ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
With a recorded message from ex-Beach Boys guitarist Al Jardine, followed by the band's "Do It Again," New York's WCBS-FM (101.1) officially marked its return as an oldies station early Thursday afternoon.
Technically speaking, WCBS-FM says it is playing "New York’s Greatest Hits" -- and more specifically, hits from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
Prior to its roughly two-year, DJ-free run as Jack FM, WCBS-FM did play some 1980s music. It was in the minority, and more often than not, the songs were from early in the decade.
That seems to be the case so far in the post-Jack FM era. For example, in one 10-song stretch this morning in the 9 o'clock hour, only two songs were from the 1980s: Billy Joel's "Allentown" (which hit its chart peak in 1983) and Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days" (a Top 5 pop hit in 1985).
One gets the feeling it won't get much broader than that, as there seems to be fear shared by oldies/classic pop hits stations that some 1980s music sounds, well, too modern compared to everything else.
Furthermore, it's a shame that the "new old" WCBS-FM isn't making room for the doo-wop and early rock 'n' roll sounds from the mid-to-late 1950s. When the station was at its best, that music really set it apart from all others with similar formats.
That said, in order for WCBS-FM to stand out from the pack this time around, it needs to expand the limits in the other direction: If the station really is committed to playing 1980s music, then feature the various sounds and hit songs from the entire decade -- and by artists other than those who first hit it big in the 1960s and 1970s.
posted by Chris M. Junior at 1:34 PM
1 Comments:
I'm thrilled WCBS-FM has returned after a desert of 2 years and the nightmare that was Jack Radio. I grew up with the songs they're playing now whereas I had no idea what Jack Radio was doing; I wasn't sorry to see it go.
However, I disagree with your emphasis on the music of the 1980s. While there are a lot of good songs from that decade, I can't relate to it as well as to the music of the 1960s and 1970s - I suppose that's because I was an adult when the 1980s came around whereas I was a child in the 1960s and a teen-ager and young adult in 1970s. And I grew up before iPods, CDs, and even cassettes. We had 45s (many of which I still have) and LPs. I've adapted to CDs; in fact, they have advantages cassettes don't have. But iPods absolutely throw me.
Anyway, I hope WCBS-FM does NOT stress the music of the 1980s, good as that music was. I would prefer to hear more of the music of the pre-Beatles/British Invasion 1960s and the music of the 1970s and anything from Motown. I'm even sorry the station won't feature music of the late 1950s. But I was a wee one in the late 1950s; I didn't appreciate "doo-op" the way I appreciate the Beatles and the Girl Groups, Motown, "Surf Music," etc. But to each his own; anything is better than Jack S--t Radio!
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