The first oldies formats appeared on American radio in the early 70’s. One early innovator was WCBS-FM in New York. Until then, oldies radio as such was limited to special programming on traditional Top 40 AM stations. Every now and then, such outlets would promote ‘Greaser Weekends’, ‘Million Dollar Weekends’, or promote a special as ‘every other hit a solid gold classic’!
Historically, Top 40 stations would back in the day play one, maybe two goldens an hour in regular format. Usually these songs were no more than a year or two old. The aim in those days was to reach and keep the kids listening. Therefore, one could lose the ever fickle pre-shave crowd if a song came on that wasn’t familiar.
When Oldies Radio took hold on a mass level in the late 70’s, stations would play the tried and trues and spice up the playlist with favorites indigenous to the local community. The ratings were stellar! However, the Infinitys, Clear Channels and their ilk began building their empires with the advent of deregulation. They purchased many of the great oldies stations, and then quickly de-emphasized the likes of Chuck Berry, the Clovers, and Paul Anka in favor of the ‘Big Chill’ music, highly researched singles and corporate playlists. USA Oldies Radio stations became stale and eventually predictable. That was the beginning of the end for oldies radio.
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