How Top 40 Became Adult Top 40
Written Oct. 31, 2008 by Sean Ross in Content + Terrestrial Radio with 1 Comment
You might have seen last Friday's story where Britain's commercial broadcasters complained about their national Top 40 competitor, BBC Radio 1, and the average age of its listener, 33. That, they say, is in violation of Radio 1's licensed target age of 15-to-29-year-olds.
Commercial broadcasters have been complaining for several years ever since Radio 1 and its very successful Chris Moyles breakfast show began picking up steam, making new problems for heritage Top 40s like London's Capital FM. Commercial radio has been doing a little better in the U.K. over the last year, but that doesn't stop the Top 40s (which would really be Hot ACs here) from trying to keep Radio 1 out of their lane.
From an American perspective though, what's happening with BBC Radio 1 isn't as much an effort to wriggle out of its remit, as part-and-parcel with the aging of the format here. In a PPM world, WHTZ (Z100) New York is now No. 1 or 2 in 25-54 many weeks. The mother/daughter coalition has helped both certain CHR records and overall music styles test well over age 35. And I recently saw one heritage mainstream CHR -- once known for its particularly aggressive music -- where the average age was now 30.
There are a few things happening here. For one, there are more available adults with more available time to listen. And the ones above 25 are the ones who are still (relatively) loyal to the radio. The mother/daughter coalition is more possible these days because the teens that wouldn't be caught dead listening to mom's stations are the ones who have selected themselves out of the radio audience anyway.
Also, Top 40 is pretty mom-friendly right now, even with hits from T.I. and Flo Rida (the latter of whom is pretty much filling in for Nelly this year as the all-ages party hits rapper). There's a lot of medium-weight music from Ne-Yo, Leona Lewis, Jordin Sparks, Jesse McCartney, Jason Mraz, and David Archuleta -- much of it with the "American Idol" seal of endorsement. There are certainly pure top 40 records now ("Womanizer," "Let It Rock," "Paper Planes," "Dangerous"), but with the possible exception of the gunshots in "Paper Planes," there's not a lot that anybody's mom would consider harsh.
There's also not an obvious alternative for a 32-year-old listener right now. Hot AC is playing Katy Perry, Leona Lewis, Jordin Sparks, Pink, and Rihanna. And the gold-based format that might galvanize a 1994 high-school graduate hasn't really materialized yet. Z100's gold can include Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, and Pras' "Geto Supastar," because nobody else quite knows what to do with those songs. We'll have more about that topic to follow shortly.
Reader Comments
Your 2¢, in chronological order — add your comment below.
The reason that stations like Capital Fm are complaining against the "older Radio 1 target audience" is because of BBC's infinite resources.
Radio 1 will always be impossible to compete with because of the money pouring in from the licence fees. However, the BBC is a public radio company. Anything it releases is for the public regardless of a person's demographics. The data that Radiocentere presents is quite skewed, I believe. These studies, claiming that Radio 1's target age to be 33, are a ploy to get OFCOM to potentially tantalize Radio 1's programming. So if OFCOM does believe Radio 1 is in "breach of its service license"- what will happen? My guess, Absoultely nothing.
Anyway, why would anyone want to mess with such great radio? Radio 1 is much better than any commercial radio station (except for Indie 103) in the United States. The radio station does not stick to a particular format and has everything from the best new indie and dance tracks. The presenters of the speciality shows really know their music. It's up to date and highly popular with the UK youth. Besides, where else would Eminem decide to do his first radio interview in several years? Radio 1 with Zane Lowe of course.
I don't even know how you can even compare New York's Z100 with Radio 1. Z100's programming is completely commercial diluted crap for daft idiots! The addition of Ryan Seacrest completes strength to my arguement! Compare the lineups of the BBC Electric proms vs one of Z100's Jingle Balls. It's quite simple. It is the championing of new music and quality acts vs pure rubbish.
I highly pity the American youth for having such bad radio. Outside of several NPR / public radio stations & shows championing new music, there isn't much on the airwaves that could be listenable for intelligent young people. There should be more David Dye and Bob Bolien available for American commercial radio.
Using the phrases of MR T. I pity the fool who believes Z100 is quality radio.