What I don't understand.......

[vetinradio]

Barry Manilow's new CD, "Greatest Songs of the '50s" zooms to #1 on
the Billboard Album chart, presumably with little or no radio airplay.
With Adult Standards stations dropping like flies all over the country,
how can station owners (big AND small) justify dumping this format as
"too old"? I'm sure it ain't all 80-year-olds buying this Manilow
disc. In addition, with brisk sales for the Rod Stewart "standards"
discs (like 'em or not), plus younger artists like Michael Buble, how
can these people justify saying there is either no audience for this
music, or the existing audience is too "old".
Where does the audience go?? Is the future going to be "standards" channels
on XM or Sirius and little else??
Like so much in today's commercial radio, I just don't get it.

 

[KenClark]

> Barry Manilow's new CD, "Greatest Songs of the '50s" zooms
> to #1 on
> the Billboard Album chart, presumably with little or no
> radio airplay.
> With Adult Standards stations dropping like flies all over
> the country,
> how can station owners (big AND small) justify dumping this
> format as
> "too old"? I'm sure it ain't all 80-year-olds buying this
> Manilow
> disc. In addition, with brisk sales for the Rod Stewart
> "standards"
> discs (like 'em or not), plus younger artists like Michael
> Buble, how
> can these people justify saying there is either no audience
> for this
> music, or the existing audience is too "old".
> Where does the audience go?? Is the future going to be
> "standards" channels
> on XM or Sirius and little else??
> Like so much in today's commercial radio, I just don't get
> it.
>

Hello!

I've made this same argument in other threads, and I agree with you heartily, but, as I'm told, it seems that there's something more subtle going on here, at least on a nationwide level.

I'm finding that Standards "purists" have little to no patience for Rod Stewart and Diana Krall. There's a definite "generation gap" opening up in the format.

These older purists appear to want the 50s MOR back (like Westwood One used to play), along the lines of Jo Stafford, Vic Damone, Ketty Lester, and the like.

And, they want their radios to sound old!! Not to demean anyone's format, but "Music Of Your Life" has old announcers working old liners cards in an old-style music clock. I don't mind listening to it when I can get it, but I do come away feeling a whole lot older. (One night, Gary Owens was wheezing so badly, I didn't think he'd live through his shift!!)

These same folks also cynically accuse Michael Bublé, Renee Olstead, Chris Botti, and the like of merely "posturing"...that is, recording Standards because it's the "hot" thing to do...merely biding their time until they can make a break for the pop charts. While I think Bublé is one of the best new artists around, it doesn't help the argument that he remakes songs from a number of different styles, not just Standards. The cynics are pointing to his hit single "Home" as a vindication of their belief that he never was a "true Standards" artist, and probably will never be.

Standards "purists" appear to care little for youth, and would prefer that the youth not touch "their" catalog.

Paradoxically, the younger Standards fans seem to want even more Frank, Tony, Dean, and Sammy, and a lot less of the soft AC. Before the Sirius "Standard Time" channel merged with their Big Band format, I think you had there an excellent example of a modern-as-tomorrow Standards presentation. (Not now, though. It's definitely "olded up.")

Like it or not (and I like it!), the Westwood One approach to Standards is the one that's going to win. It's the future of the format. If you listen all day like I do, with the radio on in the background, the texture is very pleasing. And, Anne Murray, the Carpenters, and Kenny Rogers recorded fabulous songs that no other station will touch. I think the format is right on target! And, while I'm not permitted to quote Arbitron numbers for my station, I *can* say that we had a FANTASTIC Fall book!

You have great new albums like the Manilow you mentioned, along with the new Bette Midler "Peggy Lee" remakes, the Steve Tyrell "Sinatra" CD...all great stuff, but the purists won't buy them. The younger folks will.

See, this is how Standards is going to survive vs oldies. With Standards, the emphasis was almost always on the *song*, and not often on the artist. The music publishers ruled the charts in the "glory days." The artists were usually secondary. This is why remakes of Standards go over so well. Nobody thinks it blasphemous to redo "(I've Got You) Under My Skin." With oldies, it's the artist first, and then the music. Unless someone can outdo the Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand," or the Eagles' "The Long Run," nobody will dare to redo them, and the audience won't accept those remakes. The songs, great as they are, are fossilized in time because of this.

That's a long answer to a short question, and I'm sure I'm going to get flamed mightily for it, but I insist on keeping the faith, and we have a decent track record to back it up.

Regards,
Ken Clark
BIG WRIG 1390
The Home Of America's Best Music
www.bigwrig.com

 

[ibezdechi]

It's too bad that you guys don't have a web stream...

I think you are totally right... Formats need to evolve and must be dynamic. If they are allowed to get stale they die....


> > Barry Manilow's new CD, "Greatest Songs of the '50s" zooms
>
> > to #1 on
> > the Billboard Album chart, presumably with little or no
> > radio airplay.
> > With Adult Standards stations dropping like flies all over
>
> > the country,
> > how can station owners (big AND small) justify dumping
> this
> > format as
> > "too old"? I'm sure it ain't all 80-year-olds buying this
> > Manilow
> > disc. In addition, with brisk sales for the Rod Stewart
> > "standards"
> > discs (like 'em or not), plus younger artists like Michael
>
> > Buble, how
> > can these people justify saying there is either no
> audience
> > for this
> > music, or the existing audience is too "old".
> > Where does the audience go?? Is the future going to be
> > "standards" channels
> > on XM or Sirius and little else??
> > Like so much in today's commercial radio, I just don't get
>
> > it.
> >
>
> Hello!
>
> I've made this same argument in other threads, and I agree
> with you heartily, but, as I'm told, it seems that there's
> something more subtle going on here, at least on a
> nationwide level.
>
> I'm finding that Standards "purists" have little to no
> patience for Rod Stewart and Diana Krall. There's a
> definite "generation gap" opening up in the format.
>
> These older purists appear to want the 50s MOR back (like
> Westwood One used to play), along the lines of Jo Stafford,
> Vic Damone, Ketty Lester, and the like.
>
> And, they want their radios to sound old!! Not to demean
> anyone's format, but "Music Of Your Life" has old announcers
> working old liners cards in an old-style music clock. I
> don't mind listening to it when I can get it, but I do come
> away feeling a whole lot older. (One night, Gary Owens was
> wheezing so badly, I didn't think he'd live through his
> shift!!)
>
> These same folks also cynically accuse Michael Bublé, Renee
> Olstead, Chris Botti, and the like of merely
> "posturing"...that is, recording Standards because it's the
> "hot" thing to do...merely biding their time until they can
> make a break for the pop charts. While I think Bublé is one
> of the best new artists around, it doesn't help the argument
> that he remakes songs from a number of different styles, not
> just Standards. The cynics are pointing to his hit single
> "Home" as a vindication of their belief that he never was a
> "true Standards" artist, and probably will never be.
>
> Standards "purists" appear to care little for youth, and
> would prefer that the youth not touch "their" catalog.
>
> Paradoxically, the younger Standards fans seem to want even
> more Frank, Tony, Dean, and Sammy, and a lot less of the
> soft AC. Before the Sirius "Standard Time" channel merged
> with their Big Band format, I think you had there an
> excellent example of a modern-as-tomorrow Standards
> presentation. (Not now, though. It's definitely "olded
> up.")
>
> Like it or not (and I like it!), the Westwood One approach
> to Standards is the one that's going to win. It's the future
> of the format. If you listen all day like I do, with the
> radio on in the background, the texture is very pleasing.
> And, Anne Murray, the Carpenters, and Kenny Rogers recorded
> fabulous songs that no other station will touch. I think
> the format is right on target! And, while I'm not permitted
> to quote Arbitron numbers for my station, I *can* say that
> we had a FANTASTIC Fall book!
>
> You have great new albums like the Manilow you mentioned,
> along with the new Bette Midler "Peggy Lee" remakes, the
> Steve Tyrell "Sinatra" CD...all great stuff, but the purists
> won't buy them. The younger folks will.
>
> See, this is how Standards is going to survive vs oldies.
> With Standards, the emphasis was almost always on the
> *song*, and not often on the artist. The music publishers
> ruled the charts in the "glory days." The artists were
> usually secondary. This is why remakes of Standards go over
> so well. Nobody thinks it blasphemous to redo "(I've Got
> You) Under My Skin." With oldies, it's the artist first,
> and then the music. Unless someone can outdo the Beatles'
> "I Want To Hold Your Hand," or the Eagles' "The Long Run,"
> nobody will dare to redo them, and the audience won't accept
> those remakes. The songs, great as they are, are fossilized
> in time because of this.
>
> That's a long answer to a short question, and I'm sure I'm
> going to get flamed mightily for it, but I insist on keeping
> the faith, and we have a decent track record to back it up.
>
> Regards,
> Ken Clark
> BIG WRIG 1390
> The Home Of America's Best Music
> www.bigwrig.com
>

 

[Chuck]

> These older purists appear to want the 50s MOR back (like
> Westwood One used to play), along the lines of Jo Stafford,
> Vic Damone, Ketty Lester, and the like.
>
> And, they want their radios to sound old!! Not to demean
> anyone's format, but "Music Of Your Life" has old announcers
> working old liners cards in an old-style music clock. I
> don't mind listening to it when I can get it, but I do come
> away feeling a whole lot older. (One night, Gary Owens was
> wheezing so badly, I didn't think he'd live through his
> shift!!)

I think there is a lot to this. We are a low power FM Adult standards station with a home grown format. It all happens right here. There is no network affiliation, no satellite feeds. Most people listen to us off the air, but we’ve found that we also have a substantial, and loyal Internet following as well. According to Arbitron's Radio Research Consortium, we are the first (and maybe the only) LPFM to be rated. Considering that our signal only covers one out of the three counties that make up our "metro," that's pretty good. Somebody is listening. The numbers aren’t huge, but they are respectable, especially in Time Spent Listening.

Although, most of the songs we play were written long ago, there is really very little "old" about the way we sound. It's a mix of new and old artists, and never makes any attempt to sound like we are living in the past. We are about today, and serving our communities needs that exist today. It's really a pretty simple concept. WBZ in Boston was dong it quite well in the early 1960's.

We are certainly quite popular with a lot of blue haired little old ladies, but I've noticed that quite a few kids call in too. Occasionally, they are a bit embarrassed to tell me that they listen "because there is nothing else any good," of because they think "hip-hop is boring, but please don't tell my friends." The music has a lot of lasting appeal, and it is not just to people who grew up with it.

In fact, just watch TV for a while and see how many commercials "borrow" this music. One evening before Christmas, I counted seven spots that used music that I play on the radio every day.

There is also a reason why you'll find a lot of big name rock and pop artists dabbling in this music. A few that come of mind are Queen Latifa, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Sting, as well as the obvious like Rod Stewart, Carly Simon, Bette Midler, Linda Ronstadt, Dr. John, etc. It's because the music has lasting value. It's good stuff that will be around for a long time. Maybe these artists know something.

Will this ever be a huge format again? No, probably not, but there is something to be said for doing a good job at something that a lot of people appreciate. The audience is very loyal. Being "Number One" is nice, but it isn't everything.

Chuck
www.kzqx.com

 

[RMarino]

Westwood One standards

> Like it or not (and I like it!), the Westwood One approach
> to Standards is the one that's going to win. It's the future
> of the format. If you listen all day like I do, with the
> radio on in the background, the texture is very pleasing.
> And, Anne Murray, the Carpenters, and Kenny Rogers recorded
> fabulous songs that no other station will touch. I think
> the format is right on target!

I just have to chime in here and say I completely agree! WW1's updating of the standards format has seen some controversy over the last few years. But I think it's perfect. I'm a 30 year old guy. The old-style standards (big band, etc...) was not appealing to me. And on the other side of the coin, today's AC is too boring. But the music that WW1's standards is playing (mainly '50s through '80s AC) is just right. Somewhere else on this board, someone said that the updating of the standards format annoys the old purists, but don't forget that while that may happen, it also opens the door for new listeners like me who enjoy the "new" formula.

 

[Pat2]

> Barry Manilow's new CD, "Greatest Songs of the '50s" zooms
> to #1 on
> the Billboard Album chart, presumably with little or no
> radio airplay.
> With Adult Standards stations dropping like flies all over
> the country,
> how can station owners (big AND small) justify dumping this
> format as
> "too old"? I'm sure it ain't all 80-year-olds buying this
> Manilow
> disc. In addition, with brisk sales for the Rod Stewart
> "standards"
> discs (like 'em or not), plus younger artists like Michael
> Buble, how
> can these people justify saying there is either no audience
> for this
> music, or the existing audience is too "old".
> Where does the audience go?? Is the future going to be
> "standards" channels
> on XM or Sirius and little else??
> Like so much in today's commercial radio, I just don't get
> it.
>


I've wondered the same thing too. There are tons of albums being put out that have sold like hotcakes but can't get on the radio much. Barry Manilows new album of 50's tunes is at the top, then you have Rod Stewart's standards albums, Michael Buble, Norah Jones, "Popera" star Josh Groban and many others, And the funny thing is if you've seen Josh Groban's and Michael Buble's concert film on TV you'll notice that there are lots of young people, especially young girls in the audience. Not just gray haired old ladies that are sometimes thought to be the only listeners. I like rock and classic rock myself, but I still enjoy fixing a cup of coffee after work and throw on something mellow to listen too while I unwind. I don't always want to headbang or get crunk. If done right I think a good mellow station could make it if they play some new releases and some occasioal classics and not just make it sound like some "old folks" stations or elevator music. But I guess it will never happen. Maybe they can bring back something like the old MOR format. Christina Augullera and Mariah Carey is not true mellow adult music in my opinion

 

[KenClark]

This was written by me:

> These older purists appear to want the 50s MOR back (like
> Westwood One used to play), along the lines of Jo Stafford,
> Vic Damone, Ketty Lester, and the like.
>
> And, they want their radios to sound old!! Not to demean
> anyone's format, but "Music Of Your Life" has old announcers
> working old liners cards in an old-style music clock. I
> don't mind listening to it when I can get it, but I do come
> away feeling a whole lot older. (One night, Gary Owens was
> wheezing so badly, I didn't think he'd live through his
> shift!!)

And later,

> See, this is how Standards is going to survive vs oldies.



Hello again!

Thanks to all, by the way, for the encouraging words and e-mails!! It's nice to know that there's still so much passion for the format.

That said, I feel bad that my words above might be interpreted to mean that I think Oldies is a "loser" format, or that I'm trying to demean older music in any way.

Just so's we're clear: none of that is true!! The point I'm pushing is that Standards has found a way to re-invent itself, and Oldies is going to have to do the same thing. However, Oldies faces some unique challenges in doing that, and I think "artist branding" as opposed to "song branding" is going to be the toughest thing to overcome. I don't have the answer to that one. Time will have to tell!

While the 50s MOR may not be the "future" of the Standards format, it sure doesn't hurt to visit it once in awhile. I do like Jo Stafford, Les Paul/Mary Ford, and Joni James! And, when I first heard Michael Bublé, I thought he sounded like a young Vic Damone. I don't mind throwing these in once in awhile for something different. But, if we're really honest with ourselves, we'll admit that there are songs that don't age at all, and others that are *quite* aged, and it helps to treat each song appropriately.

So, if there's any question, I hope this clears it up!

Regards,
Ken Clark
BIG WRIG 1390
The Home Of America's Best Music
www.bigwrig.com

 

[Chuck]

> It's too bad that you guys don't have a web stream...
>
> I think you are totally right... Formats need to evolve and
> must be dynamic. If they are allowed to get stale they
> die....

The problem is the traditional approach to Adult Standards is to make the station sound boring and old. That's absolutely the wrong thing to do.

If you ask any healthy elderly person if he feels as old as his driver's license would indicate, he will tell you that he does not. He may look old, but he doesn't think of himself that way. A lot of the programming I hear on standards stations puts me to sleep. That may go over well in the rest home, but those folks aren't likely to run out and go shopping. Everyone else is wide awake.

There is simply no good reason why an Adult Standards station has to be boring. Some songs we call standards were boring when they were new, some weren't. Just don't play the boring stuff, and you'll find an audience. There is plenty of great music out there to fill anyone’s broadcast day..

 

[Tim]

if it earned big profits...they'd do it

I'm in my mid-50's....and I consider true standards: middle-of-the-road stuff from the early to mid 50's to be my mother's music (she's 80). I like all kinds of music from the 60's-80's....especially the softer top 40 hits (Classics IV, Bread, Mamas & Papas, etc...even some of the pop stuff of the 1960's by MoR artists like Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra). But, not the traditional "old farty" MoR traditional artists ("Mom's music").

Why, though, do these CDs like Manilow's current 50's remakes (etc.) sell so well with little radio play? Who knows. I really haven't a clue.

But, I do know if radio station owners and groups honestly felt there were huge profits in old music...you'd have to strangle them to keep them from playing it. EVERY radio station owner/group can't be totally stupid. There's simply not significant revenue in standards. It's 2006...not 1976 or even 1986.

 

[westlife]

Re: Westwood One standards

> Somewhere else on this board,
> someone said that the updating of the standards format
> annoys the old purists, but don't forget that while that may
> happen, it also opens the door for new listeners like me who
> enjoy the "new" formula.

"Adult Standards" didn't end with the '50s crooner era. Many of today's popular artists and groups are "standards" in their own right. The challenge is to find which ones work well when mixed together with the "standards" of decades ago.
<P ID="signature">______________
It's a common mistake to not use punctuation in its proper form. <a target="_blank" href=http://www.cgl.uwaterloo.ca/~csk/its.html>Be kind to your friend, the apostrophe.</a></P>

 

[Braswell]

I disagree

> But, I do know if radio station owners and groups honestly
> felt there were huge profits in old music...you'd have to
> strangle them to keep them from playing it. EVERY radio
> station owner/group can't be totally stupid. There's simply
> not significant revenue in standards. It's 2006...not 1976
> or even 1986.

You know, I bought into this line of thinking...until:

( 1 ) CBS dumped standards from graveyarder in Buffalo that was consistently doing a million bucks a year...to change to classic country. Now friends, that don't make NO sense. That's pissin' away a million bucks, either because standards aren't cool, or (more likely) somebody decided to use this station as a flanker. Either way, WHOEVER made this decsion, should have their a-double-s kicked up between their shoulder blades.

( 2 ) I witnessed five people (a 20 year old male, a 22 year old male, a 32 year old female, a 47 year old female, and a 50 year old male) ALL agree on listening to the same station, in the car.

To explain, I took my crew to the RAB in Dallas a few days ago, and I was curious about this one station, so I "steathilly" tuned it in. I expected to get no more than a couple of tunes, before somebody started bitching. Unbelievably, it didn't happen. Finally, after the 5th song started, I asked if they were all dead. When I explained, EVERY SINGLE ONE said they were cool with the station...even when I told 'em it was AM RADIO!

The station? K-F-X-R (the old KLIF), the Mighty 11-90. Talk about a "Jack" format, these guys are playin' everything from Buddy Holly & The Crickets to Los Lonely Boys! The music is VERY well programmed, with absolutely zero train wrecks, and it flows. It has energy, even though there was some down tempo stuff. Of course, it's a jukebox with liners & jingles, and a very light commercial load. It was the music mix that grabbed everybody (and the technical quality...it sizzled), but I think it would take top-notch personalities, and all the right elements, to keep us for a long period of time. Still, we listened 'till the static got to us, on the way home, which was nearly to Shreveport.

I submit that the big problem with radio today, is this following the leader stuff. I mean, look at all the rats jumping onto the Jack ship...just like it was with Jammin' Oldies. Niche, niche, niche, 'till we niche ourselves to death.

Horseshit, is what it is.
<P ID="signature">______________
Jay Braswell - Moderator
Atlanta/North Florida/South Carolina/Georgia Boards</P>

 

[BlueHen]

> While I think Bublé is one
> of the best new artists around, it doesn't help the argument
> that he remakes songs from a number of different styles, not
> just Standards. The cynics are pointing to his hit single
> "Home" as a vindication of their belief that he never was a
> "true Standards" artist, and probably will never be.


Songs such as “Home” by Michael Buble and “Don’t Know Why” or “Come Away With Me” by Norah Jones keep the format fresh, relevant, and can only broaden its appeal.

Back in 1997 Westwood One started regularly playing “Time To Say Goodbye” by Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman which created lots of buzz. After the Sept 11th attacks, Chick Watkins featured Daniel Rodriguez, New York’s Singing Cop, on one of his Friday interview shows. When I heard “We Will Go On,” I immediately went out and bought the CD. The ABBA song “I Have A Dream” never charted as a hit, but just may be their most popular today, given its frequent airplay. I’m not hearing these songs anywhere else but on this format.

The songs are out there and, as much as I think the format can benefit even further by incorporating the soft side of contemporary country (Alan Jackson, George Strait, Vince Gill), I think it’s fun to “rediscover” a classic like Sarah Vaughan’s “Broken Hearted Melody” or Bobby Darin’s “Beyond The Sea.” These songs live on their own merits… too bad advertisers think you have to be 70 to like them.

 

[Les]

> The songs are out there and, as much as I think the format can benefit even
> further by incorporating the soft side of contemporary country (Alan Jackson,
> George Strait, Vince Gill), I think it’s fun to “rediscover” a classic like
> Sarah Vaughan’s “Broken Hearted Melody” or Bobby Darin’s “Beyond The Sea.”
> These songs live on their own merits… too bad advertisers think you have to be
> 70 to like them.

Now I qualify as a geezer. Not 70 but closer to 70 than to 50.

In the next few month I'll move to a new house, replace two cars,
mostly replace furniture, definitely replace TV and stereo,
possibly buy a small RV but my choices won't be influenced by
commercials I hear on radio 'cause I ain't listening. Well,
except for syndicated talk for about 25-minutes each morning.
My working background music comes from CDs or Internet radio
'cause there's nothing on the air around here that I want to
hear.

But I guess most radio advertisers just don't want my business.<P ID="signature">______________
Artificial intelligence is NO match for natural stupidity!</P>

 

[BlueHen]

Re: if it earned big profits...they'd do it

> Why, though, do these CDs like Manilow's current 50's
> remakes (etc.) sell so well with little radio play? Who
> knows. I really haven't a clue.


I have a theory. When you consider what's out there today, this music offers a welcome alternative; it's something different. As I watched a few minutes of the Grammy Awards last week, I couldn't help but think how low we've come. Every now and then, someone like a John Legend may come along to show that some artists can actually sing. But for the most part, all you hear on the air today is moaning or what sounds like the wailing of a wounded animal. This gets tiresome very quickly.

 

[jh]

Re: if it earned big profits...they'd do it

> > Why, though, do these CDs like Manilow's current 50's
> > remakes (etc.) sell so well with little radio play? Who
> > knows. I really haven't a clue.

This was brought up somewhere else recently, and someone claimed most of the sales of these type of CDs comes from direct-response spots on TV. The people who buy them don't listen to music on radio much, but watch TV. I don't know if that's true, but I wouldn't doubt it. A couple of years ago, my mother (in her 70s) wanted a CD by the lead singer of Lady by Styx (sorry, I don't remember his name) after she saw him on some PBS program.


>
>
> I have a theory. When you consider what's out there today,
> this music offers a welcome alternative; it's something
> different. As I watched a few minutes of the Grammy Awards
> last week, I couldn't help but think how low we've come.
> Every now and then, someone like a John Legend may come
> along to show that some artists can actually sing. But for
> the most part, all you hear on the air today is moaning or
> what sounds like the wailing of a wounded animal. This gets
> tiresome very quickly.
>

 

[westlife]

Barry Manilow's new #1 CD _is_ getting airplay

> Barry Manilow's new CD, "Greatest Songs of the '50s" zooms
> to #1 on the Billboard Album chart, presumably with little
> or no radio airplay.

For what it's worth, I just heard the #1 station in the #1 market -- Clear Channel's 106.7 WLTW "Lite-FM" in NYC -- play "Unchained Melody" off of Barry's CD. WLTW has also been pretty good at playing various tracks from Rod Stewart's standards albums (which I am surprised are selling so well, because to me his voice is really NOT suited to this type of music).
<P ID="signature">______________
It's a common mistake to not use punctuation in its proper form.
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.cgl.uwaterloo.ca/~csk/its.html>Be kind to your friend, the apostrophe.</a></P>

 

[Oldbones]

Re: if it earned big profits...they'd do it

> I have a theory. When you consider what's out there today,
> this music offers a welcome alternative; it's something
> different. As I watched a few minutes of the Grammy Awards
> last week, I couldn't help but think how low we've come.
> Every now and then, someone like a John Legend may come
> along to show that some artists can actually sing. But for
> the most part, all you hear on the air today is moaning or
> what sounds like the wailing of a wounded animal. This gets
> tiresome very quickly.
>

Sounds like what my parents said about "my" music (60s rock & roll)...and no doubt what <u>their</u> parents said about theirs. Funny how new music starts to suck around the time you turn 40.

 

[BlueHen]

Re: if it earned big profits...they'd do it

> > all you hear on the air today is moaning or
> > what sounds like the wailing of a wounded animal. This
> gets
> > tiresome very quickly.
> >
>
> Sounds like what my parents said about "my" music (60s rock
> & roll)...and no doubt what their parents said about theirs.
> Funny how new music starts to suck around the time you turn
> 40.

Yep, and another funny thing is how our parents actually like that stuff now 40 years later when they couldn't stand it back then (well, mine do anyway). Jeez...sort of makes you wonder what it'll sound like a generation from now... unless we've already hit rock bottom and there's nowhere to go but up.

 

[Tim]

Re: I disagree

> I submit that the big problem with radio today, is this
> following the leader stuff. I mean, look at all the rats
> jumping onto the Jack ship...just like it was with Jammin'
> Oldies. Niche, niche, niche, 'till we niche ourselves to
> death.>


What our industry has done to radio is akin to taking most of the taste out of all food...and being suprised at why most customers don't like our restaurants any more.