What changes in oldies radio say about our disappearing past

[smark21]

Good article about the disappearance of 50's, 60's and 70's music from the radio.

http://www.avclub.com/articles/what-...disappe,70608/

[marv2]

That was a good, thought provoking article. So we can say goodbye to "Baby Love" and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg"? I chose those songs as examples of how Oldies Radio basically killed itself! Overplaying the same handful of "Oldies" when they had 1000's of songs to chose from. Now it's time to move on to the 80's and early 90's "Classic Hits"? They are going to do the same thing and play only a handful of the top hit records from that era and people will eventually get bored and tune out!

It's not so much that the songs of the 50's and 60's are no longer enjoyable or have a large enough audience. It's more like, too much of too little. Sure the demographic groups that grew up with music from that era are aging, but people are also living a lot longer these days. It's been said that the public usually wants what it HAD, so nostalgia will always sell. I think program directors are making the same mistake as the music industry itself has made and that is going after the younger demographic time and time again as if they are the only ones with money to spend!

[soulster]

Wow! Thanks for that article!

I also wonder about how future generations will hear these classics from the 50s and 60s, and even the 70s as time rolls on. Their avenues for hearing the music will go away. We can't assume they will all take the initiative to do their own research.

What bothers me is how so many songs have already been lost to history because modern compilation producers don't [[or can't) include them on CD, and they can't be played on radio. Right now i'm listening to Andrea True Connection's "N.Y., You've Got me Dancing". Not even most baby boomers remember that one. I can guarantee you have never heard it on an oldies station, despite it making the top 30 in 1977. Same with Q's "Dancin' man, that's almost over [[I'm listening to my homemade CD-R comp of 1977).

[marv2]

Wow! Thanks for that article!

I also wonder about how future generations will hear these classics from the 50s and 60s, and even the 70s as time rolls on. Their avenues for hearing the music will go away. We can't assume they will all take the initiative to do their own research.

What bothers me is how so many songs have already been lost to history because modern compilation producers don't [[or can't) include them on CD, and they can't be played on radio. Right now i'm listening to Andrea True Connection's "N.Y., You've Got me Dancing". Not even most baby boomers remember that one. I can guarantee you have never heard it on an oldies station, despite it making the top 30 in 1977. Same with Q's "Dancin' man, that's almost over [[I'm listening to my homemade CD-R comp of 1977).

I remember that one, but I liked "What's Your Name, What's Your Number" better!

[soulster]

I remember that one, but I liked "What's Your Name, What's Your Number" better!

My favorite ATC song is the long version of "Party Line". Tom Moulton hit that one out of the ballpark! A couple of years ago, I was driving back from L.A. at two in the morning and was sleepy, but didn't want to stop, so I played it several times and that beautiful instrumental break kept me going.

[tsull1]

If I hear "Baby Love" or "Stop in the name of Love" or "I Get Around" of "Satisfaction" one more time, I'm going to puke. And yes, I like the Supremes, Beach Boys, and Stones. But enough is enough.

I actually found an oldies station near where I live and work that plays some obscure oldies. Yeah, they play a lot of the same old stuff, too, but they've played stuff not in heavy rotation. It's refreshing.

* Of course this is probably a natural progression. When I was growing up in the 70's, they weren't playing songs from the 30's [[40 years ago), 40's [[30 years ago), or even 50's [[20 years ago), and to be honest, not that many 60's stations were around.

[Kamasu_Jr]

I don't really worry about it because Time Life is always repackaging and selling so many compilations of oldies from the 50s, 60s and 70s. But the articl is right, most radio staions are playing songs from the 1980s, a few from the 1970s and very few from the 1950s or 1960s. But I guess it's just time. WE DON'T HEAR OLDIES FROM THE 1940S, THE THIRTIES OR THE TWENTIES ON the RADIO EITHER.

[arrr&bee]

I remember the great[eddie gallager]on the radio in[d.c.]way back in the day playing those songs from the big band era when i was a kid so i'm afraid as time marches on future generations won't be hearing the music we all love and discuss here as i think someone above stated,it too bad that dj's today don't have the freedom to play what they want[unless it's listener sponsored]ala-pacifica radio my advice to the young folks reading this who have a love for this music is to buy all the[cd's-albums]that you can while you can because as with all things these too will pass...rhythm an blues-rock n roll-doowop-soul..forever!!!!

[soulster]

If I hear "Baby Love" or "Stop in the name of Love" or "I Get Around" of "Satisfaction" one more time, I'm going to puke. And yes, I like the Supremes, Beach Boys, and Stones. But enough is enough.

I actually found an oldies station near where I live and work that plays some obscure oldies. Yeah, they play a lot of the same old stuff, too, but they've played stuff not in heavy rotation. It's refreshing.

* Of course this is probably a natural progression. When I was growing up in the 70's, they weren't playing songs from the 30's [[40 years ago), 40's [[30 years ago), or even 50's [[20 years ago), and to be honest, not that many 60's stations were around.

I also grew up in the 70s and there were NO 50s or 60s stations. Those didn't show up until the late 80s. It just had to get to the point where the boomers were feeling nostalgic, and that was brought on by films like "Good Morning Viet Nam", "Born In America", and "The Big Chill". There were stations dedicated to playing 30s and 40s big-band music, but they were on the AM band.

Like "My Girl", "[[I Can't get No) Satisfaction" is another song I will never tire of. It brings back fond memories of my childhood. I was all of two-and-a-half in 1965, but still...

[soulster]

I don't really worry about it because Time Life is always repackaging and selling so many compilations of oldies from the 50s, 60s and 70s. But the articl is right, most radio staions are playing songs from the 1980s, a few from the 1970s and very few from the 1950s or 1960s. But I guess it's just time. WE DON'T HEAR OLDIES FROM THE 1940S, THE THIRTIES OR THE TWENTIES ON the RADIO EITHER.

I think the golden age of buying the classic hits of the 50s, 60s, and 70s on CD has passed. The 90s was the best time in history to be an oldies collector. I am so happy I bought literally hundreds of Rhino, Varese Vintage, and Time-Life CD comps back then. The good thing is that you can usually find all this stuff in used record stored too. Hell, I don't need no stinkin' radio! I make my own compilations from my library.

[Jerry Oz]

I think the golden age of buying the classic hits of the 50s, 60s, and 70s on CD has passed. The 90s was the best time in history to be an oldies collector. I am so happy I bought literally hundreds of Rhino, Varese Vintage, and Time-Life CD comps back then. The good thing is that you can usually find all this stuff in used record stored too. Hell, I don't need no stinkin' radio! I make my own compilations from my library.

One of the joys of my life is digitizing my albums, most of which were obscure to begin with. I love hearing things I forgot about years ago. Then, throwing EQ on them and removing the pops so that they sound near-CD quality? It's good to be old[[er).