Michael Jackson and AOR

[dlf]

When Michael Jackson released "Beat It" (with Eddie Van Halen on guitar) AOR stations in late '82/early '83 faced a tough decision; to play or not to play. AOR had been singled out in many publications for the lack of black artists on stations playlists (Hendrix being a major exception) and here was a black singer (who was polarizing musically) with a song featuring a core AOR artist. Based on my memonry of either listening to AOR at that time or through old playlists here is a list of AOR's that played "Beat It" or didn't play "Beat It". Please feel free to add or correct to the list:

YES - WBCN, WCOZ, WNEW, WPLJ, WMMS, WLRS, WKDF, WIMZ, WZXR, KMJX, KMBQ, WQXM, WCKO, KBPI, KMEL, KQRS (I think), WAPI,

NO - KMET, KLOS, KLOL, KSRR, KISS, KXZL, KTXQ, KZEW, KSHE, WEBN, WKQQ, WKLS, WYNF, WDIZ, WSHE, WRIF, WLLZ, KATT, WTUE, WFBQ, WQFM.

Interestingly many of the AOR's that played "Beat It" eventually shifted to a CHR format.

I'm curious about other AOR's of that era and whether they played "Beat It".

dlf

 

[firepoint525]

You are correct that the "old" Rock 103 (aka WZXR) in Memphis played "Beat It." That was because of Eddie Van Halen's guitar solo in it. WZXR went "pop" in 1985 (as Z-103) and of course, played a lot of Michael Jackson in that 1985-86 time frame. Then in 1986, they returned to rock (and eventually to the "Rock 103" moniker that they still use today), and played "Billie Jean" as their last song as "Z103." I'm fairly certain that they haven't touched anything by him since. (With that format change (or change back), they also changed their call letters to WEGR, which they still are today.)

Interesting to note that on a "two-fer Tuesday," the "old" Rock 103 once played "Beat It" and Weird Al Yankovic's "Eat It" back-to-back by request! ;D ("How about 'Beat It' and 'Eat It'?") ;D

 

[kenrayc]

KKDJ 105.9 in Fresno played "Beat It" also and they also had 2 for Tuesday and they played "Billie Jean"as the second song. Right after that KKDJ started to Play Prince "1999" and " Little Red Corvette".In 1985 they played Tina Turner's " Beyond Thunderdome."

 

[Jay F]

I remember that the Burkhart-Abrams consulted AOR stations all played Michael Jackson and other pop acts.. The Jeff Pollack consulted stations were focused on pure rock and did not play MJ.

 

[avtosalon]

Usually when an AOR station would experiment with Top 40, it would turn-off alot a listeners. The decision could be a disaster if the same market had other competing album rock stations.

In Chicago, WDAI experimented in the late 70's with mixing some CHR before evolving back to their former sound but it was too late. I remember 'On and On' by Stephen Bishop. The station later flipped to Disco.

Around 1981 WLUP experimented with '(I'm in Love with) The Other Woman' by Ray Parker Junior as well as Michael Jackson's 'Beat It'. Within a couple of years, the station evolved into Adult Alternative. Anything with loud guitars (including Van Halen, AC/DC)was dropped.

WMET played Flashdance and Lionel Richie as an AOR station under Doubleday ownership. This idea came from sister station KWK-FM from St. Louis. Later they decided to drop the Top 40 stuff, but the damage was already done, and WMET flipped to Adult Contemporary.

It's not fair to criticize a rock station for not playing black artists. That would be the same as critcizing an R&B station for not playing white artists. The reason reason is not many African-American artists play rock music. The ones that come to mind are Jimi Hendrix, Thin Lizzy, Living Color, John Butcher Axis, Sound Barrier, Lenny Kravitz, 24-7 Spyz, Sevendust, King's X, Tony MacAlpine, The BusBoys.

 

[Jay F]

I was a Michael Jackson fan and loved the CHR format. Yet I did not want to hear MJ or other pop acts on AOR. When I listened to AOR I wanted a total and exclusive rock experience. My favorite rock song in 1983 was Zebra-Who's Behind The Door. I also loved songs like Fastway-Say What You Will and Dio-Rainbow In The Dark.

Not hearing pop songs is one of the things that made AOR cool and unique. This is coming from a lifelong pop music lover. I had the highest respect for the AORs that stayed focused and did not play any pop.

 

[AM FM listener]

It's not fair to criticize a rock station for not playing black artists. That would be the same as critcizing an R&B station for not playing white artists. The reason reason is not many African-American artists play rock music. The ones that come to mind are Jimi Hendrix, Thin Lizzy, Living Color, John Butcher Axis, Sound Barrier, Lenny Kravitz, 24-7 Spyz, Sevendust, King's X, Tony MacAlpine, The BusBoys.

I have also heard Robert Cray and Bob Marley on Rock radio.

Your post made me think about white artists on Urban stations. I would not count Rhythmic or other crossover formats that play a lot of R&B; only stations specifically targeted to African Americans. Robin Thicke is probably the most successful today. From the past, I believe Hall & Oates, Righteous Brothers, KC & Sunshine Band, Teena Marie and Bee Gees each had a few hits on Urban radio. One-hit-wonders would include Wild Cherry, Queen, Boz Scaggs, Average White Band and Bobby Caldwell.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Usually when an AOR station would experiment with Top 40, it would turn-off alot a listeners. The decision could be a disaster if the same market had other competing album rock stations.

In Chicago, WDAI experimented in the late 70's with mixing some CHR before evolving back to their former sound but it was too late. I remember 'On and On' by Stephen Bishop.

Arsenio Hall would say, "Have you lost yo mind?"

The station later flipped to Disco.

Around 1981 WLUP experimented with '(I'm in Love with) The Other Woman' by Ray Parker Junior

Good choice with the guitar.The year was actually 1982.

as well as Michael Jackson's 'Beat It'. Within a couple of years, the station evolved into Adult Alternative. Anything with loud guitars (including Van Halen, AC/DC)was dropped.

WMET played Flashdance and Lionel Richie as an AOR station under Doubleday ownership.

Arsenio Hall would say, "Have you lost yo mind?"

This idea came from sister station KWK-FM from St. Louis. Later they decided to drop the Top 40 stuff, but the damage was already done, and WMET flipped to Adult Contemporary.

It's not fair to criticize a rock station for not playing black artists. That would be the same as critcizing an R&B station for not playing white artists. The reason reason is not many African-American artists play rock music. The ones that come to mind are Jimi Hendrix, Thin Lizzy, Living Color, John Butcher Axis, Sound Barrier, Lenny Kravitz, 24-7 Spyz, Sevendust, King's X, Tony MacAlpine, The BusBoys.

 

[sdh483]

Did any AORs back in the 70s play any crossover R&B groups? I remember hearning an aircheck from KEXL San Antonio, where they're playing Stevie Wonder (incidently, that was a segment about how how records would skip sometimes on live air and the DJ eventually had to cut off the record and put something else on). Didn't anyone play Sly & the Family Stone, Isley Brothers, Ike and Tina Turner or anything that was emulated through The Blues Brothers?I wasn't around in the 70s, but from hearing airchecks and watching movies, it seemed like AORs back then were thinking out of the box. Based on the list of who did and didn't play MJ, seemed like east coasters weren't afraid to pick a song from an artist that wasn't normally a rock artist.

Going by that theory, would that work today for AOR?

 

[kenrayc]

Did any AORs back in the 70s play any crossover R&B groups? I remember hearning an aircheck from KEXL San Antonio, where they're playing Stevie Wonder (incidently, that was a segment about how how records would skip sometimes on live air and the DJ eventually had to cut off the record and put something else on). Didn't anyone play Sly & the Family Stone, Isley Brothers, Ike and Tina Turner or anything that was emulated through The Blues Brothers?I wasn't around in the 70s, but from hearing airchecks and watching movies, it seemed like AORs back then were thinking out of the box. Based on the list of who did and didn't play MJ, seemed like east coasters weren't afraid to pick a song from an artist that wasn't normally a rock artist.

Going by that theory, would that work today for AOR?

I recall in the 70s that some R&B, Non -Disco hits being played, Sly and The Family Stone and Marvin Gaye.

 

[vchimpanzee]

The classic rock station where I live plays "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder. Or did. I can't prove they've done it lately.

Another station which is considered "progressive rock" tries to offer a music mix much like the early album-oriented stations. It doesn't play the really hard stuff and the DJs, which I've heard are voice-tracked, are very mellow. The station plays Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and even The Temptations. It's listed most places as "classic hits" but a lot of the songs they play are unfamiliar and were not hits.

 

[OldNumber7]

I'm curious about other AOR's of that era and whether they played "Beat It".

dlf

It's important to understand that AOR programmers in 82-83 were very puzzled how to respond to the emergence and evolution of MTV. In its infancy, MTV focused exlusively on videos from rock and new wave acts and targeted the same demos as most of the AORs. By the summer of 82, some AORs had begun playing the Human League and similar stuff in direct response to MTV airplay. As MTV gained more traction, and took the leap to play Michael Jackson, that put even more pressure on those AORs. The debate about whether AORs should play MJ was part of an even bigger debate about whether they should also play Thomas Dolby, Prince, Eurythmics and other stuff gaining traction on MTV. Lee Abrams was telling his AOR stations in many markets at the start of 83 that they should be playing more "new music" (i.e. MTV type stuff). Some did, for a while, but the heritage AORs learned after about a year that they had to return to their rock roots or die -- especially after new CHRs were born in their markets in 83-84.

 

[Jay F]

I can think of one Abrams consulted AOR that did die due to opening up their playlist to pop during this time period. WLPX/Milwaukee was the top AOR in the market. When they started adding pop songs competitor WQFM bucked the national trend and focused on hard rock. Not only did WQFM become the top AOR by a wide margin, WLPX was out of the format by early 1984. They flipped to B97 one of 4 or 5 CHRs in Milwaukee at the time.

 

[CKLW fan]

I can think of one Abrams consulted AOR that did die due to opening up their playlist to pop during this time period. WLPX/Milwaukee was the top AOR in the market. When they started adding pop songs competitor WQFM bucked the national trend and focused on hard rock. Not only did WQFM become the top AOR by a wide margin, WLPX was out of the format by early 1984. They flipped to B97 one of 4 or 5 CHRs in Milwaukee at the time.

I seem to recall rocker WRIF/Detroit playing Stevie Wonder's "Living For The City" in 1973. On the other hand, Elton John always credited Urban WJLB/Detroit (and CKLW/Windsor) for making "Bennie And The Jets" a hit. And, while I respect the comments of those who prefer the "pure" experience, I've always liked it when a station plays something slightly "off-format".

 

[Wil]

The day he died WMMR in Philly played "Beat It", Dirty Diana (with Billy Idol's Steve Stevens on guitar) and the song that Slash plays in (the title escapes my mind right now). I know MMR never played the later 2 tunes, and I am pretty sure they did not play "Beat It" when it was originally released.

 

[OldNumber7]

I can think of one Abrams consulted AOR that did die due to opening up their playlist to pop during this time period. WLPX/Milwaukee was the top AOR in the market. When they started adding pop songs competitor WQFM bucked the national trend and focused on hard rock. Not only did WQFM become the top AOR by a wide margin, WLPX was out of the format by early 1984. They flipped to B97 one of 4 or 5 CHRs in Milwaukee at the time.

Another was WMJQ in Rochester, NY, an Abrams station at the start of 83 that lost ground to heritage AOR rival (Pollack consulted) WCMF. By 84, WMJQ abandoned AOR for CHR. Interestingly, WMJQ's AOR PD, Tom Hunter, went to work for MTV!

 

[Starbucks]

"Time has a Come Today" Chambers Brothers, "Are You Ready" PG&E where crossover AOR or classic rock tunes that consisted of an all black or interracial group with a black lead singer. Stevie Wonder's Talking Book album, and "Living For the City" were all also brief crossovers. Even though he's not black, Barry Manilow was a brief AOR crossover with his first album, due to his songwriting capability as well as artist like Janis Ian. Even Carly Simon had a brief look as a serious artist, (not just a pop artist) during her "Your so Vain" days that gave you the album "No Secrets".
Not all artist had to be AC/DC, Van Halen, party bands to be played on AOR in the 70's. If you were a sophisticated songwriter that mixed in...you got some AOR airplay. In those days..it was all about Albums. Not just rock.

 

[theharleyshow]

Because I was there and do remember some stuff....WSHE did play "Beat It", although it was dayparted and only played in the daytime(I don't know why). WSHE also played "Little Red Corvette" by Prince and "Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant in 1983. SHE was a fun station in those days.

 

[rapking]

It's not fair to criticize a rock station for not playing black artists. That would be the same as critcizing an R&B station for not playing white artists. The reason reason is not many African-American artists play rock music. The ones that come to mind are Jimi Hendrix, Thin Lizzy, Living Color, John Butcher Axis, Sound Barrier, Lenny Kravitz, 24-7 Spyz, Sevendust, King's X, Tony MacAlpine, The BusBoys.

Your post made me think about white artists on Urban stations. I would not count Rhythmic or other crossover formats that play a lot of R&B; only stations specifically targeted to African Americans. Robin Thicke is probably the most successful today. From the past, I believe Hall & Oates, Righteous Brothers, KC & Sunshine Band, Teena Marie and Bee Gees each had a few hits on Urban radio. One-hit-wonders would include Wild Cherry, Queen, Boz Scaggs, Average White Band and Bobby Caldwell.

Teena Marie didnt just had a few hits. Teena Marie was Big time on urban radio back in the 80's . Alot of People was shock that this soul sista Teena Marie is white .Jon B and George Micheal ( won a R&B AMA ) was big in the 90's on urban radio.

 

[rapking]

It's not fair to criticize a rock station for not playing black artists. That would be the same as critcizing an R&B station for not playing white artists. The reason reason is not many African-American artists play rock music. The ones that come to mind are Jimi Hendrix, Thin Lizzy, Living Color, John Butcher Axis, Sound Barrier, Lenny Kravitz, 24-7 Spyz, Sevendust, King's X, Tony MacAlpine, The BusBoys.

Your post made me think about white artists on Urban stations. I would not count Rhythmic or other crossover formats that play a lot of R&B; only stations specifically targeted to African Americans. Robin Thicke is probably the most successful today. From the past, I believe Hall & Oates, Righteous Brothers, KC & Sunshine Band, Teena Marie and Bee Gees each had a few hits on Urban radio. One-hit-wonders would include Wild Cherry, Queen, Boz Scaggs, Average White Band and Bobby Caldwell.

Teena Marie didnt just had a few hits. Teena Marie was Big time on urban radio back in the 80's . Alot of People was shock that this soul sista Teena Marie is white .Jon B and George Micheal ( won a R&B AMA ) was big in the 90's on urban radio.

Lisa Stansfield was big on urban radio http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Stansfield