[BC] Where formats come from

[FrankGott@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/8/2006 2:18:56 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
shnewman at alaweb.com writes:

<< There is something amiss here. In the "early 60's we didn't have that kind
 of music. We had Top-40. (R&B, MOR, Rock-a-Billy etc.) The sound to which
 we're referring started coming along, at the earliest 1964. Now, if that's
 what you're calling the early 60's then you would be correct. Before the
 British Invasion (and I really don't want to include them) we just didn't
 have the sound that was part of free-form radio or underground radio. >>

Steve, you got it right on the money.  My original post mentioned playing 
music other than top 40 when I did an Underground show.  The top 40 stations of 
the 60s were very structured.  We weren't.  The music we played was not yet on 
top 40.  Most cuts were longer than 3 minutes.

As Underground/Free form evolved to AOR and now classic rock the format may 
currently be as structured as Top 40 once was.  But it is now one of many 
formats.  There's rock, lite rock, alternative, metal, hip hop, urban, country, 
Disney, etc.  

Instead of several stations playing the same basic playlist there are now 
several stations, each serving a different niche audience.

Frank Gottlieb