# Music groups that used to be very popular and get very little radio play today. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 21, 2014, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930 "2014-05-21T14:59:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/21 "2014-05-21T20:48:13Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > “Old Time Rock and Roll” is one of those songs that is played probably every other hour on every oldies station in the country. > > “Night moves” gets played probably at least one a week on every oldies station. If you listen to oldies radio you’ll hear all of the songs mentioned. That’s pretty much the definition of what they do. I’m thinking of more like pop/rock stations that you might hear in a waiting room at the tire shop or the grocery store. You’ll hear the Stone and the Beatles and some Led Zeppelin, but Bob Seger has disappeared. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/22 "2014-05-21T21:01:40Z")
I _ **wish** _ Bob Seger songs weren’t played any more- especially “Turn The Page” and “Like a Rock”!!! Tune in any classic rock FM station in GA or IN, and you’ll hear that whiny-assed drivel several times a day. I agree that the record pool those stations dip out of are way shallow, but ol’ Bob still seems over represented to me. (Hmm- could that be because I hate Bob Seger?) On a positive note, one doesn’t hear Michael McDonald Doobies any more. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/23 "2014-05-21T21:06:48Z")
I agree that there’s still way too much Bob Seger. I’m sick to death of all but one or two of his songs. “Turn the Page” is the most dreadful of all. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/24 "2014-05-21T21:15:40Z")
Another band that WAS hugely popular for several years, but whose songs never get played any more, even on mellow/lite pop/easy listening stations: The Air Supply. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/25 "2014-05-21T21:42:18Z")
Uhm…EVERYONE from before 2008? Listen to pop radio today, and marvel that instrumentals and tv theme songs used to be big radio hits. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/26 "2014-05-21T21:46:39Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Some book once put the _Avalon_ album in the top thirty albums **ever** and today you probably wouldn’t find it in the top 530. I agree that Roxy Music doesn’t get much airplay today, but they’re (and Bryan Ferry in particular) a well-respected band, at least among music geeks. That Top 500 Rolling Stone list that came out a few years ago has Avalon at #307, Siren at #371, Country Life at #387, and For Your Pleasure at #394. Not a bad showing. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/27 "2014-05-21T21:53:49Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > As the years go by, there are more and more artists, albums, and songs that get bumped down into “oldies/classic rock” status… So think of the “oldies/classic rock” playlist as your house’s basement, and the artists and songs as old furniture and toys/dishes/clothes/whatever. There’s only so much room down there… Eventually, you run out of room for more stuff. Are you suggesting I might find a good deal on The Bay City Rollers at a garage sale someday? 😃 I hope they’re house-trained. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/28 "2014-05-21T22:50:50Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I agree that Roxy Music doesn’t get much airplay today, but they’re (and Bryan Ferry in particular) a well-respected band, at least among music geeks. That Top 500 Rolling Stone list that came out a few years ago has Avalon at #307, Siren at #371, Country Life at #387, and For Your Pleasure at #394. Not a bad showing. I don’t recall Roxy Music really getting that much airplay even when their music was new. They were always more of a cult favorite whose songs and albums maybe got into the bottom tier of the charts. You might hear their songs on sporadic occasions on your typical AOR or Top 40 station during the 1970s but there was far more airplay given to whatever artists that were in the Top 10 at that time. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/29 "2014-05-21T22:56:51Z")
Now that classic rock stations have started playing 90s stuff… I feel like I don’t hear a lot of Stone Temple Pilots or Nirvana, but will hear Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/30 "2014-05-21T23:06:41Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The only song you ever hear from Traffic is “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys” (and you’d think its length it wouldn’t be). Obviously your local classic rock station is different from mine: ours plays “Dear Mr. Fantasy” roughly 800 times more frequently than “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/31 "2014-05-21T23:08:18Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > If you want to go a little farther back, when’s the last time you heard a Peter, Paul and Mary song on the radio? Well, people _think_ it’s The Mamas & The Papas. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/32 "2014-05-21T23:52:54Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Obviously your local classic rock station is different from mine: ours plays “Dear Mr. Fantasy” roughly 800 times more frequently than “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys”. Out of curiosity, I checked the playlist of our “adult album alternative” stations (93.1 WXRT) and was surprised to find a fairly wide selection of Traffic tracks being played over the last couple weeks: “Glad,” “Light Up or Leave Me Alone,” “Low Spark of High Heeled Boys,” “Medicated Goo,” “Rock and Roll Stew,” and “Dear Mr. Fantasy.” None of them played more than once, from what I could see. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2014, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/33 "2014-05-22T00:03:33Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > **Rick Springfield** ruled the pop world for a time on radio and tv. > > IMO, he and many others are victims of programmed Clear Channel format lists, and those that aren’t quite as categorizable just don’t get played. He had a few too many hits to get one-hit-wonder nostalgia, and not enough to cement himself in the public consciousness. You know he sang _Jessie’s Girl_, right? ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/34 "2014-05-22T00:52:11Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > The answer to this question is Bob Seger. > > He was huge from the mid 70’s until about 1990, putting out hit song after hit song. “Old Time Rock and Roll” was the song featured in one of the most iconic scenes of the 1980’s movie world (Tom Cruise in his underwear) and “Like a Rock” was a constant song on TV as the theme to the Chevy ad campaigns. > > When’s the last time you heard Bob Seger on the radio? Well, I keep hearing "Against The Wind"in my local grocery store… ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2014, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/35 "2014-05-22T01:41:49Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I agree that Roxy Music doesn’t get much airplay today, but they’re (and Bryan Ferry in particular) a well-respected band, at least among music geeks. That Top 500 Rolling Stone list that came out a few years ago has Avalon at #307, Siren at #371, Country Life at #387, and For Your Pleasure at #394. Not a bad showing. That Rolling Stone list came out 11 years ago. Feeling old yet? They’re replacing all albums recorded before 2000 even as I type. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/36 "2014-05-22T02:32:50Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > Supertramp? I don’t really hear them that much on the radio, or people talk about them. The only song that seems well known today is the Logical Song and maybe “Give A Little Bit”. There’s currently a commercial featuring the studio version of “Dreamer” as the theme song. You’re more likely to hear the Goo Goo Dolls’ remake of “Give a Little Bit” than you are the Supertramp original. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/37 "2014-05-22T02:49:47Z")
Deep Purple, Foghat, Steppenwolf, James Gang, Uriah Heap, Mountain, Nazareth, Humble Pie, Black Sabbath (as opposed to Ozzy) ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/38 "2014-05-22T02:56:45Z")
Three Dog Night. I mean, remember these? “Mama Told Me Not to Come” “One” “Eli’s Comin’” [(Here’s a REALLY good live version)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wk5IngI7do) “The Show Must Go On” “Joy to the World” “Black and White” “Out in the Country” “An Old-Fashioned Love Song” “Shambala” These guys were huge. Maybe you can catch “Mama Told Me Not to Come” playing occasionally, but that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2014, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/39 "2014-05-22T03:36:48Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > Three Dog Night. I mean, remember these? I remember all of them, and I do hear “Joy to the World” on the radio here. This is off topic, but I had to comment on your name - it made me laugh! I carry a plastic card in my wallet that was attached to my insurance card. It is all white, and printed across the middle is “INTENTIONALLY BLANK”. It’s my official business card. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2014, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930/40 "2014-05-22T03:56:20Z")
David Cassidy in the early 1970s and Leif Garrett in the late 70s - each was the Justin Bieber of their day and rarely heard these days. There was also Sean Cassidy who was David’s half brother. He had a couple of hits in the late 70s and was also responsible for one of the best TV shows of the 1990s - American Gothic. I remember reading something in the paper about Sean Cassidy when he was charting. It was a quote from him in which he said that his music career would be more durable than his brother’s because he didn’t record the sort of silly songs that David did. Sean’s two hits were That’s Rock 'n Roll and Da Do Ron Ron… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-groups-that-used-to-be-very-popular-and-get-very-little-radio-play-today/688930.md?page=3)