Personally I can’t see a problem playing some Adult friendly modern songs mixed in with their older classic hit songs. Adele is a great example. 
2 Likes
Yes, that’s fine for regional stations who use a positioner like “Greatest Hits”.
But when it’s “Pure Gold”, I can’t see how Adele is “gold” yet.
Perhaps WS and Gold104.3 should resurrect their 'Best Songs Of All Time" positioner from the mid-late 90s to allow them to broaden their playlist. Or maybe “Hits And Memories”.
3 Likes
I disagree. I think that Adele song is an example of an “instant classic”. It’s obviously going to be around for a very long time. I don’t see a problem with adult-friendly modern songs mixed in with older classic hits. Call it an instant classic 
I also don’t think a positioner like Pure Gold in any way implies that newer songs won’t be played. A record can reach “gold” pretty quickly.
Personally ‘Greatest Hits’ is more likely to imply that it’s only older songs. But anyway I think they’re both suitably vague as to allow a small proportion of modern hits that fit the format.
3 Likes
that was when 2WS, 3KZ (now Gold 104) and many regional stations used to position themselves as “Hits and Memories”, they played modern hits alongside music from the 50s, 60s and 70s.
2 Likes
Yes even the great classic hits station 4KQ in its heyday of the 90s was “greatest memories, latest hits 4KQ”
2 Likes
2WS used that positioner back in the 80s before shortening it to “Hits & Memories” by the end of the decade and then changing it to “The Best Songs of All Time” when they converted to FM in 1993.
2 Likes
It happened in the early 90s the change. Classic Hits stop playing new hits. I think i98 fm was the last classic hit station to play new and old songs. Today its rare you have one station playing new songs and classic hits. Smooth is the only slight exception. In the 80s if it was number 1 and not too heavy metal or a rap most likely you would hear it on 2uw, 2ws, triple m, 2sm and maybe 2dayfm on fairly high rotation.
2 Likes
Yes Smooth is a great example. Breeze is another.
I think the top 40 was more relevant in 80s. I think in the 60s most music stations had a count down of hits.
CLASSIC hits 4BK played one new song in every three back in 1988.
3 Likes
Yes I agree… when Magic 11 2UW changed format to Classic Hits (circa 1986) they still played selected new music.
Although it was arguably easier back then because there were still plenty of artist that had been around for so long releasing new stuff that would get airplay.
They could play old Elton, or new Elton… same with Tina Turner, David Bowie and a whole heap of other artists and bands…
3 Likes
James - ‘Laid’ on Greatest Hits MMM…
And funnily enough reminded me of hearing it on MMM (probably the rubber room) for the first time back in the 90s.
Yes very true. I remember 4BK playing newer and old songs from Billy Joel in particular in '86 or so.
According to Online Radio Box, 2Day in Sydney played “Funky Town” by Pseudo Echo just before 2pm this afternoon! 
6 Likes
The Gold Coast’s own 94.1FM pulled out this, um, ‘individual’ track the other day…
I had forgotten how truly bloody awful that song is - definitely best left forgotten in my opinion
6 Likes
The follow up- ‘Me Brain Hurts’- is even worse. I’ve yet to hear a station plumb those depths; the first to do so will receive my undivided listenership for a week.
5 Likes
Stars on 45 on Zinc 96.1 just after midday.
3 Likes
Wow, I can safely say that until a few minutes ago I’d never heard that one, and parts of me wish I still hadn’t.
Many would say he didn’t have much of a brain to hurt…
Fairly sure I first saw that on rage sometime this decade!
1 Like
I wonder how many radio stations around the world played September by Earth Wind and Fire today
1 Like