What's happened to "oldies" radio?

Question

The oldies radio station that I loved to listen to oldies on, used to be called "KONO 101 - Good Time Oldies", now they're "KONO 101 - The Greatest Hits of the 60's and 70's". I don't think they even refer to themselves as an "oldies" station anymore. It seems that they don't play any 50's/early 60's music as they did up until 2000 - Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, doo w*p music, etc. Is this a trend around the "oldies" radio stations in the U.S.? It seems that the "real oldies", music from 1955-1963, are dying out on the radio. I only hear 1964 and up now, I think they play up to 1975 or so. With the 70's being the worst decade for music, it's pretty lame to hear that stuff rather than that good time rock 'n roll.

Answer 1

On the Arbitron website there is a .pdf report called "Radio Today".  The 2006 edition touches on the decline of the Oldies format.  Adult AC is taking its place on the dial in many instances, stations mainly known as "Jack" or a derivative.

Bottom line - more stations are entrusted to turn a profit and the oldies format has a difficult time making a buck anymore.  As the boomers reach the format's previous audience age they will continue to display the same listening traits that originally saw rise to late 60's-early 70's rock.

Formats die but music lives, if only on your Ipod

Answer 2

Seems to be just where you are. We have a couple of oldies stations where I live. I have to listen to Elvis, Hermans Hermits and The Beach Boys all day at work. Im really tired of it.

Have you tried the AM frequency? they usually play that stuff.

Answer 3

You can hear oldies on internet radio.     You can search for oldies at Live 365:   http://www.live365.com/index.live     You have to register, but you don't have to join unless you want.

And you can search at this site:  http://www.radio-locator.com/

Personally, I prefer the old-time radio comedy and drama shows.  (But I'm a lot older than you, betcha).   There are some on Live 365, and a favorite of mine is http://www.wnar-am.com    (No registration)   You're probably not old enough to have heard those shows, but check it out.   They play some REAL old music.  :)   The shows are ones I heard when I was growing up.  A long time ago.

You might have heard or have seen on TV some of the shows on this station:    http://users.adelphia.net/~n1dk/

Hope you find something you like.

Answer 4

60's and 70's music is current oldies for now. . in another decade, 70's and 80's will be considered oldies music. in two decades, 80's and 90's music will be considered oldies music.  what qualifies as oldies music depends on how old the majority of current older listeners are.

Answer 5

that is your opinion.  Oldies isn't what everybody wants to hear.

Answer 6

To tell you the truth, programmers are loosing the older generation which is the oldies generation. Most terrestrial stations don't care about what the older people want, its what ever the future generation wants, and that is CHR, And Adult Contemp.  That is what is happening and will continue, if your looking for good oldies music, XM satellite radio is the best way to go.

Answer 7

Sounds to me like you are outliving the oldies LOL, time to do what I did start listening to satelite radio, It is the only way I can hear my "truly" classic country

Answer 8

Stations play the sort of music the ad sponsors will pay money to have played. So either they are too old or too young!

Answer 9

I was wondering the same thing the other day. I'm 26 but I LOVE oldies' music and now the oldest thing I find on the radio is MAYBE something from the 60s. Mostly classic rock or something. It's sad. They need to bring back Motown!

Answer 10

Wanna know the real hurtful truth?

Advertisers don't want to market to people over 54 as much as they do people younger... and the only way to bring those people in, is to play newer music...

Before you say I don't know what I'm talking about and such here are the facts.

Radio is a business, just like MA Bell... Advertisers look for certain targeted audiences they want to appeal their products to (such as that new car and such)... The main groups advertisers look at currently is 25-54 on formats appealing to older listeners.

They figure these younger groups will flip the station if they hear any 50s or early 60s music as most people they aim after now are late baby boomer for oldies and classic hit stations.... Hince the Fats Domino is pulled off the air, so say Bob Seger can be played instead.

The radio stations use rating services to survey how many people listen to their radio station. from these survey's, they determine how many people in that audience are listening that the advertiser wants and charge for that ad accordingly.

For example, you live near San Antonio,Texas by the callsign of the station you gave me.. here is an example of the "survey results" (it's a lot more complicated however than this)

http://www.radioandrecords.com/RRRatings...

However you can tell that your station is number 5 in the market. Would it be number 5 with the Doowap? I don't know, but a decision like that can cost serious money. These radio stations market themselves after a certain group and unfortuneately..as groups age, their music is pushed to the side like other former music out there....

And yes it's a trend all over the US... and oldies is considered a term to mean 50s-70s top 40 radio selections

Answer 11

The music during the 70's is all subject to opinion. The music then was like a reprisal of the 60's. Rock and Roll then solidified its own survival

Answer 12

Old things do pass on.

Answer 13

I don't know but I do know I heard one day on the Radio "Lets go back to a golden oldie." They played a Van Halen song!!!!!

I was like AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

When did my music become oldies!

Talk about a radio station making you feel old, then to top it off my niece points out it is old music that was over  20 years ago, before she was even born! Again AHHHHHH!!!!! LOL

Answer 14

Gearbox hit it on the head......if you're 25-54. Advertisers LOVE YOU. Barely any  Beatles and Stones on Classic "rock" radio anymore as they are now oldies. In 10 years you'll hear the beatles as much as you hear elvis these days....hardly at all. Another thing, people who grew up with "oldies" as their parents music don't want to be deemed "old" themselves. They don't want "their" music to be called oldies. In a subtle way, it reinforces how old THEY are getting. Who wants to be reminded of that? The format name has slipped away quite a bit. The same will happen to Classic rock for the same reasons.

Answer 15

it died along with all the good old metal stations

Answer 16

Funny you asked this question, cause I was thinking that very same thing yesterday.....The answer I came up with was:

I am now 50, and the oldies I listen to now all seem to be from my era. I determined, I AM AN OLDIE! Sounds terrible. BUT seriously, it's true in a sense. We still have an oldies station here, and all they play are songs I grew up to. Use to be songs of people who passed. But NOW, even those singers are older and their songs made the oldies chart...Interesting!