Too Much 80's on CBS-FM Discussion

[oldies76]

As far as the '80's argument, I have very little trouble with the music they play from the '80's. It might be nice to hear some more upbeat pop from the '80's (aka Whitney's "How Will I Know" and "I Wanna Dance (With Somebody Who Loves Me)," but most of the titles are quite acceptable for this type of station.

And wouldn't we know it, CBS-FM's number one hits weekend with lots of 80's #1's being played thru 1989!
Also, lots of 60's and 70's #1's and a touch of 50's!

Another great specialty weekend from the King of classic hits stations....WCBS!

 

[scooty430]

They're playing Christmas music already? Did I miss something?

Well, it's part of their "Santa Song of the Day" which happens to be "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." When they play it, you call, and you (maybe) win $1000. The contest apparently runs through the week of Thanksgiving.

What an odd promotion for September.

 

[mjb1124]

Well, it's October, but point taken. Kinda makes you wonder if they're planning an all-Christmas flip. I do love the Christmas music they play, but let's not go with too much too early.

The #1 weekend is sounding excellent, as it has the last few times they did this.

 

[scooty430]

Lovin' the #1 weekend. It's amazing how many "no longer playable" songs were once #1.

As for Xmas music, WCBS is tops.

Just heard a promo for the "Santa song." Cute little jingle. But even mentioning Christmas before Thanksgiving should be illegal. Doing it on October 1 is absolutely disgusting. Shame, shame, shame.

I wish KRTH would follow their lead (not on starting early, but with their Xmas playlist.) Jhani Kaye is obsessed with bringing his wimpy Christmas music from his previous housewife / moronic office worker station.....at the expense of the Beach Boys, Ventures, Frank, Elvis.... The guy barely even plays the Chipmunks!

 

[wmgcbs]

The #1 weekend is sounding excellent, as it has the last few times they did this.

While it is great, I must say that I am somewhat disappointed (even though I did hear "I Wanna Dance (With Somebody Who Loves Me").

When they have done the "Three Decades of #1 Weekend" in the past, CBS-FM has done it chronologically - #1 from '60, '70, '80 then up through '69,'79 and '89. I think that of late, CBS-FM has been cutting back their playlist. Compared to their past #1 weekends, this one still blows most classic hits stations out of the water, but compared to what CBS-FM HAS done, it could be better.

Something tells me that even IF they do the A-Z thing next year, it won't be NEARLY as amazing and extensive as this year's was. Sadly, it seems that CBS-FM's perception of variety has lessened over the past few months. But, as I mentioned before, it still is amazing. Compared with what it sounded like a year ago, though, I think it isn't AS amazing.

Well, it's October, but point taken. Kinda makes you wonder if they're planning an all-Christmas flip. I do love the Christmas music they play, but let's not go with too much too early.

I would love to see CBS-FM try to do the "all-Christmas" thing and flip before Lite-fm does. Sister WODS in Boston has done it, and I wonder if it would help gain CBS-FM some extra listeners after the Christmas music would end in late December.

But, the one major concern I would have if I were CBS-FM is that Lite-fm is known pretty much as "The Christmas Station" in the area. CBS-FM would have to run some TV spots or put up some billboards to do it right if they expect to get a huge boost.

With the PPM planned to go into effect soon, I wonder how it will affect Christmas music in the City. Maybe no flips? Later flips?

OK, OK... I'll lay off the Christmas music since it is October 4 (and the fact that people are probably gritting their teeth reading about Christmas music).

But, just as a laugh, in 2006, Lite-fm was ALREADY airing promos promoting their all-Christmas format at THIS time. Last year they didn't come until later in October, and this year's still a mystery...

 

[scooty430]

The #1 weekend is sounding excellent, as it has the last few times they did this.

While it is great, I must say that I am somewhat disappointed (even though I did hear "I Wanna Dance (With Somebody Who Loves Me").

When they have done the "Three Decades of #1 Weekend" in the past, CBS-FM has done it chronologically - #1 from '60, '70, '80 then up through '69,'79 and '89. I think that of late, CBS-FM has been cutting back their playlist. Compared to their past #1 weekends, this one still blows most classic hits stations out of the water, but compared to what CBS-FM HAS done, it could be better.

Something tells me that even IF they do the A-Z thing next year, it won't be NEARLY as amazing and extensive as this year's was. Sadly, it seems that CBS-FM's perception of variety has lessened over the past few months. But, as I mentioned before, it still is amazing. Compared with what it sounded like a year ago, though, I think it isn't AS amazing.

Well, it's October, but point taken. Kinda makes you wonder if they're planning an all-Christmas flip. I do love the Christmas music they play, but let's not go with too much too early.

I would love to see CBS-FM try to do the "all-Christmas" thing and flip before Lite-fm does. Sister WODS in Boston has done it, and I wonder if it would help gain CBS-FM some extra listeners after the Christmas music would end in late December.

But, the one major concern I would have if I were CBS-FM is that Lite-fm is known pretty much as "The Christmas Station" in the area. CBS-FM would have to run some TV spots or put up some billboards to do it right if they expect to get a huge boost.

With the PPM planned to go into effect soon, I wonder how it will affect Christmas music in the City. Maybe no flips? Later flips?

OK, OK... I'll lay off the Christmas music since it is October 4 (and the fact that people are probably gritting their teeth reading about Christmas music).

But, just as a laugh, in 2006, Lite-fm was ALREADY airing promos promoting their all-Christmas format at THIS time. Last year they didn't come until later in October, and this year's still a mystery...

Hmmm, I'm not getting that same feeling - of a reduced playlist. But I don't listen that much day-to-day, mostly to the specialty stuff. It feels about the same, and the weekends are consistently excellent - best in radio, really.

I do think #1s going chronologically is much more fun. They could do it in reverse if they don't want to "scare" people Friday evening.

As for Xmas, I seriously hope they don't go "all Xmas." Can you say overdose? I doubt they would do that anyway. They will go for the type of person who wants a few Xmas tunes per hour, mixed with normal music. The CBS listener also probably wants more rock and "classic" (Bing, Frank) Xmas tunes, not Manilow. That is an open niche.

And please don't replicate Boston's Oldies 103. No offense, but their Xmas music is garbage. (I'm from Boston originally.) It's the same as LA's KOST-FM. It's for the type of person that has lots of "cute cat" calendars, tacky knick-knacks (elves, Smurfs, etc.) covering the bookshelves, and thinks fine dining is Applebees. One of these hideous stations per market is more than enough. Plus they start way before Thanksgiving. Nauseating.

I hope they stick with opening the Friday after Xmas with a Top 101 Xmas countdown, then slowly introducing the Xmas after that. That was a good plan.

 

[wmgcbs]

And please don't replicate Boston's Oldies 103. No offense, but their Xmas music is garbage. (I'm from Boston originally.) It's the same as LA's KOST-FM. It's for the type of person that has lots of "cute cat" calendars, tacky knick-knacks (elves, Smurfs, etc.) covering the bookshelves, and thinks fine dining is Applebees. One of these hideous stations per market is more than enough. Plus they start way before Thanksgiving. Nauseating.

I hope they stick with opening the Friday after Xmas with a Top 101 Xmas countdown, then slowly introducing the Xmas after that. That was a good plan.

I have heard both WODS and KOST around the holidays. I actually prefer WODS's Christmas music to WLTW's. KOST's, however, is a different story. I find that they play a lot of songs with which I am unfamiliar. I had to tune it out when I gave it a shot last year. It just didn't cut it for me.

My guess is that CBS-FM won't go all-Christmas, although it would certainly prove interesting if they did. I wonder how many listeners switch over from LITE to CBS-FM during the holidays...

 

[adma]

And please don't replicate Boston's Oldies 103. No offense, but their Xmas music is garbage. (I'm from Boston originally.) It's the same as LA's KOST-FM. It's for the type of person that has lots of "cute cat" calendars, tacky knick-knacks (elves, Smurfs, etc.) covering the bookshelves, and thinks fine dining is Applebees. One of these hideous stations per market is more than enough. Plus they start way before Thanksgiving. Nauseating.

These days, though, isn't that the core remaining audience for *all* oldies/AC/etc radio, now that everyone else has shifted to superior technologies and venues? It's certainly the audience least likely to sneer at Arbitron diaries, auditorium tests (for money!), typical radio ad pitches, paranoid dentists, etc.

 

[oldies76]

When they have done the "Three Decades of #1 Weekend" in the past, CBS-FM has done it chronologically - #1 from '60, '70, '80 then up through '69,'79 and '89. I think that of late, CBS-FM has been cutting back their playlist. Compared to their past #1 weekends, this one still blows most classic hits stations out of the water, but compared to what CBS-FM HAS done, it could be better.

How about playing every #1 song in real chrono order. Instead of 1960, 1970, 1980, then 1961, 71, 81....etc...
Let's try ALL the #1's of 1960 as charted (Jan-Dec), then 1961, 1962...all the way thru the 80's. Basically playing all #1's in order as they became #1 on Billboard. We should actually begin in 1955, when "Rock Around the Clock" was tops.

As for Christmas music..wait til the day after Thanksgiving (in NYC after Santa passes Macy's)...just a tradition of mine.

By the way..no #1's from Milli Vanilli from 1989 yet on CBS-FM...didn't think so.

 

[scooty430]

The September monthly book for New York City shows this Top Five: CHR WHTZ, 6.0. AC "Lite" WLTW, 5.6. Classic hits WCBS-FM, 4.9.

That quote is for the people who questioned my saying that CBS-FM was #3 in New York.

Would all the people who doubted me please step forward and admit you were wrong. (Eduardo, you can go first.)

 

[scooty430]

And please don't replicate Boston's Oldies 103. No offense, but their Xmas music is garbage. (I'm from Boston originally.) It's the same as LA's KOST-FM. It's for the type of person that has lots of "cute cat" calendars, tacky knick-knacks (elves, Smurfs, etc.) covering the bookshelves, and thinks fine dining is Applebees. One of these hideous stations per market is more than enough. Plus they start way before Thanksgiving. Nauseating.

These days, though, isn't that the core remaining audience for *all* oldies/AC/etc radio, now that everyone else has shifted to superior technologies and venues? It's certainly the audience least likely to sneer at Arbitron diaries, auditorium tests (for money!), typical radio ad pitches, paranoid dentists, etc.

That may be true!

I do, though, like to think that an oldies station (especially one with depth) would have a slightly more sophisticated audience than a lite Xmas station for cheesey housewives.

 

[wmgcbs]

The September monthly book for New York City shows this Top Five: CHR WHTZ, 6.0. AC "Lite" WLTW, 5.6. Classic hits WCBS-FM, 4.9.

That quote is for the people who questioned my saying that CBS-FM was #3 in New York.

Would all the people who doubted me please step forward and admit you were wrong. (Eduardo, you can go first.)

CBS-FM showed that it truly can compete in the 2008 New York market, and I'm glad to see that. I just hope that they keep it up. Top 3 12+ is great, but I don't know how they did specifically in the money demo. I was surprised, however, to see how they were tied for seventh, I believe, in mornings 25-54. I know they didn't usually do extremely well with mornings, but they were not far behind WLTW.

We shall see how CBS-FM continues to perform. It should prove interesting...


Oh, and to add to the mini Christmas music discussion happening above, 106.7 Lite-fm already has a Christmas channel on their homepage. And it's only October 6. Wow.