Just to make a few things clear, I think most of us would say "my" radio station to refer to a station we would choose to listen to. I really think Dial Global standards has made an effort to sound a certain way, and it just really bothers me when I hear things that don't fit. I apologize for getting so defensive about the situation, but it seems to me that if they're going to play more actual "standards" than are really necessary (though I do appreciate it!) they should be careful to avoid train wrecks. And I feel "threatened" if even older people are more accpeting of louder music. To the person who accused me of trolling, I'm not saying I never listen to louder music, and you'd be amazed at what I do like in certain situations, but I think all of us want a refuge from the noise. I don't have the money for XM. I don't have the money for cable TV and TiVo, and yet I keep being forced to spend more and more just to tape TV shows. I really don't need to add XM, or Internet radio in the car, or sound on my computer, or fast enough Internet to actually listen to anything live. So you'll understand, I hope, if I get frustrated with any attempts to take the music away just because of target audiences or what adveritsers want. My station--and by that I mean the one I feel comfortable listening to, which is close enough to where I lvie--is one of two community radio stations, which attracts a lot of advertisers.
Something happened to me 16 years ago this week, which I was reminded of as I walked through a certain neighborhood which I still remember walking through earlier that month as I dealt with the loss of what had been a good station. "Time, Love and Tenderness" by Michael Bolton was the song that told me something had changed. And there were very unsettling high-tech synthesized drums, much like one would hear in today's AC, only considerably briefer. But still very out of character. And among the songs that didn't fit were "One More Try" by George Michael and "You're in Love" by Wilson Phillips (not really too bad), "Nightshift" by The Commodores (not excessively bad but not good), "Missing You" by John Waite and something by the Thompson Twins, though I hadn't heard it and the artist was all the DJ mentioned. And a song the station was absolutely obsessed with--"I Do It for You" by Bryan Adams. I also heard a clip from "Just Like Jesse James" by Cher. When I heard "FM' by Steely Dan, my first thought was that the rock radio station that messed up the station's signal was doing it again. No, I heard something else on that station. Minutes later I got on the Internet, went to the station's new web site, and clicked where I could send an email. I congratulated their talented music director and recommend he go on the late night talk shows. On the subject line I typed "chimpanzee"--or intended to. The typo you can see in this post. I didn't have an email address but when I got one several years later, that's the name I chose. I also used it on imdb. Shortly after this, the experiment was over and the DJs were sent packing. Mitch Miller was actually played on a local show on the first day I knew for sure they were back. Through all this, Stardust was used at night, which was really bizarre because back then it was VERY traditional at that time of day. Stardust was back except for the morning show and that one weekend show with Mitch Miller among others.
Even today, those songs I mentioned haven't made their way into a standards format. At least not one I'm familiar with.