97 Rock and Roll 500

[bbb]

God, I hate this more every year.  The songs 400-500 for the most part are better than 1-100.  Satisfaction is #20.  The top Stones song.  Their most mediocre song - Start Me Up, is next up for them.  The Beatles top out at #22.

 

Who in the world ever heard Free Fallin' and thought this is one of the top 20 songs of all time.  It's not one of the top 2000 songs of all time.  

 

The only thing that I like is that Under Pressure, which I loved from Day One and only got up to I think #29 on the charts is actually #32 here - of all time....................I championed that song when it was out and couldn't believe it didn't make it up higher than 29.  

[Cripple Creek]

5 hours ago, bbb said:

God, I hate this more every year.  The songs 400-500 for the most part are better than 1-100.  Satisfaction is #20.  The top Stones song.  Their most mediocre song - Start Me Up, is next up for them.  The Beatles top out at #22.

 

Who in the world ever heard Free Fallin' and thought this is one of the top 20 songs of all time.  It's not one of the top 2000 songs of all time.  

 

The only thing that I like is that Under Pressure, which I loved from Day One and only got up to I think #29 on the charts is actually #32 here - of all time....................I championed that song when it was out and couldn't believe it didn't make it up higher than 29.  

@DC Tom 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Finding the 'Canadian content' version of this is even more vexing.  Traffic?  Never heard of them, but plenty of Heart, and of course, Trooper.  ?

[dhg]

97 Rock has been a joke for years. 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

If there's anything that gets shut off quicker than 'One Bills Live', it's the 'Greatest 500 Rock Songs of All Time'.  ?

 

EDIT:  Oops!  Forgot 'Da Insdigadors', dere...?

Edited May 27, 2020 by Ridgewaycynic2013

[4_kidd_4]

97 Schlock, the official station of hanging on to the past.

 

[Gugny]

8 hours ago, bbb said:

God, I hate this more every year.  The songs 400-500 for the most part are better than 1-100.  Satisfaction is #20.  The top Stones song.  Their most mediocre song - Start Me Up, is next up for them.  The Beatles top out at #22.

 

Who in the world ever heard Free Fallin' and thought this is one of the top 20 songs of all time.  It's not one of the top 2000 songs of all time.  

 

The only thing that I like is that Under Pressure, which I loved from Day One and only got up to I think #29 on the charts is actually #32 here - of all time....................I championed that song when it was out and couldn't believe it didn't make it up higher than 29.  

 

Yeah, these things can be frustrating for sure.

 

I like Tom Petty, but Free Fallin' isn't even a top 20 Petty tune, let alone top 20 of all time.

 

I am TOTALLY with you on Under Pressure.  I think it's easily top 20, perhaps top 10.

 

Another song that I've grown to love/respect as a very high-quality tune is "Black," by Pearl Jam.  Not sure where that landed, or how it's trending YOY, but I think it's a legitimate rock song.

[Wacka]

97 rock plays what is popular with their audience. Good music ended with the mid 80s.   Pearl Jam was formed in  1990.  Couldn't tell you anything  they play. They can keep playing 1965-1985.  If you want something newer listen to another station.

Edited May 27, 2020 by Wacka

[Just Joshin']

8 hours ago, bbb said:

God, I hate this more every year.  The songs 400-500 for the most part are better than 1-100.  Satisfaction is #20.  The top Stones song.  Their most mediocre song - Start Me Up, is next up for them.  The Beatles top out at #22.

 

Who in the world ever heard Free Fallin' and thought this is one of the top 20 songs of all time.  It's not one of the top 2000 songs of all time.  

 

The only thing that I like is that Under Pressure, which I loved from Day One and only got up to I think #29 on the charts is actually #32 here - of all time....................I championed that song when it was out and couldn't believe it didn't make it up higher than 29.  

Agree with Free Fallin' - I am a Petty fan and this is not his best work.  I might go with "The Waiting".

 

Led Zepplin in # 1 is not a surprise - seems like this is required for all these lists.  Can't argue too much but predictable.

 

Surprised Skynyrd has 3 songs in top 10.  My favorite band but not expected.

 

 

[bbb]

4 hours ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Finding the 'Canadian content' version of this is even more vexing.  Traffic?  Never heard of them, but plenty of Heart, and of course, Trooper.  ?

 

Interesting that Heart qualifies for Canadian content.  What about Rick James??

 

1 hour ago, Just Joshin' said:

Agree with Free Fallin' - I am a Petty fan and this is not his best work.  I might go with "The Waiting".

 

 

100% agreed.  The Waiting would be in my personal top 20.  Free Fallin is a dirge that I can't turn the channel fast enough on.  

[dhg]

2 hours ago, Wacka said:

97 rock plays what is popular with their audience. Good music ended with the mid 80s.   Pearl Jam was formed in  1990.  Couldn't tell you anything  they play. They can keep playing 1965-1985.  If you want something newer listen to another station.

It's not that I want something newer. I just don't need to hear the same 3 or 4 songs from Floyd, LZ, And Skynyrd every single day.

[bbb]

56 minutes ago, dhg said:

It's not that I want something newer. I just don't need to hear the same 3 or 4 songs from Floyd, LZ, And Skynyrd every single day.

 

Exactly.  I turned it on Friday when they were in the 400s and it was enjoyable.  Songs I hadn't heard it a long time.  

[Seasons1992]

6 hours ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Traffic?  Never heard of them

 

Feel free to research. Dave Mason, Steve Winwood. You're welcome.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

The odds of hearing a true Traffic number are small, but we're likely to be subjected to the mainstream pop garbage churned out after Mason and Winwood were on their own.  'While You See a Chance'?  Please.  ?

[RochesterRob]

On 5/27/2020 at 8:26 AM, 4_kidd_4 said:

97 Schlock, the official station of hanging on to the past.

 

  It's about having a market.  Stations can try to have a varied format but it never works because listeners are hung up over identity.  People who want to listen to what is called classic album rock will not listen to most music post 1980, sports, religion, ethnic-race ,etc. programming.  As long as 97 brings in revenue to make a profit the programming will be classic album rock.  When that market fades profit wise then the station will have to make a change in terms of format.  Who knows maybe 97 will be talk radio in another 10-15 years.  

[RochesterRob]

20 hours ago, dhg said:

It's not that I want something newer. I just don't need to hear the same 3 or 4 songs from Floyd, LZ, And Skynyrd every single day.

  For many years 97's spiritual brother in Rochester WCMF had a similar but more pronounced problem with heavy repetition.  I could literally set a clock by what was playing at a given moment.  If Manfred Mann's Blinded by the Light was playing during the morning it was 9:35 AM or within a minute of it.  Their libraries are rather shallow when you think about it but they brow beat their audience when anybody questioned it.  

[apuszczalowski]

People realize that 97 Rock is a 'Classic Rock' stationthat plays what is considered by the industry as 'Classic Rock' from the 60's, & 70's (with some 80's). There's a market for it and it's why they continue to do it. As time moves on eventually they will evolve and change or modify their format. Growing up my parents only listened to Oldies 104 (104.1) and only played music from the 50's, 60's, and 70's, now they are playing more music from the 80's.

 

As for the list, it's the 'top 500' songs that they play on their station, it is music that was released as singles by the bands and record.companies. It's why they don't include other album tracks that were never played on the radio.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

55 minutes ago, RochesterRob said:

  For many years 97's spiritual brother in Rochester WCMF had a similar but more pronounced problem with heavy repetition.  I could literally set a clock by what was playing at a given moment.  If Manfred Mann's Blinded by the Light was playing during the morning it was 9:35 AM or within a minute of it.  Their libraries are rather shallow when you think about it but they brow beat their audience when anybody questioned it.  

I believe it was WBUF 92.9 in the early 80s that had the on air slogan 'We Play Your Favourites From Yesterday and Today', and all of us working out on the assembly floor at the plant would loudly chorus "OVER AND OVER AND OVER".  ?

*
I don't think I need to hear Streisand's 'Memories' ever again.

[RochesterRob]

25 minutes ago, apuszczalowski said:

People realize that 97 Rock is a 'Classic Rock' stationthat plays what is considered by the industry as 'Classic Rock' from the 60's, & 70's (with some 80's). There's a market for it and it's why they continue to do it. As time moves on eventually they will evolve and change or modify their format. Growing up my parents only listened to Oldies 104 (104.1) and only played music from the 50's, 60's, and 70's, now they are playing more music from the 80's.

 

As for the list, it's the 'top 500' songs that they play on their station, it is music that was released as singles by the bands and record.companies. It's why they don't include other album tracks that were never played on the radio.

  Things such as Sirius Satellite radio have upset the apple cart of individual radio stations.  There is no longer exclusiveness with a given line of programming.  One reason talk radio appears to be growing as it does not require copyrighted material to be presented to an audience.

15 minutes ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

I believe it was WBUF 92.9 in the early 80s that had the on air slogan 'We Play Your Favourites From Yesterday and Today', and all of us working out on the assembly floor at the plant would loudly chorus "OVER AND OVER AND OVER".  ?

*
I don't think I need to hear Streisand's 'Memories' ever again.

  I'm old enough to remember a number of stations having slogans like playing your favorites from the 60's and today.  Then when the calendar rolled over into the 1980's then it was your favorites from the 60's, 70's, and today.  Not into Streisand but I could do a stretch where I could listen to "the masters of mellow" as they were called such as James Taylor and Gordon Lightfoot.

Edited May 28, 2020 by RochesterRob

[bbb]

2 hours ago, RochesterRob said:

  It's about having a market.  Stations can try to have a varied format but it never works because listeners are hung up over identity.  People who want to listen to what is called classic album rock will not listen to most music post 1980, sports, religion, ethnic-race ,etc. programming.  As long as 97 brings in revenue to make a profit the programming will be classic album rock.  When that market fades profit wise then the station will have to make a change in terms of format.  Who knows maybe 97 will be talk radio in another 10-15 years.  

 

It seems like the Stones, Springsteen Beatles, etc. had music before 1980.  But, you wouldn't know it on 97 Rock.  It's all AC/ZZ etc.  

[RochesterRob]

3 minutes ago, bbb said:

 

It seems like the Stones, Springsteen Beatles, etc. had music before 1980.  But, you wouldn't know it on 97 Rock.  It's all AC/ZZ etc.  

  AC/DC, ZZTop skews a little younger than the Stones, Who, Beatles.  People tend to want to listen to older programming when it reflects their time as late teens/early twenties.  Those who grew up with the 60's bands are most likely retired so their spending is down along with the advertising to draw them.  

[Prickly Pete]

You would think they might at least play deeper cuts by the same classic artists just to expand the playlist a bit.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

3 hours ago, RochesterRob said:

As long as 97 brings in revenue to make a profit the programming will be classic album rock.  When that market fades profit wise then the station will have to make a change in terms of format.  Who knows maybe 97 will be talk radio in another 10-15 years.  

2045:  "Today's topic:  whatever happened to classic rock radio?"

[RochesterRob]

6 minutes ago, Prickly Pete said:

You would think they might at least play deeper cuts by the same classic artists just to expand the playlist a bit.

  Sirius has already been doing that with a narrow range of preferred artists.  Hitting all the niches including the people who love the Stones but hate the Beatles.  Your area radio station is sooner or later heading the way of having the local guy talk local politics plus have the leader on from some summer festival or business interest.  The glory days of broadcasting of many decades ago is not coming back for local stations.

[Prickly Pete]

3 minutes ago, RochesterRob said:

  Sirius has already been doing that with a narrow range of preferred artists.  Hitting all the niches including the people who love the Stones but hate the Beatles.  Your area radio station is sooner or later heading the way of having the local guy talk local politics plus have the leader on from some summer festival or business interest.  The glory days of broadcasting of many decades ago is not coming back for local stations.

 

Without a doubt

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

On 5/27/2020 at 11:08 AM, bbb said:

 

Interesting that Heart qualifies for Canadian content.  What about Rick James??

I'm unclear as to how the CRTC uses the Canadian content qualifications.  There's a system referred to as MAPL that functions to determine a work's or artist's eligibility to be considered Canadian.  A fairly concise explanation can be read at Wikipedia's entry at 'Canadian content - radio'.  Under some conditions of MAPL, Canadian artists will actually ensure recordings are made in a Canadian studio as to cement the content issue.  Steppenwolf actually falls under Canadian content, as does the abysmal Nick Gilder.  Guaranteed that once every couple of days 'Hot Child in the City' tumbles out of GIANT FM's tower.  Rick James' case is similar to that of the founders of Heart; U.S. citizens going to Canada to avoid the draft.

[bbb]

3 minutes ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Canadian artists will actually ensure recordings are made in a Canadian studio as to cement the content issue

 

Smart move!

 

When I'm in the car, I listen to Boom 97.3 out of Toronto quite a bit...............A better playlist, by far, than 97 Rock.........And, you definitely do notice the Canadian content.  

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

On 5/27/2020 at 9:43 AM, Wacka said:

97 rock plays what is popular with their audience. Good music ended with the mid 80s.

 

Boomer ok

 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

10 minutes ago, bbb said:

 

Smart move!

 

When I'm in the car, I listen to Boom 97.3 out of Toronto quite a bit...............A better playlist, by far, than 97 Rock.........And, you definitely do notice the Canadian content.  

I worked in a combined hydraulic / mechanical shop on a construction project, and the obligatory boom box radio was alternately flipping between 97.3 Boom when the younger crews were working, and 91.7 when the geezer rock crowd (40+) was on.  An age mix generally saw CHTZ 97.7.

[bbb]

1 minute ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

I worked in a combined hydraulic / mechanical shop on a construction project, and the obligatory boom box radio was alternately flipping between 97.3 Boom when the younger crews were working, and 91.7 when the geezer rock crowd (40+) was on.  An age mix generally saw CHTZ 97.7.

 

[DrDawkinstein]

On 5/27/2020 at 11:08 AM, bbb said:

 

100% agreed.  The Waiting would be in my personal top 20.  Free Fallin is a dirge that I can't turn the channel fast enough on.  

 

If we're talking about Petty's best rock song, I'd easily go with Running Down a Dream. The riff, the ending solo...

 

But yeah, screw 97 Rock. They play waaaaay too much ***** Eagles as well.

[snafu]

4 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said:

They play waaaaay too much ***** Eagles as well.

 

I swear, there's going to be trouble if I ever hear Hotel ***** California and I'm holding a machete.  Don't be near me.

Please for the love of God I wish they would retire that song... I think the problem is that it gets played on lite FM and Adult Rock, and Contemporary, and Classic Rock stations, in elevators, in the grocery store.  The song just isn't good enough to be played so much for the past 45 years.

 

 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

16 minutes ago, snafu said:

 

I swear, there's going to be trouble if I ever hear Hotel ***** California and I'm holding a machete.  Don't be near me.

Please for the love of God I wish they would retire that song... I think the problem is that it gets played on lite FM and Adult Rock, and Contemporary, and Classic Rock stations, in elevators, in the grocery store.  The song just isn't good enough to be played so much for the past 45 years.

 

 

 

"I had a rough night, and I hate the ***** Eagles."

 

[bbb]

4 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

If we're talking about Petty's best rock song, I'd easily go with Running Down a Dream. The riff, the ending solo...

 

But yeah, screw 97 Rock. They play waaaaay too much ***** Eagles as well.

 

I have often had arguments with my friends about the best Petty songs, and I vote with you, and my friends mainly vote for American Girl.............But, for personal reasons, The Waiting is my favorite, even though I know Running is a better song.  

[PromoTheRobot]

You realize they just make these Top 500 lists up, right?

[bbb]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

You realize they just make these Top 500 lists up, right?

 

Their commercials claim that their fans vote for it...........One DJ kept saying and you listeners "help" us make the list............All the DJs kept saying they have no vote - unlike the fans.

 

I think they're all full of crap............it's probably some kind of thing that's been researched, etc. and spits out numbers.  

[DrDawkinstein]

18 hours ago, bbb said:

 

I have often had arguments with my friends about the best Petty songs, and I vote with you, and my friends mainly vote for American Girl.............But, for personal reasons, The Waiting is my favorite, even though I know Running is a better song.  

 

Oh for sure not arguing your personal preference. Just jumped at the chance to mention Running Down a Dream

[Wacka]

They are playing Stairway to heaven in nursing homes now. I had a stroke when I lived in CA back in 2014. Was in a nursing home for rehab for several weeks.  One day they had an accordionist  come around to  entertain. I heard him playing Lady of Spain and other songs. Not manyPoles there. I was already mobile so I went over and asked him if he knew  "Who Stole the Keishka?" zHre did and played it for me.  He was originally from Detroit and we talked about the bands that were in Buffalo.

[PromoTheRobot]

11 hours ago, bbb said:

 

Their commercials claim that their fans vote for it...........One DJ kept saying and you listeners "help" us make the list............All the DJs kept saying they have no vote - unlike the fans.

 

I think they're all full of crap............it's probably some kind of thing that's been researched, etc. and spits out numbers.  

 

Maybe to some degree. They do do music testing. But most of that list comes from a consultant and it's 98% the same top 500 in every other city.

[bbb]

29 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Maybe to some degree. They do do music testing. But most of that list comes from a consultant and it's 98% the same top 500 in every other city.

 

That's exactly what I meant.