More Damning Evidence Of Today's Pop Music

[TheBigA]

I posted my opinion and criteria, not "proof".

Here's what you said:

It was simply proof that I am not a lone voice in the wilderness.

So you used the word "proof." That's why you started this thread. Just so you know, Sinatra has/had many fans outside New York. But obviously that doesn't matter to you. And there are many New York singers who Christgau hates. He doesn't base his opinions on geography. You don't consider him an expert because you disagree with ONE of his opinions. That doesn't change the fact that he is a respected and authoritative expert on the subject. Just not by you. Sinatra has nothing to do with Christgau's opinions on current music. And I didn't bring Sinatra up, nor do I find him relevant to this topic.

 

[davideduardo]

Hooper and Pulse "surveyed" (what we would call "measured") radio audience sizes.

When a station said "Hooper Surveyed #1" they meant that they had more listeners than any other station.

.

Here is a chart from KTKT. It should be clear that the Hooper and Pulse references are about KTKT beeing the #1 station in Tucson.

 

[landtuna]

So you used the word "proof."

You really are incapable of understanding simple sentences, aren't you? I'm done.

 

[landtuna]

Here is a chart from KTKT. It should be clear that the Hooper and Pulse references are about KTKT beeing the #1 station in Tucson.

View attachment 777

Yes, and on the inside a listing of the most popular songs that week using the measurements listed before.

 

[davideduardo]

Yes, and on the inside a listing of the most popular songs that week using the measurements listed before.

But the songs were not measured by Hooper and Pulse as you have inaccurately stated before. The audience size was measured by those audience research companies.

Neither Pulse nor Hooper did any research into record sales or popularity.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._E._Hooper for a brief explanation of the Hooperatings. The company ceased to measure radio in the early 70's. The Pulse was Dr. Roslow's creation, and it measured radio until 1978.

 

[CTListener]

Just my opinion ............

Frank Sinatra may not have written his music but his vocal interpretation of the music was spectacular.

Agree. And the baby boomer conceit that skilled song interpreters are somehow intrinsically inferior to people who strum a guitar or blow a harmonica while singing their own words is truly baffling. Yes, there were singer-songwriters in the '30s and '40s, but they were writing and singing (and accompanying instrumentally) folk, country and blues songs, not pop.

 

[semoochie]

Here is a chart from KTKT. It should be clear that the Hooper and Pulse references are about KTKT beeing the #1 station in Tucson.

View attachment 777

It makes you wonder what KTKT aired between 3 and 4PM.

 

[davideduardo]

It makes you wonder what KTKT aired between 3 and 4PM.

Good catch! I wonder how many other of the huge number of charts available online have similar issues. I remember when stations I was at did charts that the production of same was often a last minute rush job. I can remember one occasion when one of the numbers from 1 to 40 was simply skipped, sorta' like the 13th floor in most buildings.

 

[tall_guy1]

Landtuna will not be responding to this or any other thread for a period of seven days due to his insulting posts.

He didn't insult anyone....and I actually agree with him on points about "music critics." While well-versed in the outside dynamics of music does not make their opinions any "higher" than anyone else, since their opinion is subjective.

BTW, "critics" insult the public and make offensive statements like everyone else. I forget what Pitchfork review it was that called the members of the band "retards with guitars" that later got deleted by the site. So to say that if one disagrees with the credences of music critics, especially in the era of "online journalism" is shortsided.

 

[davideduardo]

He didn't insult anyone....and I actually agree with him on points about "music critics." While well-versed in the outside dynamics of music does not make their opinions any "higher" than anyone else, since their opinion is subjective..

I would agree that this whole thread is based on personal opinion. But when one believes that their taste overrides that of others, it is incorrect behavior.

I'm torn between actually supporting Landtuna and my own opinion of Sinatra. I never liked his music, mostly because the big band style is something that sends me screeching out of range of its sound. So I understand that there are peeps who find his music without value. But, again, that is a personal opinion.

The difference here is that a critic can say they find music good or bad, but here we've seen this opinion transferred to individuals who are of differing opinions and not towards the music itself.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://radioinsight.com/community/topic/will-wcbsfm-101-1-return-to-its-oldies-station-roots/
https://radioinsight.com/community/topic/wnbm-ratings/
https://radioinsight.com/community/topic/why-doesnt-wcbs-fm-101-1-actually-play-oldies-anymore/

Damn this thread reminds me of these three threads where the discussions were originally about the future of Classic Hits radio but it ended up about a guy complaining that his stations were not oldies enough. But the argument ended up being about that KRTH needs 70's-1990's music to be viable today.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Did you ever translate the lyrics into English? If you did, you would know that the "Bamba" was basically just the name of a dance. Lyrically, it isn't much deeper than "Louie Louie," which I also like.

I have heard them translated, but if it is an old folk song, then it must have staying power.

I don't object to silly lyrics myself, as long as the music itself is good. Or in the case of Weird Al, the music can be any style and I would listen.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Just my opinion ............

Frank Sinatra may not have written his music but his vocal interpretation of the music was spectacular.

I agree with that and the musicians who played with him in the later years were magnificent. I'm not that familiar with his big band material other than "Theme from 'New York, New York'".

 

[vchimpanzee]

Actually, I shouldn't have said "New York, New York". The magnificent performances by musicians include big-band style numbers like that. I'm thinking of his early material when I say i'm not familiar.

 

[frankberry]

These are some of the Sinatra recordings which were hits in the USA. 1965 through 1969.

Softly, as I Leave You
It Was a Very Good Year
Strangers in the Night
Summer Wind
That's Life
Somethin' Stupid (with Nancy Sinatra)
Cycles
My Way

The song for which he is best known was recorded in 1979.
Theme from New York, New York

I wouldn't consider any of them "big band."

 

[TheBigA]

I wouldn't consider any of them "big band."

It depends. The "big band era" refers to recordings made in the 30s and 40s. But singers continued to work with large bands after that. The orchestration may have changed a bit.

Sinatra worked with Nelson Riddle, who did the orchestrations and led the band, which consisted of strings and horns. When Nelson retired, Quincy Jones took over. TTBOMK Sinatra didn't work with small combos the way other singers did. He always did things in a big way, booking the main room downstairs at Capitol in Hollywood.

So were they Big Band records? Maybe not in the traditional sense of what that meant, but he certainly used a lot of instruments.

 

[b-turner]

I think we are describing two separate things: A form or style of music as in Big Band Era (Tommy Dorsey and so on). A big band might have many musicians playing instruments, so might an Orchestra such as the 101 Strings. Sinatra did vocals with some big bands (aka bands that were called a part of the big band era) Nat King Cole did the same. I doubt we'd describe the song Mona Lisa or Strangers In The Night as the equivalent in style as say Take The A Train or Pennsylvania 6 5000.