447:
Together, all of these variations of musical genres still have mass appeal due to the origins of radio stations that played them together when they were hits. Similar to the philosophy with oldies radio, most of the music is upbeat and edgy. While these music types can be found in other formats, what
61:
format, which uses a slightly newer music library stretching from all decades to the present with a major focus on 1990s and 2000s pop, rock and alternative songs. In addition, adult hits stations tend to have larger playlists, playing a given song only a few times per week, compared to the tighter
564:
Studies suggesting that millennials prefer older music have also been published with theories regarding a major shift in radio programming. According to these reports, the 1970s and 1980s were the last decades that a typical top 40 radio station played all music types; by the 1990s, top 40 began
170:
The classic hits format as it is known today began to take shape in the mid 2000s when oldies radio stations started having audience and ratings issues. They believed that they could not be successful with the oldies format and needed to update the music and presentation to stay relevant in the
255:, a major producer of radio station jingles in the 1980s, created an updated jingle package for stations that moved to a classic hits presentation. Jingles in the CBS-FM update package include cuts from the popular "Flame Thrower" and "Warp Factor" packages made famous by WHTZ in the 1980s.
263:
Today's classic hits format is a representation of the variety of music types found on the radio in the 1980s including these core artists. These were a few examples that were more commonly used on most classic hits stations.
220:, who are considered major superstars, were no longer being played on AC stations. Most of these stations are now current-intensive, playing newer artists versus those from the 1980s which have aged out of the AC format.
101:
generation is listening to this format in record numbers, according to a
Nielsen report. As of December 2019, there are now over 1,100 classic hits stations in the United States, the largest amount in format history.
56:
format, a collection of top 40 songs from the late 1950s through the late 1970s that was once extremely popular in the United States and Canada. The term is sometimes incorrectly used as a synonym for the
227:, Washington D.C. from adult contemporary-formatted "Fresh-FM" to classic hits as "The Drive" in October 2018. Most of the current classic hits stations were simply slow evolutions from oldies, including
175:
on which advertising agencies base ad purchases. After several years of format transitions and changes, the industry needed a term that better defined the stations who were basing their libraries in the
420:
are still featured on many of these stations as the oldest part of the library. Additionally, stations have started to play songs from the 1990s and 2000s that have appeal to this audience such as "
456:
There are theories about why the music of the 1980s continues to be popular, especially to younger generations such as
Millennials. The advent of music in video games such as the
127:
to a format composed of the hipper tracks from the oldies format and album tracks from popular classic rock albums. The goal was to attract and magnetize people who experienced
565:
splintering into various genres such as rap and alternative rock, and each station was reformatted to focus on one type of music. Millennials also grew up in an era when music
761:
188:
as a format classification. In addition, many adult contemporary (AC) stations that had featured a large library of 1980s music began to phase it out as new artists like
713:
654:
588:. This created a void in which gold-based music was not being played on radio in certain markets, thus creating a new opportunity for classic hits stations.
448:
makes this format unique is the variety of genres being played together on one station as a decade-based collection, as opposed to a single style of music.
243:
in
Orlando, among many others. WOGL changed their slogan to "Nobody plays more 80s" whereas WRBQ-FM changed to "Hits of the 80s and more". Radio programmer
569:
featuring older music were becoming widespread, something that was not necessarily true for
Generation X; much of the classic hits library was included in
487:
938:
1102:
251:(Z100) in New York during the 1980s, moved his morning show to WCBS-FM, bringing many of the 1980s-style radio formats to the station. Dallas-based
737:
537:. Movies with box office success that are set in the 1980s have also been contributed to the popularity of the music of that era, including
204:, and others became very popular, thus making these stations much more current oriented. This factor created a situation where artists like
584:, and alternative formats either reduced or eliminated songs from the 1970s and 1980s in favor of new artists and more current-based music
963:
577:
was only beginning to split from more modern rock stations in the late 1980s, around the same time oldies emerged as a standalone format.
497:
and other streaming video services that are set in the 1980s and feature music from that era. Examples include
Netflix's popular series
74:
up to 30 times a week or more, which is another differentiator compared to other formats that share songs with classic hits libraries.
836:
517:
155:
Until the mid-2000s, the term "classic hits" was used by stations that played the softer or more hit-oriented side of
52:
in the early 1980s and the nostalgia behind it is a major driver to the format. It is considered the successor to the
1077:
785:
912:
1133:
539:
529:
93:
in the UK having successful ratings with this model. Classic hits was named "format of the summer of 2018" by
534:
421:
20:
677:
689:
474:
series introduced younger audiences to 1980s songs from artists such as The Police, Queen, Duran Duran,
223:
The recent appeal to this format has introduced format flips in major markets, including the flip of
404:
Songs from the mid- to late 1970s which had an influence on the MTV generation from artists such as
1058:
570:
504:
252:
629:
605:
557:
1143:
1138:
131:
in the 1960s or 1970s and enjoyed the music of those eras, but did not favor the then-current
1012:
378:
363:
205:
1037:
551:
8:
140:
123:, when the station hired programming consultant Gary Guthrie to convert the station from
90:
714:"And the Winner Is... Radio Listeners Preferred Classic Hits During the Summer of 2018"
545:
124:
393:
296:
217:
132:
585:
523:
458:
436:", along with later releases by artists that were successful in the 1980s, such as
409:
302:
286:
281:
71:
987:
811:
499:
441:
425:
388:
383:
343:
213:
172:
97:'s research team emphasizing the huge popularity of the format. In addition, the
939:"Scott Shannon and WCBS-FM: Is It Possible Youth Isn't Always All That Matters?"
306:
291:
209:
45:
1127:
1103:"Millennials prefer music from 20th century 'golden age' to the pop of today"
429:
398:
244:
193:
185:
94:
167:
in
Indianapolis, but whose playlists have more in common with classic rock.
581:
574:
566:
508:
405:
358:
328:
318:
184:
was accepted by the radio community as the official name and recognized by
156:
37:
77:
The classic hits format saw growth in the 2010s, with stations like KRTH,
789:
512:
470:
313:
276:
159:. Today, there are a few stations that identify as classic hits, such as
128:
98:
606:"CNN - MTV changed the music industry on August 1, 1981 - July 31, 1998"
483:
433:
413:
353:
348:
323:
197:
58:
27:
464:
139:
music of the 1980s. These were people whose mindset was aging beyond
475:
417:
271:
201:
143:
and top 40, yet were still either too young for or uninterested in
1038:"Why Are Millennials So Obsessed With the 80s? – Millenial Influx"
494:
232:
160:
86:
78:
48:
serving as the core of the format. Music that was popularized by
738:"Millennials Flip the Dial to Classic Hits as the Summer Starts"
580:
During the late 2010s, many stations in the adult contemporary,
479:
144:
136:
120:
82:
53:
41:
762:"Format Count: Classic Hits Soars To Record Number Of Outlets"
690:"Most popular radio stations in Los Angeles 2019 | Statistic"
368:
189:
964:"WCBS-FM plays up the '80s, and a younger audience responds"
248:
240:
236:
228:
224:
164:
116:
67:
63:
861:
44:
music charts from the late 1960s to the early 2000s, with
177:
115:
The term "classic hits" is believed to have its birth at
49:
437:
333:
886:
630:"Why Pop Culture Is Obsessed With The 1980s Right Now"
913:"Looking Back At Scott Shannon's Impact & Legacy"
837:"Classic Hits 94.7 The Drive Debuts In Washington"
655:"What's The Musical Future Of An 'Oldies' Format?"
1078:"Who's teaching your kids oldies? Radio, and you"
887:"Q105 - Tampa Bay's Hits of the '80s & More!"
62:libraries on classic hits stations. For example,
1125:
493:Another theory includes TV shows and movies on
70:, a classic hits station in Dallas, both play
16:Radio format focusing on classic popular music
66:, a classic hits station in Los Angeles, and
451:
247:, the architect of the modern top 40 era at
812:"Don't Drop Oldies Before You've Read This"
1059:"Loving the music you didn't grow up with"
150:
936:
40:which generally includes songs from the
1126:
1056:
910:
868:. Entercom Communications Corporation
834:
258:
1075:
961:
809:
13:
14:
1155:
1095:
1069:
1050:
1030:
1005:
980:
955:
930:
904:
879:
854:
828:
803:
678:Classic Hits - Westwood One.com
937:Hinckley, David (2017-08-14).
778:
754:
730:
706:
682:
671:
647:
622:
598:
1:
1057:Jacobs, Fred (May 22, 2019).
591:
180:era of music. Thus, the term
21:Classic hits (disambiguation)
1076:Ross, Sean (July 27, 2021).
7:
911:Venta, Lance (2014-02-07).
835:Venta, Lance (2018-10-03).
573:stations of the era, while
10:
1160:
994:. JAM Creative Productions
110:
105:
25:
18:
810:Ross, Sean (2005-01-24).
452:Resurgence of 1980s music
253:JAM Creative Productions
26:Not to be confused with
540:Guardians of the Galaxy
518:Wet Hot American Summer
151:Contemporary definition
379:Earth, Wind & Fire
1134:20th century in music
988:"JAM: WCBS-FM Update"
893:. Beasley Media Group
786:"About Nickey Radio"
552:Hot Tub Time Machine
507:features songs from
46:music from the 1980s
19:For other uses, see
968:New York Daily News
634:Film School Rejects
374:R&B and dance:
141:album-oriented rock
91:Greatest Hits Radio
1013:"80s Classic Hits"
919:. RadioBB Networks
843:. RadioBB Networks
571:adult-contemporary
546:The Wedding Singer
488:hundreds of others
259:Musical definition
125:adult contemporary
962:Hinckley, David.
297:Bruce Springsteen
231:in Philadelphia,
173:25-54 demographic
1151:
1118:
1117:
1115:
1114:
1099:
1093:
1092:
1090:
1088:
1073:
1067:
1066:
1054:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1044:
1034:
1028:
1027:
1025:
1024:
1009:
1003:
1002:
1000:
999:
984:
978:
977:
975:
974:
959:
953:
952:
950:
949:
934:
928:
927:
925:
924:
908:
902:
901:
899:
898:
883:
877:
876:
874:
873:
858:
852:
851:
849:
848:
832:
826:
825:
823:
822:
807:
801:
800:
798:
797:
788:. Archived from
782:
776:
775:
773:
772:
758:
752:
751:
749:
748:
734:
728:
727:
725:
724:
710:
704:
703:
701:
700:
686:
680:
675:
669:
668:
666:
665:
651:
645:
644:
642:
641:
626:
620:
619:
617:
616:
602:
558:Ready Player One
459:Grand Theft Auto
344:Hall & Oates
1159:
1158:
1154:
1153:
1152:
1150:
1149:
1148:
1124:
1123:
1122:
1121:
1112:
1110:
1101:
1100:
1096:
1086:
1084:
1074:
1070:
1055:
1051:
1042:
1040:
1036:
1035:
1031:
1022:
1020:
1011:
1010:
1006:
997:
995:
986:
985:
981:
972:
970:
960:
956:
947:
945:
943:Huffington Post
935:
931:
922:
920:
909:
905:
896:
894:
885:
884:
880:
871:
869:
860:
859:
855:
846:
844:
833:
829:
820:
818:
816:Edison Research
808:
804:
795:
793:
784:
783:
779:
770:
768:
766:Insideradio.com
760:
759:
755:
746:
744:
736:
735:
731:
722:
720:
712:
711:
707:
698:
696:
688:
687:
683:
676:
672:
663:
661:
659:Insideradio.com
653:
652:
648:
639:
637:
628:
627:
623:
614:
612:
604:
603:
599:
594:
500:Stranger Things
454:
442:Michael Jackson
432:'s version of "
426:The Cranberries
389:Michael Jackson
384:Whitney Houston
261:
239:in Dallas, and
214:Michael Jackson
153:
113:
108:
31:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1157:
1147:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1120:
1119:
1094:
1068:
1049:
1029:
1017:uDiscoverMusic
1004:
979:
954:
929:
903:
878:
853:
827:
802:
777:
753:
729:
705:
681:
670:
646:
621:
596:
595:
593:
590:
453:
450:
402:
401:
396:
391:
386:
381:
372:
371:
366:
361:
356:
351:
346:
337:
336:
331:
326:
321:
316:
300:
299:
294:
289:
284:
279:
274:
260:
257:
210:George Michael
163:in Boston and
152:
149:
112:
109:
107:
104:
89:in Boston and
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1156:
1145:
1144:Popular music
1142:
1140:
1139:Radio formats
1137:
1135:
1132:
1131:
1129:
1108:
1104:
1098:
1083:
1082:Radio Insight
1079:
1072:
1064:
1060:
1053:
1039:
1033:
1018:
1014:
1008:
993:
989:
983:
969:
965:
958:
944:
940:
933:
918:
914:
907:
892:
888:
882:
867:
863:
857:
842:
838:
831:
817:
813:
806:
792:on 2017-10-26
791:
787:
781:
767:
763:
757:
743:
742:Nielsen Audio
739:
733:
719:
718:Nielsen Audio
715:
709:
695:
691:
685:
679:
674:
660:
656:
650:
635:
631:
625:
611:
607:
601:
597:
589:
587:
583:
582:adult R&B
578:
576:
572:
568:
567:radio formats
562:
560:
559:
554:
553:
548:
547:
542:
541:
536:
532:
531:
530:The Goldbergs
526:
525:
520:
519:
514:
510:
506:
502:
501:
496:
491:
489:
485:
481:
477:
473:
472:
467:
466:
461:
460:
449:
445:
443:
439:
435:
431:
430:Uncle Kracker
427:
423:
419:
415:
411:
407:
400:
399:Lionel Richie
397:
395:
392:
390:
387:
385:
382:
380:
377:
376:
375:
370:
367:
365:
362:
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340:
335:
332:
330:
327:
325:
322:
320:
317:
315:
312:
311:
310:
308:
304:
298:
295:
293:
290:
288:
287:Guns N' Roses
285:
283:
280:
278:
275:
273:
270:
269:
268:
265:
256:
254:
250:
246:
245:Scott Shannon
242:
238:
234:
230:
226:
221:
219:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
195:
191:
187:
186:Nielsen Audio
183:
179:
174:
168:
166:
162:
158:
148:
146:
142:
138:
134:
130:
126:
122:
118:
103:
100:
96:
95:Nielsen Audio
92:
88:
84:
81:in New York,
80:
75:
73:
69:
65:
60:
55:
51:
47:
43:
39:
35:
29:
22:
1111:. Retrieved
1109:. 2019-02-07
1106:
1097:
1085:. Retrieved
1081:
1071:
1063:Jacobs Media
1062:
1052:
1041:. Retrieved
1032:
1021:. Retrieved
1019:. 2018-09-12
1016:
1007:
996:. Retrieved
991:
982:
971:. Retrieved
967:
957:
946:. Retrieved
942:
932:
921:. Retrieved
917:RadioInsight
916:
906:
895:. Retrieved
890:
881:
870:. Retrieved
865:
856:
845:. Retrieved
841:RadioInsight
840:
830:
819:. Retrieved
815:
805:
794:. Retrieved
790:the original
780:
769:. Retrieved
765:
756:
745:. Retrieved
741:
732:
721:. Retrieved
717:
708:
697:. Retrieved
693:
684:
673:
662:. Retrieved
658:
649:
638:. Retrieved
636:. 2018-03-26
633:
624:
613:. Retrieved
609:
600:
579:
575:classic rock
563:
556:
550:
544:
538:
528:
522:
516:
509:Cyndi Lauper
498:
492:
469:
463:
457:
455:
446:
403:
373:
359:Cyndi Lauper
338:
329:Simple Minds
319:Depeche Mode
301:
266:
262:
222:
182:classic hits
181:
169:
157:classic rock
154:
114:
85:in Chicago,
76:
38:radio format
34:Classic hits
33:
32:
992:Jingles.com
862:"98.1 WOGL"
610:www.cnn.com
471:Guitar Hero
314:David Bowie
303:Alternative
277:Def Leppard
133:heavy metal
129:adolescence
72:power songs
1128:Categories
1113:2019-03-07
1043:2019-03-07
1023:2019-03-02
998:2019-03-02
973:2019-03-11
948:2019-03-02
923:2019-03-11
897:2019-03-07
872:2019-03-07
847:2019-03-02
821:2019-03-02
796:2017-10-25
771:2019-12-03
747:2019-03-02
723:2019-03-02
699:2019-03-02
664:2019-03-02
640:2019-03-11
615:2019-03-11
592:References
505:soundtrack
484:Billy Joel
434:Drift Away
416:, and the
414:Elton John
354:Billy Joel
349:Elton John
324:The Police
235:in Tampa,
198:Bruno Mars
99:Millennial
59:adult hits
28:Adult hits
586:rotations
465:Rock Band
410:Foreigner
282:Foreigner
1087:July 27,
694:Statista
476:The Cars
418:Bee Gees
307:new wave
272:Bon Jovi
202:Maroon 5
891:WRBQ-FM
503:(whose
495:Netflix
364:Madonna
292:Journey
233:WRBQ-FM
206:Madonna
161:WROR-FM
111:Origins
106:History
87:WROR-FM
79:WCBS-FM
555:, and
527:, and
486:, and
480:R.E.M.
468:, and
422:Linger
394:Prince
267:Rock:
218:Prince
216:, and
145:oldies
137:top 40
121:Boston
83:WLS-FM
54:oldies
42:top 40
1107:Metro
424:" by
406:Queen
369:Wham!
339:Pop:
190:Adele
36:is a
1089:2021
866:WOGL
524:Glow
513:Toto
511:and
440:and
428:and
305:and
249:WHTZ
241:WOCL
237:KSPF
229:WOGL
225:WIAD
194:Pink
165:WJJK
117:WZLX
68:KSPF
64:KRTH
535:ABC
533:on
515:),
178:MTV
135:or
119:in
50:MTV
1130::
1105:.
1080:.
1061:.
1015:.
990:.
966:.
941:.
915:.
889:.
864:.
839:.
814:.
764:.
740:.
716:.
692:.
657:.
632:.
608:.
561:.
549:,
543:,
521:,
490:.
482:,
478:,
462:,
444:.
438:U2
412:,
408:,
334:U2
309::
212:,
208:,
200:,
196:,
192:,
147:.
1116:.
1091:.
1065:.
1046:.
1026:.
1001:.
976:.
951:.
926:.
900:.
875:.
850:.
824:.
799:.
774:.
750:.
726:.
702:.
667:.
643:.
618:.
30:.
23:.
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