• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Radio stations that are "chestnuts"/anomalies

The average person stops listening to new music around age 34. That was about the age I stopped listening to pop and current country music. I always tell my nieces that my music tastes have never stopped growing. It's just not the pop or country sound anymore. While I will occasionally listen to new rock or acoustic songs, I usually stick to classic hits, classic rock, or classic alternative.
I haven't really listened to new music other than country, except for Casey Kasem's countdowns, since about 1980 and I wasn't a fan of a lot of the new music in the 70s.

There have been a lot of new recordings of older songs. I'm discovering new recordings constantly, so it's almost like the songs are new. And even new songs which are old.
 
I haven't really listened to new music other than country,
Same here, although I admit that I like a lower percentage of current songs than I did in the '90s (when I was in my 40s), and even the '90s had more "switch-the-station" songs for me than the '80s or '70s did. Seems to me that country, despite the huge changes in its overall sound, has succeeded in retaining older listeners better than pop or rock.
 
Same here, although I admit that I like a lower percentage of current songs than I did in the '90s (when I was in my 40s), and even the '90s had more "switch-the-station" songs for me than the '80s or '70s did. Seems to me that country, despite the huge changes in its overall sound, has succeeded in retaining older listeners better than pop or rock.
But now, there are very few good new country songs.
 
But now, there are very few good new country songs.
I agree. My favorite country songs are from the 50s-70s, and a bit into the 80s and even 90s,

Most any country from the 2000s and up seem to me like little ore than the same boring CHR pop with twangy vocals and a pedal steel instead of (or in addition to) the now standard Autotuned vocals and loud, bass-heavy synthesizers, none of which I care much for (80s and some 90s synthesizer material isn't so bad; I think the rampant computerization and digitization that happened starting in the late 2000s has ruined much of it by making it sound harsh and inhumanly perfect).

But like vchimpanzee, I, too am an outlier, so there you go.

c
 
I think maybe we need a board just for outliers to post their complaints, gripes, and assorted other dissatisfactions with today's music, station operations, and whatever else they are unhappy about.

At least if they had their own board they would be able to agree with each other without us realists getting in their way ... 🤔
 
I haven't really listened to new music other than country, except for Casey Kasem's countdowns, since about 1980 and I wasn't a fan of a lot of the new music in the 70s.

You must be getting very tired of stations changing formats from Oldies and Standards to ones that actually bring in ad revenue.
 
I haven't really listened to new music other than country, except for Casey Kasem's countdowns, since about 1980 and I wasn't a fan of a lot of the new music in the 70s.

There have been a lot of new recordings of older songs. I'm discovering new recordings constantly, so it's almost like the songs are new. And even new songs which are old.

I'm curious... how old are you.. i think knowing your age might help understand your POV A bit better, @vchimpanzee
 
Has WVCO Myrtle Beach been mentioned? It's not the only beach music station, but the format is quite unusual. So many of the songs are unfamiliar to the average person. A number of the songs are familiar Motown, doo-wop or various styles that would have been urban AC. But a lot are just songs in the "beach music" category and only familiar to fans of the genre. The best way to describe it is music the white kids in the 50s and 60s danced to even though most of the artists were Black. And then there are songs that seem to have no reason for being there. Not all the songs are old because as with standards, beach music is still being recorded. And then there was the new Thomas Rhett song. That faux country with what seemed like auto tune. But it didn't seem quite as out of place with R & B as it does with "real country".
 
I think maybe we need a board just for outliers to post their complaints, gripes, and assorted other dissatisfactions with today's music, station operations, and whatever else they are unhappy about.
The man who runs Serenade Radio would be happy to join. On the subject of outliers, that would definitely describe their mix of music.
At least if they had their own board they would be able to agree with each other without us realists getting in their way ... 🤔
I think you described my Facebook group. I'm a member, not the one who started it.
 
I agree. My favorite country songs are from the 50s-70s, and a bit into the 80s and even 90s,

Most any country from the 2000s and up seem to me like little ore than the same boring CHR pop with twangy vocals and a pedal steel instead of (or in addition to) the now standard Autotuned vocals and loud, bass-heavy synthesizers, none of which I care much for
Don't forget banjos. I was going up and down the dial and heard Jelly Roll doing heavy metal with banjo.
(80s and some 90s synthesizer material isn't so bad; I think the rampant computerization and digitization that happened starting in the late 2000s has ruined much of it by making it sound harsh and inhumanly perfect).
Synthesizer to me is bad in general. There are a few exceptions. "Popcorn" comes to mind. Also, "She Blinded Me with Science". Which reminds me ...
But like vchimpanzee, I, too am an outlier, so there you go.

c
 
The average person stops listening to new music around age 34. That was about the age I stopped listening to pop and current country music. I always tell my nieces that my music tastes have never stopped growing. It's just not the pop or country sound anymore. While I will occasionally listen to new rock or acoustic songs, I usually stick to classic hits, classic rock, or classic alternative.
And yet people over the age of 34 do listen to stations that play some new music -- so, apparently, older folks are open to hearing and presumably enjoying some new music. Otherwise, none of the newer songs would ever test well with a 35 and up audience.

(And, yes, I'm well over that age myself and still do listen to some new music. I even still find new songs that I end up liking quite a bit from time to time, but I'm definitely much less into new music than I was when I was younger. I also don't assume that I'm typical for my age, as I wrote above, there are stations targeting a 35+ audience that include current music in their formats)
 
Ah, early electronica!

It's amazing that this was from the 60s. To echo some of the comments on this particular video, it is ahead of its time!

I actually like it!

c
 
But now, there are very few good new country songs.
Oh, come on Chimp. How could you not enjoy the wanderings of such current Country artists like Marshmello & Kane Brown, Put Some Miles On It:
"… Girl, let's go put some miles on it
Back of the Chevy with the engine runnin'
Just you and me in a truck bed wide like a California King
We could break it in if you know what I mean
Put some miles on it
Back of the Chevy with the engine runnin'
Just you and me in a truck bed wide like a California King
We could break it in if you know what I mean"


Without a doubt, a country classic in the making.
I'm kidding.
;)
 
And yet people over the age of 34 do listen to stations that play some new music -- so, apparently, older folks are open to hearing and presumably enjoying some new music. Otherwise, none of the newer songs would ever test well with a 35 and up audience.

I’ve done AC and country. I'm aware some new songs appeal to a middle aged audience. Such consensus songs, however, are relatively few, and even fewer cross over to the pop charts. Most AC and country outlets where I've been also had about a four hour rotation on their powers. The AC's had between two and four other new songs that were played less frequently either on their way up to becoming powers or on their way off the playlist. A handful would continue on as recurrents. The average Top-40 rotates its powers at least twice as often; some of the most aggressive even have roughly 90 minute rotations.

(And, yes, I'm well over that age myself and still do listen to some new music. I even still find new songs that I end up liking quite a bit from time to time, but I'm definitely much less into new music than I was when I was younger. I also don't assume that I'm typical for my age, as I wrote above, there are stations targeting a 35+ audience that include current music in their formats)

As I mentioned above, my music tastes haven’t stopped growing, but you don’t see me listening to a Pop/Top-40 station unless at least one of my nieces is with me (the oldest of whom is 20) or the weather is bad. Surprisingly, one of the local Top-40's actually does a good job covering stormy weather. You may not agree with (or not like) the way I said it, but listening habits change dramatically around age 34. That includes a movement away from new music and the pop sound in general.
 
You may not agree with (or not like) the way I said it, but listening habits change dramatically around age 34. That includes a movement away from new music and the pop sound in general.
There has been some private research in this area.

Rather than an age, there is a "transition point" where people's interests change from "the latest song that dropped from... " to a more significant job, a marriage, the buying of a house or some other event or set of them that change priorities in life.

Among Hispanics, marriage is the big transition point, and because it occurs at an average younger age than non-Hispanic whites, it means that the mid to late 20's is the habit change moment you refer to.

Among non-Hispanic whites, delaying or not considering marriage will blur this point or make other life events like a job promotion become the critical event.

That is why, as you mention, adult targeted stations will add fewer currents, rely more on established artists, and rotate them less aggressively.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom