Malt Shop cruise

Jeff Rollins, and probably the other America's Best Music DJs, keep promoting this Malt Shop cruise. You call in to the 800 number to enter to win. It sounds like an oldies theme rather than a standards theme, though a lot of the same music is on both types of stations. And oldies has been replaced with classic hits in many cases, and that format doesn't have a "malt shop" image. Neither does standards, really, though some of the songs on standards radio fit.

I suppose this is good for standards radio.

Seems like something that my parents would enjoy, although ironically enough, I would probably enjoy it more. The folks that I see in those commercials appear to be just slightly younger than my parents. Like maybe in high school in the early '60s, the last generation before the JFK assassination and the arrival of the Beatles.

We play the Westwood Adult Standards format here on WGMA. Lots of response to that contest.

Nowadays, aren't standards formats essentially oldies? When I was PD of a Music Of Your Life affiliate in the late 80s to early 90s, the format was still reel-to-reel and played music as far back as the Dorsey Brothers and Glenn Miller.

It does seem to be more and more "oldies," at least the non rock hits of the 50's, 60's and beyond. It's just the way things evolve. I like lots of the music from the 1940's but the truth of the matter is someone who graduated from High School in 1945 is about 87 years old. Those that are still active aren't usually buying very much. It is hard to keep a radio station afloat by catering to that group.

eriedj said:

Nowadays, aren't standards formats essentially oldies? When I was PD of a Music Of Your Life affiliate in the late 80s to early 90s, the format was still reel-to-reel and played music as far back as the Dorsey Brothers and Glenn Miller.

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It would be true except oldies stations didn't generally play big band music (and I'm referring primarily to the vocalists that kept that music alive even after rock and roll began to dominate). And they certainly didn't, and probably still don't, play new recordings of songs that sound old.

The definition of standards over time has changed. As stations evolved to Classic Hits stations so did the Standards formatted stations. Classic Hits won't play Bobby Vee yet a standards format will.

It's funny, back in the day, Al Ham played "Unchained Melody" from everyone BUT the Righteous Brothers. Yet, he had the Carpenters, Tony Orlando & Dawn and other contemporary artists on the 'D' reels. Not sure what his reasoning was on some of his choices but there must have been a reason.

eriedj said:

It's funny, back in the day, Al Ham played "Unchained Melody" from everyone BUT the Righteous Brothers.

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I can remember when what is now America's Best Music did this. Or at least I never heard The Righteous Brothers. I liked those other versions and wish I could hear them again.