Scooter and the gang, I sent in suggestions to KC Carson via facebook. She had asked listeners to do so so I sent in the suggestions about the 80's and what not. To my surprise the 80's stuff might be more pronounced than we thought. She said that they were doing "Classic Hits" and that the years were from 1964-1989. WOW is all I can say. She was very kind and gracious and no doubt is top shelf talent but I was kind of shocked that their list goes through 1989, thats the whole decade of the 80s. So let me get this straight, they wont do the complete decade of the 60s' since they start at 1964 but they'll do the whole decade of the 80's?? I made the comment that K-Earth isn't doing the 80's, last time I checked they were doing just the top chart hits of the 60s and then mostly 70s. At any rate one comment was "we're not doing all that much 80's right now" which is true, just a few here and there but I still think the 80's are already covered by Magic 98.9 and we don't need that duplication going on. All the songs they've played from the 80's on Earth can be heard on Magic so why would you even play that? I would be afraid of people thinking "well I can hear that on Magic....FLIP!" and then the channel changes on their radio. The shock factor going from a 60's song to an 80's song is enough of a shock to make me switch the station. I still think the 80's stuff needs to be dumped since Magic is doing it. What are you guys thoughts? Always love the chats!
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Latest from Earth 103.3
- Thread starter clemsonbloke
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K-Earth plays 80s music and has been cutting back on the 60s in recent times. Still older than many other classic hits stations, but they're evolving.
Again (and this is my personal opinion) it doesn't bother me, and I enjoy the variety. They play a little too much 60s for me but that is my personal taste.
You say that Magic covers the 80s, but actually, I would give that crown to 97.7. JMO
Again (and this is my personal opinion) it doesn't bother me, and I enjoy the variety. They play a little too much 60s for me but that is my personal taste.
You say that Magic covers the 80s, but actually, I would give that crown to 97.7. JMO
S
Scooter Lesley
Guest
Explaining 1964: They reason that some formats start with that year is what I have always called "The Changing Of The Guard". I lived this, so I remember quite clearly. Coming out of the late 50's and into the early 60's young America's style was genericly "Doo-Wop". Whether a solo act like Paul Anka or Fabian to three, four, and five front singers, the finger poppin' was the only thing Rockin'. Black or White, well dressed, and underneath those slicked-back, Waffley, Greezy, Pomp-a-dore Hair-doos(or hair don'ts!) For those keepin' score at home, all together now: Oooo-wah, Oooo-wah, Ramma-Lamma-Ding-Dong. Insert your dirty sexual Nintendos wherever nessessary. However, on Sunday night, February the 9th, 1964,...The Guard Changed.
THE BEATLES played the Ed Sullivan show. The very next day things were different, even at my school. Instead of a five piece bands backing front singers, here was a self-contained quartet doing everything, with hook-driven songs that burned a path from your ears to your memory. You couldn't get them outta your head, and Radio tagged-in as well. They were also on the next Sunday, and that only turbo-ed their roll. In a sense, this is what their appearances meant: We don't care how you do it here. This is the new pattern, and this is how you do it! A few months later The Rolling Stones would follow, The Kinks, The Turtles, and every Garage band out-ted the garage!
There is a definative LINE----there, and that's why.
THE BEATLES played the Ed Sullivan show. The very next day things were different, even at my school. Instead of a five piece bands backing front singers, here was a self-contained quartet doing everything, with hook-driven songs that burned a path from your ears to your memory. You couldn't get them outta your head, and Radio tagged-in as well. They were also on the next Sunday, and that only turbo-ed their roll. In a sense, this is what their appearances meant: We don't care how you do it here. This is the new pattern, and this is how you do it! A few months later The Rolling Stones would follow, The Kinks, The Turtles, and every Garage band out-ted the garage!
There is a definative LINE----there, and that's why.
Still, we could do without the 80's. I think they're making a mistake playing that because the ones they play Magic is already covering.
I've programmed Classic Hit's before, it's basically the new oldies. If I were programming Classic Hit's today, i'd can the old Urban AC side of what Earth playing. Id be based in the 70's Rock and Pop and 80's Pop/MTV, I'd have a some Beatles Etc, but the music is way off on The Earth. The balance is way off. some of this music is too old and has no meaning to the demo, Just my thoughts
Im just glad to have Earth, even though cant get it in Anderson area, but stream is ok,
each one of your points are taken , being that we all have our faves of each year, Im sure they are still "fine tuning" the working project. but so glad we have this music alternative, as they say if you dont like this song Im sure we got something coming up for ya, way to go Earth FM
each one of your points are taken , being that we all have our faves of each year, Im sure they are still "fine tuning" the working project. but so glad we have this music alternative, as they say if you dont like this song Im sure we got something coming up for ya, way to go Earth FM
radioman1969 is exactly right.
Agree 100%. Some of that old, slow, soul-type stuff is unlistenable to me.radioman1969 said:
That is the problem, people thinking "new oldies" which there is no such thing. Oldies is oldies. 80's isn't oldies. You dont all of a sudden change a format into something that it isn't. You can start a new format and call it whatever but oldies is oldies. I have no problem with the oldies and 70's up through about 1974 that Earth is playing, its the 80's I don't disagree with (I suppose we can agree to disagree still, communists havent taken over yet!). I think Magic 98.9 and Rock 101 cover plenty of 80's. I think Earth needs to focus on the oldies through mid 70's, dump 80's and disco. I mean seriously, does anyone listen to Disco or even care about that era? I guess maybe if you hang out at skating rinks and still wear leisure suits, etc. I think if they made Earth a real bonafide oldies station it would be awesome, the on air talent is there, we just need the music to be right. Of course if you want me to be totally honest, I would say that we are all just blowing hot air because I seriously doubt any of them will take us seriously. I want it to succeed badly, I also want a good oldies station badly. We haven't had a good oldies station in this area in forever. I really wish they'd poll the boomers in the area and see how many think 80's should be included. As I said I'm a Gen X'er (39 y.o.) and I don't even think 80's should be on there and I grew up on 80's. I just think its a duplication of services already available on other stations.
Sign of the times, I guess.freqdev said:
How can you can say there is no such thing as new oldies. A 40 year old woman listening to any song from 1973 is 80 years old today. You don't think the oldies format changes? Really? I don't know many 80 year old women who get books and fill them out and if they did, would you want them? There is a new oldies now. It's the 70's and 80's! It sucks to have to come to grip with the fact that we are getting older. but we are and Oldies as we knew them is dead and gone, just like most of the audience. There are some songs that will stand the test of time, but as a rule, it's 70's and 90's. Even classic rocks stations are starting to play 90's in their playlist now, Why, Because time moves! If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got! Just my thoughts Maybe I'm wrong
radioman1969 said:
I don't know. I still consider "oldies" to be generally people in their 50s and up. The '70s I can kind of agree with. But '80s, I'm not so sure. I'm 44 myself and still listen to listen to new music -- in fact, I prefer it. If it gets to the point where I can't stand "today's music", then I guess I will consider myself someone who likes "oldies".
People who grew up listening to '80s music, basically Generation X, are in their late 30s to early 40s. Still think that's young enough that it doesn't fit an oldies demo. Even when I was growing up, my parents didn't listen to "oldies" even though they grew up on '50s and '60s music. Now they do, but their in their 70s and I don't think they really listened to those kind of stations until they were in their late 50s. But, that's all just my opinion as well.
Just like the suits, the researchers, the cosultants, etc radioman doesn't "get it". No offense radioman but this is the problem. Oldies is a format and refers to a specific era. You can call this newfangled stuff "new oldies" if you want but it's not "oldies" as we Gen X'ers or Boomers know it. 80's isn't oldies and as such it doesn't sound right mixed with oldies, the styles are far too different and so are the era's. The country was at way different points for one. The 60's and 70's had some elements that they shared such as the Vietnam War and Hippies lets say. However none of that goes with the 80's and Ronnie Rayguns. 80's New Wave sounds weird up against hippie protest rock and the summer of love. As I said you don't get to redefine or reshape a format but you can create a new format and give it a name. Not being facetious or mean at all, just trying to get a point across.
I have to agree with radioman1969.
See, the format most stations run (that includes mostly 70s-mid 80s music, with some late 60s and late 80s included) isn't considered "oldies'' anymore. The industry calls it "Classic Hits." As the audience changed, it was realized that many listeners didn't want to hear the word "old" associated with music from when they grew up - hence that stations might say they play "The Greatest Hits of All Time", instead of tags you used to hear like "Good Times & Great Oldies." Earth is on the fence between Oldies and CH which is why they are confusing. Classic Hits stations typically don't play that much 60s music.
Classic Hits is a 35-54 format, and I doubt many in the younger part of that demo are listening, so probably more like 45-54 (a station like Magic or ChuckFM might be a better 35-54 example). Think about this; 2013's 54 year old, the oldest in that demo, was born in 1959. They started high school (a time, that for many, their music tastes are cultivated and they have their best memories of the music) in 1973 and graduated in 1977. University, if applicable, around 1977-~1981. Point being, they probably started really getting in to music around 1970, and your "sweet spot" would be their high school/college years. The 60s, while they may hold some young childhood memories, aren't at the top of the oldest listener in the target demo's preferences. It's not to say they don't like 60s music, but for the majority, that's not their main decade or where their memories are. Apply the same to the 45 year old and you'll see they favor the 80s.
Even the oldest listener of the classic hits target (35-54) doesn't have THAT much of a connection with the 60s. That's why true oldies (50s/60s) is strictly 55+ now and are rarely heard. If you program to 55+, you can't make money if you're seeking to turn a profit. The advertising agencies, think of them what you may, will not bite. This is why formats like classic rock, AC, etc. continuously evolve...to remain attractive to advertisers. Not to say there aren't listeners who didn't grow up in the 60s that enjoy the music, as that's certainly not the case, but I don't think that number is quite high enough to support that music on a decent signal.
BTW: awp69 makes an interesting point about still listening to new music. I notice a lot of people who would fit in to the classic hits demographic that still listen to AC, country, etc. So, it seems like perhaps more listeners are holding out on giving up on new music entirely.
See, the format most stations run (that includes mostly 70s-mid 80s music, with some late 60s and late 80s included) isn't considered "oldies'' anymore. The industry calls it "Classic Hits." As the audience changed, it was realized that many listeners didn't want to hear the word "old" associated with music from when they grew up - hence that stations might say they play "The Greatest Hits of All Time", instead of tags you used to hear like "Good Times & Great Oldies." Earth is on the fence between Oldies and CH which is why they are confusing. Classic Hits stations typically don't play that much 60s music.
Classic Hits is a 35-54 format, and I doubt many in the younger part of that demo are listening, so probably more like 45-54 (a station like Magic or ChuckFM might be a better 35-54 example). Think about this; 2013's 54 year old, the oldest in that demo, was born in 1959. They started high school (a time, that for many, their music tastes are cultivated and they have their best memories of the music) in 1973 and graduated in 1977. University, if applicable, around 1977-~1981. Point being, they probably started really getting in to music around 1970, and your "sweet spot" would be their high school/college years. The 60s, while they may hold some young childhood memories, aren't at the top of the oldest listener in the target demo's preferences. It's not to say they don't like 60s music, but for the majority, that's not their main decade or where their memories are. Apply the same to the 45 year old and you'll see they favor the 80s.
Even the oldest listener of the classic hits target (35-54) doesn't have THAT much of a connection with the 60s. That's why true oldies (50s/60s) is strictly 55+ now and are rarely heard. If you program to 55+, you can't make money if you're seeking to turn a profit. The advertising agencies, think of them what you may, will not bite. This is why formats like classic rock, AC, etc. continuously evolve...to remain attractive to advertisers. Not to say there aren't listeners who didn't grow up in the 60s that enjoy the music, as that's certainly not the case, but I don't think that number is quite high enough to support that music on a decent signal.
BTW: awp69 makes an interesting point about still listening to new music. I notice a lot of people who would fit in to the classic hits demographic that still listen to AC, country, etc. So, it seems like perhaps more listeners are holding out on giving up on new music entirely.
I'm 39 and the Classic Hits format doesn't appeal to me at all, in fact it stinks. I rather like 60's music and I happen to know many members of my generation who also like it. This is the whole point I'm trying to make and that I think Scooter as well tries to make. You can't just lob everyone into a "consultant" group like that. These consultants and suits seem to think that one age group likes one thing, not true. I can tell you this, I reject 95% of what the suits and consultants say is good or what works and that is probably a low figure. It offends me greatly when people say "Oh Classic Hits is what the 35-54 age group wants so this is what we're going to give them. I always say "said who?".
carolinaradio said:
I think even with stations like ChuckFM, it largely depends on the person. As I mentioned, I'm 44 so I'm smack in the middle of that demo, but I typically only listen to ChuckFM when it's playing 80s or newer. I think when most people think of the music of their "childhood" they think more of what they were listening to in high school. For me, that was all 80s (83-87 to be specific). So even most '70s music is out of the picture for most Generation Xers IMO. Not saying there may not be a tune here and there that I or others in my age group like from the '70s, but by and large, people that I know around my age all love recalling the '80s music if they're not into today's music (and I do think there's a shift where people my age do still listen to newer music unlike past generations).
When I think of music of my generation (X'ers) I think of 90s alternative music when I was in college. 80's, even though I became a teen around 1987, that was my aunt's generation.
clemsonbloke said:
Yeah, I would include '90s alternative during my college days in the music of my generation as well. But I know others my age, like my wife, are more into the '80s music. Funny you should mention '90s alternative when talking about 'X' as that's when stations like 99X in Atlanta started ... in the 90s. So that's probably why today's alternative stations held onto the 'X' even if there's some people that don't identify with the new music they're playing.
clemsonbloke said:
The 80's are oldies today, again if you were 35 in 1987 you are 61 today, 80's the oldies. I'm in the same boa with you, im only 44, but in 1987 I was a sr in high school and i didn't mean anything to any demo at that point. Adults in the 80's are the new oldies. We are not that many years away from 90's being oldies. The problem is the Suits, Researchers and such not wanting to move into the new generation of oldies. Aging is a part of life. If not, they why isn't Madonna and culture club not getting played on top 40 today?
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