Over and under played classic rock

[RockJazz]

In my opinion:

Overplayed

Elton John, Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Who, Clapton

Underplayed

Hendrix, Doors, Jefferson Starship, ELO, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Yardbirds/Jeff Beck, Zombies, Steppenwolf and more


If you add more of the late 80s and the 90s to classic rock I'd play Alice in Chains, Screaming Trees, Sammy Hagar, Great White, Motley Crue, Gun N Roses, The Cult, Joe Satriani and others I might think of later

 

[Shark]

I'd add Led Zep and AC/DC to the overplayed list and Yes (other than Roundabout), Gabriel-era Genesis and ELP (other than Karn Evil 9) to the underplayed list. OK, I admit it, I'm a prog rock geek.

 

[Ron_Obvious]

Overplayed:

Fleetwood Mac with Stevie Nicks

Underplayed:

Fleetwood Mac prior to Stevie Nicks.

 

[neumann sennheiser]

Let me add a separate category: "Underplayed and Let's Keep It That Way, Huh".

Iron Butterfly
Uriah Heep
Rush
King Crimson
Grand Funk

 

[swhyde1980]

Overplayed:

Fleetwood Mac with Stevie Nicks

Underplayed:

Fleetwood Mac prior to Stevie Nicks.

Suprisingly at my age, I know Fleetwood Mac sang "Black Magic Woman", before Santana did the song. I only heard it one time, when KZOK played it about 5 years ago. Never heard it since. And somewhere long ago, I heard their version of "Sentimental Lady" before Bob Welch left the band and re-recorded the song on a solo album. And even the old 91.7 KBTC had "Hypnotized" in the station's standard rotation of "Classical Rock".

 

[Grindlfan]

For starters...

Overplayed:
Fleetwood Mac (With Nicks and Buckingham)
Steve Miller
CCR

 

[Bongwater]

For starters...

Overplayed:
Fleetwood Mac (With Nicks and Buckingham)
Steve Miller
CCR

Too few, yet too overplayed songs. Too many, yet too underplayed songs.

That's the problem with Classic Rock. And it's downfall if it doesn't start doing some serious digging through the lost one hit wonders and obscure and rare albums - even if it means installing a turntable in the studio again. There's a lot of great lost music from the '70s and early '80s that still hasn't made it to CD yet. Or released on CD in the '80s, but hasn't been reissued since. A HUGE format of some 50,000 (or more) rock songs with some real depth can work magic......

And isn't it about time Bob Marley finally got some airplay on KZOK? He was one of the most influential artists of all time. Most classic rockers around the world play him (and not only just at 4:20 in the afternoon...... ) And if KZOK can play The Cars (which were a new wave band from the start), they should have it their hearts to whip out "Jammin'" or "Buffalo Soldier" once in a while.....

 

[RockJazz]

I agree that a lot of the issue with overplayed artists is overplayed songs. There is good Clapton but "I Shot the Sheriff" isn't one to me and I turn the station elsewhere when that comes on. The Who have some overplayed songs (like PinBall Wizard) but some I'd listen eagerly to "I can see for miles".

The Beatles given their status in history probably aren't overplayed by that standard but at least half the time they come on I change the channel.

AC/DC may be overplayed and a lot of it isn't "great" but I'll take it as probably better than the alternative.

I'd play Led Zeppelin even more.

My perspective on "classic rock" is that it should be 80-100% "rock" not as it sometimes goes as low as 60% on KZOK at times, especially daytime. What was considered rock in the 60s & 70s was a wide spectrum granted but much of it isn't what rock became. Much of it was simply pop when pop was considered rock compared to what came before it. Stay true to what "classic rock" was and to me you are a bit too much a classic hits station. Say true to what rock is and play the best rock from the past and you are a classic "rock" station.

I might tolerate Crosbie Stills Nash (Young) occasionally but I woouldn't really miss it if it were removed either and I don't want to hear Joe Crocker or Janis Joplin or Bob Dylan or most Beatles.

I don't want to hear something as poppy as the Cars. I don't really want to hear Bob Marley either. I want rock.

I know stations aim legitimately for a wide an audience as possible (and that means women listeners too who I assume want the non-rock stuff in the mix more) but with so many partial or full classic hit stations in the market I'd prefer a truer classic rock or just rock station but not dominated by today's active rock. Switching around between KZOK, KISW and a bit of Jack. KJR, public stations works alright much of the time but it takes some work to avoid what you don't want to hear, moreso I'd say in this market than in other marklets I've lived in with stations with purer classic rock playlists. But it is free and everybody is different. I guess what works or won niches isn't exactly what I'd want and so it goes.

 

[Lonely Summer]

the Beatles aren't classic rock? Gee, I learn something new every day : Oh, that's right, the Fab Four aren't ROCK, they're rock & ROLL. "It's gotta be rock and roll music, if you wanna dance with me!"

 

[RockJazz]

The Beatles are "classic rock". Most Beatles songs are not "rock" and therefore not classic "rock". As I said before. Beatles tunes which are classic "rock" include Back in the USSR, Glass Onion, Dear Prudence, Helter Skelter, Roll Over Beethoven, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Live and Let Die and how many others? I'd say not that many. Most were pop. Now, then. By my definitions. I was pretty young then but I caught the tail end of their run. I bought one Beatles album. I knew the difference, knew the Rolling Stones were rock and bought as much of their stuff as I could. And then Yardbirds, then Zeppelin.

 

[radioman148]

Waaay overplayed, Genesis, Fleetwood Mac & Led Zepp.

 

[Bongwater]

I agree that a lot of the issue with overplayed artists is overplayed songs. There is good Clapton but "I Shot the Sheriff" isn't one to me and I turn the station elsewhere when that comes on. The Who have some overplayed songs (like PinBall Wizard) but some I'd listen eagerly to "I can see for miles".

The Beatles given their status in history probably aren't overplayed by that standard but at least half the time they come on I change the channel.

AC/DC may be overplayed and a lot of it isn't "great" but I'll take it as probably better than the alternative.

I'd play Led Zeppelin even more.

My perspective on "classic rock" is that it should be 80-100% "rock" not as it sometimes goes as low as 60% on KZOK at times, especially daytime. What was considered rock in the 60s & 70s was a wide spectrum granted but much of it isn't what rock became. Much of it was simply pop when pop was considered rock compared to what came before it. Stay true to what "classic rock" was and to me you are a bit too much a classic hits station. Say true to what rock is and play the best rock from the past and you are a classic "rock" station.

I might tolerate Crosbie Stills Nash (Young) occasionally but I woouldn't really miss it if it were removed either and I don't want to hear Joe Crocker or Janis Joplin or Bob Dylan or most Beatles.

I don't want to hear something as poppy as the Cars. I don't really want to hear Bob Marley either. I want rock.

I know stations aim legitimately for a wide an audience as possible (and that means women listeners too who I assume want the non-rock stuff in the mix more) but with so many partial or full classic hit stations in the market I'd prefer a truer classic rock or just rock station but not dominated by today's active rock. Switching around between KZOK, KISW and a bit of Jack. KJR, public stations works alright much of the time but it takes some work to avoid what you don't want to hear, moreso I'd say in this market than in other marklets I've lived in with stations with purer classic rock playlists. But it is free and everybody is different. I guess what works or won niches isn't exactly what I'd want and so it goes.

You know, the definitions of "rock n' roll" and "rock" vary from person to person. "Rock N' Roll" for some meant '50s and early '60s greaser stuff and "Rock" meant serious (or big and flashy) musicianship from the mid '60s to '80s. For others, rock is the word that covers everything. But (like Billy Joel said) it's still rock n' roll to me.

But I do notice a difference between American classic rock stations and others around the world (including Canada.) There's usually a broader depth to the foreign stations whereas American classic rockers are stuck on '70s-'80s arena rock. You will hear "Brain Damage", but not "See Emily Play" Pink Floyd on the American classic rock stations.

French classic rock stations are the most diverse (is Gil Scott-Heron ROCK by any definition at all?)

 

[radioman148]

>>There is good Clapton but "I Shot the Sheriff" isn't one to me and I turn the station elsewhere when that comes on. >>

What about "After Midnight?" I just don't feel like shaking my tambourine that much these days.

 

[ambandwidth]

Let's put this in perspective,the overplayed s**t is all overplayed,the underplayed s**t is underplayed.If you want variety then go internet or satellite,or listen to the music player of your choice!These classic rock stations will play the same rotation until they're demise.Commercial(music),for the most part,is pathetically out of touch with their listenership,that's been determined on these boards many times over. :-\

 

[RockJazz]

I know what to expect and not expect from commercial radio, just occasionally express an opinion for the heck of it. I almost always play my own mixes in the car to avoid heavy station changing distraction. I do it about half the time at home. I'll hit the internet specialty stations hard when I upgrade my computer.

 

[Lonely Summer]

The Beatles are "classic rock". Most Beatles songs are not "rock" and therefore not classic "rock". As I said before. Beatles tunes which are classic "rock" include Back in the USSR, Glass Onion, Dear Prudence, Helter Skelter, Roll Over Beethoven, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Live and Let Die and how many others? I'd say not that many. Most were pop. Now, then. By my definitions. I was pretty young then but I caught the tail end of their run. I bought one Beatles album. I knew the difference, knew the Rolling Stones were rock and bought as much of their stuff as I could. And then Yardbirds, then Zeppelin.

Boy, that's splitting hairs. "Is it 'rock' or 'rock and roll'? Is it 'classic rock' or classic 'rock'?" Call it what you want, it's rock and roll to me" - Rick Nelson; "I know it's only rock and roll but I like it" - the Rolling Stones. I wonder if country fans have the same arguments about "that's not country and western, it's classic country". "That's not classic country, that's bluegrass". "That's not country rock, that's rockabilly". In my house, we listen to both kinds of music: ROCK and ROLL!

 

[radioman148]

The Beatles are "classic rock". Most Beatles songs are not "rock" and therefore not classic "rock". As I said before. Beatles tunes which are classic "rock" include Back in the USSR, Glass Onion, Dear Prudence, Helter Skelter, Roll Over Beethoven, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Live and Let Die and how many others? I'd say not that many. Most were pop. Now, then. By my definitions. I was pretty young then but I caught the tail end of their run. I bought one Beatles album. I knew the difference, knew the Rolling Stones were rock and bought as much of their stuff as I could. And then Yardbirds, then Zeppelin.

Boy, that's splitting hairs. "Is it 'rock' or 'rock and roll'? Is it 'classic rock' or classic 'rock'?" Call it what you want, it's rock and roll to me" - Rick Nelson; "I know it's only rock and roll but I like it" - the Rolling Stones. I wonder if country fans have the same arguments about "that's not country and western, it's classic country". "That's not classic country, that's bluegrass". "That's not country rock, that's rockabilly". In my house, we listen to both kinds of music: ROCK and ROLL!

I agree, we're splitting hairs too much.

 

[RockJazz]

I disagree but agree to disagree.

Some folks like lots of variety true rock to pop and call it all rock, some folks want almost all rock (though some songs carve out an exception) and only call "rock", rock.

But no sense going further.

 

[Mack Daddy]

I'd add Led Zep and AC/DC to the overplayed list and Yes (other than Roundabout), Gabriel-era Genesis and ELP (other than Karn Evil 9) to the underplayed list. OK, I admit it, I'm a prog rock geek.

I'm with you on that prog rock! Even the Collins era Genesis has many great underplayed songs. And they never play any post 90125 Yes!. And I do think it's time to start including some late 80's and even some 90's as Classic rock now!