Survey Shows Gen-Z Not Listening To Radio

[Saladressing]

I was speaking with an accomplished musician who shared his view that "rap music isn't music."

In my view, in many ways it's the rawest and realest form of music.

I thought one definition of music was something that "has a beat and you can dance to." :shrugs:

In the conversation, I was wondering how he could listen to something like the following and not be moved by it. Heck, it even has a melody and chorus (if that's what he was looking for in order to define it as "music"). To each their own.

 

[TheBigA]

I was speaking with an accomplished musician who shared his view that "rap music isn't music."

Strikes me using that same logic, opera isn't music. I had a friend who loved the operatic music, but hated the singing.

 

[gr8oldies]

In L.A. in the 70s, Clearasil, Oxy10, Phisohex and Stridex were Top 40 ad staples, along with hair products like the Dry Look and Protein 21, and Certs breath mints.

Deep-voiced guy with an echo chamber in his voice "Bennzoil peroxide will save mankind'. I remember all those advertisers on top 40 radio and the ABC Contemporary network, especially when I worked at a couple of affiliates.

 

[davideduardo]

In L.A. in the 70s, Clearasil, Oxy10, Phisohex and Stridex were Top 40 ad staples, along with hair products like the Dry Look and Protein 21, and Certs breath mints.

And in the later 50's and early 60's my local Top 40 stations in Cleveland ran many pimple cream ads, along with whatever those hair creams that looked like condensed motor oil and many other teen products.

At that time, teen products had limited places to advertise. There were fewer teen magazines than in later decades, and TV was too new to have shows that efficiently delivered teens... no doubt due to TV being a "family affair" with one set shared by everyone. There were, seemingly, more kids shows than teen shows then. So radio was an ideal medium.

 

[KeithE4]

And in the later 50's and early 60's my local Top 40 stations in Cleveland ran many pimple cream ads, along with whatever those hair creams that looked like condensed motor oil and many other teen products.

"Brylcreem -- a half-a-tube'll do ya! For kids without a clue about their hair!"

Since I don't remember (and I wore a crew-cut at that time, not by choice), I have to guess that The Beatles cut into the hair-grease products' sales big-time, at least outside the South.

At that time, teen products had limited places to advertise. There were fewer teen magazines than in later decades, and TV was too new to have shows that efficiently delivered teens... no doubt due to TV being a "family affair" with one set shared by everyone. There were, seemingly, more kids shows than teen shows then. So radio was an ideal medium.

From what I've read about 1950s TV (I was too young to remember), there were lots of teen shows on TV that tried to emulate American Bandstand, but with about 10% of the budget and with local acts as guests. There was Lloyd Thaxton and a few others that were syndicated, but most were local. But from what I remember, ads for sun tan lotion, zit creams, hair products, and the like were more on radio than TV.

 

[davideduardo]

"Brylcreem -- a half-a-tube'll do ya! For kids without a clue about their hair!"

Since I don't remember (and I wore a crew-cut at that time, not by choice), I have to guess that The Beatles cut into the hair-grease products' sales big-time, at least outside the South.

From what I've read about 1950s TV (I was too young to remember), there were lots of teen shows on TV that tried to emulate American Bandstand, but with about 10% of the budget and with local acts as guests. There was Lloyd Thaxton and a few others that were syndicated, but most were local. But from what I remember, ads for sun tan lotion, zit creams, hair products, and the like were more on radio than TV.

Pretty much all there was consisted of those dance show. The local ones did not get national accounts to any great extent, and Dick Clark took the bulk of the TV budgets. A good example of how there was little targeted at teens is the fact that the Beatles and the rest of the British Invasion artists all tried to get on Ed Sullivan's show... a kind of cranky old guy who had nothing in common with younger people and who looked better introducing acrobats and ventriloquists was still the main way to expose everyone from Elvis to Buddy Holly to the Stones.

 

[KeithE4]

A good example of how there was little targeted at teens is the fact that the Beatles and the rest of the British Invasion artists all tried to get on Ed Sullivan's show... a kind of cranky old guy who had nothing in common with younger people and who looked better introducing acrobats and ventriloquists was still the main way to expose everyone from Elvis to Buddy Holly to the Stones.

Sullivan didn't have a problem with The Beatles or the other British bands. He also went out of his way to welcome Black performers, despite protests from CBS affiliates in the south. But he sure had conflicts with Buddy Holly, Bo Diddley, and The Doors. Those squabbles were legendary.

 

[davideduardo]

Sullivan didn't have a problem with The Beatles or the other British bands. He also went out of his way to welcome Black performers, despite protests from CBS affiliates in the south. But he sure had conflicts with Buddy Holly, Bo Diddley, and The Doors. Those squabbles were legendary.

I did not mean Sullivan had issues with the bands. He just was not a character who could relate to teens and younger adults.

 

[Don CT]

I did not mean Sullivan had issues with the bands. He just was not a character who could relate to teens and younger adults.

Did anyone watch the show for Ed or just for the acts he had.

 

[davideduardo]

Did anyone watch the show for Ed or just for the acts he had.

Younger people watched only when there was a relevant act. We did not want to see the jugglers or acrobats or crooners. And Sullivan was so antiquated in style and expression that he was almost laughable.

 

[CTListener]

Younger people watched only when there was a relevant act. We did not want to see the jugglers or acrobats or crooners. And Sullivan was so antiquated in style and expression that he was almost laughable.

The jugglers and acrobats entertained the kids, and there were plenty watching with their parents and siblings in suburban living rooms across the country. I assume they were also the target demo for Topo Gigio, the Italian mouse. Sullivan was whole-family viewing, and in those days variety shows still worked as a way to attract them.

 

[vchimpanzee]

And I also did not say "music performed by African-American artists" was thuggery. I specifically confined my comments to rap (which I do not consider music in any form) and knowing I may be unintentionally condemning a little sliver of "good rap" I stand by my comment. Rap is nothing more than hate messages for youths.

There is good rap and bad rap in the sense of what the message is. Except for some of the early stuff, it all sounds bad to me. I'm not interested in the message. I'm interested in how it sounds. I tried a classic hip=hop station once but during the time I listened, there wasn't anything from the good early days.

Which brings to mind a question: If there is such a thing as "good" rap, positive vs negative, why is it never played on the various CCM outlets?

CCM is too conservative to allow rap. Some stations will play the harder stuff. I know of at least one HD-2 channel.

Neither did I tell anyone not to listen to whatever they like. I simply gave my reasons for not listening to it.

As for Country, I criticized the current music and not its listeners.

Most of the current music sounds way worse than i thought country could ever sound. A few people are still doing the good kind.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Most of the current music sounds way worse than i thought country could ever sound. A few people are still doing the good kind.

Country has come back around to a less produced sound. Even the artist known as Jelly Roll is OK in my book -- compared to the pop with twang we had a few years ago.

 

[TheBigA]

Most of the current music sounds way worse than i thought country could ever sound.

Unless you get a sex change, you're not the target audience.

Plus most of the artists are half your age.

 

[davideduardo]

Unless you get a sex change, you're not the target audience.

Please don't suggest things like this...

Plus most of the artists are half your age.

At least.

 

[gr8oldies]

"Brylcreem -- a half-a-tube'll do ya! For kids without a clue about their hair!"

Since I don't remember (and I wore a crew-cut at that time, not by choice), I have to guess that The Beatles cut into the hair-grease products' sales big-time, at least outside the South.

From what I've read about 1950s TV (I was too young to remember), there were lots of teen shows on TV that tried to emulate American Bandstand, but with about 10% of the budget and with local acts as guests. There was Lloyd Thaxton and a few others that were syndicated, but most were local. But from what I remember, ads for sun tan lotion, zit creams, hair products, and the like were more on radio than TV.

If you watched Soul Train, the major sponsor was Afro Sheen as I recall (don't think for a minute Don Cornelius wasn't finding his way into plenty of suburban white living rooms)

 

[boombox4]

Re: Country music. Buddy Rich had a bit to say about Country Music.

And Glen Campbell. You know -- the "Cowboy Wayne Newton". He mentions him about halfway into this clip.:

 

[TheBigA]

Re: Country music. Buddy Rich had a bit to say about Country Music.

Keep in mind he was saying that when the popular country stars were Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.

Plus Buddy Rich was hardly on the cutting edge of jazz. He was the Maynard Ferguson of drums.

 

[anotherguyTN]

Which brings to mind a question: If there is such a thing as "good" rap, positive vs negative, why is it never played on the various CCM outlets?

CCM is too conservative to allow rap. Some stations will play the harder stuff. I know of at least one HD-2 channel.

Most CCM radio now is AC, which would be attempting to reach the same 25-54 age group as what would have listened to Southern gospel (equal to country) and inspirational (equal to easy listening) in the past. Also, from what I've been able to find out Christian rap has faced as much if not more opposition in black churches than Christian rock has in white churches. Most Christian rock and rap now is more available on online stations and streaming.

 

[vchimpanzee]

If you watched Soul Train, the major sponsor was Afro Sheen as I recall (don't think for a minute Don Cornelius wasn't finding his way into plenty of suburban white living rooms)

In 1979, I watched an episode of "Soul Train" with some Black guys in college. They were surprised I liked the music. Of course, one of the songs was by Herb Alpert. Technically. They called it the song with the guy who was hittin his sticks.