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Why hasn’t Classic Rock aged out?

R

Radio Wreck

Greetings. Back in the early to mid 2000’s, there were many lengthy discussions on this board about how/why oldies radio was no longer a feasible commercial format due to the fact that the music was 40-50 years old and the demos were aging out. If that is true (and I can accept that it is) isn’t Classic Rock approaching the end of its shelf life?

WMGK continues to perform very well in the ratings but the music they play is now 40-50 years old, Wouldn’t it make sense that that the Classic Rock demos are aging out just as they did with oldies radio 15 years ago?

Thanks in advance.
 
Radio Wreck said:
Wouldn’t it make sense that that the Classic Rock demos are aging out just as they did with oldies radio 15 years ago?
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You would think so, but it hasn't worked out that way. In fact it's quite the opposite. Groups like Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Eagles, and the Rolling Stones are playing in stadiums. A few years ago, Bob Seger did his farewell tour, but I dare say he could still sell out arenas. What we see is this generation has more of an appreciation for classic rock than current rock. Because not only does WMGK do well in 6+ and 25-54, but it also consistently does well in 18-34. We don't see that with classic hits or soft AC. The thing that killed WISX was that so much of the audience was over 50. Not the case with WMGK. Blame it on the millennials who grew up listening to their dad's rock records.
 
I was just gonna post a thread about this today. I'm surprised how well and long classic rock has held its own, and how old some of the songs are
You hear more '70s songs on classic rock then classic hits!
 
Great topic. I don't have the answer but pop singles have always been more fleeting and disposable than rock albums and that has probably helped the classic rock artists survive generational shifts better. Is there a music historian on these forums? ;)
 
Oldies (and now Classic Hits) plays plenty of older Rock but the format's bread & butter seems to be older Pop. My opinion is that Rock music ages better and differently than Pop music. Pop is for people who listen to contemporary hit music. They want current stuff that sounds "now." But Pop goes through all these permutations & cycles and eventually, stuff sounds corny and old-fashioned. Rock music doesn't go through quite that much turbulence & change and so it seems to age better.

Consider this: Today's Rock listeners are totally fine with Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and the Stones' "It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)." People want to hear those on WMGK. They were hits in 1972 and 1975, respectively. You know what was else was a big hit in 1972? "The Candy Man" by Sammy Davis Jr. In 1975? "Love Will Keep Us Together" by Captain & Tennille. Probably not many folks in 2022 want to hear those on WOGL.
 
I suspect there is a section of the younger Radio audience that has never embraced the Rhythmic/Rap/Hip-Hop triumvirate that has dominated radio in recent years. They may see Classic Rock as an enjoyable alternative.
 
What everyone else said is pretty spot on, but I'd also add that the 1980s music being played on WMGK also keep the audience within the money demos, as it's what 40-54s listened to growing up.
 
as a middle aged man who listens to WMGK often....it's comfort food and even my teenagers enjoy the music. Btw-it is an oldies station....but us Gen Xers can't accept that term.
 
The funny thing is, the conventional wisdom is that Classic Rock is the only kind of old music that still sells and attracts younger listeners, but yet "Remember (Walking In The Sand)" -- a girl group hit from 1964 -- and "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" -- bubblegum pop from 1970 -- both became viral TikTok memes popular with teenagers recently. Streaming demand for the latter grew by almost 1500%, enough to put it on Spotify's Top 200 chart.
 
The later rock hits of the 70's and 80's had an air of rebellion to them, and that definitely appeals to youth of any generation, even if the kids would rather rap than rock to express their emotions.
 
kevtronics said:
The funny thing is, the conventional wisdom is that Classic Rock is the only kind of old music that still sells and attracts younger listeners, but yet "Remember (Walking In The Sand)" -- a girl group hit from 1964 -- and "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" -- bubblegum pop from 1970 -- both became viral TikTok memes popular with teenagers recently. Streaming demand for the latter grew by almost 1500%, enough to put it on Spotify's Top 200 chart.
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But do we think kids really like those songs? Or were they using them kinda ironically?
 
Grandpa is still listening to the radio. The grandkid's use their smartphone for music and only listen to FM when in the car with grandpa. Classic Rock is number one in many markets because it's old folks who still use radio.
 
Harvey_Dogg said:
Grandpa is still listening to the radio. The grandkid's use their smartphone for music and only listen to FM when in the car with grandpa. Classic Rock is number one in many markets because it's old folks who still use radio.
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Keep in mind that subscribers to the ratings get to see the specifics of who is actually listening, and if you saw them, you would be very surprised. The reality doesn't match your generalization.
 
I was a Classic Rock DJ in Indianapolis until 2004 and had a lot of 50 year old listeners. There was also a substantial but smaller number of 25 years old's. The 25 year old's are now 43. I got to see the books. Arbitron also told me that many of my fans were black. That was a surprise.
 
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Harvey_Dogg said:
I was a Classic Rock DJ in Indianapolis until 2004 and had a lot of 50 year old listeners. There was also a substantial but smaller number of 25 years old's. The 25 year old's are now 43. I got to see the books.
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Then you should know they're not only listening while in the car with grandpa. Lots are listening by themselves. And yes they have a choice. Nobody has an exclusive to anything any more.
 
TheBigA said:
Keep in mind that subscribers to the ratings get to see the specifics of who is actually listening, and if you saw them, you would be very surprised. The reality doesn't match your generalization.
Click to expand...
The other stations in my area have dumped Classic Rock. What can you tell me about todays audience? Maybe I'm interested!
 
Just an idle (very idle) muse and theory from an ex-DJ -- twice at highly rated AoR stations -- and a lover plus music director at three other pop music genres :

Hooks ... melody ... versatility/variety ... overall ear food.
The AoR that lasted between, say, 1971 and 1977 had all of those ingredients.

With very few exceptions (some of those pretty good!), everything since the general and convenient 'cheapness counts' merger of Disco, Punk, Rap, KISS and MTV, plus the huge youth exhale from the end of our conflict in SE Asia, has proffered less music plus has grasped for more visual image and look-at-us publicity and acclaim.

Nowadays for youth, there is no unison or solace in pop music, no reliable generational spokesperson in music or actual variety in musical structure. No more CSNY's, No more Steppenwolves, nor John Lennons, Joni Mitchells, Jackson Brownes, or Dylans or Beatles. To me, there is no more substance, just the 'sales sizzle'. For quite the while now, the lemminglike presentations of current music radio stations haven't helped in the least. The formatics and even the music of Country, Hot A/C, Classic Hits, Classic Rock, CHR and even Contemporary Christian have become interchangeable.

The very last remaining instance of melody, message, musicianship and variety left for any restless younger person to tune in remains the more resonant sounds of the AoR years 1970-1977. Those were also the years from when Classic Rock got its initial appeal.

Just my two cents. And hey you kids on my Spring Break lawn! While you all are idling, lemme pipe through and crank up some good stuff for you. Here's some Strawbs, some Carly, some Screaming Trees grunge, some America, some early Springsteen, some Lightfoot and Poco, some Mozart, some Don Gibson, some Carole, some DC5, some CCR ........
(help .... they're taking away my lapto
 
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