I've heard alot of people say the radio is very strict in their playlist compared to in the 80's - and judging what I've seen and the bits I remember, I tend to agree.

Back then, when I heard the radio (my parents listened alot - part of what I can thank for getting into music so early!), it was mostly Top 40 stations. I recall it going from Men at Work to Van Halen to Lionel Richie, etc. Nowadays, it seems you have to constantly switch stations to find that kind of variety.

I didn't really hear "rock" radio then, but a few years back, while walking home from high school, I found a tape somebody literally threw out. :D Upon taking it home out of curiousity, I discovered it was stuff taped off the radio of San Jose's hard rock station circa 1983/4, based on the DJ'ing and songs played.

It was varied, mixing metal-ish rock (i.e. Scorpions) with songs that rocked, but not as hard -- like "Boys of Summer", "Missing You" and Huey Lewis. It surprised me since I'd often only heard them on 'lite FM' stations or at best, classic rock. Later, it registered that in 1984, heavy metal didn't get consistent airplay like in the 90's and now, so they probably seemed to rock more.

Reversely, I guess "Missing You" is pretty soft compared to Slipknot or Metallica and the core artists on today's rock radio. It's kinda depressing to hear medium 80's rock, as well as pop songs like "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", on those "dentist office" stations - makes them seem a bit "uncool" IMO (though I'll always like them!). :(

I suppose, due to the state of modern radio, those songs naturally get pushed there since that's the only "place" for them now?

Commercial radio is a dead medium.  Satellite radio offers commercial-free choice, but it is devoid of personality.

Commercial radio is a dead medium. Satellite radio offers commercial-free choice, but it is devoid of personality.


Yeah, I like DJ's. :)

I do wonder if Satellite is the future though - sort of how FM was years ago. Do you think ClearChannel has contributed to the decline of radio, and strict formatting, etc?

Agree. I've almost given up on radio. The commercials, strict playlists, lame DJ's are enough, but when the good stations get pulled from more popular formats and almost every radio station gets broadcast from another city, it is time to give up.

I've been listening to internet radio lately, but it just isn't the same. They lack that personality and feel that a local radio station with real DJ's has.

Radio is TERRIBLE now. In Sydney, we have five main music stations - three Top 40 stations who all sound exactly alike, a rock station that's owned by the same network that owns one of the Top 40 stations, and an over-35s "classic" station that hasn't updated its playlist since 1985. Rubbish, all of it.

Yeah radio is not the same as it was then.  Shoot its not the same as it was even 5 or so years ago.  Radio stations that used to be good are selling out and changing the way they do things and it is ruining them.  It also doesnt help that especially in the last 5 or so years that music has drastically gone downhill.  All the music played on the radio now is so commericalized that it makes it hard to listen to the radio anyway.

I have to agree with the others in this thread. If it weren't for my iPod in the car, I would go crazy since I too have lost faith in radio and I won't listen nearly as often anymore. Too many of the same songs, especially on one radio station, a soft rock one, we listen to at work. They advertise a "No Repeat Workday," yet they play the same artists up to three times a day. Just a few days ago, for example, I heard Whitney Houston and Celine Dion three times. Come on, there's plenty of other soft rock you can play.  >:( Fortunately, there is one good station in my area that at least does play the wide variety of music that they advertise.

I heard it said once that it's even harder than ever to break into the music industry and it's not hard to see why. Radio is too restricted to let anything new or interesting through. Quite a shame.  :\'( Gone are the days when the DJs could play whatever they wanted. Now it seems like radio plays whatever the program manager feels like hearing.

Radio is pure crap, I have not listened to the radio in years!!

Radio now...worthless junk  :P


Jack FM... Same ol' Same ol' junk... still the same ol' stuff overplayed  ::)

Jack FM... Same ol' Same ol' junk... still the same ol' stuff overplayed  ::)

Are you in Southern California? Because there's a So-Cal radio station by that name; I have been listening to it a lot since it began two months ago.

Are you in Southern California? Because there's a So-Cal radio station by that name; I have been listening to it a lot since it began two months ago.


Yeah.

Though the only good thing about it is that there's no annoying DJs like on Star 100.7.


Like the annoying afternoon DJs that always gossip.  :P

I lost my last shred of hope about... a year ago? I have yet to find a song since then I've really liked.

Radio died on February 6th 2005 at 7pm over here.  :\'(

Radio died on February 6th 2005 at 7pm over here.  :\'(


What happened then?

I have to agree with the others in this thread. If it weren't for my iPod in the car, I would go crazy since I too have lost faith in radio and I won't listen nearly as often anymore. Too many of the same songs, especially on one radio station, a soft rock one, we listen to at work. They advertise a "No Repeat Workday," yet they play the same artists up to three times a day. Just a few days ago, for example, I heard Whitney Houston and Celine Dion three times. Come on, there's plenty of other soft rock you can play.  >:( Fortunately, there is one good station in my area that at least does play the wide variety of music that they advertise.

I heard it said once that it's even harder than ever to break into the music industry and it's not hard to see why. Radio is too restricted to let anything new or interesting through. Quite a shame.  :\'( Gone are the days when the DJs could play whatever they wanted. Now it seems like radio plays whatever the program manager feels like hearing.

Yeah, they boast a "no repeat workday" in which no song will be played twice, but every "no repeat workday" sounds exactly like the last "no repeat workday"!
::)

There may be consumer demand for old-timey DJ-driven programming on satellite radio, but as long as the Clear Channel/Sony-type of oligopoly controls the music, the programming will be narrow, redundant, and mind-numbingly dull.  The only hope against these corporate monoliths is a consumer-driven rebellion from the grassroots. 

What happened then?
Not sure if I mentioned it, but that's when the last of the good radio stations ended it's broadcast.

What would be the cost and implications to starting up a small radio station? Something I've been thinking of, but probably never do.

What would be the cost and implications to starting up a small radio station? Something I've been thinking of, but probably never do.


Dude, I would LOVE owning my own starting my own station. It would rock SO MUCH.

What would be the cost and implications to starting up a small radio station?


Millions. Unless you start one of those Internet radio stations. Then it would only cost a few bucks. But a real radio station, even a small one, costs hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Millions. Unless you start one of those Internet radio stations. Then it would only cost a few bucks. But a real radio station, even a small one, costs hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Just a thought. It looks like radio is a dead medium anyway. Internet is taking over. With mp3's vastly available, internet radio and the like... why listen to radio?

Radio is TERRIBLE now. In Sydney, we have five main music stations - three Top 40 stations who all sound exactly alike, a rock station that's owned by the same network that owns one of the Top 40 stations, and an over-35s "classic" station that hasn't updated its playlist since 1985. Rubbish, all of it.
Doesn't Sydney have Triple J, or is that gone all sh*t now? I heard it was good, better than any radio station over here.

Kids don't listen to raido anymore because of internet file sharing. When I was a kid, myself and all my friends used to listen to the radio all the time because it saves you buying the LP. You can listen to the songs for free on the radio. Now, kids listen to there MP3 players because they can download songs for free from the internet, and it saves buying the actualy CD. MP3 players and the new radio's.


Internet Radio is the new Radio, not MP3 Players... Internet Radio tends to be custom-made, based on artists you like. It recommends other artists {For me, It recommended things like The Decemberists, !!! {chkchkchk}, The Fiery Furnaces, Beck, etc.}

MP3 Players show you nothing new, and they aren't someone else's playlists.

Yeah.

Though the only good thing about it is that there's no annoying DJs like on Star 100.7.


That is a good thing.

Star 98.7, which is a Los Angeles station, has good music, but they have annoying DJs who like to talk a lot (especially in the morning). ::) Seems like the on-air folks now like to talk on Monday-Thursday nights from 10:00 to midnite. Whenever I turn to a music station, I wanna hear music, not a bunch of chattering.

Radio stations in New Jersey/New York. 92.3 just plays anything that is rock music from the late 70's-present. WNEW used to be rock sation and now is a pop/dance station They play some 70's disco, 80's pop/R&b and early to mid 90's dance music. Top 40 is ok. At least music is not as crappy as the 1999-2000 years were. That was the worst 2 years of music in my opinion. Everyboy is still too mainstream. Radio nowadays needs more variety. Ever since 1999 music hasn't been the same. I usually listen too stuff from the 80's and 90's anyway.