Rap music on CBS-FM??

[oldies76]

"Bust a Move" by Young MC (1989) was played on CBS-FM, just before midnight (ET) today.

Granted it's old school rap, but...the demo timeline must be moving forward.

Just don't lose the 60's and 70's. I suppose the Sunday night countdowns will keep it safe for now.

 

[ScottBurns]

CBS-FM has also been playing Tone Loc. The first time I heard them play Tone Loc was when I visited NYC last April..quite surprising to hear.

 

[ansky212]

Remember this is NYC. We must have rhythmic music on every station [/sarcasm]

 

[disney fanatic]

If CBS-FM should start playing 90's music on this station, it should be "Gonna Make You Sweat" by C+C Music Factory, that must be a big hit in 1991, I hope they CBS-FM should play that in the near future.

 

[jhguthlac]

As a die-hard oldies fan, I also like Tone Loc's hits and Young MC. So I guess I can allow for their inclusion!

 

[uncamark]

As a die-hard oldies fan, I also like Tone Loc's hits and Young MC. So I guess I can allow for their inclusion!

A question that should've been dealt with sooner if the oldies format had gone through a natural progression of adding a year onto the 70s (and then the 80s) once a year to keep some sort of freshness, instead of sticking to 1955-72 (probably more realistically 1964-72)for years on end and only playing the power hits of that period. As long as they're playing the hits and not turning off the audience that grew up in that era, CBS-FM's doing the right thing.

 

[DToTheJ]

"Bust a Move" by Young MC (1989) was played on CBS-FM, just before midnight (ET) today...

I believe that was part of their "dance classics" hour on Sunday nights at 11 PM. (And I only know such a program exists because of discussion on message boards about whether or not it's worth it to air "uptempo records" on a late Sunday night... I guess Marvin Young will give 'em something else to talk about!)

 

[wprt949]

and next week cbs-fm will play biz markie just a friend in the 12 noon hour on a tuesday afternoon

 

[WNTIRadio]

I've heard the Tone Loc cuts on CBS-FM and even if they're 22 years old, they're still out of place. There's PLENTY of other songs from that era that would fit CBS-FM fine. The programming guys do an amazing job there, but those cuts I just can't agree on.

 

[landtuna]

A question that should've been dealt with sooner if the oldies format had gone through a natural progression of adding a year onto the 70s (and then the 80s) once a year to keep some sort of freshness, instead of sticking to 1955-72 (probably more realistically 1964-72)for years on end and only playing the power hits of that period. As long as they're playing the hits and not turning off the audience that grew up in that era, CBS-FM's doing the right thing.

I disagree. Oldies are the first generation of Rock n Roll, not a moving target of aged popular music. KOOL-FM in Phoenix, once the world's greatest Oldies station is but a shadow of its former self having first played Disco and now moving more and more into the 80's. They have turned me off completely. Fortunately there are a wealth of Oldies on the Internet.

 

[reelyreal]

A question that should've been dealt with sooner if the oldies format had gone through a natural progression of adding a year onto the 70s (and then the 80s) once a year to keep some sort of freshness, instead of sticking to 1955-72 (probably more realistically 1964-72)for years on end and only playing the power hits of that period. As long as they're playing the hits and not turning off the audience that grew up in that era, CBS-FM's doing the right thing.

I disagree. Oldies are the first generation of Rock n Roll, not a moving target of aged popular music. KOOL-FM in Phoenix, once the world's greatest Oldies station is but a shadow of its former self having first played Disco and now moving more and more into the 80's. They have turned me off completely. Fortunately there are a wealth of Oldies on the Internet.

When was it set in stone on high that oldies could only be 1955-1972? At the time the gold format took hold, it was just aged popular music. Why shouldn't it progress, just like everything else?

 

[landtuna]

When was it set in stone on high that oldies could only be 1955-1972? At the time the gold format took hold, it was just aged popular music. Why shouldn't it progress, just like everything else?

It isn't "set in stone" but should be set in popular parlance. Modern PD's are too young to fully appreciate Oldies and give the genre it deserves.

"Standards" come from the 30's, 40's and 50's and even though some modern artists cover the old Standards they are not usually played alongside Sinatra, Crosby, etc.

Disco is not moveable. Modern Disco is called Dance or Rhythmic or whatever.

Modern Rock, such as it is, bears almost no resemblance to Oldies and should not be included in that category.

If I were king I would so decree. ;D

 

[tophour]

I disagree. Oldies are the first generation of Rock n Roll, not a moving target of aged popular music.

To radio people. To actual listeners, oldies is pretty much anything 30+ years old.

KOOL-FM in Phoenix, once the world's greatest Oldies station is but a shadow of its former self having first played Disco and now moving more and more into the 80's.

And yet, they're #2 6+ and have their best numbers in years. That's a pretty solid shadow.

 

[WNTIRadio]

Yes, technically "oldies" is anything over 20+ years old. However, from 1980 (especially 1985) onward, there is more and more genre fragmentation in popular music. Along comes rap and hair metal. Then grunge.

There were always different genres of music, but for the "oldies" before 1980, they were mainly all played on the same top 40 station. Look at a WABC playlist from the early and mid 70's or the 60's, they're all over the place. So, people were used to hearing all of this music together.

Then along came urban CHR, alternative rock stations, pop CHR, hot AC.... the music that used to be presented all together wasn't anymore. And there was a production/stylistic shift in the music as well. A PD and/or MD of a now "classic hits" station has to carefully weigh: Was the song a hit? If it was a hit, does it have staying power? (There are lots of hits from 30 years ago that nobody wants to hear again, especially on a rotation) If it has staying power, then how does it sit with everything else I play? Will it stick out like a sore thumb? Will it be a jarring segue next to a song from 1976?

There is plenty of pop material from that time period that CBS-FM doesn't need to delve into hip hop, grunge or hair metal. At least not for another 10 years. In 2121, classic hits will be what an "oldies" station is right now.

 

[Wildstyle K]

  In 2121, classic hits will be what an "oldies" station is right now. 

In 2121, I most likely wouldn't be alive, but if a way to extend modern life spans over 100+ years is invented and I choose to take advantage of it, I'd more than likely be more interested in space travel and exploring other planets than waiting to see if "Yeah" by Usher or certain Lady Gaga songs are played on a classic hits terrestrial radio station.  ;D

Hopefully my Ipod will be Satellite Radio Compatible by that time since I will be listening to it from space.

By the way, I doubt that 2121 oldies fans and people will be into Lady Gaga or Usher...etc. They'd probably be more into the best of the 80's and 90's.... from around 2080 and 2090!

 

[landtuna]

To radio people. To actual listeners, oldies is pretty much anything 30+ years old.

NO! You have missed my point. Ask anyone over the age of 50 and they will tell you exactly what Oldies are. And it ain't the Culture Club from the mid-80's.

KOOL-FM in Phoenix, once the world's greatest Oldies station is but a shadow of its former self having first played Disco and now moving more and more into the 80's.

And yet, they're #2 6+ and have their best numbers in years. That's a pretty solid shadow.

That is because there is no competition OTA in Phoenix. The only other station playing true Oldies is a rimshot AM daytimer. Anyone wanting Oldies in Phoenix has only one choice. It does go to show that the genre is still a desirable one despite the agencies. Put KAZG on a quality 24 hour FM signal and KOOL's numbers decline.

 

[oldies76]

By the way, I doubt that 2121 oldies fans and people will be into Lady Gaga or Usher...etc. They'd probably be more into the best of the 80's and 90's.... from around 2080 and 2090!

I just hope that the true oldies of the 1950's, 60's & 70's are preserved forever, so it can be enjoyed by some people in 2121 or later. Imagine hearing the Beatles in that time!

I wonder if "In the Year 2525" would make a comeback in 2525...

 

[oldies76]

Ask anyone over the age of 50 and they will tell you exactly what Oldies are. And it ain't the Culture Club from the mid-80's.

Very true, but growing up in the 70's and early 80's, would make those songs, our oldies.

I guess teens listening to Gaga or Bruno Mars would call them oldies in 30 years.

 

[disney fanatic]

Nice info on the oldies. I guess that CBS-FM took a different direction playing a bit of rap music in a fashion. Take for example "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang, it was the very first rap record to hit the scene in late 1979. And then, Doug E Fresh & Slick Rick also did "The Show" back around 1985. I don't really see rap music on CBS-FM, but I'm not a rap expert.

Yes, technically "oldies" is anything over 20+ years old. However, from 1980 (especially 1985) onward, there is more and more genre fragmentation in popular music. Along comes rap and hair metal. Then grunge.

There were always different genres of music, but for the "oldies" before 1980, they were mainly all played on the same top 40 station. Look at a WABC playlist from the early and mid 70's or the 60's, they're all over the place. So, people were used to hearing all of this music together.

Then along came urban CHR, alternative rock stations, pop CHR, hot AC.... the music that used to be presented all together wasn't anymore. And there was a production/stylistic shift in the music as well. A PD and/or MD of a now "classic hits" station has to carefully weigh: Was the song a hit? If it was a hit, does it have staying power? (There are lots of hits from 30 years ago that nobody wants to hear again, especially on a rotation) If it has staying power, then how does it sit with everything else I play? Will it stick out like a sore thumb? Will it be a jarring segue next to a song from 1976?

There is plenty of pop material from that time period that CBS-FM doesn't need to delve into hip hop, grunge or hair metal. At least not for another 10 years. In 2121, classic hits will be what an "oldies" station is right now.

Thanks for the info, but look at WGNY's "Fox Oldies" in the Hudson Valley listening area if you are listening on 98.9. They play a lot of 50's and early 60's music in its rotation, just like CBS-FM did back in the old days during the Bill Brown/Joe McCoy era. On top of all that, they played 60's and even some 70's music with no disco on there. I enjoyed "Fox Oldies" so much, because of Van Ritshie, Bob O, "Buffalo" Bob Corstino and Joe Manglass. They're like the Harry Harrison's, the Bill Brown's, the Bob Shannon's and the Bobby Jay's of the world that we knew and loved by the millions. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! "Fox Oldies" on 98.9 is where is at.

 

[bobmathers]

I love the back and forth observations on this thread. Both sides have valid points, my experience however tells me it is wise to consider several things.

1. Every hit oldie is timeless.
2. Not every hit oldie is relevant to an oldies format.
3. A universally familiar blend is important.
4. Avoid predictability (i.e, a comparatively small playlist)
5. The listener is more 'hip' than we give him/her credit for.

I manage a station in Westminster, Maryland. WTTR-AM. If any of you are interested you can sample our format of oldies 50's-90's at www.wttr.com.

I'm interested in any observations you'd care to offer...pro and con. Feel free to weigh in.

Thanks,

Bob