MOR vs. Adult Contemporary

[new_friends_gr]

Lately I've been rather intrigued by the concept of the "Middle of the Road" (MOR) format. I'm curious... are there any radio stations in 2010 that still identify themselves as having the MOR format? Has the MOR format pretty much become extinct, or did it just morph into Adult Contemporary (while changing its name in the process)?

Can stations that identify as "easy listening" or "soft AC" still call themselves "MOR"? Or was there simply a group of artists that were staples in the MOR format who are no longer on the radio (thus the absence of the format)?

Any thoughts?

 

[everydayguy]

A very good question -- I've wondered what happened to MOR, too.

I only worked for one MOR station back in the late 60s in a medium-sized market and really liked the format -- mostly vocals of the day -- Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat Cole, early Streisand, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughan, plus upbeat instrumentals from Billy May, Stan Kenton, even Herb Alpert.

We were allowed to play any songs off any of their albums, so it wasn't just their big 'hits' -- which made for much more variety and listener interest.

Since we don't hear these artists much anymore on the radio (other than a few of their really big hits), I guess true MOR is gone -- especially when we hear an "Adult Standards" station where a Sinatra tune like "Strangers in the Night" is followed by a song from Gordon Lightfoot, Billy Joel or similar, later artists.

I'd love to have a true classic MOR format (the period 1957-1967 but without Rock) on the radio dial again -- but who would listen?

 

[Chuck]

The various entities that keep track of radio ratings and statistics don't seem to recognize the term MOR. That is also true for streaming audio providers. Usually when you update your station information, a drop down menu appears that asks your format. MOR simply isn't there.

Maybe that is why the format has disappeared? Or is it the "Chicken and Egg" syndrome?

 

[cd637299]

Here's a site, and the guy who runs it posted here for a while:

www.mormemories.com

Also....MOR stations at that time were kinda full-service anyway....the music seemed to be more-or-less complimentary to their news, weather, sports (including play-by-play, which happened in the era of non-24-hour-sports-stations), lifestyle features & such....

NBC Radio's Monitor ( www.monitorbeacon.net , I think it is) seemed to go well with MOR stations.

To summarize, MOR music on the radio was meant as a kind of "general entertainment" to go with the other features, IMO.

cd

 

[semoochie]

I suppose that if you could come up with a group of contemporary artists who had general appeal among people between 25 and 64, it would be the modern equivalent of MOR. If you think of ONE name, let me know.

 

[Bongwater]

I suppose that if you could come up with a group of contemporary artists who had general appeal among people between 25 and 64, it would be the modern equivalent of MOR. If you think of ONE name, let me know.

Michael Buble

 

[Ai4i]

Maybe some Harry Connick, Jr?

 

[Chuck]

How about Queen Latifa? She really can sing, and she has done some Standards stuff.

 

[vchimpanzee]

How about Queen Latifa? She really can sing, and she has done some Standards stuff.

Oh, yeah, she would fit even in the real standards format.

 

[Chuck]

How about Queen Latifa? She really can sing, and she has done some Standards stuff.

Oh, yeah, she would fit even in the real standards format.

She does. When we play her version of "California Dreaming," we usually get phone calls. (The good kind.)

 

[Bongwater]

How about Queen Latifa? She really can sing, and she has done some Standards stuff.

Oh, yeah, she would fit even in the real standards format.

She does. When we play her version of "California Dreaming," we usually get phone calls. (The good kind.)

I think when her version of "California Dreaming" came out, she went by "Dana Owens" at first. Her hip-hop image was making her a tough sell even though she had her own daytime TV show by this time and really toned it down since her early days.

 

[Chuck]

I think when her version of "California Dreaming" came out, she went by "Dana Owens" at first. Her hip-hop image was making her a tough sell even though she had her own daytime TV show by this time and really toned it down since her early days.

If you check it out, I thik you will find she was a rapper first, under the "Queen Latifa" name. About 2004 or so, she released "The Dana Owens Album," which contains "California Dreaming" among other songs.

Hey, we all mellow out a bit as we get older and wiser. Mark Twain said, ""When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."

That's why I think there is still a bit of life in some of this music.

 

[klutch00]

A very good question -- I've wondered what happened to MOR, too.

I only worked for one MOR station back in the late 60s in a medium-sized market and really liked the format -- mostly vocals of the day -- Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat Cole, early Streisand, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughan, plus upbeat instrumentals from Billy May, Stan Kenton, even Herb Alpert.

We were allowed to play any songs off any of their albums, so it wasn't just their big 'hits' -- which made for much more variety and listener interest.

Since we don't hear these artists much anymore on the radio (other than a few of their really big hits), I guess true MOR is gone -- especially when we hear an "Adult Standards" station where a Sinatra tune like "Strangers in the Night" is followed by a song from Gordon Lightfoot, Billy Joel or similar, later artists.

I'd love to have a true classic MOR format (the period 1957-1967 but without Rock) on the radio dial again -- but who would listen?

I think the moniker should be revived for those stations that not only broadcast the artists you mentioned, but also artists such as John Denver, Elton John, the Carpenters, Bread, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow and Michael Buble. Throw in some country with Kenny Rogers, Glen Campbell, Anne Murray and the like; and some soul/R&B including Natalie Cole, Force MDs, Diana Ross and so forth. I like the idea of throwing in some of the album tracks by or "B-sides" by the aforementioned artists that maybe weren't hits but that can have some potential.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Force MDs, Diana Ross and so forth. I like the idea of throwing in some of the album tracks by or "B-sides" by the aforementioned artists that maybe weren't hits but that can have some potential.

Huh? Force mDs can't be good.

There are plenty of soul/R & B artists in the standards format. In North and South Carolina we call them "beach music". Which my standards station plays on Saturday morning after Jeff Rollins.

 

[klutch00]

Force MDs, Diana Ross and so forth. I like the idea of throwing in some of the album tracks by or "B-sides" by the aforementioned artists that maybe weren't hits but that can have some potential.

Huh? Force mDs can't be good.

There are plenty of soul/R & B artists in the standards format. In North and South Carolina we call them "beach music". Which my standards station plays on Saturday morning after Jeff Rollins.

So you don't think a song like "Tender Love" is apprpriate? What about some of the songs by a group like "Ray, Goodman and Brown/Moments"?

May I ask which station you're talking about? That sounds interesting. I wonder if they'll play some of the lesser known recordings on that show.

 

[semoochie]

Regarding my last post: Before the Rock Era, when a song was pitched to the populace, in general, everyone liked the song. It didn't matter if you were 8 or 80. That hasn't been the case since the 60s and what eventually did in the variety shows on television. There just isn't a majority of the population that likes anything. Michael Buble' is popular but there are far more people who don't like his music than do!

 

[Bongwater]

Force MDs, Diana Ross and so forth. I like the idea of throwing in some of the album tracks by or "B-sides" by the aforementioned artists that maybe weren't hits but that can have some potential.

Huh? Force mDs can't be good.

There are plenty of soul/R & B artists in the standards format. In North and South Carolina we call them "beach music". Which my standards station plays on Saturday morning after Jeff Rollins.

So you don't think a song like "Tender Love" is apprpriate? What about some of the songs by a group like "Ray, Goodman and Brown/Moments"?

May I ask which station you're talking about? That sounds interesting. I wonder if they'll play some of the lesser known recordings on that show.

"Tender Love" Force MDs (1986) IS one KICKASS old school soul ballad. Almost four minutes of sheer audio heaven

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=260MTsBNfRQ

But the very name of this band "Force MDs".....Not quite so sure. Might bring illusions of those deadly Obama health insurance death panels to the more easily frightened senior citizens in our midst.

Here's another Force MDs classic worth considering nevertheless. "Here I Go Again"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhqTlY50Nyo

Unfortunately, I've heard "Here I Go Again" remixed in a zillion ways (this is the album version) and it wasn't until last year even when I found an original radio single copy.

 

[Prais]

Klutch said, "I think the moniker should be revived for those stations that not only broadcast the artists you mentioned, but also artists such as John Denver, Elton John, the Carpenters, Bread, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow and Michael Buble. Throw in some country with Kenny Rogers, Glen Campbell, Anne Murray and the like; and some soul/R&B including Natalie Cole, Force MDs, Diana Ross and so forth. I like the idea of throwing in some of the album tracks by or "B-sides" by the aforementioned artists that maybe weren't hits but that can have some potential."
_____
Most of what you describe is found in Westwood One's "Adult Standards" format. The artists you mention, no "B" sides, few album cuts and about 800 or so, songs. It is heavily auditorium researched. It can be satellite delivered or locally produced. Each station gives 4 minutes of barter ads, hourly. It's been around for about 20 years, at its peak on about 400 stations (mostly am) now on about 200 stations, starting as "Transtar", then "America's Best Music," now "Adult Standards."

Over the past couple of years the Westwood SALES department (who wants "younger" demographics, hence more modern songs-nearly "Classic Hits") has been feuding with the PROGRAMMING department (who wants "traditional" standards).

 

[Mike Sheridan]

One of my favorite formats because personalities were allowed to talk, and there was a large playlist. I worked at a MOR station in the early to late '70's. Although we played some soft contemporary artists we played lots of the pop standards folks too. We had LP's and some special automation reels we could punch up with LP cuts on them. The reels had familiar songs by familiar MOR artists. Some of the other categories were MOR I, MOR II, and Gold. MOR I and II were MOR oldies with I being from the '50's ajnd II the '60's and 70's. The Gold was made up of some contemporary oldies that fit the format. There was also a Giant catagory which featured the really big hits. "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" by Dionne Warwick was one of those. They were mostly up tempo and opened the hour after the news.

Some of the MOR stations I know of were KMPC in Los Angeles, KNBR San Francisco, WMAL Washington, DC, WBEN Buffalo, WHAM Rochester, WNEW New York, WIOD Miami, and my personal favorite WFTL Fort Lauderdale (worked there).

There is a lot of music that we played back then which isn't heard anywhere now. We could get fairly contemporary without sounding like an A/C station, the LP cuts and MOR oldies balanced the mix.

These stations were full service and had very strong news and sports departments. News was a big draw for the MOR stations.

 

[Prais]

Also WIND, Chicago in the 60's, prior to their becoming more pop, then oldies, then talk, then Spanish, then Salem talk.