October 3, 2014 – Motor City Radio Flashbacks

50 YEARS AGO: DETROIT RADIO FORMAT RATINGS ’64

From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1964

Detroit Radio Stations by Formats

May, 1964

RADIO RESPONSE RATINGS FOR DETROIT

DETROIT AREA: Fifth largest radio market. Twelve (12) AM, thirteen (13) FM. One pop-contemporary, 1 standard-pop, 2 R&B, 1 C&W, 4 contemporary, 1 standard, 2 conservative.

D E T R O I T T O P S T A T I O N S

FOR POPULAR SINGLES: Rank; Call Letters; Percentage Points (station listeners)

1. WKNR: 33% | 2. WJBK: 30% | 3. WXYZ: 20% | 4. CKLW: 17%

FOR POPULAR LP’S: Rank; Call Letters; Percentage Points (station listeners)

1. WCAR: 34% | 2. WJR: 28% | 3. WWJ: 15% (Tie) | 3. WKNR 15% (Tie) | Others: 8% (WHFI-FM – WOMC-FM)

FOR R&B: Rank; Call Letters; Percentage Points (station listeners)

1. WJLB: 54% | 2. WCHB: 35% | 3, WJBK: 9%

FOR JAZZ: Rank; Call Letters; Percentage Points (station listeners)

1. WCHD-FM: 42% | 2. WJLB-AM: 34% | 3. WABX-FM: 15% | 4. WHFI-FM: 9%

FOR COUNTRY MUSIC: Rank; Call Letters; Percentage Points (station listeners)

1. WEXL: 100%

FOR SINGLE (MOR): Rank; Call Letters; Percentage Points (station listeners)

1. WCAR: 54% | 2. WJR: 30% | 3. Others: 17% (WWJ – WBRB-FM-AM)

FOR FOLK: Rank; Call Letters; Percentage Points (station listeners)

1. WQRS-FM: 44% | 2. WDTM-FM: 26% | 3. WJR: 24%

FOR COMEDY: Rank; Call Letters; Percentage Points (station listeners)

1. WJR: 79% | 2. CKLW: 21%

FOR CLASSICAL: Rank; Call Letters; Percentage Points (station listeners)

1. WJR AM-FM: 31% | 2. WDTM-FM: 26% | 3. WWJ AM-FM: 14% | CBE-AM: 12% | Others: 17% (WQRS-FM – WLDM-FM – WDET-FM)

THE RADIO RESPONSE RATINGS of stations and individual radio personalities have been determined by survey of local and national record promotion personnel, distributors and record manufacturers. Not a popularity poll, the ratings are based strictly on the comparative ability of the stations and air personalities to influence their listeners to purchase the singles and albums played on the air. The ratings likewise point up the music of all types in building audiences and creating the framework conducive to influencing the listener to purchase other products and services advertised on radio stations.

FORMAT GLOSSARY: “Contemporary” — Stations that play primarily singles and LP’s of a “rock-n-roll” and rhythm and blues nature. “Pop Contemporary” — Stations that feature “rock-n-roll” programming current and stock singles and LP’s, excluding rock-n-roll and rhythm and blues in nature. “Standard-Pop” — Same as “Pop-Standard” with stations emphasizing standards to current pop singles. “Standard” — Stations programming current or stock versions of the old standards culled primarily from LP’s. Rock-n-roll and “teen sound” excluded. “Conservative” — station featuring primarily LP of a subdued nature in tone and performance. Background instrumental music. “Classical,” Country and Western,” Jazz,” “Rhythm and Blues,” “Ethnic” — Stations programming more than 50 per cent of their music in the above mentioned particular categories. END

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(Information and news source: Billboard; May 16, 1964)

FLASHBACK POP MUSIC HISTORY: OCTOBER 3

From the MCRFB music calendar:

Events on this date: OCTOBER 3

1901: The first record company, The Victor Talking Machine Company, is incorporated, later merging with the Radio Corporation of America to become RCA-Victor.

1952: The long-running radio hit The Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet, now featuring a 12-year-old Ricky Nelson, debuts on CBS-TV, where it will run for another 14 years, bringing the total life of the show to 22 years!

1955: The Mickey Mouse Club, featuring a 12-year-old Annette Funicello, debuts on ABC-TV.

1957: ABC-TV premieres The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom variety show, later featured in Michael Moore’s documentary Roger and Me. The show runs for three years.

1964: John Lennon writes “I Feel Fine.”

1965: Booked -- Johnny Cash for narcotics possession (click image for larger view) — BOOKED IN 1965: Johnny Cash for narcotics possession *(click image for larger view).*

1965: Johnny Cash is stopped by US Customs officials at the Mexican border on suspicion of heroin smuggling and found to be holding over 1,000 prescription narcotics and amphetamines. He receives a suspended sentence.

1977: The TV event Elvis In Concert, filmed just weeks before the King’s death, is shown on CBS, with good friend Ann-Margret hosting. It shocks many with the depiction of a bloated and drug-addled Elvis Presley in his final days.

1978: Aerosmith posts bail for 30 fans convicted of smoking pot during their show at the Fort Wayne Coliseum in Ft. Wayne, IN.

Bruce Springsteen 1980 (click image for larger view) — Bruce Springsteen 1980 *(click image for larger view).*

1980: At tonight’s show in Ann Arbor, MI, the first of his new tour, Bruce Springsteen forgets the words to his anthem “Born To Run.”

1987: Lithonia, GA declares today “Brenda Lee Day” in honor of the native singer. A new street is named Brenda Lee Lane in her honor.

1988: Hollywood premiers the acclaimed documentary Imagine: John Lennon.

2000: After being questioned for nearly an hour by his parole board, John Lennon’s killer is denied release on his first eligible parole, with the board stating that letting him free would “deprecate the seriousness of the crime.”

2003: The film of the benefit concert The Concert For George, an all-star tribute to the recently deceased ex-Beatle George Harrison, opens in US theaters.

2007: The Rolling Stones’ “A Bigger Bang” tour, named after their latest album, sets a new world record for grosses when the two-year jaunt rakes in nearly 560 million dollars.

Deaths: 1967: Woody Guthrie

Births: 1938: Eddie Cochran 1940: Alan O’Day 1941: Chubby Checker 1945: Antonio Martinez (Los Bravos) 1949: Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac) 1950: Ronnie Laws (Earth Wind and Fire)

Releases: none

Recording: 1945: Stan Kenton, “Painted Rhythm” 1963: The Beatles, “Little Child,” “I Wanna Be Your Man” 1968: The Beatles, “Savoy Truffle”

Charts:

1964: The Supremes’ “Baby Love” enters the Billboard charts
1964: The LP The Animals enters the Billboard LP charts

And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on this day . . . .

Day: October 3, 2014