Music Must Change: Classic Rock Stations Need to Update Playlists

I like all kinds of music but my favorite genre is Classic Rock. I think that Classic Rock is a living format with new songs and bands that should be added all of the time. Unfortunately, the powers that be have a hard time with that definition. So it is hard to listen to Classic Rock radio stations because the program directors have decided that we only want to hear songs that are at least 20 years old. And to make matters worse, they only play a limited number of songs and they play those select few over and over again.

So, instead of hearing bands with albums released in the current year, Classic Rock radio stations play "Taking Care of Business" for the 100 millionth time. And instead of exploring the musical depth of great artists, Classic Rock radio stations play the same half-dozen or so songs, over and over again. There's probably not anything that can be done with the first problem, but the second issue should be relatively easy for Classic Rock radio stations to fix.

So, here are my suggestions for program directors at Classic Rock radio stations on which songs to play by some prolific artists.

Beatles: The most likely songs you'll hear on Classic Rock radio stations are: Come Together, Revolution, Back in the USSR, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Strawberry Fields, Sgt. Pepper and Get Back.

Classic Rock radio stations screw The Beatles in a different way, too. They have ceded all songs put out by The Beatles prior to 1967 to Oldies radio stations. Which is insane, but beyond the scope of this piece. But even limiting their selection to "Sgt. Pepper", "Magical Mystery Tour", "The White Album", "Abbey Road" and "Let it Be", Classic Rock radio stations could add a bunch of songs by The Beatles to their play lists. They could put any one of those CDs in, hit shuffle and the song that came out would be worth playing.

But since they need some direction, I would suggest they mix Don't Let Me Down, Yer Blues, Dear Prudence, Fool on the Hill, Getting Better and Savoy Truffle to the rotation.