“All of Chuck’s children are out there playing his licks.” – Bob Seger, “Rock And Roll Never Forgets”
On Saturday afternoon, another rock n’ roll icon left us. At the ripe old age of 90, Chuck Berry passed away, continuing the streak that started a year ago with David Bowie’s death. When it comes to artists like Bowie, Glenn Frey, and Prince, radio often swings into tribute mode, turning stations over to focus exclusively on that artist’s catalogue, often taking phone calls from grieving fans.
But in Chuck Berry’s case, there weren’t a whole lot of U.S. broadcast radio stations acknowledging his illustrious and legendary career. Part of this is due to the fact that Berry passed away over a weekend – the most inconvenient time for radio because of its addiction to Saturday and Sunday voicetracking and paid programs.
But even had Chuck been courteous enough to leave this earth on a Wednesday in the midday hours, there would have been barely a ripple across the airwaves. That’s because despite his influence on rockers like the Beatles, Jeff Lynne, Keith Richards, Brian Setzer, Johnny Winter, and the aforementioned Bob Seger, American radio turned its back on Chuck Berry a long time ago.
Blame it on the “demographic cliff,” and radio’s obsession with the 25-to-54 year-old demographic ad agency sweet spot. Oldies on the radio is simply no longer viable, and hasn’t been for some time. The format was already doing a fast fade in the ’90s, but the moment that may have sealed its fate occurred when WCBS-FM pulled the plug on Oldies and switched to the ill-fated Jack-FM in 2005. Perhaps more than anything else, that decision was a signal to radio operators all over the country that the Oldies format was over, finished, done, kaput.
Berry’s impact on rock n’ roll music was immense, and his story is a compelling one. In a moment of clarity, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted him when it opened in 1986, recognizing his contribution to the genre of rock.
In many ways, Berry’s contributions prove the sustainability of rock n’ roll. His famous riffs have been repeated again and again, not just in cover versions of his hits, but in scores of songs like Seger’s “Get Out Of Denver” and the Stones’ “Star Star” (don’t play that one as a tribute). And whenever a band is stuck for that second encore, there’s always “Johnny B. Goode.”
Long before Michael Jackson made the moonwalk famous, Chuck Berry’s signature duckwalk was part of his onstage showmanship. 
Unique in many ways, Berry toured for decades – but did not have a band. He hired local pickup bands wherever he went, and always demanded to be paid in cash.
He can still be heard in car radios, but only on the “’50s on 5” channel on satellite radio, the occasional HD2 Oldies station, and a handful of AM music stations where few are listening anymore.
The radio industry has walked away from formats that don’t age well, like Oldies and Soft AC because of their demographic drift past age age 54. And artists like Berry, the Beach Boys, the Motown gang, and many others are victims – along with the millions of fans who still love this music, still regularly listening to the radio, and still spend billions of dollars.
Ironically, many radio stations and companies are now facing challenges monetizing those coveted 25-54 demos, now fighting it out for every dollar and every avail. They’re finding that the omission of digital content and distribution outlets in pitches and campaign plans often translates to a failure to get on buys or garner respectable rates.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that the contrarian approach can often be effective; that when the entire market is converging on those three decades of so-called demographic nirvana, there may be other ways to skin the cat.
One avenue might be the 35-64 cell – yes, the same Baby Boomers that everyone’s been cherishing for years are just a few years older now. And they’re buying new cars, second homes, big screen TVs, and everything else. It’s a wide open space, but it requires sales marketing, creativity, patience, and innovation.
Speaking of which, last week Radio Woodstock (WDST) – an independent station in New York’s Hudson Valley – introduced a hybrid monetization model, blending listener support with limited inventory for its unique progressive format. (More on Radio Woodstock in an upcoming post.)
Perhaps that’s a sign that as a result of these more challenging times, radio programmers, managers, owners, and strategists may one day consider formats that drift outside the demographic lines. Given that successful radio requires event marketing, digital distribution, live reads, and other sweeteners, it may eventually come down to results rather than rank. More and more broadcasters are eyeing their ratings – and the bills that accompany them – and wondering about their ROI in this environment where accountability matters more than quarter-hours.
So, I’ll leave you with this – one of the funniest and best tributes to Chuck Berry from the classic film, “Back To The Future.” Michael J. Fox’s rendition of “Johnny B. Goode” at the school dance, along with the warped version of how Chuck Berry “discovered” his sound made for a memorable scene and a reminder of how influential he truly was in the pantheon of rock ‘n roll.
So there I was Saturday afternoon in the mood to reminisce a bit, and listen to some Chuck Berry. And this turned out to be my best option:
R.I.P. Johnny B. Goode.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Thanks for this, Fred. Chuck Berry’s influence and talent (as a showman, guitarist & brilliant lyricist) cannot be overstated. It’s too bad there’s “No Particular Place to Go” for his music anymore. (OK, that was cheesy but the sentiment is real.)
I’ll take that pun, Tina. Thanks for commenting.
Chuck Berry: “The Father of Rock & Roll.” The focus on 25-54 omits the most treasured music. Those of us who started FM in the ’60s are mostly in our 60’s. It’s time for another great break out! The huge money demo to sustain new excellence – curated with digital current content – is 40-70. So many in that Class of ’64 forward, have music in their soul and sparkle in their spirit and are “Up in the Morning…..” Thank you, Fred. Clark, NYC ’66. http://www.broadcastideas.com
Thanks for the observations & the memories, Clark.
We acknowledged his passing on our Sunday midday show and threw in a couple of tunes. I’ve put together an hour-long tribute for today at noon with classic rock covers of Chuck’s songs (Beatles, ELO, AC/DC, Stones, and others), and finishing with a live version of “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck at the Fillmore, backed by the Steve Miller Band. We owe it to Chuck to acknowledge his influence on Rock music.
Mike, good to hear. I know I’m going to hear from some of the exceptions as a result of this post. In the main, however, most stations let it go. Far from an indictment of Classic Rock radio, I believe this is more of a statement about radio turning its back on an entire genre of music. Ostensibly, this same situation will repeat itself again and again in the coming years. Thanks for the comment.
Far from wall to wall, but I think an hour tribute by bands who recorded Chuck’s songs will still resonate with our audience. Thanks for your insights!
Thank you!
As long as you like to be a contrarian – if radio wants to focus on a demo it has long abandoned, I think 18-34 is a better choice. First, it has a future – 18-34 is a demo doesn’t need to be justified to agencies because they already buy it. And an investment in 18-34 could pay dividends for years, while one in older demos not so much.
Even a renewed 35-64 interest from advertisers wouldn’t save oldies it has aged out of 35-64 and as such has probably run its course. Regardless there may be a good argument that radio would be better off trying to reach the more attractive to advertisers 18-34s than trying to hold on to the boomers for a few more years.
RIP Chuck Berry!
I’ll meet you halfway, Bob. As you know, we have advocated going both older and younger than 25-54. But in the case of this post, there are short-term dollars (5 years?) to be had by targeting older, and radio’s future by targeting younger. Why not go both ways? Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Fred, Saturday night after the news had broken I tuned in to WTIX, the very good oldies station here in New Orleans where I live.
I felt sure they would be playing lots of Chuck Berry and talking about his legacy, especially since this is a mostly 60s based station with a very generous amount of 50s music in the mix too.
I could not tell if the jock was live or not, but it was regular format, business as usual with not a single mention of the passing. Seemed like a real missed opportunity.
Love the column, and enjoyed your appearance on the RadioStuff podcast last week too.
Bean
Thanks, Bean. The strong likelihood is the station was voicetracking. As we’ve discussed a lot during the past 15 months, these rock star deaths continue to occur at “inconvenient” times for radio. The industry may be saving a lot of money by voictracking, but the cost is that these moments are, as you suggest, missed opportunities. Appreciate the comment.
Chuck Berry lived in St. Louis, and he died in St. Louis. Did I find out about his death on St. Louis radio? NO. I found out from a news alert from the Washington Post. Out of all the local radio stations I checked out within the couple of hours after his passing was announced, only one, the News/Talk station, gave it a quick mention via the NETWORK newscast.
Interestingly, though, local TV hopped on Berry’s passing in a big way. A couple of the stations brought in older reporters who actually knew who Chuck Berry was, one who is making a documentary about Jimmy Johnson and had lots to share. They rolled out footage of Chuck Berry in concert, interviews they’d done over the years, even did live shots from his statue across the street from a club he played every month until just a few years ago.
Sure, it was a Saturday, a notoriously slow local news day and TV could devote the A Block to the passing of a local legend. But between not knowing or appreciating who or what Chuck Berry was and did and not wanting to have to (perish the thought on the day after St. Patrick’s Day) go into the station on a weekend, for the most part it was business as usual on the radio in Chuck Berry’s hometown. Which meant nothing, in so many ways.
When broadcast radio abdicates its authority about topics near and dear to music lovers to television, satellite radio, and other media, it misses obvious opportunities to emotionally connect with audiences at a time when they most want to express their feelings. Thanks, Mark, for the perspective from Chuck’s hometown.
Here at Hubbard’s Classic Rocker KSLX in Phoenix we played a Chuck Berry song an hour Saturday afternoon and evening. We are live most of the weekend giving us an ability to respond immediately. While Chuck Berry is not an artist that has ever been played regularly on KSLX, I believe this ability to act quickly with music and context is critical.
Good for you folks……..I respect that.
And this supports the premise – strong local programming + live air talent = the ability to be able to respond to whatever happens. Congrats on paying tribute to the guy who clearly invented and inspired an entire genre of great music.
Many years ago when I worked at WKNR FM. I was asked to MC a show at Cobo Hall with Jerry Lee Lewis and LIttle Richard. KEENER AM was the sponsor but the AM DJ couldn’t make it so in desperation they asked this long haired guy down the hall in the FM studio. I said, YES, just to meet these guys the inventors of it all. Later in the day I interviewed Little Richard, a great moment in my rock and roll life. At the end of his entertaining chat he told me this………………Dan, never forget the people who made all of this possible. Always play a 50’s song at least once a year and you will have good luck. So………..you know what to do.
That was GREAT advice. Thanks for sharing that story, Dan.
Within 30 minutes of the news breaking Saturday, I was at the station doing an hour of Chuck Berry songs. Would have gone longer but we had an already scheduled show the next hour.
Sunday we played a Chuck Berry song every hour…Rotaing beween an original and a cover. (Even played the Marty McFly version from “Back to the Future.”)
Monday/Today, we did it all again till 6pm.
This isnt about demographics…
This is simply about doing the job we are blessed to have.
Marty Bender
WOFX Cincinnati.
Why does this not surprise me? Congrats on the tribute and for creating a memorable moment for your fans. All the best, Marty.
There are (obviously) people in our industry who really care, Fred. The Marty Benders, the David Moores, the Mike Watermans. The shame of it all is that they’re not at the top of a consortium of people who know what the listener wants. If they were the directive would’ve gone out to all stations in the group to find a way to pay tribute. Yeah- even Country listeners know who Chuck Berry is. If the above named people were in charge of the industry they’d already have tributes in the can -format specific to plug in at a moment’s notice. They’d have their research already done to find the ELO tracks, The Beatles tracks, The Rolling Stones tracks. . the clips from Mike Douglas with John Lennon. You can bet CBS, NBC, FOX and ABC will be able to wiggle a finger and find clips to celebrate the life of the next music (or movie or television) superstar to pass on. Radio? Well, we might play a song or two for a couple of hours after the news comes out. Except for the guys (like those mentioned above) and women who are forward thinking enough to know what their audience will feel when the next group of bad news comes in.
Dave, thanks for this. I believe most programmers care. But sometimes, it’s a matter of awareness of “a moment” and having the ability and approval to pivot. As you suggest, the one thing we know – for certain – is that there will be more rock star deaths in the coming months and certainly years. Preparing for them, having a strategy in place, and establishing systems when tragedy strikes is what great PDs do. Appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Every Sunday we do a two hour old oldies show, the Geezer Rock Show, which is very popular with listeners (of all ages, by the way) so we dedicated last weeks show to Chuck Berry and all of his great tunes. We called the show “Chocked Full of Chuck” and featured at least one Berry blaster every 15 minutes, plus we included some great Berry covers by the likes of the Beatles, Beach Boys, Ronstadt and others. The fans loved the show and it was a blast to dj.
Richard, thanks for the comment and the background. Nice to hear Chuck got some well-deserved attention on the radio.
He also did three years of hard prison time for violating the Mann Act… specifically transporting a 14 year old girl across state lines for sexual purposes. Later, he was sued by several women for having a voyeur camera installed in the ladies room of a restaurant he owned. And, he was found guilty of income tax evasion. I loved his music but hard to reconcile a tribute in light of recent developments with Matt Lauer, Charley Rose, etc.
Jack, I totally get his off-the-field life, but if we apply those standards to the entire music industry, we’d never do any tributes. Thanks for the note, and yes, Laurer, Rose, et. al. are the subject of our blog post Monday.
We have had listeners ask us to refrain from playing certain core artists accused of sexual harassment… the pressure is coming and I believe we all need to figure out how to address it appropriately. It looks like the options are: continued airplay of the offender with the possibility of appearing insensitive to victims, or drop them from the playlist and risk losing listeners. Our programming guru Beau Raines and I are attempting to formulate policy going forward (BTW Beau sends his best). What would you do Fred?
I think once you start making value judgments on individual artist behavior – or alleged behavior – you end up in the same boat as Congress. What constitutes bad behavior or even crimes? I had a conversation with a Classical station PD wresting with playing Wager (known for his Anti-Semitic behavior). I believe some rock stations have considered eliminating airplay for Ted Nugent along similar lines. My sense would be to let their art speak for itself. But I might open it up on Facebook first to give people a chance to opine and weigh in. I’m not suggesting turning it into a promotion, but it is something that might be better out in the open. Let me know what you do, and best to Beau. We made some pretty good radio together.
Charlie, many thanks. The Alexa technology and capabilities are changing and evolving quickly as we’re all well aware. It’s an exciting technology to be sure.
Fred,
Your comments about commercial radio demographics are spot on. You didn’t mention, however, that there is a lively sector on the Internet playing ’50’s-’60s oldies. Many web stations run by aging Boomers have adopted the format — Belmonts Internet Radio, Sounds of Philly Radio, Crown Sounds Radio, 95 Pure Gold Oldies, and many more. Apparently this is a secret to most folks, but these outlets have a following. I’m proud to say I have a show on some of these websites and regularly get requests from listeners — nothing to compete with Cousin Brucie, but enough to satisfy my soul.
Mickey, congrats on doing what you’re doing on web radio. These are the moments when I wish broadcast radio could take advantage of demographics that fall outside the 30-year sweet spot. Play a little Chuck for me on your next show, OK?