For rock music historians, 1969 will always be a special year. It marked the introduction of Led Zeppelin, the year of Woodstock, and the debut of the Who’s groundbreaking rock opera, “Tommy.”
It also was the last time the Beatles and the Stones had new music out at the same time.
For the Beatles, it was “Abbey Road.” And the Stones’ “Let It Bleed” was released at the same time – November of 1969. Years later, many believe those albums were possibly the best either band had produced, before or since.
Both arrived on American shores at about the same time, appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” within months of each other, and competed for rock idol status here in America and around the world. There was unspoken competition between the two bands from the get-go, much of those flames being fanned by the insatiable mass media who relished the scuffles between these two British supergroups. But both bands, including Jagger, Richards, Lennon, and McCartney actually sniped at one another over the years, always generating lots of press – just the way they always liked it.
But it’s been more than a half century since the two bands each had new stuff out and on the radio at the same time. Until this week, that is.
The Stones dropped their new single “Angry” in September as part of a clever stunt. And earlier this month, their first album in 18 years, “Hackney Diamonds,” was released. The reviews have generally been quite positive. But the most amazing thing is that both bands are still relevant, they are much talked about, they continue to earn radio play (and streams), and in 2023, they are once again part of the pop culture conversation – as they’ve been so many times in the past.
Case in point: I popped them into Google Trends to get a sense for how consumers are searching them. And wouldn’t you know it – some of the key spikes on each band’s curve is driven by the release of their new music. Both bands have always understood how to tease, how to build anticipation and how to make news.
While the Stones have held together for eons, continuing to tour until this day, the Beatles have been over and done since they performed that concert on the rooftop of their Abbey Road Studios in London back in 1969.
While John Lennon was alive, rumors swirled about a reunion, so much so that in 1976, Lorne Michaels engineered a stunt offering to pay the Beatles $3,000 for an appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” The story went that Paul and John were watching the show at John’s apartment in the Dakota, just a mile away from NBC’s studio – and they actually thought about showing up. Until they didn’t.
Lennon’s assassination in 1980 put an end to the speculation. And George Harrison’s death in 2001 sealed the deal.
Until now. The appearance of a cassette tape from the late 70’s with John singing a song he’d written – just him and a piano – surfaced many years ago. But it was not technically possible to do anything with it because of the quality and the mix of his piano and his voice was so combined until AI came along. And so the story is told on a 12-minute video that will be released later today for the world to see – on YouTube, on this post, and maybe on your website and social pages.
I was treated to a preview last week, and I can tell you that “Now And Then -The Last Beatles Song ” isn’t just a thing of beauty – lovingly shot and edited – it is storytelling at its best.
The making and recording of this hibernated Lennon song on an audio cassette is a truly amazing tale of dedication, craft, and respect. “Now And Then” is being hailed as “the last Beatle song.” Hopefully, that’s true because if anything comes out after this event, it will most assuredly struggle.
Unlike the Jimi Hendrix estate that’s released 15 albums after the guitar maestro passed away in 1970, the Beatles haven’t indulged in posthumous recordings, aside from their “Love” creation for the Vegas show and remastering projects.
In fact, the Red (1963-1966) and Blue (1967-1970) greatest hits albums will be rereleased in 10 days, mixed in stereo and Dolby Atmos. The Blue album will contain the new song, “Now And Then.”
The song itself will be released at 10am ET Thursday, and it will be fascinating to see how it is handled by radio. We do know this: more than 750 iHeart stations – music and spoken word – will play “Now And Then” simultaneously at that time, a remarkable set of circumstances. When else has that happened?
In writing yesterday’s post about Big Loud and their marketing strategy to use radio last – after a song has been established as a streaming hit – several people have told me that in a world where any fan can hear any song at any time on Pandora or Apple Music, why would they care about hearing that same song on a radio station?
And to that I say, there is a difference. Streaming a song out of context is mostly boring. But hearing a story, a factoid, a reminder to listen to the orchestral part or Paul’s newly recorded bass – well, it’s a different experience – especially when you hear about it from a trusted friend. Or hopefully in this case, a personality you’ve been listening to for years.
How “Now and Then” is set up, staged, teed up, surrounded, produced, contextualized, and maybe even sampled is everything.
So, what can radio programmers and talent take away from this fascinating, emotional moment in music and cultural history?
Here’s my list:
- Don’t get hung up on the rules of chronology. Many Classic Rock stations are so fixated on achieving optimal 25-54 year-old ratings that they’ve excised the 60’s (and early 70’s) from their libraries. “Now And Then” in this moment defies the logic of that strategy. Break format.
- This could only happen in the Classic Rock world. We’ve seen so many instances over the years when an artist, song, or film from the era or that utilizes the music breaks through. The Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” from 2018 is a great example of the genre going totally mass appeal. But even the Fleetwood Mac/TikTok moment featuring the guy on a skateboard swigging Ocean Spray cranberry juice was another moment. “Now And Then” appears to be in this same ballpark. Of course, we will see.
- This isn’t a song, it’s a moment. That’s an important distinction. If it were just an old song dredged up to break up the monotony of a horrible year, it would be one thing. But this is an emotional piece of music that goes to the heart at a moment when we’re all tired and emotionally spent. During vulnerable times like these, anything’s possible.
- It’s also an event. The song, the Beatles, the visuals, the memories will be all over TV – at least for the next couple days. It will be hard to get away from, but if this is your music, you might even be able to get a personality on a local TV station or in the newspaper, helping their audience/readership understand the gravity and context of this event.
- It’s a PR bonanza. And not just for the Beatles. Hundreds of iHeart stations – most of them “out of format” – wouldn’t be playing “Now And Then” if it didn’t have the chance to send a few shockwaves through the speakers. iHeart announced the following formats will feature the song: Alternative, Rock, Classic Rock, Classic Hits, CHR, Country, AC, Hot AC, News/Talk, Sports, “and others.” Let’s face it – Bob Pittman is a CEO but he also may be one of the greatest showmen of our time. He knows these moments when he sees them. Don’t think for a moment that he didn’t personally greenlight this stunt. He may have even been the one who dreamt it up.
- Regardless of format, play the song. Or “See #5. Last week, I blogged about the impact of the element of surprise – something to shock the radio waters. If your format is conservative talk or Hip-Hop, it’s just 4:56 out of your stations life. You won’t go off the air and you might just gain an extra quarter-hour of listening on a Thursday in the middle of the Fall Book.
- Think about what it will sound like on Spotify…and make it better. This is a great opportunity to remind audiences what radio can sound like when something special is about to happen. Whether you spin “Now And Then” one time or once an hour on Thursday, make sure the staff is prepped with factoids about the song, the band, and the moment. You might even be able to grab a few sound bites from the video tomorrow. Just don’t tell David Oxenford.
- Have fun. Unlike a disaster – man-made or climate related – this just might be one of those shared moments that actually contains joy. Remember what John and Yoko were all about. Lean into it. Enjoy it. Something like this might not happen for a while. Or ever.
Let me know how it goes.
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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A Timely WOW Moment for Radio. That’s where The Beatles, Stones and All Other Great Artists Need to Be Heard! 1220watx.com
Representing college radio here – alternative rock format on 90.5 WERG. During our music meeting yesterday, we reserved a spot in heavy rotation for “Now and Then.” My students know who The Beatles are and understand the historical significance of the event. I am HOPING we’ll be included in the e-mails for the actual download, as we have been for the e-mails informing us that the song is coming.
If it turns out you need it, Chet, email me. fred@g5j.8ac.myftpupload.com
We’re in for every hour during the day tomorrow. Beatles or Stones? BOTH
Good luck, Stephen. Hope it goes well.
This is alluded to in some of the items within the list, but to expand on that a bit: Don’t forget about specific promotions, including possible contests.
Going back to the Stones, Portugal’s M80 is running a promotional giveaway of some of the Barcelona team shirts with the band’s logo (which were, ironically, created in partnership with Spotify)…
https://m80.pt/artigo/the-rolling-stones-novo-album-hackney-diamonds
Always love your international perspective, Eric.
Fred, thank you so much! 92.9 The Eagle in Lincoln, NE is all over this! We debut the new song this morning at 9am and tomorrow at 3pm we kick off a “Beatles Vs. Stones Weekend”. We’ll have a double shot of Beatles before the :20 break and then a double shot of Stones before the :48 break. Featuring new tracks from ‘Hackney Diamonds” and Beatles ‘Now & Then’. Also, thank you for letting me steal some of your copy off this blog for my Basement Tape this morning that featured one of the new Stones song that led right into the debut of ‘Now And Then”.
Scott, I’m impressed. You took this and ran with it. LMK how the weekend goes. I’m thinking Lincoln will respond positively to your special weekend.
And I’m flattered you would use some of our ideas, but the bottom line is that you thinking BIG and walking the walk. All the best to you, your staff, and 92.9 The Eagle!
Scott-congratulations on actually giving the listener to tune into your station on THE WEEKEND!! We held “theme” weekends for the longest time-and it gave us fun things to promote during the week. When someone’s lifestyle changes as it does on the weekend the relatable stations point that out and give the listener something to look forward to. Who else is doing that? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
You’d be hard pressed to find a bigger Beatles fan than me. Among the countless contests I’ve won, including a sizable amount of cash and even a motorcycle, I don’t think anything has brought me more joy than when I won the entire Beatles library as a kid. (I have Rubber Soul on the turntable next to me as I write.)
And my reaction to all the hype and then the presentation of the “last” Beatles song this morning? “It was ok.” The story surrounding its making truly is interesting and even sweet and beautiful. The song itself? I’ll stick with “ok.”
To be sure, some songs do grow on you. I don’t think “Now And Then” will be one of those–despite being played every hour today. (I’m not so sure that won’t cause more “annoyance” than “love” for the song–and maybe even the band, which would be a particular shame.)
I honestly can’t imagine any teen or twenty or thirty-something hearing the song this morning and thinking, “WOW? Who ARE these guys? And where can I find more of their music?” If anything, I think they’d look at their parents and grandparents and ask, “And you like these guys…why?” To which hopefully someone would introduce them to their VERY deep bench of timeless, world and cultural-changing music–which is much more likely to answer their question than “Now And Then.”
This feels more like the star player that has to go out and play one more season just because he can (even if he shouldn’t), only to shatter his image as the G.O.A.T. of his game, perhaps ending an otherwise stellar career with a forgettable, if not shameful, final performance.
I just looked up to see when Double Fantasy was recorded. It was August to October of 1980. I think virtually all of us would agree that Double Fantasy was John (if not Yoko so much) at his brilliant best. “Now And Then” was written in 1979. Maybe there was a reason John didn’t record and release the song himself. Maybe he was right not to. Maybe it would have been best not to now.
I guess even the Beatles can make a mistake now and then.
David, I enjoyed reading your wise take on this. You were able to remove yourself from the hype and noise.
I, on the other hand, was not. In fact, I rather enjoyed having something new to listen to, not to mention how it was done. There’s not enough of this in today’s music. Why did Beyonce record that song? Or why did the Foo Fighters choose that album artwork? You mostly would not knoww if you were listening to the radio.
I also think there’s a lot to learn here about the marketing brilliance of the Beatles (and yes, the Stones). After 50 years, they are masterful atbuilding interest, teasing ahead, and delivering.
WIll “Now And Then” have lasting value or just get a few spins before fading away? Hard to say, but it was sure fun having something to talk about musically on an otherwise dull Thursday in November.
I have to say I agree with everything you wrote, Fred And as the day went on since I wrote my comment, I’ve softened my thoughts some after reading so many comments and seeing just how much the song has meant to so many people. That’s always a good thing. (And that’s not counting the people and companies who are countless millions of dollars richer today for the release of the song.) People still love the Beatles. I still love the Beatles. We want to feel connected to them anyway we can. And hey, it put radio back on the map for the day! Another good thing. I’d sure love to see if radio saw any significant spike in listenership today. (Maybe something a research guru like you could look into?) That alone would make it worth it. And if that spike remained in the weeks and months ahead, a lot of radio companies just may have a much merrier Christmas than they might have had without our favorite mop tops. Plus you’re right, it is more fun to talk about the Beatles than most anything else on an otherwise dull Thursday. Long live Beatlemania!
24 hours later and I’m liking the song…a LOT. I hope that for radio, it dooesn’t turn out to be a “one & done.”
I heard some good radio yesterday, and in a handful of cases, some great radio. But I heard a lot more “paint by the numbers” radio, essentially checking off the boxes. I think about the channels I had as a PD in the 80s – it was pretty much the station. Today, with websites, social, apps, YouTube, TikTok, etc., there’s lots of “running room” to do cool things. I saw no on-air polls giving listeners an opportunity to weigh in on the song, or vote for the Beatles v. the Stones. Many didn’t post the video or the song on their sites.
I know everyone is stressed and there’s not enough human & financial resources. But in that spirit where there are precicous few marketing dollars, these kindds of out of the blue opportunities ARE YOUR MARKETING. (I can hear Mel Karmazin saying this.)
David, thanks for giving it another think. Let’s see where it goes from here.
Fred (and David Manzi), “Now And Then” is more than just a song, an event, it’s a life. Many of us feel that we were robbed of a lot when a U.S. President was assassinated in 1963. A civil rights icon was taken away in 1968, along with a possible hope for a better world with RFK. In the middle we had “Beatlemania” – 4 guys who spoke to us from “I Want To Hold Your Hand” to the symbolism of “Abbey Road”‘s medley. From 1964-1969 we had hope that these guys (and their mantra of love) could change the world. Now we have the possibility that technology could give us a whole new way to hear their music and escape once again to that world that we had hoped for. “Now And Then” may close the door on “new” Beatles music, but we still want to hear what can be done with the existing material. When one door closes (as in the “final” Beatles release), another opens up–with the chance to hear more from The Fab Four-even if it’s a new way to hear what we’ve heard before. We can do the same with The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Zombies, Jefferson Airplane, Buffalo Springfield, CSNY–the list is endless. The new Beatles song sparks a new hope-that we can appreciate and understand the message.
Dave, i believe it is/was an event, too. That was how I decided to treat it last week after seeing a sneak of the 12 minute video and first heaering the song. Do I want the technology to be used so any of us can make/sample/produce mussic on our laptops? I don’t think so. But then again, maybe I’m letting my age and my emotinoal history with the Beatles color my answer. In the same way that a rap performer/producer can sample Dustry Springfield or Tiny Tim, perhaps it’s inevitable.