Why don't classic rock stations play these?

Question

Maybe they just suck in Iowa, but why not play these: Iron Maiden, Dio, Sex Pistols, Ramones, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Motorhead, Soundgarden, Joe Satriani? How about more instrumental songs? Live tracks? And more than 2 songs by the bands they do play? The only Kiss song I ever hear is Rock n Roll All Night. What else do you think?

Answer 1

Because they don't "test" well. These days, thousands of radio stations are trying to get to the same demographic to be able to sell commercials to companies to play on the radio. Marketing companies go around the country doing surveys of record shops sales, focus group listening parties and telephone interviews and track what people are listening to. When they find the most popular combination of songs for a particular target group, say Men 18-34, they publish a list, same for Women 18-34, Men 35-50, Women...etc. It's called demographics. Then the radio stations buy these compilations of "Popular tunes" for the age group or target audience that the advertiser's want to reach. That's why you can travel across the country and hear the same songs by the same groups over and over and.....you get the picture. It ain't about the songs, it's about who listens to the radio and spends money on stuff. Get the right group listening to "your" compilation, put ads for the types of things they want to buy.

Clear Channel Radio, Inc, owns over 1100 AM and FM radio stations and do you think they'll allow any of those statins play something that only a few people want to hear....No way....they want the widest possible audience for the market...it's programming to the lowest common denominator...which few songs do most people like..OK..let's play only those...

On average, your standard "Classic Rock" station has a playlist of about 400 tunes. When a new station or an old station changes formats, they'll throw a teaser "Rock-block" of hundreds of tunes with no commercials to get people to start listening to their "New Station". Once they have the right demographic hooked, they start cutting the wide range of tunes down to the ones that "tested well".

They realize that these days, most people only listen to a station for an average of 1.5 hours a day, mostly during a morning or afternoon commute, then people switch to TV at home or iPods or Internet, so if thay can keep them entertained for the short time that people listen and program the songs not to play at the same time of day, they've got'cha.

Answer 2

Because they are commercial stations (where Elton John rules) and they want to make money. These bands you list do not qualify as "classic" enough. I also love instrumentals too but unless it's "Frankenstein" (or some early Allman Bros.) you're out of luck.
In my city the best place to hear really good music is on the college stations. Glad to have 3 of them in range of my radio. Otherwise word of mouth, zines or other media are my sources.

Answer 3

Sounds like they just suck in Iowa. I wish ours would play more of the old classic rock. Vanilla Fudge, Blind Faith, Traffic, Steppenwolf, Mercuries Messenger Service, Electric Prunes, Hendrix, etc

Answer 4

I swear if I hear the same 2 songs by The Who I am gonna snap...there are SO MANY great songs that radio stations don't play.


If I ever get filthy rich I will buy a station and make it NO-HIT radio where we play almost anything except the hits

Answer 5

elcome to thetechnicall age most radio statons these days are what they called packageed in, they are either fed threw a sattlitte dish or on, mp3 formatt, meaning they are programmed or fed threw a computerr systemm for around 3o days setups, and, if your musicc isent in there, good luck its station management too, most radio stations are cutting corners trying to squeeze every dollar, threw advertising budgets etc. mosdt peopple are or would be offended bye your musicc above(no not myelf you have good choicees okay) ita all about money these days, and if your hit list isent programmed into there giant computers its because nobody is telling them what you want, like we says they program set them into comuters , ounce a moth or so!!

Answer 6

must be just where you are...I am in Alberta Canada and our stations play everything.. its cool because they even play obscure Sex Pistols stuff that wasnt popular back in the day even..
they play other Kiss stuff too.. but I am not a Kiss fan so for me that sucks lol

Answer 7

Im with you on Soundgarden. Chris Cornell has THE best rock and roll voice of all time, as far as im concerned. Audioslave rocks.

Answer 8

first of all- KISS made a disco record, which was more popular than all their other albums!!!

and yeah, maybe stations in Iowa suck, but your brothren to the north in Minneapolis hear that stuff ALL M-FING DAY, BIOTCH.

ARE YOU COMING TO THE CRUE CONCERT????

Answer 9

I'm a big Kiss fan and it also annoys me a lot because they have so many other songs that people would benefit from listening to.

Answer 10

Must be Iowa!