What Killed Beautiful Music?

[azfmfan]

I started reviewing cars for (part of) a living in 1997---25 years ago. By then, AM/FM was standard equipment.

The newest car I can remember driving that had only an AM radio was a 1983 Chevrolet S10 Blazer. It was a news vehicle for the ABC station in Phoenix. We had I think four 1985 Chevy Celebrities---I just looked those up---AM/FM was standard, so they had them,

However---to Semoochie's point---the 1985 Chevrolet Cavalier still had an AM radio standard in its lowest two trim levels. As did the 1985 Ford Tempo in its lowest two trim levels.

Unfortunately, it's not easy and might be impossible to pin down the last factory AM radio in America. But the "take rate"---the number of vehicles sold with AM/FM radios as either a standard equipment as an option---was steadily rising through the 1980s.

My Dad ordered an 87 and a 1990 F350 with no options from the factory for his business. Both had digital AM only radios standard in them. I found that odd, especially by 1990 to not have FM as standard. By that point it was like why even bother with a radio at all if you can’t add FM.

 

[michael hagerty]

My Dad ordered an 87 and a 1990 F350 with no options from the factory for his business. Both had digital AM only radios standard in them. I found that odd, especially by 1990 to not have FM as standard. By that point it was like why even bother with a radio at all if you can’t add FM.

Right. In the late 80s and early 90s, Super Duty trucks weren’t what they are today in terms of convenience and amenities.

 

[semoochie]

But Duncan's American Radio goes back to the mid-70's with demo rankers, but without shares:

https://worldradiohistory.com/Duncan-American-Radio-Issue-Guide.htm

1976 Spring
18-34 AQH
KGW Top 40 10,000
KINK Rock 4,400
KGON Progressive 3,400
KPAM AC 3,300
KEX Rock 2,900

The Beautiful Music Stations were KUPL and KQFM. In 18-49 they did not make the top 5. Only in 35-64 did KUPL rank 3rd, close to the top 2.

There are almost all the Spring and Fall Duncan reports there... filling in 1976 to 1983.

Boy, are those ever generalizations! You got KGW right. KPAM AM-FM was the #3 Top 40, also behind KISN and later, KYTE. KINK evolved to AAA in about 1976 after KGON went on in 1974. KEX hasn't been "Rock" since Gene Autry bought them in 1962! It was like KMPC, KSFO and KVI, remaining that way until switching to News/Talk. When KUPL started in 1973, there were six other Beautiful Music stations: KXL AM-FM since 1965, KYXI-AM until 1976, KOIN-FM until 1977, KJIB since 1968 and KQFM. I have the sense that KXL had the top rating before and after KUPL, which switched to Country in 1984.

 

[semoochie]

No, but your question was "...in my market...might some percentage of the 25-34 segment of 18-34 women choose B/EZ as a second or third option."

The obvious answer is that some percentage probably did choose B/EZ as a second or third option. But we can't know what that percentage was or whether it was their 2nd, 3rd or any number choice because the demos aren't broken out that way (or weren't then---today that's called P1, P2 and P3 listening.)

But that's very likely what you see in Memphis and San Antonio---some percentage of women chose it, but most 18-34 women either didn't listen or listened so infrequently or for such a short time that it came in tenth in the demo overall. And in markets where 18-34 women had more choices, B/EZ doesn't appear in the top ten for the demo at all.

So now, let's look at Portland, OR. I ruled this out yesterday without checking the demo ranker because there were four AC stations.

The B/EZ, KUPL-FM, had a great book---number one with an 8.8---a full point ahead of the second place station, KMJK-FM.

We can't go earlier than the fall, 1983 book, because that's where R&R's Ratings Report began top ten demo rankers, but here are the top ten stations in women 18-34 for that rating period:

1. KCNR-FM (CHR)
2. KINK-FM (AOR)
3. KMJK-FM (CHR)
4. KGW-AM (AC)
5. KJIB-FM. (Country)
6. KRCK-FM (AOR)
7. KWJJ-AM (Country)
8. KKRZ-FM (AC)
9. KUPL-FM (B/EZ)
10.KGON-FM (AOR)

So, in Portland, enough 18-34 women listened to KUPL often enough and long enough to manage 9th place. But above it, they chose both CHRs, two of the market's three AORs, the leading AM AC and the leading FM AC (which was 16th overall in the market), and both Country stations (one AM, one FM). KUPL-FM edged out the 3rd AOR, KGON.

So what didn't make the top ten for women 18-34 that book? KUPL-AM (Big Band), KEX-AM (AC), KXL-FM (B/EZ), KKSN-AM (AC), KXL-AM (News), KYXI-AM (News), KPDQ-FM (Religion), KSKD-FM (CHR), KKEY-AM (Talk), KYTE-AM (AC) and KPDQ-AM (Religion).

And again, we don't know what the signal limitations were for some of those stations or how specifically they were programmed. Was KGON less female friendly than KINK and KRCK? Why did KGW-AM do so well, but KEX-AM and KKSN-AM not (KYTE was near the bottom 12+)? Beyond that, no surprise that Big Band, News, Talk and Religion were no-shows in the top ten for women 18-34.

Again, Semoochie, if you put seven stations in a market, one CHR, one AC, one Country, one AOR, one B/EZ, one News/Talk and one Religion, yeah, you can get the B/EZ into the top 5 18-34 women. But it'll likely be number five behind the CHR, the AC, the Country and the AOR. But it's in a small enough market and a product of lack of choice, so it doesn't indicate anything about any strength in 18-34 women in the B/EZ format.

When I got to Reno in 1977, there were 12 stations---seven AMs and five FMs. There were 200,000 people in the market---120,000 in Reno and 80,000 in Sparks. There were two Country stations---both AM. Two Top 40s, one AM, one FM. One Classical on AM. One AOR on FM. Two B/EZs---one AM, one FM. One News/Talk AM. Two ACs, one AM, one FM. And one very weird FM that blended really bad elevator music with polka music.

Even there, I'm gonna say 18-34 women chose the two Top 40s, the AOR, at least one of the two Country stations and both ACs (the FM first, then my station second) ahead of the B/EZ. Because all that was left was Classical on AM, News/Talk and bad elevator music with polkas sprinkled in.

At best, the B/EZ comes in seventh---eighth if they chose both Country stations. And that was a lousy market in terms of choice.

"Clean-up on aisle seven" plus some background info: In the early '80s Top 40 veered very soft and took on an AC stance musically. About the only thing that wasn't was Foreigner. In this period KCNR became an AC but reported to the CHR chart. It sounded nothing like KMJK, which was on its way to being representative of the new CHR but wasn't there yet, leaving the market without a true CHR. KINK evolved to AAA around 1976 and by 1983, was "used as an AC"(as trade publications reported). KGON had one great 12+ book(13.3) which created a competitor in KRCK. The next book showed KRCK topping the market with 9.9 and dropping KGON to 4.9. KGON then adjusted to Rock 40. In the following book, KGON dropped to 4.8 but KRCK dropped to 4.9 and immediately switched to Classical! It should be noted that this is the time that the bottom was about to drop out on AOR(as an 18-24 format) and it had yet to refocus on 25-34. It's possible that this book represents actual CHR on KMJK and that had something to do with KRCK's freefall. KKRZ was indeed an AC at this time, as "The Rose" for "Rose City". KJIB had recently switched from B/EZ and the following year would become KWJJ-FM. KEX was a Golden West station like KMPC, KSFO and KVI. KGW was a former Top 40 market leader that had softened but still sounded like KGW. This is probably during the time that KKSN was running their Star Station syndicated format, which was obviously automated. I have a vague recollection of KYTE running a short-lived automated AC format but it didn't seem like the same time as KKSN, the former KISN, which was off the air from 1976-80, came back on as Progressive and had seemingly lost any listener connection to KISN.

 

[davideduardo]

Boy, are those ever generalizations! You got KGW right. KPAM AM-FM was the #3 Top 40, also behind KISN and later, KYTE. KINK evolved to AAA in about 1976 after KGON went on in 1974. KEX hasn't been "Rock" since Gene Autry bought them in 1962! It was like KMPC, KSFO and KVI, remaining that way until switching to News/Talk. When KUPL started in 1973, there were six other Beautiful Music stations: KXL AM-FM since 1965, KYXI-AM until 1976, KOIN-FM until 1977, KJIB since 1968 and KQFM. I have the sense that KXL had the top rating before and after KUPL, which switched to Country in 1984.

I did not "get" anything. I copied a listing.

Those are the Arbitron format descriptors submitted by the stations themselves back then.

Remember, for the first 20 years of the genre, Top 40 music was widely called "rock" because of the "rock 'n' roll" name that stuck with it, even through The Singing Nun, Motown and Pat Boone.

We had different terms for the same kinds of music then and now.

 

[davideduardo]

It should be noted that this is the time that the bottom was about to drop out on AOR(as an 18-24 format) and it had yet to refocus on 25-34.

Remember, "AOR" was Lee Abrams' and, later, Burkhart-Abrams' service mark for their tight brand of album based rock. Those that were not consulted by Abrams and crew did not use the term initially. Later, of course, the term became generic for most rock stations when we stopped calling Top 40 stations "rockers".

 

[michael hagerty]

"Clean-up on aisle seven" plus some background info: In the early '80s Top 40 veered very soft and took on an AC stance musically. About the only thing that wasn't was Foreigner. In this period KCNR became an AC but reported to the CHR chart. It sounded nothing like KMJK, which was on its way to being representative of the new CHR but wasn't there yet, leaving the market without a true CHR. KINK evolved to AAA around 1976 and by 1983, was "used as an AC"(as trade publications reported). KGON had one great 12+ book(13.3) which created a competitor in KRCK. The next book showed KRCK topping the market with 9.9 and dropping KGON to 4.9. KGON then adjusted to Rock 40. In the following book, KGON dropped to 4.8 but KRCK dropped to 4.9 and immediately switched to Classical! It should be noted that this is the time that the bottom was about to drop out on AOR(as an 18-24 format) and it had yet to refocus on 25-34. It's possible that this book represents actual CHR on KMJK and that had something to do with KRCK's freefall. KKRZ was indeed an AC at this time, as "The Rose" for "Rose City". KJIB had recently switched from B/EZ and the following year would become KWJJ-FM. KEX was a Golden West station like KMPC, KSFO and KVI. KGW was a former Top 40 market leader that had softened but still sounded like KGW. This is probably during the time that KKSN was running their Star Station syndicated format, which was obviously automated. I have a vague recollection of KYTE running a short-lived automated AC format but it didn't seem like the same time as KKSN, the former KISN, which was off the air from 1976-80, came back on as Progressive and had seemingly lost any listener connection to KISN.

Here's the women 18-34 ranking from fall 1983, again, with 12+ ranking in parentheses for context:

1. KCNR-FM (CHR) (#5)
2. KINK-FM (AOR). (#6)
3. KMJK-FM (CHR) (#2)
4. KGW-AM (AC) (#4)
5. KJIB-FM (Country) (#3)
6. KRCK-FM (AOR) (#10)
7. KWJJ-AM (Country) (#12)
8. KKRZ-FM (AC) (#16)
9. KUPL-FM (B/EZ). (#1)
10.KGON-FM (AOR) (#11)

To get a rough idea of what these stations were doing musically in this book, I went to the November 4, 1983 R&R. KMJK and KCNR were playing essentially the same music, but KCNR had a 30-song playlist and KMJK had 51, with those other 21 being harder, more rhythmic or very early adds (KMJK had "Allergies" by Paul Simon as a hitbound). With the Police, Fixx, Journey, Robert Plant and Asia, I couldn't call KCNR "AC"---just a very safe CHR. KMJK, on the other hand, was swinging for the bleachers, with "Delirious" by Prince at #5 (down from #3).

KEX and KGW were the only two ACs listed as R&R supporters in that week, and there aren't any surprises in their music. I imagine with KEX having morphed out of a personality MOR and KGW having evolved from Top 40, the differences were largely in presentation and image. KKRZ was KEX's FM sister and was brand new for the book, having switched from oldies KQFM to "The Rose" on November 2, 1983. Golden West sold both stations to Taft at the end of the book (December).

The KRCK flip to classical was on January 3, 1985, after two years as an AOR. Here's an R&R profile of the station from August 5, 1983:

https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/80s/83/RR-1983-08-05-OCR-Page-0030.pdf#search=%22krck%22

 

[semoochie]

Here's the women 18-34 ranking from fall 1983, again, with 12+ ranking in parentheses for context:

1. KCNR-FM (CHR) (#5)
2. KINK-FM (AOR). (#6)
3. KMJK-FM (CHR) (#2)
4. KGW-AM (AC) (#4)
5. KJIB-FM (Country) (#3)
6. KRCK-FM (AOR) (#10)
7. KWJJ-AM (Country) (#12)
8. KKRZ-FM (AC) (#16)
9. KUPL-FM (B/EZ). (#1)
10.KGON-FM (AOR) (#11)

To get a rough idea of what these stations were doing musically in this book, I went to the November 4, 1983 R&R. KMJK and KCNR were playing essentially the same music, but KCNR had a 30-song playlist and KMJK had 51, with those other 21 being harder, more rhythmic or very early adds (KMJK had "Allergies" by Paul Simon as a hitbound). With the Police, Fixx, Journey, Robert Plant and Asia, I couldn't call KCNR "AC"---just a very safe CHR. KMJK, on the other hand, was swinging for the bleachers, with "Delirious" by Prince at #5 (down from #3).

KEX and KGW were the only two ACs listed as R&R supporters in that week, and there aren't any surprises in their music. I imagine with KEX having morphed out of a personality MOR and KGW having evolved from Top 40, the differences were largely in presentation and image. KKRZ was KEX's FM sister and was brand new for the book, having switched from oldies KQFM to "The Rose" on November 2, 1983. Golden West sold both stations to Taft at the end of the book (December).

The KRCK flip to classical was on January 3, 1985, after two years as an AOR. Here's an R&R profile of the station from August 5, 1983:

https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/80s/83/RR-1983-08-05-OCR-Page-0030.pdf#search=%22krck%22

Thank you. I forgot about the overlap with KB101 in a rebuilding stage, coming off of Oldies and moving toward CHR in the first book. We didn't have continuous measurement yet so it was still probably only three books.

 

[tvnut]

David, thanks for linking to Marlin Taylor's site. As a result, I've bookmarked the Fort Myers 107.9 easy-listening site. More like the old WCLR-FM Chicago with lots of vocals.

 

[powers]

Back in the day I was always amazed and amused that the gigantic signal of KRUZ 103.3 in Santa Barbara with its 105 kW signal from Calabasas to somewhere in Monterey County

KRUZ was the only station I could hear both in San Diego, where I've lived since 1989, and the Monterey area, where my folks live, and where I grew up...a distance of about 400 miles from San Diego. Until Q103.3 in Temecula went live, along with a couple of low powers in the San Diego area, KRUZ had a strong signal all by itself throughout much of SD County. Now, they are spotty, but can still be picked up...in fact, I got a touch of an RDS signal from them in Carlsbad yesterday....enough to display the KRUZ calls for a few seconds on my radio.

Getting them in Monterey was a BIT of a stretch. I always "wanted" to be able to get them, just to say I could hear them in both San Diego and Monterey. Finally, I took a drive up Laureles Grade near Carmel Valley while visiting the folks back in the 90s. I pulled over in a south-facing turnout and finally got a signal, albeit very staticky. But it was playing the easy listening music and I specifically heard a KRUZ liner...so my prize was caught.

A few years later, when they were Hot AC, I was driving between Santa KRUZ and Scotts Valley, up California 17 toward San Jose, and picked them up for about twenty seconds, long enough to hear the jock talking up the call letters and mentioning something about Ventura County, so I would believe that the signal can be heard at least from Baja (I got them in Rosarito in the early 90s) to Santa Cruz. That's an impressive distance of about 430 miles as the crow flies.

 

[landtuna]

Right. In the late 80s and early 90s, Super Duty trucks weren’t what they are today in terms of convenience and amenities.

Back in the 60's I worked for PacTel in SF. They were so cheap they ordered their service trucks without heaters. A few years later the feds required heaters in all vehicles for safety reasons (the defroster I think since none of the trucks had A/C either).

Hard to believe!

 

[michael hagerty]

Back in the 60's I worked for PacTel in SF. They were so cheap they ordered their service trucks without heaters. A few years later the feds required heaters in all vehicles for safety reasons (the defroster I think since none of the trucks had A/C either).

Hard to believe!

I remember in the 60s hearing options on car ads described as "radio, heater and whitewall tires". A lot of cars, especially sold in warmer climates, went without.

 

[oldradiotapes]

One station in Dallas would mix in a newer instrumental about once a quarter hour. I actually heard Michael Jackson's "Beat It" as am instrumental cover. It was truly laughable and my Dad quickly punched the next station after a few seconds.

Hey b-turner:

🛗 🎼

 

[KilowattKat]

Wow! A thread about a long gone radio format has 113 replies. The most replies to a San Diego forum thread in years. Interesting.

 

[TomásEstefan]

Back when they were still playing "Beautiful Music", I remember that one of their imaging statements was: "Bridging the gap between the Bay Area and Los Angeles 103.3 K-R-U-Z"

 

[michael hagerty]

Hey b-turner:

🛗 🎼

As bad as that was, I think I can top it. On the aircheck of the final hour of KFOG as a beautiful music station in the fall of 1982, they played the Ray Conniff Singers' version of Gilbert O'Sullivan's 1972 hit "Alone Again (Naturally)". For those who are too young to remember or have just lost the meaning via repetition, it's an incredibly depressing song about a guy stood up at the altar who intends to commit suicide in an hour, but first, decides to reminisce about his dead dad and broken hearted mom:

In a little while from now
If I'm not feeling any less sour
I promise myself to treat myself
And visit a nearby tower

And climbing to the top
Will throw myself off
In an effort to
Make it clear to whoever
Wants to know what it's like when you're shattered

Left standing in the lurch at a church
Were people saying, My God, that's tough
She stood him up
No point in us remaining
We may as well go home
As I did on my own
Alone again, naturally

To think that only yesterday
I was cheerful, bright and gay
Looking forward to who wouldn't do
The role I was about to play

But as if to knock me down
Reality came around
And without so much as a mere touch
Cut me into little pieces
Leaving me to doubt
Talk about, God in His mercy

Oh, if he really does exist
Why did he desert me
In my hour of need
I truly am indeed
Alone again, naturally

It seems to me that
There are more hearts broken in the world
That can't be mended
Left unattended
What do we do
What do we do

Looking back over the years
And whatever else that appears
I remember I cried when my father died
Never wishing to hide the tears

And at sixty-five years old
My mother, God rest her soul
Couldn't understand why the only man
She had ever loved had been taken

Leaving her to start
With a heart so badly broken
Despite encouragement from me
No words were ever spoken
And when she passed away
I cried and cried all day
Alone again, naturally
Alone again, naturally

And now, treat yourself to the Ray Conniff Singers, who treat it like a toothpaste jingle:

 

[b-turner]

It's a shame they didn't do "Don't Fear The Reaper" from Blue Oyster Cult. Those are two of the worst for Beautiful Music. I thought it would be hard to "beat It" but Alone Again Naturally does even with their rather cheery delivery.

 

[michael hagerty]

It's a shame they didn't do "Don't Fear The Reaper" from Blue Oyster Cult. Those are two of the worst for Beautiful Music. I thought it would be hard to "beat It" but Alone Again Naturally does even with their rather cheery delivery.

I was disappointed that they didn’t follow through with the Top 40 cover concept a while longer . I’d have loved:

“Ray Conniff and the Singers: Whip It (and Other Great Hits of Today” (featuring Brass In Pocket (I’m Special); Turning Japanese; Hungry Like The Wolf; She Blinded Me With Science; Sexual Healing; The Safety Dance and more)

 

[kevtronics]

I was disappointed that they didn’t follow through with the Top 40 cover concept a while longer . I’d have loved:

“Ray Conniff and the Singers: Whip It (and Other Great Hits of Today” (featuring Brass In Pocket (I’m Special); Turning Japanese; Hungry Like The Wolf; She Blinded Me With Science; Sexual Healing; The Safety Dance and more)

RCA's Living Strings came close, with an instrumental rendition of "Sexy Eyes":

The album also has covers of Blondie, Styx, Donna Summer, the Eagles, etc.

This was near the end for the "Living Series" albums. I believe the last new albums were released in 1981. They were notable for being produced by Ethel Gabriel, the first female producer working for a major record label.

 

[TomásEstefan]

I was disappointed that they didn’t follow through with the Top 40 cover concept a while longer . I’d have loved:

“Ray Conniff and the Singers: Whip It (and Other Great Hits of Today” (featuring Brass In Pocket (I’m Special); Turning Japanese; Hungry Like The Wolf; She Blinded Me With Science; Sexual Healing; The Safety Dance and more)

I could never figure Ray Conniff's last name--in Yiddish/Hebrew it translates to "thief"!