Light in Flight", "Overjoyed" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You" come to mind. All good songs, btw.

 

[semoochie]

Songs In The Key of Life was Stevie Wonder's first album for Motown under a new contract. He had been actively pursued by other labels, and I believe it followed the loss of Michael Jackson to Epic. So Motown was desperate to keep Stevie, and gave him more liberty with this new album than anyone had before. Thus, a two-record set, very expensive packaging, and no restrictions on song length. Songs in the Key of Life became Stevie's Sgt. Pepper, in a way, getting lots of FM rock radio airplay. So the convenience of the AM Top 40 stations, who expected shorter singles, was less of a concern.

Yes, Michael Jackson was an "Epic loss".

 

[TheBigA]

Yes, Michael Jackson was an "Epic loss".

The killer was when Diana Ross left. Berry Gordy was particularly hurt by that one.

But what we're talking about with Wonder is how he reinvented himself from a singles artist to an album artist. That was something he did at a time when there was an album oriented radio format that would play his songs. This is part of KRTH's reinvention, away from a station based on KHJ charts to a station that played what was getting airplay among all LA stations, including KMET and the album rockers that weren't necessarily chart or singles based.

 

[semoochie]

The killer was when Diana Ross left. Berry Gordy was particularly hurt by that one.

But what we're talking about with Wonder is how he reinvented himself from a singles artist to an album artist. That was something he did at a time when there was an album oriented radio format that would play his songs. This is part of KRTH's reinvention, away from a station based on KHJ charts to a station that played what was getting airplay among all LA stations, including KMET and the album rockers that weren't necessarily chart or singles based.

It seems to me that it was Lionel Richie who held up Motown toward the end.

 

[K.M. Richards]

It seems to me that it was Lionel Richie who held up Motown toward the end.

The last Lionel Richie album on Motown was Dancing On The Ceiling in 1986. Between then and the label's official demise in 1989, and excluding greatest hits albums, movie soundtracks, and other compilations these artists had albums on Motown that made the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart:

1986 (post-Richie): Stacy Lattisaw, El DeBarge, General Kane
1987: Bunny DeBarge, Bruce Willis, Smokey Robinson, Temptations, Stevie Wonder

In June of 1988, Motown was sold to MCA and essentially ceased to exist as a separate label, except for compilation releases and reissues of some classic albums from early in the label's history.

I'd therefore be inclined to agree with you, except for one interesting fact: In the 1980s, Richie released all of three albums on Motown. Even though two of the three hit #1 (the first, Lionel Richie, peaked at #3), there were other artists on the label who had a higher number of charting albums in that decade ... Smokey Robinson, for example, with six.

http://bsnpubs.com/motown/tmg.html

 

[TheBigA]

In the 1980s, Richie released all of three albums on Motown. Even though two of the three hit #1 (the first, Lionel Richie, peaked at #3), there were other artists on the label who had a higher number of charting albums in that decade ... Smokey Robinson, for example, with six.

However, those three Lionel Ritchie albums sold a total of 20 million copies. The six by Smokey sold about 3 million. Lionel's Can't Slow Down by itself made Diamond status. Smokey's biggest selling album of the 80s, "Being With You," barely went Platinum. Of course, a recording career is a marathon, and in that way, Smokey is the more bankable star. He was more loyal to Berry. Of course, he was also a part owner of the label. So he made money whether he recorded or not.

 

[K.M. Richards]

However, those three Lionel Ritchie albums sold a total of 20 million copies. The six by Smokey sold about 3 million. Lionel's Can't Slow Down by itself made Diamond status. Smokey's biggest selling album of the 80s, "Being With You," barely went Platinum. Of course, a recording career is a marathon, and in that way, Smokey is the more bankable star. He was more loyal to Berry. Of course, he was also a part owner of the label. So he made money whether he recorded or not.

Looking at the list I linked to again with the above in mind, I wonder how much money the greatest hits albums, movie soundtracks, compilations, and other "various artists" releases contributed to the bottom line. There certainly were a lot of them in the 1980s ... while it's not likely they brought in an aggregate total higher than the three Richie albums, were they responsible for more revenue than the Robinson half-dozen, or less?

 

[TheBigA]

There certainly were a lot of them in the 1980s ...

This was that period when all the boomers were replacing their vinyl with CDs, and Motown mined their archives for every possible way to make money. The profit margin on the hits collections is higher than new releases. Smokey was a singles artist, not a big album seller. Getting a Diamond Award ain't easy. Not many people have them. So it may be close, but I still suspect Lionel wins. Meanwhile, Smokey was getting a cut of everything Lionel sold.

 

[semoochie]

This was that period when all the boomers were replacing their vinyl with CDs, and Motown mined their archives for every possible way to make money. The profit margin on the hits collections is higher than new releases. Smokey was a singles artist, not a big album seller. Getting a Diamond Award ain't easy. Not many people have them. So it may be close, but I still suspect Lionel wins. Meanwhile, Smokey was getting a cut of everything Lionel sold.

It's always nice to be on the right track with one's hunches.

 

[TheBigA]

1988 was not a great year for the recording business. RCA Records was sold to BMG in Germany, and Columbia/Epic was sold to Sony in Japan. One year later MCA was sold to Matsushita also in Japan. Ten years later, MCA, Mercury, Motown, and a bunch of other associated record labels known as the Universal Music Group were sold to Vivendi in France. And we think the recording business is in bad shape now. It all began in 1988. So Motown was not the only label in trouble.

 

[K.M. Richards]

It's always nice to be on the right track with one's hunches.

If I said that, someone would jump down my throat for "making predictions".

 

[Scott2013]

Speaking of censorship, another example: I have heard many stations that edit the HECK out of "Rock Star" Nickelback. The words "drugs", "a--holes", "a--" and "drug dealer" are omitted. It's kind of funny, hearing a blip of blank space literally every 30 seconds in that song.

-crainbebo

Supposedly, that song used to be played pretty frequently on BusRadio, which was obviously geared toward kids, as it was a service provided for school buses. Didn't last long.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BusRadio

 

[K.M. Richards]

Some of you won't like to read this, but Nielsen this morning released a report that Classic Hits as a popular format was up 10% this summer, and over half of the top 20 most-played songs in that format were from the 1980s. That decade had no titles in the top 20 a mere three summers ago.

http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insigh...the-crown-for-radio-format-of-the-summer.html

 

[michael hagerty]

Some of you won't like to read this, but Nielsen this morning released a report that Classic Hits as a popular format was up 10% this summer, and over half of the top 20 most-played songs in that format were from the 1980s. That decade had no titles in the top 20 a mere three summers ago.

http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insigh...the-crown-for-radio-format-of-the-summer.html

Why is it doing so well, some might ask? Because the format has finally re-connected with the heart of the sales demo.