An open letter to US classic rock radio

[DukeLaCrosse]

the only good station in my town is the college one

 

[Theopolis Q. Hossenffer]

I don't listen to much music anymore. More into NPR. But when I do I often have the same complaint. Especially the new Jack format. What a bunch of crap. There is a station at 95.7 out of Milwaukee and also one out of Madison Wi. that often suprise me with unexpected songs I havn't heard in a long time.

 

[Xombie3000]

I think this is the main reason why I no longer support radio. There are a lot of good things things out there nobody really knows about. I listen to Classic Rock, Rock&Roll (not the "rock" by today's standards), and the Blues. Now I just load up what I want to hear on my iPod and plug it into my car. I got this nifty little device that plugs into my car and I just set it to a blank radio station and I get my music.

 

[EmilyTheStrange]

Its exactly the reason why I don't listen to radio anymore. My ipod is filled with all my classic rock that I need and I can play whatever I want. I just plug it into my car radios ipod port, and cruise.

 

[shayd]

Radio stations have this problem because unfortunately, it's what people want to hear. There just aren't that many people who like all of the classic artists enough to hear songs that weren't insanely popular many years before.

 

[BigSwede]

There should be more rockabilly and surf rock.

 

[Baill Inneraora]

You don't have to play Stairway to fucking Heaven every other fucking hour.

The only time you should play Freebird is when the DJ has to have a bowel movement that might go for awhile.

 

[DukeLaCrosse]

oldies station suck nowdays too. fuck billy joel, elton john fleetwood mac etc! give me the shirelles, gary US bonds, del shannon etc

 

[HeartBroker]

Classic rock is normally considered rock music from 1965 to what seems like 1985. That gives the program director 20 years of music to choose from for a playlist.
Is there a reason then as to why you choose to play the same tired songs from the same bands every day?

Take for example ZZ Top, I think they've put out a few albums over the years. Yet all you play is the same 2 songs over and over off a 1983 album. Why?

Boston? Does anyone really request More Than a Feeling be played 3 times a day 7 days a week?

Steve Miller, Frampton, Rod Stewart did do other great rock songs beside Maggie May.

Most of the bands you play have several albums of material to chose from, surely there must be more to the classic rock era than the same 40 songs you've been playing for the last 24 years.

Am I wrong? Freeones Bull Board what do you think?

No you're not wrong, but until program directors "get it" that the public doesn't want the same 300 or so songs over and over and over, it will continue

 

[lickknob25]

Station check: Surprise surprise.....The Chain, Fleetwood Mac.
Here is a novel idea, if they really want to do something new and interesting. Research and see what the playlist was say for the month of May 1975. And for a week or so draw heavily off that playlist in their rotation. They could intersperse it with news of the day back then and such. It would expose some old forgotten gems and attract listeners.

 

[Galactic]

Classic rock is normally considered rock music from 1965 to what seems like 1985. That gives the program director 20 years of music to choose from for a playlist.
Is there a reason then as to why you choose to play the same tired songs from the same bands every day?

Take for example ZZ Top, I think they've put out a few albums over the years. Yet all you play is the same 2 songs over and over off a 1983 album. Why?

Boston? Does anyone really request More Than a Feeling be played 3 times a day 7 days a week?

Steve Miller, Frampton, Rod Stewart did do other great rock songs beside Maggie May.

Most of the bands you play have several albums of material to chose from, surely there must be more to the classic rock era than the same 40 songs you've been playing for the last 24 years.

Am I wrong? Freeones Bull Board what do you think?

Could not POSSIBLY agree with you any more! Have thought the same thing many, many times.

 

[Jagger69]

I agree 100%. These stations are sooooooo tired. If I have to hear Foxy Lady one more time I just might scream!!!

KIHT 96.3 in St. Louis is the best station I have found that does its best to recreate the same format that the album-rock oriented "underground" stations did back in the 1970s.

Give it a listen online somtime:

http://www.k-hits.com/

 

[guittarjedi]

Yep. Radio stations play the same burnt out songs over and over pretty much at the exact same times every day like clock work. Led Zeppelin has tons of great songs but commercial rock radio rotates the same 3 day in and day out. This is why I gave up on radio in favor of my iPod.

 

[chase horner]

I could not agree anymore classic rock and oldies radio have a bottomless pit of music to explore but they take the easy way out and play the hits because they have already been proven to be popular.With the advent of Guitar Hero young kids are showing an interest in the older music while you have their attention expose more than the hits.It almost brought a tear to my eye about a month ago when driving with my 7 year nephew i had "The Yes Album" playing and he asked who is this? I like this music Uncle Chase .There is hope i know i will be handing down my music collection.I swear if i hear "The Boys Are Back In Town"one more time..........

 

[Violator79]

The only time you should play Freebird is when the DJ has to have a bowel movement that might go for awhile.

That is the funniest thing I've read all week!!! :rofl:

 

[D-rock]

AMEN BROTHER! There's also the fact that each year should give one more years' music to the station, but it doesn't happen.

I would be careful with that though. If they go too much beyond what they play now they will start getting into the era where much of the rock is crap and it will further dilute the quality of what's on the radio.

 

[shaggydude]

Awesome thread!

I can literally guess which song is going to be played next several times a day!!

Many years ago it was the MUSIC business.
Unfortunately, now it has become the music BUSINESS!!!!!

 

[Baill Inneraora]

"Everyone knows rock n' roll attained perfection in 1974. It's a scientific fact."

 

[Riffy]

I was listening to Radio 2 in the car the other day and this track by a band called Gallows came on. I liked it. Cool.

Next day... the same song... and I bet it was the same all bloody week.

Good on old Radio 2 playing a bit of metal but do we need the same song every day?

 

[jimnt]

Classic rock is normally considered rock music from 1965 to what seems like 1985. That gives the program director 20 years of music to choose from for a playlist.
Is there a reason then as to why you choose to play the same tired songs from the same bands every day?

Take for example ZZ Top, I think they've put out a few albums over the years. Yet all you play is the same 2 songs over and over off a 1983 album. Why?

Boston? Does anyone really request More Than a Feeling be played 3 times a day 7 days a week?

Steve Miller, Frampton, Rod Stewart did do other great rock songs beside Maggie May.

Most of the bands you play have several albums of material to chose from, surely there must be more to the classic rock era than the same 40 songs you've been playing for the last 24 years.

Am I wrong? Freeones Bull Board what do you think?

Some pd's believe that 40 to 60 hot songs is enough!