If you listen to Oldies stations, particularly ones playing songs from the 1960s, you’ll hear the same songs over and over again.
It’s not as bad as it was back then, when AM stations had rigid playlists. I remember in the first part of 1965, for about a month when my morning alarm went off, I heard “Downtown” by Petula Clark every day.
They didn’t have Oldies stations back then. Once songs disappeared from regular rotations, the only way you would hear them again is if you purchased either the single or the album.
I don’t remember exactly when it was stations started playing oldies. It might have been 1973, when “American Graffiti” became a big hit with a soundtrack of dozens of songs from the 1950s and early ’60s.
Actually, the reason stations started playing songs from the past was all about the Baby Boomers. When music started changing with Disco in the late ’70s and other things in the ’80s, the boomers started living in the past musically.
And when Satellite Radio came along in 2001 with dozens of specialized stations, all of a sudden boomers could listen to their music without the interruptions of advertisements.
Everything from stations specializing in decades to types of music to individual artists, from Beatles to Jimmy Buffett to Led Zeppelin.
Here’s the problem. Most of the time, if you listen to a decade station, you will hear one or two songs by a popular group over and over again.
For example, the Grass Roots had quite a few hits at the end of the decade, but if you hear one of their songs, it will nearly always be “Midnight Confessions.”
The Turtles were popular for several years, but you’ll rarely hear anything other than “Happy Together.”
Creedence Clearwater Revival was as popular as anyone from 1969-71, but “Bad Moon Rising” gets most of the play.
This doesn’t hold true for the very biggest or longest-living groups. There are no particular Beatles or Beach Boys songs, although you’ll hear more “Satisfaction” than most other Rolling Stones songs.
In the end, I suppose if you listen long enough, you’ll get to hear more of the songs you like. Still, I suppose in the end, just picking the stuff you like and playing it on your iPhone of iPod works the best.
It’s why I’ll get to hear “She is Still a Mystery” by the Lovin’ Spoonful instead of just “Summer in the City.”
Or “Everything that Touches You” by the Association instead of just “Cherish” or “Never My Love.”