CAN ANYONE STILL MAKE MONEY PLAYING
OLDIES?
“Fighting to Stay Free” #196...September 2015
And
now, ladies and gentlemen…
…it’s
been nearly a decade since the traditional “Oldies” radio format was pronounced
dead, or at least incurably ill. More specifically, the majority of top 40’s
hits from rock ‘n roll’s beginnings in the mid-1950s up through some point in
the late 1960s or early 1970s were declared unplayable on commercial radio by
the gods of ratings and advertisers.
From the ashes of the format’s original
blueprint rose “Classic Hits,” which essentially targets the same listener
demographic (ok, perhaps a bit older and more male) as Adult Contemporary, only
offering an all-day diet of 70s/80s/some 90s as opposed to AC’s rotation more
focused on the past two decades. PPM numbers proved Classic Hits to be a hit with
adults having money to spend on cars, computers and all the other things that
make our economy go ‘round.
And that was the end of the story for
Oldies. Or was it?
Simple answer: No. Slightly longer answer:
No way.
Granted, the 50s-through-70s formula may not
be a winner in most of the top 100 markets, but it can still turn a profit for
the smart operator. Here are some of the ways that’s being accomplished.
* Excellent programming. It’s no accident that so many surviving Oldies
stations are run by folks who – who would have thought? – love oldies. Those
who have a passion for – and quite likely grew up with – those songs would
certainly like to keep them on the pop culture radar, hoping to share the joy
that music brought them with those who also remember, as well as those just
discovering it now.
The thing is, that’s not all that easy to
do, especially when it comes to “going deep.” I like “Everlovin’” as much as
nearly any other Rick Nelson record, but if I’m a typical listener, I don’t
think I need to hear it more than once every few months (if that) during whatever
time I’m regularly tuned in. Conversely, I might be tired of “Runaround Sue”
but I realize that’s going to show up a lot, given how big a hit it was and how
much lasting value it has to core listeners. Making that decision about every
record to chart from 1955 (a few from ’54, too) through maybe the early part of
the 1980s (and a few after, if throwing the Nylons, Brian Setzer Orchestra et
al into the mix makes sense) may be a fun challenge, but a challenge
nonetheless.
* Perfect imaging. Just playing oldies will attract listeners,
but it’s how you present that music that will keep them. While I’ve always felt
presenting Oldies as a top 40-styled format is a no-brainer, I hear so many
stations running few or even no jingles, and/or no reminders after every song
about what the station is and what it stands for.
Much of what should surround these songs
is imaging that captures the feel of the music, if not necessarily the era(s).
While I’ve got no research to back this up, I would imagine many listeners want
an atmosphere that makes them feel young. If the jingles, liners and promos
don’t instantly transport a listener behind the wheel of a ’65 Mustang with one
arm around someone special – or something along those lines – what’s the point?
* Local focus. Many stations have been able to maintain an
Oldies format because they’re the only station that serves their community, and
the established first place to turn for local news, especially in weather
emergencies. For many smaller markets, “hometown” and “Oldies” seem to go hand
in hand.
The big question is, for how much longer?
Are younger (as in age 40 or under) listeners automatically tuned in as well,
or have they found other sources for local information? Although Oldies gives these
stations a niche others might not touch, will they need to adapt to a changing
audience, assuming they choose to want that audience (which is a safe
assumption, if they want to continue being successful)?
* Personality. Anyone who grew up listening to top 40
during the 1960s and 70s – even the 80s, for that matter – knows how much of a
no-brainer this is. During the era of multiple top 40 stations in each market,
it was the DJs who made the difference. If you were in New York in 1964, your
nighttime preference – Brucie, Beemer or Murray – said a lot about who you
were.
Today, you’re lucky to get Oldies DJs who
captures that spirit, yet this remains extremely important. I have always said
that at any time of day, it’s the person behind the microphone who runs the radio
station, at least from the listener’s point of view. So that person needs to be
truly alive, to be allowed to speak often and to touch the listener’s emotions.
Because radio outside of mornings hasn’t focused on personality for so long, a
generation of people working in the medium have little to no idea about how to
express those feelings on the air. This represents a huge challenge to anyone
running an Oldies outlet, especially given the budget they’ve got for talent
(if they’ve got one at all…and that’s another issue).
* Special shows. If you think I included this so I could toot
my own horn, well…you’re partially right. It isn’t like special shows –
especially on the weekend – don’t work on every format, but on Oldies they can
make a real difference by offering music otherwise not heard (Doo-Wop, “lost
hits,” etc.) and a personality who complements the rest of the regular air
staff, and that listeners look forward to hearing at the same time every week.
While I know my entry in this sweepstakes
isn’t going to be right for most stations, I’ve at least spent a lot of time
thinking about what the weekend listener wants that he or she isn’t getting
from any source of audio entertainment. I also value the feedback I get from
listeners every week, in order to mold That
Thing… into a program that stands out from everything else, while hopefully
making people smile - even laugh, if I’m lucky - and touching their emotions.
Which brings us to…
I GET AROUND: The That
Thing with Rich Appel revolution has spread to six stations as of press
time. Here’s where and when you can catch That
Thing (all times Eastern)…
Live:
Rewound
Radio (rewoundradio.com) – Sundays 6-9pm
Re-air:
WTBR
(WTBRfm.com) Pittsfield, MA – Saturdays 6-9pm
WOLD
(WOLDradio.com) Edison, NJ – Saturdays 7-10pm
WXBJ
(WXBJ941.wix.com/oldies941) Salisbury, MA – Sundays 6-9pm
WXCT
(http://tunein.com/radio/WACM-1490-s26950/)
Southington, CT and WACM West Springfield, MA – Sundays 6-9pm
If you haven’t yet checked out That Thing…, whaddaya waiting for? Join
me for three hours of classic top 40 – jingles, commercials, countdowns, the
whole kit and caboodle, at any of the days/times above.
Oh, and if you have tuned in, and you’re a
certified Applehead, why not show the world how much you like That Thing by wearing or showing it off
proudly? Lots of ways to do that here -
http://www.cafepress.com/thatthingrichappel.
At the risk of sounding crass, this is as of now the only income I get from the
program, so any support you offer is welcome. Thank you!
A few Oldies programmers know what
time it is. ;)
Finally, while still in test mode and not yet
complete, the show website is here - http://www.thatthingshow.com/.
Either way, you know what to do…
Click.
Rich Appel is a talented and experienced writer about the
radio and music industries. He's written Hz So Good since 1996, and written for
Billboard since 2011. His services are available for your publication or
website. Contact Rich at richappel@verizon.net.