I found that classic rock is more than just music from a certain era, and that it changes depending on where you live. What plays in New York — a disproportionate amount of Billy Joel, for example — won’t necessarily fly in San Antonio, which prefers Mötley Crüe. Classic rock is heavily influenced by region, and in ways that are unexpected. For example, Los Angeles is playing Pearl Jam, a band most popular in the 1990s, five times more frequently than the rest of the country. Boston is playing the ’70s-era Allman Brothers six times more frequently.What has always boggled my mind is that music this old still has the audience it does. If you were to back to 1974, which wasn't a great year in music by any means, could you even imagine a radio station that played songs that were generally 40-50 years old? You'd be looking at Al Jolson and Rudy Vallee.
Hickey's research shows these songs to be the top 25 of Classic Rock, at least for now:
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| Also known as any random hour stretch on KQRS |
There's more, a lot more, at the link. I may pick at this one a few times in the coming days.
6 comments:
Right now I'm back in the town I lived in during high school. I went driving around town with my brother and the radio was tuned to KXMO - a station that plays music from the 70s. It was as if I'd never left town.
Yep — that's my experience if I put on WAPL ("The Rockin' Apple") when I go back. They were playing Tull, Blue Oyster Cult, the Scorpions and Judas Priest when I left for good in the early 80s. And they still are. It's a heavy metal Brigadoon.
It strikes me that there is nary a female musician on that list, except for Freddie Mercury.
Oh, and Heart, I guess. :^)
Seriously, where did all the good musicians and compelling music go?
Headin' back to the Rockin' Apple for the 2nd year runnin' World Famous Mile of Music and I'll betcha dollars to donuts that the the bands attractin' the biggest crowds will be the cover-bands playin' all the Classic Rock hits of High School (any decade suffices), followed by the acid-washed Country Rockin' bands that the NASCAR crowd feels relaxed around ("open carry" doesn't pertain to beer, and lotsa "Obummer" bumper-stickers here), then finally the accustic-singer-songwriter acts who appeal to middle-aged English Majors weepin' into their IPAs with their arms draped over their spouses (second marriages mostly). Good Times.
Bubba, there is still good music out there. But you might have to poke around for it a little. I've been able to stumble across some things I like on Noisetrade.com. It's a really mixed bag, but I've found it to be worth a bit of bother.
Compelling milieu there, anon.
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