"Separate Ways" by Journey

[new_friends_gr]

It is in 2010. Probably do well with 25-54 women? Check. Does it fit with the other songs on the playlist at WLYT and others? Check. Drop it in the automation.

It is HOT AC. Or classic hits. Or classic rock.

I tend to agree with vchimpanzee on this. "Separate Ways" to me does not seem like an AC song. Back in 1983 when it came out, I tend to doubt that it would have been played on a soft rock (AC) station. It seems like, at that time, it would have been played on more of a regular rock station. But I could be wrong. (I was only four years old at the time.) I just vaguely remember that the AC/soft rock stations were not really playing it much in the late '80s when I first started really getting into radio. I didn't hear that song until later, and it may have eventually been played on the classic rock station in Detroit.

I do question whether Hot AC would be a good format for this song as well. To me, it seems like Hot AC stations typically wouldn't play anything from, say, earlier than 1990. Do others agree with me on that?

I can, however, see an AC (or Hot AC) station maybe playing this song as part of a '70s retro weekend or something like that. But as part of its regular playlist, I'd say probably not.

 

[Seltzer]

Songs tend to "soften: over time. More Than A Feeling by Boston is a great example of that and pops up on many AC stations today. I feek the same way for Separate Ways. Journey was also identified as one of the older end of ACs target favorite artists in the Burns study.

 

[firepoint525]

vchimpanzee, you seem to have a vendetta against
Modern AC radio just because it doesn't play The
Carpenters or Barry Manilow anymore. Get over it.

I haven't heard the Carps (as I call them) or Manilow on AC radio lately, but I have noticed that Mix 92.9 here in Nashville (#1 station here, no less!) has started adding Air Supply (back?) into their playlist. I have heard "Lost In Love" and "Making Love Out of Nothing At All" (the latter of which I really like because it is a Jim Steinman production) on their airwaves lately.

 

[imhomerjay]

Songs tend to "soften: over time. More Than A Feeling by Boston is a great example of that and pops up on many AC stations today. I feek the same way for Separate Ways. Journey was also identified as one of the older end of ACs target favorite artists in the Burns study.

Definitely. There are many songs ACs didn't play when they were new that they do today because....drum roll...the audience is what determines what they deem "soft enough." As in, not the out-of-the-demo folks who can't pick out a can of Chunky Soup because Huey Lewis is singing the Heart of Rock & Roll or what have you.

If the primary audience likes it and accepts it on the station, voila, it's AC.

 

[ddsparxx]

Lite 98 just played Nickelback's "How you Remind Me" today. This is what CC considers "lite"...

 

[carolinaradio]

Another totally different type of music that originally was not a staple on AC is disco - who would have thought it would be so popular on AC (then easy listening) stations years later? Who would have thought The Bee Gees would get such airplay? I'm seeing Duran Duran (Hungry Like The Wolf) on some AC stations now as well.

For those wanting the format to change: Most AC stations still play plenty of soft songs. I heard "Emotion", "Danny's Song", "Man In The Mirror", "How Deep Is Your Love", "I Can't Tell You Why", "You Are So Beautiful", "Tiny Dancer", "One More Night", "The Heart Of The Matter" the slow 90s songs, etc etc just this past week. The slow "soft" songs are still there. The format just can not be based on those exclusively anymore. You just have to deal. And if that's too much...buy CD's, put it on your phone or mp3 player, listen online, get satellite, whatever. It's just not going to change.

re: Hot AC: I think they still play some late 80s, but most Hot AC stations I've seen are mostly 2000s with some 90s and maybe occasional 80s. But there are some that still play a good bit of 80s I'm sure.

 

[firepoint525]

If any of you live near an AC station that carries "Streakin' through the '70s" on Saturday evenings, you can get your Manilow, Carps, and Captain & Tennille fix there. Lite 98.7 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, carries them from 8:00 until midnight on Saturdays, even preempting Delilah to do so! I believe they are online if you want to hear them http://www.lite987whop.com or something like that.

 

[Seltzer]

Another totally different type of music that originally was not a staple on AC is disco - who would have thought it would be so popular on AC (then easy listening) stations years later? Who would have thought The Bee Gees would get such airplay? I'm seeing Duran Duran (Hungry Like The Wolf) on some AC stations now as well.

For those wanting the format to change: Most AC stations still play plenty of soft songs. I heard "Emotion", "Danny's Song", "Man In The Mirror", "How Deep Is Your Love", "I Can't Tell You Why", "You Are So Beautiful", "Tiny Dancer", "One More Night", "The Heart Of The Matter" the slow 90s songs, etc etc just this past week. The slow "soft" songs are still there. The format just can not be based on those exclusively anymore. You just have to deal. And if that's too much...buy CD's, put it on your phone or mp3 player, listen online, get satellite, whatever. It's just not going to change.

re: Hot AC: I think they still play some late 80s, but most Hot AC stations I've seen are mostly 2000s with some 90s and maybe occasional 80s. But there are some that still play a good bit of 80s I'm sure.

The 80s have really moved away from the Hot A/C format and are really a big part of the A/C format today. Nothing wrong with hearing "Love Shack" on an A/C station today. A trend I've noticed in some places is to move away from the 80s and add more 90s material on A/C stations. That's a mistake because there's far more "fun upbeat" 80s music available from the 80s than the 90s. I think the right balance would be 3 70s, 4 80s, 2 90s, 2 00s, 1 Recurrent, and 1 current an hour. Or, 2 70s and 5 80s per hour depending on the market.

 

[carolinaradio]

The 80s have really moved away from the Hot A/C format and are really a big part of the A/C format today. Nothing wrong with hearing "Love Shack" on an A/C station today. A trend I've noticed in some places is to move away from the 80s and add more 90s material on A/C stations. That's a mistake because there's far more "fun upbeat" 80s music available from the 80s than the 90s. I think the right balance would be 3 70s, 4 80s, 2 90s, 2 00s, 1 Recurrent, and 1 current an hour. Or, 2 70s and 5 80s per hour depending on the market.

Most H/AC's now seem like Adult CHR or Modern AC. IIRC, Hot AC back in the 90s was a rock based format; lots of Matchbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls, etc when they were new. Now the format is mostly pop (AC like songs) and rhythmic. Lady Gaga, Jason Derulo, etc. Seems like when they dropped the 80s, they dropped most of the 90s as well at the same time. IMO, Hot AC/Modern AC/Adult CHR now seems like a current/2000s based format with a little bit of 90s.

Like I've mentioned many times, WSPA/Greenville, SC is the poster child for "let's ditch the old stuff" AC. They sit behind the AC that is similar to the breakdown both you and I agree on (maybe 4 70s and less currents/recurrents at WMYI), but do decently. A typical hour at WSPA is 1 current, 4-5 recurrents/2000s, 3 90s, 3 80s, and 1 70s about every other hour. Their music marathons play more 90s/00s. They are slow with currents and sound so repetive, like a typical AC but less older music. Surprised they do as well as they do, but the competition isn't great.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Songs tend to "soften: over time. More Than A Feeling by Boston is a great example of that and pops up on many AC stations today. I feek the same way for Separate Ways. Journey was also identified as one of the older end of ACs target favorite artists in the Burns study.

"More Than a Feeling" is soft for the most part. I heard it on an oldies station where I eat. It doesn't seem out of place, at least with the updated defintion of oldies.

It was on AC 20 years ago. A "soft rock" station where I live updated its sound and dumped Barry Manilow anmd The Carpenters. I don't think they were hot AC after the change because they really didn't add all that much loud stuff. A lot of songs on today's so-called soft rock stations weren't there.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Another totally different type of music that originally was not a staple on AC is disco - who would have thought it would be so popular on AC (then easy listening) stations years later? Who would have thought The Bee Gees would get such airplay? I'm seeing Duran Duran (Hungry Like The Wolf) on some AC stations now as well.

I remember a soft rock station where I live was playing back some listeners' opinions and one wanted to hear Duran Duran. Absolutely not! This was in the days when The Carpenters and Barry manilow weere still there.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Of course, should one think a newspaper would actually care about the music a store plays--or that they were able to chase a manager because of complaints about twenty-year-old pop songs

This is not about the music. This is about the volume being so loud I couldn't stand to be in the store. That's not a problem now. The volume is at a respectable level, and the store is playing the traditional version of adult contemporary. Not soft adult contemporary, but adult contemporary. There is still a lot of junk there, but not nearly as much of the really loud stuff. And that's the way it's going to stay.

And my threat to involve the newspaper? There were those complaining that because this store has a near-monopoly around here because of the headquarters being so close, they get to treat customers however they want. That manager who was chased off did not understand customer service. It would be fine with me if they said, "Okay, we care about customer service, as long as the customers aren't too annoying. If they are, too bad, go somewhere else." And I'm sure the store would have loved that image. As it is, they have solved the problem admirably.

 

[Seltzer]

Another totally different type of music that originally was not a staple on AC is disco - who would have thought it would be so popular on AC (then easy listening) stations years later? Who would have thought The Bee Gees would get such airplay? I'm seeing Duran Duran (Hungry Like The Wolf) on some AC stations now as well.

I remember a soft rock station where I live was playing back some listeners' opinions and one wanted to hear Duran Duran. Absolutely not! This was in the days when The Carpenters and Barry manilow weere still there.

The Bee Gees and Duran Duran are artists that "women" tend to like. And A/C stations generally target women. That's why you'd hear those artists in 2010 on AC Radio.

 

[new_friends_gr]

The 80s have really moved away from the Hot A/C format and are really a big part of the A/C format today. Nothing wrong with hearing "Love Shack" on an A/C station today. A trend I've noticed in some places is to move away from the 80s and add more 90s material on A/C stations. That's a mistake because there's far more "fun upbeat" 80s music available from the 80s than the 90s. I think the right balance would be 3 70s, 4 80s, 2 90s, 2 00s, 1 Recurrent, and 1 current an hour. Or, 2 70s and 5 80s per hour depending on the market.

Most H/AC's now seem like Adult CHR or Modern AC. IIRC, Hot AC back in the 90s was a rock based format; lots of Matchbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls, etc when they were new. Now the format is mostly pop (AC like songs) and rhythmic. Lady Gaga, Jason Derulo, etc. Seems like when they dropped the 80s, they dropped most of the 90s as well at the same time. IMO, Hot AC/Modern AC/Adult CHR now seems like a current/2000s based format with a little bit of 90s.

In case you don't follow the Hot AC/Modern AC discussion board, here are some points some of us discussed in that board:

Actually, I think I got the wrong idea of what HOT AC is. I was thinking a rhythmic sound without the hardcore hip hop hits, but I have a feeling it's those stations that lean mainly pop/rock with some "safe" r&b and pop thrown in. If this is the case, then maybe it will be possible to keep the CHR Top 40 and HOT AC sounds apart.

Brilliant. That's a good way to distinguish Hot AC and CHR. It seems like a good Hot AC station would have pop/rock songs that go back, say, 20 years or so, and periodically mix in a bit of "safe" R&B/rhythmic songs from then and now.

 

[jonbruce]

I voice track afternoon drive on KWXY in Palm Springs which as hybrid Beautifull/EZ/Standards. Even tho we do all shifts with local jocks our music is supplied by Dial Global. I was surprised that America's "You can do magic" is on the playlist. When the song was on the charts I was at a soft ac in the Riverside Ca. market and the tune was too hard for the station. I guess I will be playing "Separate Ways" here eventually! I love the song and play it weekends on our Classic Hits station.

 

[Seltzer]

I voice track afternoon drive on KWXY in Palm Springs which as hybrid Beautifull/EZ/Standards. Even tho we do all shifts with local jocks our music is supplied by Dial Global. I was surprised that America's "You can do magic" is on the playlist. When the song was on the charts I was at a soft ac in the Riverside Ca. market and the tune was too hard for the station. I guess I will be playing "Separate Ways" here eventually! I love the song and play it weekends on our Classic Hits station.

I'll have to check out your station. Although if you are a hybrid of BM/Soft AC/Standards, I doubt Separate Ways will be coming your way. "You Can Do Magic" got up to #5 on the Easy Listening/AC chart in 1982 so I'm surprised the station you were at would have considered it too hard.

 

[andrewduong77]

Lol, yall never mentioned about "Livin' On A Prayer" and "Wanted Dead Or Alive" by Bon Jovi being played AC stations recently. They're way more upbeat and "Separate Ways" by Journey, "Hungry Like The Wolf" by Duran Duran, and "More Than A Feeling" by Boston is nothing compare to Bon Jovi.

I remember AC and Hot AC stations never play such thing back in the mid-2000's. I realize that in 2009 Hot AC stations just brought Bon Jovi "Livin' On A Prayer", "Wanted Dead Or Alive", and even more. Then in 2010 AC stations start playing "Livin' On A Prayer" and some even start playing "Wanted Dead Or Alive".

I believe AC and Hot AC stations are just rotating and yes they do want to turn their volume up to target younger audience somehow, but it looks like they're just mixing in either soft or hard songs, or old or new songs once in a while just to keep their audience optimized, if they play the same thing over again and again it will get old quick. Eventually they might stop playing Separate Ways and Livin' On A Prayer then start playing something more quiet then something upbeat. I think AC just change once in a while. It's just my opinion though. Hot AC stations is also rotating like AC stations with the 90's hits and alternative hits, but they're keeping up with the CHR stations with all pop songs they always been playing.

I started listening to KVIL 103.7 Lite FM as known as AC in 2003 when I was 11. Before that I was never interested in radio nor music that much. I was born in 1992 though. Even though I like mostly 80's, 90's, and today's soft rock and a little bit of pop, I do like Bon Jovi and Journey. I start listening to KDMX Mix 102.9 as known as Hot AC in 2005 when I was 13. Although, I don't think vchimpanzee and some others might be surprised by Bon Jovi's loudness on AC stations.

I remember when we were in OKC and we were listening to Magic 104.1 KMGL and it was playing "Livin' On A Prayer" and my mom got a headache from the station and said that the station is playing too much crap, and I told her to leave the radio on that station cause they will be something good will come up besides all the crap. That song fits me fine, but not my parents, so they scream a lot at me just because I asked them to turn into my favorite AC station when we're going somewhere here in town or out of town. My parents are born in the late 1950's in Vietnam, but they know Elton John, ABBA, etc. I wish more stuffs by Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, The Police, Cyndi Lauper, etc. comes on the radio when I'm listening to AC with my parents because my parents can't stand pop hits like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, etc. or rock and pop from 80's like Bon Jovi, Billy Idol, The B-52's, Paula Abdul, etc. which leads my parents ended up putting in crappy music from their cassettes and CD's or listening to the crappy Vietnamese talk radio which I don't really enjoy at all.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Lol, yall never mentioned about "Livin' On A Prayer" and "Wanted Dead Or Alive" by Bon Jovi being played AC stations recently.

I started the topic just because the DJ called the station "Lite 102.9" and then proceeded to play this garbage. Of course, Bon Jovi is just as bad. The station was playing "Wanted Dead or Alive" and other hard stuff in special programs, but this was the regular playlist.

Actually, the New York City "Lite" station does play "Livin' On a Prayer", and has for quite some time, according to an article I read, and yet they still use the name.

 

[carolinaradio]

Lol, yall never mentioned about "Livin' On A Prayer" and "Wanted Dead Or Alive" by Bon Jovi being played AC stations recently.

I started the topic just because the DJ called the station "Lite 102.9" and then proceeded to play this garbage. Of course, Bon Jovi is just as bad. The station was playing "Wanted dead ofr Alive" and other hard stuff in special programs, but this was the regular playlist.

Actually, the New York City "Lite" station does play "Livin' On a Prayer", and has for quite some time, according to an article I read, and yet they still use the name.

I'm glad you don't listen to Lite 106.7 in NYC.

They make Lite 102.9 sound like easy listening.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Lol, yall never mentioned about "Livin' On A Prayer" and "Wanted Dead Or Alive" by Bon Jovi being played AC stations recently.

I started the topic just because the DJ called the station "Lite 102.9" and then proceeded to play this garbage. Of course, Bon Jovi is just as bad. The station was playing "Wanted Dead or Alive" and other hard stuff in special programs, but this was the regular playlist.

Actually, the New York City "Lite" station does play "Livin' On a Prayer", and has for quite some time, according to an article I read, and yet they still use the name.

I'm glad you don't listen to Lite 106.7 in NYC.

They make Lite 102.9 sound like easy listening.

I don't listen to Lite 102.9, but I have a button set for them because of Christmas, and because of a true easy listening station at 103.1.

And New York City needs a true Lite station. WLTW should be fined or something for using that name.