Now Playing on K-Earth - Classic Rock! (Well, sorta...)

[pjc1961]

Getting back to the original topic...

For the last few months to a year (maybe longer; time flies), WCBS-FM has spiked their rotation with "classic rock/album cut" songs - most of which weren't (big) CHR hits but are fairly well known songs by well known artists (Cars - My Best Friend's Girl; Billy Joel - Scenes From An Italian Restaurant; David Bowie - Changes; Nick Lowe - Cruel To Be Kind; Bob Seger - Turn The Page-Live; The Who - Squeeze Box; many more).

Wonder if it's a national CBS Classic Hits programming strategy (Brian Thomas is CBS VP/Programming - Classic Hits; now in Tampa, previously at CBS-FM) or mere coincidence that KRTH may be headed in a similar direction?

 

[Jay Walker]

Getting back to the original topic...

For the last few months to a year (maybe longer; time flies), WCBS-FM has spiked their rotation with "classic rock/album cut" songs - most of which weren't (big) CHR hits but are fairly well known songs by well known artists (Cars - My Best Friend's Girl; Billy Joel - Scenes From An Italian Restaurant; David Bowie - Changes; Nick Lowe - Cruel To Be Kind; Bob Seger - Turn The Page-Live; The Who - Squeeze Box; many more).

Wonder if it's a national CBS Classic Hits programming strategy (Brian Thomas is CBS VP/Programming - Classic Hits; now in Tampa, previously at CBS-FM) or mere coincidence that KRTH may be headed in a similar direction?

Most likely these "classic rock/album cut" songs tested well in the New York metro.
In order to give the "core" group of songs a longer rotation classic hits stations add regional cuts that test well locally. When you look closely at classic hit playlists in New York, Chicago, LA and Dallas you will see subtle differences in playlists, a direct result of local music tests.

 

[hm insulators]

On another website, a lot of us frequently complain about what we feel is the most overplayed burned-out song on the radio, Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl. KRTH seems to play it five times a day......

Post-traumatic stress from the Jay Coffey programming days. "Brown Eyed Girl" is in a fairly light rotation these days, but some people's internal browsers haven't been refreshed since 2005.

Come listen to the oldies stations in Phoenix; you talk about heavy rotation for the darn thing! "Brown Eyed Girl" about every five minutes! And if it isn't "Brown Eyed Girl," it's "Tiny Dancer"!

 

[davideduardo]

Come listen to the oldies stations in Phoenix; you talk about heavy rotation for the darn thing! "Brown Eyed Girl" about every five minutes! And if it isn't "Brown Eyed Girl," it's "Tiny Dancer"!

As I mentioned earlier, KOOL-FM averages 4 to 6 plays a week on Brown Eyed Girl... or once every 30 hours or so.

Tiny Dance gets two plays a week.

 

[Thomps2525]

A lot of people on a lot of radio fan sites are sick of Brown Eyed Girl. Actually, most of us got sick of it in 1967! I know the song isn't played as often as we think it is...but for those of us who are sick of hearing it, even once a week is one time too many. Every time I hear the first two notes, I quickly change the station. I do the same thing when I hear the first few notes of Happy Together, Oh Pretty Woman, Soul Man, When A Man Loves A Woman, Do Wah Diddy Diddy, Satisfaction, My Girl, Light My Fire, Dock Of The Bay, Unchained Melody, You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling and Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.

A few oldies stations, such as KOLA, are dropping the 1960s music. After re-reading what I just wrote, I'm starting to think that's a good thing.

 

[Marv-L.A.]

Tons of Oldies/Classic Hits stations can't seem to pull themselves away from slashing their airplay on pre-1970s music and increasing airplay on music from the late eighties.

Someone who was in high school when Roll With It, Together Forever, Kokomo, (KOLA has been playing this for upwards of 10 years) Sweet Child Of Mine or The Way You Make Me Feel' all hit #1 in 1988 would be in their early-to-mid-forties today, and comfortably within the 35-54 demo which tons of those stations cater to.

 

[Thomps2525]

If I find out that you were one of those people who did that dumb-looking Egyptian dance every time you heard Walk Like An Egyptian (1986), I'm going to be very disappointed in you.

I'm guessing that a lot of the people who listened to top 40 in the 1980s-90s are now getting their music via iPods, cellphones and Internet and don't spend enough time listening to FM to be an appealing target for radio programmers...although I can't be sure until I see KOLA's ratings for the coming months.

 

[oldies76]

Tons of Oldies/Classic Hits stations can't seem to pull themselves away from slashing their airplay on pre-1970s music and increasing airplay on music from the late eighties.

Someone who was in high school when Roll With It, Together Forever, Kokomo, (KOLA has been playing this for upwards of 10 years) Sweet Child Of Mine or The Way You Make Me Feel' all hit #1 in 1988 would be in their early-to-mid-forties today, and comfortably within the 35-54 demo which tons of those stations cater to.

Because, the music of the 60's is far more appealing musically than some of those tunes from the late 80's. The heavy nature of the hair bands won't cut it on classic hits radio today or anytime! Most people relate to M.J.'s "Billie Jean" from 1983, than "Way You Make Me Feel".

As for the Beach Boys, the hits from the 60's continues to stand the test of time. Why eliminate them all, in favor of '88's "Kokomo"?

Rick Astley, Steve Winwood are AC and fit better on Classic hits. Radio is reluctant to eliminate what's been testing for years vs. just eliminating them to favor the low end of the demo range and their late 80's and 90's music. They risk losing tons of listeners (accustomed to the 60's and 70's) by doing that, thus the delay.

 

[oldies76]

A few oldies stations, such as KOLA, are dropping the 1960s music. After re-reading what I just wrote, I'm starting to think that's a good thing.

You are simply tired of the "leftover" 60's that are being repeated over and over. You need to try a local AM with better choices and selections, than these corporate FM's which rely on lower range demos giving feedback in music tests, that know very little about the 60's music. No wonder we are tired of the same ole.

That's all they know and test over again.....and again.....and again...... ???

Just fire up your MP3 and listen to your selection of 60's the way you'd like and throw in a few jingles in for nostalgic sake and forget the corporate letdowns.

I agree with you 110%

 

[Thomps2525]

You're right---I'm tired of the songs that are "repeated over and over" on oldies stations. While we're on the subject, let me ask you something: Did Petula Clark ever have a hit besides Downtown and did Roy Orbison ever have a hit besides Oh Pretty Woman?

 

[michael hagerty]

You're right---I'm tired of the songs that are "repeated over and over" on oldies stations. While we're on the subject, let me ask you something: Did Petula Clark ever have a hit besides Downtown and did Roy Orbison ever have a hit besides Oh Pretty Woman?

When was the last time "Downtown" got played?

My God, guys, you act like Jay Coffey is still there.

Just to catch you up: "Brown Eyed Girl" isn't played multiple times daily, Robert W. and The Real Don have passed on, Brian Bierne is retired in Prescott, Arizona, and Pet Clark's last hit was before today's 45 year old was born.

 

[RadioStarOne]

Time marches on and our time is nearly over when it comes to what is playing on the radio! Warm up our boxes! lol.....

 

[Thomps2525]

Michael, Petula Clark has a new CD out. It's called Lost In Love. It includes a remake of Elvis Presley's Love Me Tender. And her last US hit was Natural Love, which reached #20 on the country chart and #66 on the Hot 100 in 1982.

Here is Petula---80 years old and still sounding good--- doing a live performance of Lost In Love in November 2012:

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

 

[Thomps2525]

"Why do you guys keep complaining about KRTH playing Radioactive, Thrift Shop and Gangnam Style six times a week? Those songs are only 30 years old and are what KRTH's target audience wants to hear. You can't expect KRTH to keep playing Hey Ya!, Crazy In Love and In Da Club---those songs are 40 years old!"

--Michael Hagerty, May 18, 2043

(I'll check back in 2043 and see how accurate I was. )

 

[michael hagerty]

Steve, I love Pet Clark. Always have. But #66 ain't a hit.

 

[Thomps2525]

Well, I had to come up with something! You win too many arguments with me. By the way, there were a lot of songs that peaked at #66 nationally but were much bigger in Los Angeles. I rewmember all of these quite well:

Lollipops & Roses - Jack Jones
Unchained Melody - Vito & the Salutations
A Lifetime Of Loneliness - Jackie DeShannon
Batman - Jan & Dean
Turn The World Around - Eddy Arnold
Alfie - Stevie Wonder (with his name spelled backwards on the label)
Love Is Just A Four-Letter Word - Joan Baez
Brownsville - Joy Of Cooking
Think About It - Lyn Collins
Sing It Shout It - Starz
True Love Ways - Mickey Gilley
Freak-A-Zoid - Midnight Star

 

[michael hagerty]

"Why do you guys keep complaining about KRTH playing Radioactive, Thrift Shop and Gangnam Style six times a week? Those songs are only 30 years old and are what KRTH's target audience wants to hear. You can't expect KRTH to keep playing Hey Ya!, Crazy In Love and In Da Club---those songs are 40 years old!"

--Michael Hagerty, May 18, 2043

(I'll check back in 2043 and see how accurate I was. )

Hmm. By then I'll be 87...probably complaining about how I don't hear Tears For Fears or The Police anymore.

But...the 45 year old of 2043 is today's 15 year old...so you're probably right on target.

 

[michael hagerty]

Well, I had to come up with something! You win too many arguments with me. By the way, there were a lot of songs that peaked at #66 nationally but were much bigger in Los Angeles. I rewmember all of these quite well:

Lollipops & Roses - Jack Jones
Unchained Melody - Vito & the Salutations
A Lifetime Of Loneliness - Jackie DeShannon
Batman - Jan & Dean
Turn The World Around - Eddy Arnold
Alfie - Stevie Wonder (with his name spelled backwards on the label)
Love Is Just A Four-Letter Word - Joan Baez
Brownsville - Joy Of Cooking
Think About It - Lyn Collins
Sing It Shout It - Starz
True Love Ways - Mickey Gilley
Freak-A-Zoid - Midnight Star

The Jack Jones surprises me. Didn't figure it cracked the Top 30, but certainly better than 66...it was mainly an MOR record.

Of the rest, Joan Baez did the best on KHJ...but even that was only #17.

I am going to be spending considerably less time yet again on this board because of increased work (always a good thing), but before I go, I want to point out that while I draw a pretty conservative line in using the word hit (Top 15, and in a lot of cases Top 12 or 10), most of my faves are near-misses and stiffs. My two favorite Petula Clark singles are "Who Am I" (#21 Billboard, #22 KHJ) and "The Cat In The Window" (#26 Billboard, #21 KHJ).

 

[oldies76]

You're right---I'm tired of the songs that are "repeated over and over" on oldies stations. While we're on the subject, let me ask you something: Did Petula Clark ever have a hit besides Downtown and did Roy Orbison ever have a hit besides Oh Pretty Woman?

According to most classic FM stations...No!! KRTH included.

 

[oldies76]

Steve, I love Pet Clark. Always have. But #66 ain't a hit.

Neither was "I Melt With You" at #78 or "What I Like About You" at #49.....sure.