No, it’s no mistake.
Nielsen – without the expert aid of PricewaterhouseCoopers, I might add – has anointed its official format of the summer. And the winner is…
Classic Rock
Their newest “Insights” release heralds Classic Rock as the “format of the summer.” That doesn’t mean it earned the highest PPM ratings, but it represents the most growth in share when comparing the first 5 months of the year to the 3-month summer period (June-July-August):
But it gets better, because if you think perhaps 2017 was a fluky summer period, consider it was the second consecutive year Classic Rock took these seasonal honors. And in the previous two years, the winner was its first cousin, Classic Hits:
Now I’m just a programming guy, but it seems to me there’s a sales piece here, not unlike how Christmas music stations get in front of advertisers months before the Santa season to remind them of their predictably strong holiday performance. And while Classic Rock (and Classic Hits) perform well throughout the year, these summertime peaks could open the door to increased sales for products and services that depend on the warm summer months for business.
Now when I write Classic Rock blogs lauding the format, the music, and the artists, I tend to think in “3’s.”
So the second part of the story has to do with automotive – specifically, the top-selling car in America, the Toyota Camry.
And so, you might be wondering what soundtrack the brand’s ad agency has selected to ensure strong sales continue through the rest of 2017?
And the winner for the best soundtrack in a new car TV commercial is…
Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now”
When you’re talking about momentum, speed, and appealing to all generations, you go with a great Classic Rock song: “Don’t Stop Me Now.”
And finally, which charming but barely aging rocker just pulled off the best performance in a live concert setting?
And the winner is…
Paul McCartney
Sir Paul pulled off an amazing live show this week in Newark, New Jersey at the Prudential Center. Rolling Stone noted that fans of all generations were in attendance. Here’s what writer Rob Sheffield had to about McCartney’s performance:
“At 75, he refuses to coast – his enthusiasm and vigor and humor are slightly terrifying to behold. He’s not just a master at the top of his game – he’s on top of a game he invented half a century ago.”
McCartney played 36 songs (yes, I’m counting “Golden Slumbers Medley” as three songs), capping off a 3-hour show, including the encore.
Here’s a taste, complete with a nice story from Paul before playing one of the Beatles’ greatest hits:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=16&v=X_LCzdwE_Xw
Have a great weekend, and listen to some Classic Rock.
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.
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Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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And they said it would never last….
…like my dad.
Actually, some people in radio are still saying it. 🙂
As you well know, Fred, my “specialty” is 80’s-based Classic Hits. And the “neck-and-neck” race with Classic Rock points out something I have believed from day one: The two formats have so much in common that any CH programmer with a CR station in their market needs to pay attention to what that station is doing. (And vice versa.)
I just checked, and out of about 500 songs in my format’s presently active rotation, about 225 are also playing on the major CR stations nationwide. That’s close to half my library … which is significant when you consider that CH pretty much has to play a lot of former mainstream CHR hits, including a significant number of Urban titles.
This is why I never feel bad about coming in second, especially when it’s only by a couple of points.
My hat is off to you and all the other Classic Rock programmers who obviously are doing your jobs so well!
Many thanks, KM. The two formats are connected at the hip. When you had them together, their combined impact rivals the most popular formats in radio.
Great music is great music – its not hard to imagine that people still love it. And Kudos to Sir Paul for still rockin it at his age. He sure doesn’t need the money…
Nope, but I think he must truly enjoy performing – something he’s done all his life.