They can't play Zeppelin forever and the newer product is simply not as good. What to do?
The problem is the quality of most AOR rock, and frankly even "alternative" started to go way down in the 90s and doesn't have the staying power of some of the older stuff. Does anyone really want to hear Alice in Chains again? That's not just the opinion now, it was the opinion then. KLOS thought they had to change with the times even then and went to an alt heavy format for a few years in the 90s and got killed in the ratings. Afterwards they only kept a few of the best performing cuts in the rotation and went back to the tried and true stuff. Has stayed that way for the last 20 years, which brings us to the problem they have today. They can't play Zeppelin forever and the newer product is simply not as good. What to do?
it seems like there is not a basis for 90s classic rock.
Maybe that's why they just did it as a weekend...
It's why I really don't like to define music strictly by decade. Because music isn't made that way. It's like programming by chart position. You program by the audience, and the audience doesn't think of the decade when they pick their favorite songs.
Once the 70s songs start aging out, and even the 80s ones do, they might start to run out of songs to play, since there may not be enough 90s songs to replace the 70s ones.
That may be. Or maybe they'll infuse some 2000s songs that fit the format. I hear a lot of stuff that's pretty derivative and it would fit that context without much work.
They've already begun to do that. Just this past weekend they had a special "Warehouse" performance with local rock heroes, Rival Sons who just finished opening for Black Sabbath on their farewell tour. They also have a Halloween show with 5 Finger Death Punch, Shinedown and Sixx AM (Niki Sixx late of Motley Crue's band). The station has gradually been jettisoning a lot of older music, especially from the 60s. You will almost never hear the Beatles except for Breakfast With The Beatles on Sunday. Shinedown, Sixx AM and Rival Sons are part of their regular rotation. The station is gradually morphing into a mainstream rock station. In fact I have recently seen it listed as AOR on certain charts. Refreshing.
I disagree that there is not enough music from the 90s. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus, Linkin Park, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, Alice in Chains, Green Day, Stone Temple Pilots, Smashing Pumpkins, U2... There is more than enough music to mix in with the 80s and 70s tunes. Does anyone want to hear Alice In Chains? I don't know, do people still listen to Hotel California? If the songs test well, they'll be played.