Play All The Oldies

[craigbaker]

Toml and anyone else looking for more variety, I invite you to try our stream. We play all of the artists you mentioned. . . and a whole lot more. CB

Listen live anytime
"The Best Music Ever Made"
http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v4/index.cfm?stationCallSign=WYTH&pgmStart=true

StarStation Radio

 

[KFodor]

Unfortunately, it's because these artists are and have been ignored during those magical "tests". They aren't getting tested now, and they won't be ever again. The PD's and the consultants have given up on ones like that, even though it's claimed "all reasonable ones get tested" :

This is all bunk. If you've ever done a music test, then you'd know they are done scientifically with proper consideration to the laws and rules of statistical research.

What is the issue here is the "fit" of the songs. Sorry but, "That Old Black Magic" by Sammy Davis, Junior does not fit well with "I Am The Walrus". Likewise, Sinatra's "Summer Wind" sounds really out of place next to "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby Standing In The Shadows".

Sometimes the tests will come back and some of those "standards" test very well. BUT, the listener will also report the "fit" score badly. In other words:"I like the song, but I don't think it fits your format."

That having been said, where those standards do fit...is when a station is playing a countdown of the hits that include those standards, and the stations should play them in that case. Some eliminate them and that, too...is bunk. Also, if you're doing a "Wayback Weekend" where you're "dusting off songs you haven't heard in a while"...cherry picking a few of the standards in those instances works quite well.

But again, if you haven't ever been involved in one of these, you don't know what you're talking about.

 

[Biondi4Mayor]

Unfortunately, it's because these artists are and have been ignored during those magical "tests". They aren't getting tested now, and they won't be ever again. The PD's and the consultants have given up on ones like that, even though it's claimed "all reasonable ones get tested" :

This is all bunk. If you've ever done a music test, then you'd know they are done scientifically with proper consideration to the laws and rules of statistical research.

What is the issue here is the "fit" of the songs. Sorry but, "That Old Black Magic" by Sammy Davis, Junior does not fit well with "I Am The Walrus". Likewise, Sinatra's "Summer Wind" sounds really out of place next to "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby Standing In The Shadows".

Sometimes the tests will come back and some of those "standards" test very well. BUT, the listener will also report the "fit" score badly. In other words:"I like the song, but I don't think it fits your format."

That having been said, where those standards do fit...is when a station is playing a countdown of the hits that include those standards, and the stations should play them in that case. Some eliminate them and that, too...is bunk. Also, if you're doing a "Wayback Weekend" where you're "dusting off songs you haven't heard in a while"...cherry picking a few of the standards in those instances works quite well.

But again, if you haven't ever been involved in one of these, you don't know what you're talking about.

And if YOU'VE done any digging around, you will see that in another thread I do in fact talk about an experience I had with taking 2 music tests. Next time get your stuff together before you post.

 

[DavidEduardo]

Most oldies stations limit their format to "rock 'n' roll" oldies. They don't play Gene Pitney, Dean Martin, Petula Clark, Connie Francis. I wish there was a station that played all the oldies. If they did play all the oldies, they might last longer. There is music outside of rock 'n' roll.

The problem is that those artists, for the most part, appealed to the older segment of the Top 40 audience when they were currents. So a Dean Martin song might have merited Top 40 play somewhere in the 60's, but the interest was driven by adults, not teens. So most of (and I am not saying "all") of the partisans of those songs back then are likely really, really old or really, really dead now.

 

[DavidEduardo]

And if YOU'VE done any digging around, you will see that in another thread I do in fact talk about an experience I had with taking 2 music tests. Next time get your stuff together before you post.

What you don't know is that every test has some respondents who, after looking at the data, are tossed out of the final results: they may have not truly met the recruit specs, or they did not show the right response to some key question or question set, or some other factor. Once a test has started, it is disruptive to remove a person... so they are allowed to play the game and be paid but the results are thrown out.

It's also quite common to find some "ringers" in the people who show up... people with no valid picture ID to prove it was that person who was recruited, or people out of the demo required. These people, out of courtesy, are often paid a small amount and sent home. Also common is for one cell or another to have an overshow, in which they get a full pay and send.

So, while you may have participated in a test, your scores are not guaranteed to have been taken into consideration.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

^^^ Sounds like the process of selecting jurors from a jury pool (REPLY 124).

 

[firepoint525]

What is the issue here is the "fit" of the songs. Sorry but, "That Old Black Magic" by Sammy Davis, Junior does not fit well with "I Am The Walrus". Likewise, Sinatra's "Summer Wind" sounds really out of place next to "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby Standing In The Shadows".

Kinda been addressed in other replies already, but back in those days, many stations were "full-service," in which they played pretty much everyone who had a hit, regardless of format. As more stations came on the air, stations were able to specialize more. The Sinatra and Davis tracks could probably still be heard over stations like WAMB here in Nashville.

Likewise, in my "growing-up" years (the '70s), country crossovers were especially common on top 40 radio. But as top 40 migrated over to FM, they left the crossovers behind on the AM. There was recently a discussion on the other board about WVCP, the Vol State station, playing Ronnie Milsap in addition to their other oldies. My theory is that the students were either required to play him, or else the station managment is trying to recreate the type of radio that we listened to back in the '70s.

^^^ Sounds like the process of selecting jurors from a jury pool (REPLY 124).

You want someone like that determining YOUR fate?

 

[Biondi4Mayor]

And if YOU'VE done any digging around, you will see that in another thread I do in fact talk about an experience I had with taking 2 music tests. Next time get your stuff together before you post.

What you don't know is that every test has some respondents who, after looking at the data, are tossed out of the final results: they may have not truly met the recruit specs, or they did not show the right response to some key question or question set, or some other factor. Once a test has started, it is disruptive to remove a person... so they are allowed to play the game and be paid but the results are thrown out.

It's also quite common to find some "ringers" in the people who show up... people with no valid picture ID to prove it was that person who was recruited, or people out of the demo required. These people, out of courtesy, are often paid a small amount and sent home. Also common is for one cell or another to have an overshow, in which they get a full pay and send.

So, while you may have participated in a test, your scores are not guaranteed to have been taken into consideration.

: : : Not only did this not concern you, but your contribution does not even remotely advance what was discussed. How many pages did we go through last time when I explained the one I was involved in?

Oh yeah, you pegged it as "a promotional tool", "not real research", and now "they could have thrown out my data".

: : :

 

[SUPERCASTER]

Try www.wifi92fm.com

 

[oldies76]

The problem is that those artists, for the most part, appealed to the older segment of the Top 40 audience when they were currents. So a Dean Martin song might have merited Top 40 play somewhere in the 60's, but the interest was driven by adults, not teens. So most of (and I am not saying "all") of the partisans of those songs back then are likely really, really old or really, really dead now.

And I'm 99.9% sure that selective Dean Martin songs played in 2013 will be listened and appreciated by most, listening to classic hits radio. Remember, many 55+ do in fact, listen to classic hits or AM oldies stations, even if they are not targeted by ads. So fire up "Everybody Loves Somebody", a #1 song then, a welcome addition today.

 

[CTListener]

The problem is that those artists, for the most part, appealed to the older segment of the Top 40 audience when they were currents. So a Dean Martin song might have merited Top 40 play somewhere in the 60's, but the interest was driven by adults, not teens. So most of (and I am not saying "all") of the partisans of those songs back then are likely really, really old or really, really dead now.

And I'm 99.9% sure that selective Dean Martin songs played in 2013 will be listened and appreciated by most, listening to classic hits radio. Remember, many 55+ do in fact, listen to classic hits or AM oldies stations, even if they are not targeted by ads. So fire up "Everybody Loves Somebody", a #1 song then, a welcome addition today.

Oh, please! I just turned 58 and songs like that were instant station-switchers for me back in the day and still are today. I respect the crooners and their craft, but that music's just not for me, even now. Can't imagine that most who tune in for "Died In Your Arms Last Night," "My Sharona" and "Celebration" today, in any age group, would want to hear Dean Martin.

 

[landtuna]

Can't imagine that most who tune in for "Died In Your Arms Last Night," "My Sharona" and "Celebration" today, in any age group, would want to hear Dean Martin.

Then let me surprise you that I've got both "My Sharona" and several songs by Deano in my library.

Unlike Sinatra, Martin did not need a loud band behind him to hide a lack of talent. Dean and Johnny Mathis had arguably the best male voices of their day and although their songs may be dated their talents never will be.

 

[DavidEduardo]

Oh yeah, you pegged it as "a promotional tool", "not real research", and now "they could have thrown out my data".

Both are common.

The mock music test of a smaller number of titles is a way some stations used to engage listeners. Sort of like the older usage of a "vote the ballot in our newspaper ad". Results of neither were used, but listeners voted and generally could win something. It's a promotion used to create a "we listen to you" feeling.

"Data cleansing" is a technique described in textbooks. One looks at the final results of a test group, and determines if any participants were "gaming" the results (a small percentage of all people find it amusing to swim upriver, like salmon, just to be different) or were not engaged (all scores the same) or were obviously unfamiliar with the music. Those people are not tabulated in the final results.

The point is that the average consumer has no clue as to how consumer research is tabulated, used and implemented. The posted impressions of people who think they know how it works based on being surveyed, screened or interviewed in the past are not insightful and distort the way that music is selected for radio airplay.

 

[deltas69]

Then let me surprise you that I've got both "My Sharona" and several songs by Deano in my library I agree Dean was a smooth and great singer..Sinatra was not despite what may be said if your judging on pure talent..Sinatra more or less spoke and phrased his songs..hit the notes when he could..but like Johnny Cash...he was a personality..not a good singer..and I can listen to Dean...but all that said....Dean and the Knack. do not belong on the same station playlist..your library..mine..ok..good with that..but not gonna work on the air...

 

[oldies76]

The problem is that those artists, for the most part, appealed to the older segment of the Top 40 audience when they were currents. So a Dean Martin song might have merited Top 40 play somewhere in the 60's, but the interest was driven by adults, not teens. So most of (and I am not saying "all") of the partisans of those songs back then are likely really, really old or really, really dead now.

And I'm 99.9% sure that selective Dean Martin songs played in 2013 will be listened and appreciated by most, listening to classic hits radio. Remember, many 55+ do in fact, listen to classic hits or AM oldies stations, even if they are not targeted by ads. So fire up "Everybody Loves Somebody", a #1 song then, a welcome addition today.

Oh, please! I just turned 58 and songs like that were instant station-switchers for me back in the day and still are today. I respect the crooners and their craft, but that music's just not for me, even now. Can't imagine that most who tune in for "Died In Your Arms Last Night," "My Sharona" and "Celebration" today, in any age group, would want to hear Dean Martin.

So you were 9 in '64...I could image that since most everything was Beatles and British by then. Maybe I should have said 65+ listening to oldies radio today would enjoy hearing Dean. Either way, his songs are good then and now and appreciated by some under 55. Many young folks today also like Johnny Cash and Elvis.

 

[oldies76]

Dean and the Knack. do not belong on the same station playlist..your library..mine..ok..good with that..but not gonna work on the air...

Well Delta actually it can, just don't air them back to back (trainwreck). Just have to know when to play them. Hours apart or on different days.

 

[DavidEduardo]

So you were 9 in '64...I could image that since most everything was Beatles and British by then. Maybe I should have said 65+ listening to oldies radio today would enjoy hearing Dean. Either way, his songs are good then and now and appreciated by some under 55. Many young folks today also like Johnny Cash and Elvis.

I was 18 in 1964 and programming a Top 40 station in a million population market. Our strategy when launching the station was to grab the 12-25 year olds, and use them as a base. Because I was in-demo and talked to lots of people my age, I realized that the old style music was a negative to my goal.

And as a Top 40 listener in the late 50's and early 60's, I would immediately tune out Deano, Perry Como, and anything else that sounded like the crooners or that sounded like MOR. Fortunately, where I grew up, we had 3 Top 40s throughout that period, so there was always somewhere to go when Dave "Baby" Cortez or Dominico Modugno or Mack The Knife came on. I didn't have any peers who behaved differently, either.

 

[TheFonz]

Oh, please! I just turned 58 and songs like that were instant station-switchers for me back in the day and still are today.

I have a different take on that. I hated The Singing Nun back in the day. But if I heard it once every couple of weeks today, it wouldn't bother me a bit. And if it meant one less play of "Crimson And Clover", that would be even better!

 

[landtuna]

Dean and the Knack. do not belong on the same station playlist..your library..mine..ok..good with that..but not gonna work on the air...

Well Delta actually it can, just don't air them back to back (trainwreck). Just have to know when to play them. Hours apart or on different days.

Exactly right! KOY airs similar songs in their playlist but not necessarily back to back. As long as the listener likes both songs it isn't a big deal to hear them in close proximity.

 

[landtuna]

I was 18 in 1964 and programming a Top 40 station in a million population market. Our strategy when launching the station was to grab the 12-25 year olds, and use them as a base. Because I was in-demo and talked to lots of people my age, I realized that the old style music was a negative to my goal.

I'm less than 2 years older than you and agree that, back then, there was no "oldies" genre so playing songs from the mid to late 50's would have seemed strange on a Top-40 station. Once in awhile I would hear something from Fats or Ricky or Johnny & The Hurricanes but usually on the overnights.

And as a Top 40 listener in the late 50's and early 60's, I would immediately tune out Deano, Perry Como, and anything else that sounded like the crooners or that sounded like MOR.

Except during the Christmas season, yes.

Fortunately, where I grew up, we had 3 Top 40s throughout that period, so there was always somewhere to go when Dave "Baby" Cortez or Dominico Modugno or Mack The Knife came on. I didn't have any peers who behaved differently, either.

You equate Cortez with the others? I wouldn't but I sure got sick and tired of Mack the Knife and it remains a button pusher these many years later.