Perplexed

[Circa 1824]

I regularly listen to WMID AM and FM radio in South Jersey. They play awesome oldies from the 1960’s to the 1990’s. They often play 20 in a row without commercials. But, they NEVER play Diana Ross nor The Supremes. NEVER. And, I listen daily.

They play all other Motown acts, but never Motown’s biggest stars. Does anyone have pull with this station to get the girls airplay? I don’t want their songs ignored or forgotten.

[Spreadinglove21]

You state they play oldies from the 60s to the 90s. About what percentage is 60s? Is a good mix of all decades or does the playlist lean more heavily towards 80s and 90s?

And is the station owned by a large corporate entity like IHeartRadio/IHeartMedia? If so, the playlist could be determined by corporate and the DJs [[if they have a local announcer and not someone in a central booth somewhere) plays what they're told to play.

[bradsupremes]

Unfortunately radio today has fallen from a great height. I grew up with WMJI in the late 90s/early 2000s and it was a huge, nationally recognized oldies station. They used to play an amazing selection of songs from the 50s to 70s. I would frequently hear just about every top 20 Supremes hit from "Lovelight" to "Floy Joy." It's where I was exposed to so many awesome Motown songs too. They saw some change in ownership and eventually were bought out by iHeart radio and that's when everything went to pot. They dropped all of the 50s songs and a good deal of 60s, shifted the format to include 80s, basically played the same 300 songs over and over and then eventually dropped all the 60s songs with the exception of The Beatles. I don't even listen anymore. For a while a local college station on Saturday afternoons would pick a survey from CKLW or WIXY and play the top 30 songs from that date 50 years ago - it was actually really fun because you got to hear things like "No Matter What Sign You Are."

There's SiriusXM but then again they play the same old stuff over and over again too. The 60s Gold and SoulTown stations don't really delve too deep. It's some of the more obscure channels where they do play some things out of the ordinary. I can't recall the channel offhand, but I do remember hearing "Surrender" and "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking" much to my surprise.

[floyjoy678]

My local oldies radio station frequently played the Supremes up until the early 2000s. Even heard some of the album cuts and b sides occasionally.

In 1999/2000 my city even had a big billboard of the oldies station and it was a picture of DMF, a b/w version of the Sing HDH picture. Then around the mid 2000s I noticed the songs from the 50s and 60s were being phased out and eventually it was all 80s being played. I emailed them about it and pretty much was told there's not a market anymore for those who listen to the Supremes.

[jobeterob]

I’m relatively happy with what I hear on Sirius on Soultown, 70’s and 60’s but it doesn’t go deep - you don’t get much 70’s Supremes.

I was amazed how a very few songs get such a large percentage of all the play - Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin and Tammi, My Girl, and Endless Love.

Has anyone seen Spotify Numbers for Diana Ross and the Supremes as opposed to the Supremes alone and Diana Ross alone?

The fall off in play is to be expected - there are few Motown standard bearers left and Diana Ross will be 80 in a few months, Smokey now has a plastic face, and Stevie gained a few pounds but seems the same as ever. Going down the list a little bit, Martha’s singing has been scary for quite a while now.

[SatansBlues]

People are still listening to the radio? I haven't listened to a radio station in years. The endless commercials and limited music is what drove me away. Do yourself a favor and either subscribe to a streaming service or Pandora. Either is a million times better than the radio.

[Circa 1824]

You state they play oldies from the 60s to the 90s. About what percentage is 60s? Is a good mix of all decades or does the playlist lean more heavily towards 80s and 90s?
play.

I would say at least 60% of the music played is from the ‘60’s. That is why I am perplexed as to their “ban” on all things Diana Ross. The Temps and Tops and even The Marvelettes are routinely played. I heard 25 Miles yesterday. But absolutely never Stop! I love the playlist except for the above.

[jim aka jtigre99]

For my locale, it seems that now compared to the past the focus is more on other Motown artists rather than the Supremes and Diana Ross. Growing up, I did hear the Supremes on radio especially Stoned Love but I also heard Ladder,Everybody, River Deep,Nathan Jones, Floy Joy and Automatically Sunshine. While signing up at college I heard Let My Heart Do the Walking from someone's boombox in line and that was a highlight of that day. I think with oldies they may look for hidden gems as opposed to the Ross/Supremes music but I have heard Walking on Sirius Disco and on a local station they did play Stoned Love when reviewing 1970. Not sure why the Supremes and Ross are no longer played as much anywhere.

[Circa 1824]

Could this all be connected to the stoppage of The Supremes Expanded editions???

[lucky2012]

I'll go with the idea that some radio stations focus on less-played oldies and artists. I don't listen to radio anymore and one reason is that most only play the same popular "classics" cycled over and over.

[Spreadinglove21]

Could this all be connected to the stoppage of The Supremes Expanded editions???

If they are playing Marvelettes and Edwin Starr somehow I don't think there's a connection. Without knowing if the station has a corporate dictated playlist, or the DJs have some say over what gets played, it's hard to determine why they don't play Ross/Supremes. If there is a local control, then maybe the program director and DJs just don't like them!

With the exception of a classical music station that I listen to for an Early Music program on Sunday evenings, I've long stopped listening to the radio unless I'm traveling and my rental car doesn't have a satellite radio package. In which case I will check out the radio stations, usually on the public end of the dial for jazz and classical or eclectic mix. Forget the commercial music stations. They just play the same limited playlist. Back in 2008 I worked in an office for a bit in which one of my colleagues tuned into the smooth R and B station in the area. They played a mix of songs from 60s to the 90s. It was nice, but they played the same songs over and over and over. The music was nice enough, it just became monotonous.

I own a couple of thousand songs on my digital music library so that's my "radio" now. I just put it on shuffle and let it play when in the mood. And subscribe to a streaming service for further music. And I own a lot of CDs so I've many music options and don't rely on a commerical oldies music radio station with a limited playlist like that Smooth R and B station I heard at work in 2008.

[midnightman]

I know it probably pains me to say this but the Supremes' music is getting less play because the music that many of my generation [[80s babies, 90s kids) were exposed to growing up are now the new "oldies". I'm sure the Supremes still get play but not compared to Marvin and Stevie, who are pretty much the defacto "faces" of Motown these days.

[BobbyC]

I think the internet puts people in a time warp, myself included. The 80's records ARE oldies today and soon people will even forget them. The 70's and 60's are mostly forgotten by the public. It's a little jarring to see kids doing reaction videos to songs like Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In [[there are tons of reaction videos on that song for some reason) and then it hits me that that song is over 50 years old at this point. It's kind of surreal.

[Boogiedown]

I think the internet puts people in a time warp, myself included. The 80's records ARE oldies today and soon people will even forget them. The 70's and 60's are mostly forgotten by the public. It's a little jarring to see kids doing reaction videos to songs like Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In [[there are tons of reaction videos on that song for some reason) and then it hits me that that song is over 50 years old at this point. It's kind of surreal.

Oldies in the 70's meant 50's and 60's,
so oldies today means '00s and '10s .....


1980s might as well be big band ....

[Circa 1824]

In the past year, Diana has played two sold out shows in South Jersey [[Atlantic City). Yet, no oldies airplay.

this hour they have played The Grassroots, The Vandellas, Beach Boys, Linda Ronstadt, Johnny Rivers, Aretha, The Beatles, Otis Redding, and Janis Joplin. All great classics.

[BobbyC]

Hi Boogie. True, all true. That being said, I do video games for a living so I work with lots of 20 somethings--and guess what? Most of them are very familiar with 60's/70's/80's music because of their parents playing those old records! Sometimes they would shock me with how much they knew, and knew well. It's unpredictable--I one time asked this girl, Jay, if she knew who Led Zeppelin was and she got all huffy puffy with me--"OF COURSE I know who Led Zeppelin is!!!" she bellowed!! BUT when I asked her about Diana Ross, she had no idea who I was talking about!! So you never can really tell who they know--it's all determined by which artists their parents listened to!! My parents never listened to music so any exposure I ever got to that stuff was hearing it on the radio every once in a while.

[Circa 1824]

Yes, Bobby, that is true about parents listening preferences.

Whoever owns The Supremes and Ross’ catalogues need to make some calls to oldies stations or Diana Ross might become the next Bing Crosby. Crosby was once a huge star but now largely forgotten while Sinatra will never be forgotten. Lingering fame belongs to only a few.

[mysterysinger]

Play them on your own equipment at home or on your phone - then you have full control over what you hear. I never listen to the radio.

[snakepit]

Play them on your own equipment at home or on your phone - then you have full control over what you hear. I never listen to the radio.

Not even That Motown Sound on north manchester fm 106.6 ?

https://podcast.canstream.co.uk/manc...x.php?id=49817

[mysterysinger]

Not even That Motown Sound on north manchester fm 106.6 ?

https://podcast.canstream.co.uk/manc...x.php?id=49817

That's not radio - that's on my PC.

[snakepit]

Not if you listen to north manchester fm 106.6 RADIO as i hope some people do

where else would you hear....

Life Beats
he's all I got
Bill when are you coming back
I'm so glad heartaches don't last always
the loving Country
Till Johnny comes
You bring back memories
Over and over
take me where you go

all played over the last few months

[mysterysinger]

It's a great show, however you hear it.

[snakepit]

Thanks

No idea just how many tune in......particularly at 9pm on Wednesday. [[Soulful shack) or 7pm Sunday [[That Motown Sound).
Not many I'd guess, relying on the podcast,

[woodward]

Here is a copy and paste of a post I made on the Motown Forum on 7/31/2016 that new members might find of interest on this subject.

I routinely listen to Sirius on Soul Town as they feature a good amount of classic Motown. In the last day I have heard Reflections at least twice and Scorpio by Dennis Coffey once. They do a decent amount of Motown but seem to tell short biographies of MR&V and the Supremes.

How does this sound for a classic presentation?

Harvey Holiday Motown Oldies Show - Wogl-Fm Philadelphia
I read the thread on the Contours recently where numerous discussions were made about Philadelphia oldies shows.

Back on May 3, 1993 [[23 years ago) I was working at the welfare office in Bucks County and had to spend several weeks there overnight. This gave me the great opportunity to listen to WOGL.. On May 3, 1993, I documented the entire catalog of songs that were played by Harvey Holiday on WOGL. During the 3 hour show he played 48 Motown songs. I just thought maybe some members might be interested in knowing what he played on his Motown Oldies show.

01. You Can't Hurry Love - DRS
02. The Girl's All Right With Me - Temptations
03. Take This Heart of Mine - Marvin Gaye
04. Whole Lot of Shakin' In My Heart - Miracles
05. All I Do - Stevie Wonder
06. My Chereis Amour - Stevie Wonder
07. Whisper You Love Me Boy - DRS
08. It's the Same Old Song - Four Tops
09. A Love Like Yours - Martha & Vandellas
10. Heat Wave - Martha & Vandellas
11. Strange I Know - Marvelettes
12. Night Shift - Commodores
13. Keep On Trucking - Eddie Kendricks
14. One Who Really Loves You - Mary Wells
15. This Old Heart of Mine - Tammi Terrell
16. Jimmy Mack - Martha & Vandellas
17. Third Finger Left Hand - Martha & Vandellas
18. Baby Baby Don't Cry - SRM
19. Little Bitty Pretty One - J5
20. 25 Miles - Edwin Starr
21. I'll Always Love You - Spinners
22. Tell Her Love Has Felt The Need - Eddie Kendricks
23. Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours - Stevie Wonder
24. Without the One You Love - Four Tops
25. Love Has Gone - Four Tops
26. Everybody's Got To Pay Some Dues - SRM
27. Take Me In Your Arms - Kim Weston
28. Just My Imagination - Temptations
29, Reach Out I'll Be There - Four Tops
30. It Takes Two - Marvin and Kim
31. I Gotta Know Right Now - Temptations
32. Leaving Here - Eddie Holland
33. Everybody Needs Love - Gladys Knight & Pips
34. Castles In The Sand - Stevie Wonder
35. Nathan Jones - Supremes
36. Ain't Too Proud to Beg - Temptations
37. You'll Love A Precious Love - Temptations
38. I Don't Want to Lose You - Spinners
39. We've Come Too Far To End It Now - SRM
40. I'm the One You Need - SRM
41. Save Me - SRM
42. Love Me All The Way - Kim Weston
43. I Heart It Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
44. Fingertips Part II - Little Stevie Wonder
45. Firefly - Temptations
46. Everything Is Good About You - Supremes
47. McArthur Park - Four Tops
48. The Bells - Originals

As I look over this list today, I am surprised that in several instances he played the same artist back to back. Not an everyday occurrence.

Hope you enjoy my reminiscing. It brings back great memories.


I wanted to make one comment about the Sirius XM Soul Town. I keep hearing one song sporadically and it is one that I totally dislike. Just wondering what anyone else thinks about it. The song is "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" by Gil Scott-Heron. Am I alone in my thinking on this particular song? It bores me to pieces.

[Spreadinglove21]

Just looked at the WOGL website as well as wiki article about station. In 2022 they changed their format a bit--still oldies station, but playing songs from 70s, 80s and 90s and some 00's.

https://www.audacy.com/big981

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WOGL

[jobeterob]

Here is a copy and paste of a post I made on the Motown Forum on 7/31/2016 that new members might find of interest on this subject.

I routinely listen to Sirius on Soul Town as they feature a good amount of classic Motown. In the last day I have heard Reflections at least twice and Scorpio by Dennis Coffey once. They do a decent amount of Motown but seem to tell short biographies of MR&V and the Supremes.

How does this sound for a classic presentation?

Harvey Holiday Motown Oldies Show - Wogl-Fm Philadelphia
I read the thread on the Contours recently where numerous discussions were made about Philadelphia oldies shows.

Back on May 3, 1993 [[23 years ago) I was working at the welfare office in Bucks County and had to spend several weeks there overnight. This gave me the great opportunity to listen to WOGL.. On May 3, 1993, I documented the entire catalog of songs that were played by Harvey Holiday on WOGL. During the 3 hour show he played 48 Motown songs. I just thought maybe some members might be interested in knowing what he played on his Motown Oldies show.

01. You Can't Hurry Love - DRS
02. The Girl's All Right With Me - Temptations
03. Take This Heart of Mine - Marvin Gaye
04. Whole Lot of Shakin' In My Heart - Miracles
05. All I Do - Stevie Wonder
06. My Chereis Amour - Stevie Wonder
07. Whisper You Love Me Boy - DRS
08. It's the Same Old Song - Four Tops
09. A Love Like Yours - Martha & Vandellas
10. Heat Wave - Martha & Vandellas
11. Strange I Know - Marvelettes
12. Night Shift - Commodores
13. Keep On Trucking - Eddie Kendricks
14. One Who Really Loves You - Mary Wells
15. This Old Heart of Mine - Tammi Terrell
16. Jimmy Mack - Martha & Vandellas
17. Third Finger Left Hand - Martha & Vandellas
18. Baby Baby Don't Cry - SRM
19. Little Bitty Pretty One - J5
20. 25 Miles - Edwin Starr
21. I'll Always Love You - Spinners
22. Tell Her Love Has Felt The Need - Eddie Kendricks
23. Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours - Stevie Wonder
24. Without the One You Love - Four Tops
25. Love Has Gone - Four Tops
26. Everybody's Got To Pay Some Dues - SRM
27. Take Me In Your Arms - Kim Weston
28. Just My Imagination - Temptations
29, Reach Out I'll Be There - Four Tops
30. It Takes Two - Marvin and Kim
31. I Gotta Know Right Now - Temptations
32. Leaving Here - Eddie Holland
33. Everybody Needs Love - Gladys Knight & Pips
34. Castles In The Sand - Stevie Wonder
35. Nathan Jones - Supremes
36. Ain't Too Proud to Beg - Temptations
37. You'll Love A Precious Love - Temptations
38. I Don't Want to Lose You - Spinners
39. We've Come Too Far To End It Now - SRM
40. I'm the One You Need - SRM
41. Save Me - SRM
42. Love Me All The Way - Kim Weston
43. I Heart It Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
44. Fingertips Part II - Little Stevie Wonder
45. Firefly - Temptations
46. Everything Is Good About You - Supremes
47. McArthur Park - Four Tops
48. The Bells - Originals

As I look over this list today, I am surprised that in several instances he played the same artist back to back. Not an everyday occurrence.

Hope you enjoy my reminiscing. It brings back great memories.


I wanted to make one comment about the Sirius XM Soul Town. I keep hearing one song sporadically and it is one that I totally dislike. Just wondering what anyone else thinks about it. The song is "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" by Gil Scott-Heron. Am I alone in my thinking on this particular song? It bores me to pieces.

I hear The Revolution Will Not Be Televised often as well. I don’t mind it but find I liked it more earlier in than now - it’s a little bit gimmicky and wears thin pretty quickly