YOU CAN HELP CHOOSE THE MUSIC

[radiotower40]

"Timeless Classics is letting you choose the music they play. I had one of their stations on and they said to take their music test
at timelessfavorites.com. I went to the site and you have to register and they let you have a say in what they play. I did not take
the test yet as I did not have the time. If someone has posted this already I apologize for posting this again. I thought it was important
to post this because I have seen on this board that a lot of folks are very upset with the music they have been playing this past year or
so, and I wanted you to know that you can now let them know how you feel. Have a great day, TR1992

 

[Chuck]

"Timeless Classics is letting you choose the music they play. I had one of their stations on and they said to take their music test
at timelessfavorites.com. I went to the site and you have to register and they let you have a say in what they play. I did not take
the test yet as I did not have the time. If someone has posted this already I apologize for posting this again. I thought it was important
to post this because I have seen on this board that a lot of folks are very upset with the music they have been playing this past year or
so, and I wanted you to know that you can now let them know how you feel. Have a great day, TR1992

After you go to the site, give them all kinds of personal info to set up "an account", you are greeted with a screen that says "We are not taking a survey at this time." The next one is in April. I hope it is not "April Fools."

 

[radiotower40]

I'm sorry to hear that, I thought when you signed up that they let you take the survey on the music right away, I did not know that
they were going to make you wait until April. I heard on the radio that you signed up and got to rate the music they played and I
don't remember the host saying you had to wait until April. I hope they eventually do give their listeners the chance to have their
say because if they read this board they would know that a lot of their listeners are not happy about the music since they dropped
the Stardust format.

 

[timeless_favorites]

I hope they make a change very soon. I am fed up with their watered-down version of a format. It's so confusing trying to figure out what they're trying to sound like and it's confusing to the listeners too.

If I hear Copacobana or "I Write the Songs" again I think I'll go ape. Nobody wants to hear those songs EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Here's a hint Timeless Favorites, GO BACK TO YOUR ROOTS, " PLAY THE STANDARDS " FOR CRYING OUT LOUD !!!

 

[vchimpanzee]

I hope they make a change very soon. I am fed up with their watered-down version of a format. It's so confusing trying to figure out what they're trying to sound like and it's confusing to the listeners too.

If I hear Copacobana or "I Write the Songs" again I think I'll go ape. Nobody wants to hear those songs EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I guess you and I are going to differ. I like those. "Copacabana" actually sounds like Las Vegas lounge music. And yet AC stations count it as disco.

Here's a hint Timeless Favorites, GO BACK TO YOUR ROOTS, " PLAY THE STANDARDS " FOR CRYING OUT LOUD !!!

True. I have no more reason to listen, since I can't figure out my buttons and the one station left isn't doing music all day long.

 

[Famous56guy]

I dont think Timeless can go back to thier original format, even though they are loosing affiliates and ratings seem to be dropping in many of thier markets. Thier new on air talent is weak compared to the legends that were behind the microphone at this once great format. There re branding of timeless classics with thier now defunct memories format is about as bland of a sound you can get. I now listen to a Dial Global affiliate most of the time which is so much better then timleless. Timeless had a great thing and blew it up.

 

[IBadget1]

I too am not very passionate about Timeless Favorites, which used to be Stardust and play the authentic Adult Standards tunes, complete with big band music, e.g., Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, etc. Timeless Favorites is now picking up where Memories left off. It's as if ABC shut down Stardust and renamed Memories to Timeless Favorites.

I also agree that Dial Global Adult Standards is much better than ABC Timeless Favorites, but I still have to suffer through the bland AC garbage, e.g., Vanessa Williams, Peabo Bryson, Steve Perry, Celine Dion, Ambrosia, etc. The Music Of Your Life and Jones Adult Standards are the most authentic when it comes to Adult Standards.

 

[publisher]

I did finally take a survey this evening at the Timeless site, such as it was. I heard a snippet of "A New Day Has Come" and was asked whether I liked it. I was ambivalent in my response since it didn't ask me in the context of "would you like to hear this song on our/your station." Also asked me if I "hear this song too much" on the radio -- to which, of course, I answered "yes."

The only other question was if I had any songs to recommend be played on my local station. Replied to them there wasn't enough time or space to list all the songs I would like to hear on Timeless.

I am not nearly irritated by the soft AC on Dial Global as I once ways. While at work, the format makes good background music (I stream a station from California, even though I'm in Mississippi). In the car or at home I just turn the iPod on and listen to what I want.

 

[publisher]

I completed the Timeless survey today -- it took several days, however. You are quizzed on your feelings about 700 songs, all of which, as far as I know, are in play on Timeless.

You are asked if you like a particular song (really like; somewhat like; dislike, not familiar) and whether or not you're tired of hearing it on the radio. The parameters of the survey are a bit strict, in my opinion. For example, a lot of the songs that I like, I wouldn't necessarily want to hear on the Timeless station, and there was no way to communicate that.

So songs I felt out of place on Timeless -- even if I liked them -- I marked dislike. Anyway, there is a cash drawing for those who participate and it was interesting to get a concentrated burst of the music they play. I would say Timeless definitely has an identity problem after listening to all of those clips.

 

[timeless_favorites]

Responding to "publisher"s previous post.

I sat down and did the entire survey in over an hour. I would agree with publisher 100%. Here's the way I saw it. Most of the songs I don't necessarily hate, it's just I don't want to hear them on my Timeless station.

We've got countless stations I can flip to hear Kenny Rogers or most any other "Oldies" song that they listed. I agree that they have lost their identity.

I used to enjoy listening to Timeless when because I knew it was the only place I could turn to hear Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. Now those songs are so few and far between that the format has become undependable. I am sick and tired of hearing Olivia Newton John and David Foster's St. Elmo's Fire (blah)

And to those of you who are ranting about the younger folks wanting to hear that newer stuff, HA!

I am 25, count it *25*, years old and love the standards! I'd listen to Frank Sinatra all day long as well as other great artists like Johnny Mercer, Frankie Laine, Nat King Cole, Doris Day, Glenn Miller, Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis Jr, just to name a few. There's plenty of young folks who dig that kind of music. I definitely don't dig the likes of Kenny Rogers and Barry Manilow and sorry to offend anyone who does. That's just what I like.

I have found that Pandora is the best way to hear the old stuff that ABC Stardust once played and will probably never play again. Maybe someone from Citadel will read these posts and do something to change it.

Just listening to their "evolved" disaster makes me wonder how much longer they'll exist. It really sounds like a blessed mess to me. It has truly lost it's identity and also alot of it's listeners.

They should hire someone from Pandora to program their format, and no I don't work for or own stock in Pandora before you start bashing me.

 

[publisher]

Timeless, were you constantly asked to verify your birthdate during the survey? I was prompted to "verify my identity" by reentering my birthday every 75-100 songs. For a while I wondered if something was amiss, but then figured it asked that of everyone. I'm only 35, so I thought briefly that they wanted to keep verifying my age every time I gave Sinatra, Mathis or Bennett the highest mark possible.

And Pandora is a neat site.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Responding to "publisher"s previous post.

I'm curious--if you hate the format why is that your screen name?

But then I did the same thing. My Stardust station was even worse than the current Timeless Favorites for about a month during the day (they went back to Stardust at night and it was even better then during the evening than during the day). I accused them of hiring a chimp and sent my very first email (without my own email address) to tell them that. I made a typo in the subject line and the rest is history.

I got an email and I'm taking the survey a few songs at a time, though I may go for one hour straight later this week since I'll have plenty of computer time.

I don't feel as strongly as you do. I do like Barry Manilow, though I have mixed feelings about Kenny Rogers. My objection is to all the new stuff that doesn't fit, as well as what they had before that sounds worse without the "good stuff"--and of course the lack of "good stuff". Dial Global has no shortage of "good stuff", but, for example, they played "Guitar Man" by Bread. Not by any defintion of standards can that one fit. I like "Reminiscing" by The Little River Band but it too is out of place. That was two or three songs later. "Foolish Heart" by Steve Perry also doesn't fit. The fact is Dial Global's format did what Timeless Favorites is doing earlier in this decade but they seem to have come to their senses--sort of. There are some real train wrecks.

 

[Chuck]

Responding to "publisher"s previous post.

I'm curious--if you hate the format why is that your screen name?

But then I did the same thing. My Stardust station was even worse than the current Timeless Favorites for about a month during the day (they went back to Stardust at night and it was even better then during the evening than during the day). I accused them of hiring a chimp and sent my very first email (without my own email address) to tell them that. I made a typo in the subject line and the rest is history.

I got an email and I'm taking the survey a few songs at a time, though I may go for one hour straight later this week since I'll have plenty of computer time.

I don't feel as strongly as you do. I do like Barry Manilow, though I have mixed feelings about Kenny Rogers. My objection is to all the new stuff that doesn't fit, as well as what they had before that sounds worse without the "good stuff"--and of course the lack of "good stuff". Dial Global has no shortage of "good stuff", but, for example, they played "Guitar Man" by Bread. Not by any defintion of standards can that one fit. I like "Reminiscing" by The Little River Band but it too is out of place. That was two or three songs later. "Foolish Heart" by Steve Perry also doesn't fit. The fact is Dial Global's format did what Timeless Favorites is doing earlier in this decade but they seem to have come to their senses--sort of. There are some real train wrecks.

I have very wide musical tastes. There are thousands of songs that I like , but I wouldn't play them on a Standards Station. Just because you like a song, doesn’t mean it deserves air play on an inappropriate format. You wouldn’t play ZZ Top on a Classical music station, would you?

I realize this is the "Soft AC/EZ Listening/Adult Standards" forum. That title is part of the problem. They are three very distinct formats. When you try to combine them, you succeed in coming up with a format that is likely to piss off just about everybody. From what I've heard, it seems like that is exactly what they are trying to do. I think they need to figure out their own identity crisis first, and then program to that identity. Right now, the best I can call it is "confused."

 

[vchimpanzee]

I finally put on headphones and took the time to complete a significant portion of the survey.

After an hour, I was halfway through, so I'll have to do it again. I'm not sure when I can.

But there was very little there that could truly be called "standards". I gave the highest score to anything that qualified, but there wasn't much. I gave a lower score to some songs I liked that just didn't fit the format. "Driving My Life Away" by Eddie Rabbitt would get the highest score if I was being surveyed for a country format. I like "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge, but come on! I gave it the lowest score--Don't Like It and Tired of Hearing It. I checked the box that said I was tired of hearing a song even if I had never heard it once in the Timeless Favorites format. "Almost Paradise" from "Footloose"??? That belongs in the category of transport it carefully and bury it deep where it can never be heard again. There was no such box to check. If I hear "Meet Me Halfway" by Kenny Loggins I would want to do the same. That was the first song I heard when I realized Joe Lacina was gone never to return. "Night Fever" from "Saturday Night Fever"?????? Now I like the soft parts, but when I was in high school and stuck in a car with other teens returning from a French class visit to a French restaurant, I seriously thought part of that song was heavy metal.

A lot of songs I said "Take It Or Leave It" but how do I say I don't like it? Easy. Just say "Tired of Hearing It". Once I forgot and checked the wrong box there. I keep wanting to check "Yes" for "Want to Hear It" so I have to read that statement each time so I won't mess up.

 

[Famous56guy]

I also participated in the survey. Timless no longer represents it's self as a standards format, so not sure why all the complaints, that they do not play enough standards? Their rebranded format is Soft A/C / Oldies from the past three decades. Like it or not (which I do not) that's who they are now!

Stardust/Timeless Classics is GONE!

 

[IBadget1]

I also participated in the survey. Timless no longer represents it's self as a standards format, so not sure why all the complaints, that they do not play enough standards? Their rebranded format is Soft A/C / Oldies from the past three decades. Like it or not (which I do not) that's who they are now!

Stardust/Timeless Classics is GONE!

This means that Timeless is picking up where Memories left off, not only music-wise, but also DJ-wise, e.g., Laurie Bandemir, Vic Thomas, etc. I don't think ABC will ever program Adult Standards again. This makes ABC seem like a cheap, cookie-cutter service.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I also participated in the survey. Timless no longer represents it's self as a standards format, so not sure why all the complaints, that they do not play enough standards?

Because the stations that play it won't get rid of it for something good, of course!

Also, everyone and his brother tries to claim it's still standards. They did that with Unforgettable Favorites too. Two Charlotte Observer articles claimed that stations changed FROM standards. But you have to still be playing standards to change from standards. The change just wasn't well-publicized, except here.

I took a week off because I'm in the habit of looking up Arbitron ratings when they come out. I'll try to finish this week, but I missed Paul Harvey on Saturday due to a hazardous waste collection day and a car with no radio. ( wouldn't want to use my nice car to deliver trash, and there was a line, which never happened before). There's just the one library where I'm willing to put on earphones since I only get an hour at a time there anyway, unless someone is waiting. Here, I'd just rather not have the aggravation.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I finished the survey.

I couldn't believe "She Works Hard for the Money". Not in my wildest dreams. "Staying Alive" wasn't a surprise, really, after "Night Fever".

Everywhere else but this site they try to claim it's standards. But there were so few songs in the survey that Chuck would call standards, it was like when a country club wants to show they admitted blacks.

I'd like to comment on how much better Dial Global is, but I'd rather everyone did that here.

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