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Question: What Years Constitute "Oldies"?

V

valkyrie777

I'd like to start a good, energetic discussion of what years constitute the "proper" years...beginning year to ending year...for an oldies station. Since the traditional boomer audience is aging...some will be 60 this year...how will that impact the core library of oldies?

Personally, I prefer to hear an oldies station that concentrates on about 1963/1964 (Beach Boys, Beatles, Four Tops, Supremes, Stones and British Invasion) to about 1972/1973 (Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Crosby/Stills/Nash and Blood, Sweat & Tears stuff).

I'm not partial to DooWop, early Rock N Roll nor Elvis. (Don't throw things at me, please!) I think of "Oldies" as 1963/64 through 1972/73 with British Invasion, the California Sound and Motown as the core artists/feel.

How about some of your thoughts?
 
"Oldies" Years

In today's radio landscape, Oldies are probably viewed by most as being 1964 thru
1978 (give or take a year or two on the 70s end).

I'm positive some will argue the point that the original concept of "Oldies" was late 50s into early 70s and they would be correct-- from the late 80's into the late 80's. We'll also hear from the "Real Oldies" crowd but that concept's name was a misnomer- those stations were mid 50's into the mid 60's, which was never the "real" format previously. But to radio listeners (50-64 yrs old), the original Oldies stations borne out of the late eighties that flourished for 10-15 years were the late 50's to mid 70's model.


>
> How about some of your thoughts?
>
 
Re: "Oldies" Years

> [We'll also hear from the "Real Oldies" crowd but that
> concept's name was a misnomer- those stations were mid 50's
> into the mid 60's, which was never the "real" format
> previously.]


You're right about the misnomer. Chicago's Real Oldies station. WRLL, is actually a '50s/early '60s Top 40 station. The programming is based on Chicago's Top 40 charts from that period (according to the station's PD). On the other hand, programming on "Oldies" stations is determined by station management. The use of charts would be unthinkable.
 
> Personally, I prefer to hear an oldies station that
> concentrates on about 1963/1964 (Beach Boys, Beatles, Four
> Tops, Supremes, Stones and British Invasion) to about
> 1972/1973 (Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Crosby/Stills/Nash
> and Blood, Sweat & Tears stuff).
>
> I'm not partial to DooWop, early Rock N Roll nor Elvis.
> (Don't throw things at me, please!) I think of "Oldies" as
> 1963/64 through 1972/73 with British Invasion, the
> California Sound and Motown as the core artists/feel.
>
> How about some of your thoughts?

Oldies to me means from the birth of R&R (1955/54) through the 70's, centered around 1965. Some disco, some 70's funk/soul, and some 70's classic rock.
<P ID="signature">______________

AOL IM: wnjoldies or jamminoldies105
CBS-FM lives at http://67.83.115.5:8010
Oldies Board co-moderator</P>
 
> I'd like to start a good, energetic discussion of what years
> constitute the "proper" years...beginning year to ending
> year...for an oldies station. Since the traditional boomer
> audience is aging...some will be 60 this year...how will
> that impact the core library of oldies?
>
> Personally, I prefer to hear an oldies station that
> concentrates on about 1963/1964 (Beach Boys, Beatles, Four
> Tops, Supremes, Stones and British Invasion) to about
> 1972/1973 (Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Crosby/Stills/Nash
> and Blood, Sweat & Tears stuff).
>
> I'm not partial to DooWop, early Rock N Roll nor Elvis.
> (Don't throw things at me, please!) I think of "Oldies" as
> 1963/64 through 1972/73 with British Invasion, the
> California Sound and Motown as the core artists/feel.
>
> How about some of your thoughts?
>
How about rock,pop,and soul the50s,now,and everything in between!

1955-2004 works for me.
 
Just for me, oldies is 1954-1971. This pushing of oldies further into the future makes me want to cry. I do not like the changes. At least I have my records and CD's.

<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected]</P>
 
Re: "Oldies" Years

> > [We'll also hear from the "Real Oldies" crowd but that
> > concept's name was a misnomer- those stations were mid
> 50's
> > into the mid 60's, which was never the "real" format
> > previously.]
>
>
> You're right about the misnomer. Chicago's Real Oldies
> station. WRLL, is actually a '50s/early '60s Top 40 station.
> The programming is based on Chicago's Top 40 charts from
> that period (according to the station's PD). On the other
> hand, programming on "Oldies" stations is determined by
> station management. The use of charts would be unthinkable.
>

And we all know what a stunning success story they've been. :-/

Of course, part of their general anonyminity has to do with the fact that (1) they're on AM and (2) they're an expanded-band AM that no one knows about but it isn't 1958 anymore. Just because listeners would sit thru Perry Como & Dinah Washington (not to mention a bunch of obscure "local hits" no one remembers) back then to hear Chuck Berry does that mean they'd do it today? I don't think so...back then listeners had no choice...there wasn't much else on the dial. Does WRLL play Pat Boone's cover versions instead of the "race" versions too? Gotta be authentic.
 
> How about some of your thoughts?

I first discovered the oldies format when WAXY-FM (previously M-O-R WFLM, I think) went on the air in '73 or '74. You can bet it wasn't playing any 1970s music.

How can that great music suddenly not be oldies any more thirty years later?

I enjoyed hearing songs I was too young to have heard the first time around, like Personality and Earth Angel.

I still do like that pre-Beatles and early Beatles music best. Unfortunately WMXJ and WOLL cut most of the pre-64 stuff from their playlist a few years ago. The post-65 I can pretty much live without, even though I'm listening right now. And when they play a 70s tune, I may change the station. Their tiny playlist is ridiculous.

Right now Majic is playing BST's You Make Me So Very Happy. I'm so sick of it.

73s from 954


<P ID="signature">______________
The New News/Talk WKAT ... Unforgettable WJNA</P>
 
"Oldies" Years

As noble at it seems to be "authentic", these days the more you focus on those sorts of things narrower your mass appeal is.

I still STRONGLY believe the Oldies format is in it's current quandry because so many were so slow to evolve over the past 15 years or so. Sure, you can stay late 50s to early 70s and do OK 12+ but you're really limiting your sales force.

A number of current Oldies stations have one foot in the 60s and one foot in the 70s and are doing just fine (Phoenix, Seattle, Tampa, Denver, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Boston, to name just a few). Some who waited too long have been nuked and some who did it wrong no longer exist (and a few who did it right but were replaced by soup du jours formats, as well).


>
> Of course, part of their general anonyminity has to do with
> the fact that (1) they're on AM and (2) they're an
> expanded-band AM that no one knows about but it isn't 1958
> anymore. Just because listeners would sit thru Perry Como &
> Dinah Washington (not to mention a bunch of obscure "local
> hits" no one remembers) back then to hear Chuck Berry does
> that mean they'd do it today? I don't think so...back then
> listeners had no choice...there wasn't much else on the
> dial. Does WRLL play Pat Boone's cover versions instead of
> the "race" versions too? Gotta be authentic.
>
 
Re: "Oldies" Years

> > [You're right about the misnomer. Chicago's Real Oldies
> > station. WRLL, is actually a '50s/early '60s Top 40
> station.
> > The programming is based on Chicago's Top 40 charts from
> > that period (according to the station's PD). On the other
>
> > hand, programming on "Oldies" stations is determined by
> > station management. The use of charts would be
> unthinkable.]

********************************************************************

>
> [And we all know what a stunning success story they've been.]



With commercial radio's shrinking audiences, "success" might just mean a smaller piece of the pie rather than none at all.


[Just because listeners would sit thru Perry Como &
> Dinah Washington (not to mention a bunch of obscure "local
> hits" no one remembers) back then to hear Chuck Berry does
> that mean they'd do it today?]


You're missing the point. WRLL is programming to an audience that DID sit thru Perry & Dinah back then. I know that's not what radio school teaches, but again, it's that small piece of the pie. And those local hits aren't "obscure" to that audience.


[Does WRLL play Pat Boone's cover versions instead of
the "race" versions too? Gotta be authentic.]


What could be more "authentic" than playing the versions that people actually bought and played on the jukebox?
 
Re: "Oldies" Years

>
> A number of current Oldies stations have one foot in the 60s
> and one foot in the 70s and are doing just fine (Phoenix,
> Seattle, Tampa, Denver, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Boston, to
> name just a few). Some who waited too long have been nuked
> and some who did it wrong no longer exist (and a few who did
> it right but were replaced by soup du jours formats, as
> well).

I like your thinking...and that of those 60s/70s stations you mentioned...in how they perceive "oldies". I guess my question would be in deciding the beginning types of tunes (60's) and ending type of tunes (70s). Since the 60s began with doowop/Elvis-styled tunes and ended with Psychedelia and the 70's started with a mish-mosh of styles and ended in disco...where do you start and where do you end?

I really have a hard time hearing a segue of Beatles to Blue Swede's Oooga-Chaka-infused "Hooked On A Feeling". (Extreme examples, perhaps, but you get my drift.)

Good thoughts on your part; thanks!
 
> Just for me, oldies is 1954-1971. This pushing of oldies
> further into the future makes me want to cry. I do not like
> the changes. At least I have my records and CD's.
>
I agree with you on the 1954 to 1971 span for oldies. I'll even accept a little of '72 and '73. I like some of the bubblegum and R&B music from the early '70s. However I always felt oldies was a '50s and '60s format. When I stream stations and shows across the coumtry, and they say: "The super hits of the '60s and '70s", I tune out. That (catch fraise) just does not sound right to me. WMXJ dropped the "Oldies Radio" and replaced it with "The hits of the '60s and '70s". and Idropped them from my favorites along with Dick Bartley and Supergold, and replaced them with WRLL, WLNG, and Sunday Oldies Jukebox!
 
"Oldies" Years

Thanks.

I don't think you'd play much pre-Beatles at all(only a select few of the bigger-than-big hits like Stand By Me, Shout, Do You Love Me, Oh Pretty Woman)- the core would mostly be 1965- 1975. A few before that and a few after.

If you played Beatles b/w Blue Swede, well that's a stranger segue to us than it is to listeners. If they love both songs, they could care less they were played back-to-back.

I'd also be careful of the following:

- to much "lightweight" 60s stuff (bubblegum, early 60's "sounding" post-64)
- lightweight 70s (J-5, Partridges/Osmonds) and the MOR side (Carpenters/ Manilow/Streisand)
- VERY VERY careful on the disco genre. A few transcend the disco label and are just plain great top 40 hits but too many are flashbacks to lousy top 40 days.
- also careful getting too classic rock


>
> I like your thinking...and that of those 60s/70s stations
> you mentioned...in how they perceive "oldies". I guess my
> question would be in deciding the beginning types of tunes
> (60's) and ending type of tunes (70s). Since the 60s began
> with doowop/Elvis-styled tunes and ended with Psychedelia
> and the 70's started with a mish-mosh of styles and ended in
> disco...where do you start and where do you end?
>
> I really have a hard time hearing a segue of Beatles to Blue
> Swede's Oooga-Chaka-infused "Hooked On A Feeling". (Extreme
> examples, perhaps, but you get my drift.)
>
> Good thoughts on your part; thanks!
>
 
Re: "Oldies" Years

Absolutely solid reasoning and thought on your part; I appreciate the feedback. I can actually hear the kind of station you've described.

BTW...I hope you're in programming; we need people like you in oldies radio to keep this killer format alive and rockin'!




> Thanks.
>
> I don't think you'd play much pre-Beatles at all(only a
> select few of the bigger-than-big hits like Stand By Me,
> Shout, Do You Love Me, Oh Pretty Woman)- the core would
> mostly be 1965- 1975. A few before that and a few after.
>
> If you played Beatles b/w Blue Swede, well that's a stranger
> segue to us than it is to listeners. If they love both
> songs, they could care less they were played back-to-back.
>
> I'd also be careful of the following:
>
> - to much "lightweight" 60s stuff (bubblegum, early 60's
> "sounding" post-64)
> - lightweight 70s (J-5, Partridges/Osmonds) and the MOR side
> (Carpenters/ Manilow/Streisand)
> - VERY VERY careful on the disco genre. A few transcend the
> disco label and are just plain great top 40 hits but too
> many are flashbacks to lousy top 40 days.
> - also careful getting too classic rock
 
WAXY was playing oldies in late 1972. If it was 1973, it was very early in the year because I remember listening to their solid gold format in January, 1973 while on vacation in Miami Beach. They were automated (RKO) oldies for many years.

WAXY did play seventies songs. Their policy was to play anything that had been off of the charts for six months.


>
> I first discovered the oldies format when WAXY-FM
> (previously M-O-R WFLM, I think) went on the air in '73 or
> '74. You can bet it wasn't playing any 1970s music.
<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected]</P>
 
You have wonderful taste. I love it! The best of the best. Have you listened to any of the evening shows on Topshelfoldies.com? You would love Dave The Rave on Saturday.

How about hitsofyesteryear.com. They sound more like WQAM from the sixties.



and replaced them with WRLL,
> WLNG, and Sunday Oldies Jukebox!
>
<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected]</P>
 
Re: "Oldies" Years

>
> You're missing the point. WRLL is programming to an
> audience that DID sit thru Perry & Dinah back then. I know
> that's not what radio school teaches, but again, it's that
> small piece of the pie. And those local hits aren't
> "obscure" to that audience.
>


This audience wore Brylcreem in their hair and called their friends "Daddy-o" back then too. Most people with any sort of life don't want to live in the past.

I'm not from Chicago, and have no idea what songs were legitimate local hits, but except for a very small number of music fans who bought and preserved the 45, I'd bet most people have long since forgotten those tunes.


>
> What could be more "authentic" than playing the versions
> that people actually bought and played on the jukebox?
>

Am I to presume WRLL has actual figures on sales and jukebox play from their era? I doubt it. Radio station surveys and even Billboard charts were not necessarily a very accurate picture of popularity.

Also, just because someone liked a song 45 years ago when they were 12 doesn't mean they still like it today.
 
> You have wonderful taste. I love it! The best of the best.
> Have you listened to any of the evening shows on
> Topshelfoldies.com? You would love Dave The Rave on
> Saturday.
>
> How about hitsofyesteryear.com. They sound more like WQAM
> from the sixties.

I like doo wop. It is so entertaining. I like the harmonies and all. Too bad most oldies stations don't play that music anymore.

> and replaced them with WRLL,
> > WLNG, and Sunday Oldies Jukebox!
> >
>
 
> > Personally, I prefer to hear an oldies station that
> > concentrates on about 1963/1964 (Beach Boys, Beatles, Four
>
> > Tops, Supremes, Stones and British Invasion) to about
> > 1972/1973 (Ringo Starr, George Harrison,
> Crosby/Stills/Nash
> > and Blood, Sweat & Tears stuff).
> >
> > I'm not partial to DooWop, early Rock N Roll nor Elvis.
> > (Don't throw things at me, please!) I think of "Oldies" as
>
> > 1963/64 through 1972/73 with British Invasion, the
> > California Sound and Motown as the core artists/feel.
> >
> > How about some of your thoughts?
>
> Oldies to me means from the birth of R&R (1955/54) through
> the 70's, centered around 1965. Some disco, some 70's
> funk/soul, and some 70's classic rock.
>

Oldies to me is late 1950s (1957-1975).
 
Re: "Oldies" Years

> just because someone liked a song 45 years ago when
> they were 12 doesn't mean they still like it today.

I respectfully disagree. Anything that helps to make you feel like you're 12 again, even if only for two or three minutes, has to be a very good thing. No matter how silly or awkward it may sound today. Unless you had an unhappy childhood.
The exceptions, of course, are the songs that have been played to death ever since you were 12 that you are now completely sick and tired of hearing. And unfortunately, thanks to traditional Oldies programming philosophy, that covers quite a few of 'em.
 
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