BOB FM - Do they really play anything?

[Gansk]

In L.A., it's called JACK-FM. They also give the illusion that they are mavericks and will "play anything". I should have known that this was a corporate scam.

At the same time, I think they are on to something. Everytime you ask somebody now what they listen to, you usually get the response, "All types of music." or "I'm all over the spectrum."

JACK-FM is still playing it semi-safe by only playing the greatest hits of any given band. You are not going to hear any B-sides on this station. The "risk" is that they are ranging from the sixties to the nineties, but they must have done their market research.

What I like about this station is that they have inspired me to get an ipod and create my own personal "radio station" in this style. Then I can listen to stuff that is a little more rarely played and a little bit edgier, mixed in with some of the more timeless hits.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

It's a whole bunch of radio stations throughout the US that have taken to the "BOB FM" format. Some of them may stream but I'm not sure.

Okay. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[robaustin]

Having worked in radio, and still keeping up with the radio industry - here is what I know about Bob/Jack/Doug/Ted/Ben etc...

- It was started in Canada
- It is a reaction to the tightly formatted playlists that most stations have
- It has been compared to "an iPod on Shuffle"
- Most stations run with few or no DJs.

So here's what I think: It's a mile wide but only an inch deep. IOW - you will still hear only the "Cream of the crop" - aka the music from these artists that "tests well" - that the radio stations have done music testing on and that scores the highest. Granted it's a bigger variety then what you will hear on your typical adult hits station - but it's not going to dig too deep. Comparisons to iPod are bunk - it would be someone else's iPod. Everyone has songs that are deep into an artist's catalog of music that no one else knows. Everyone is a lot more diverse then what a radio company gives them credit for. To that end - these stations are still programming to get the "Lowest Common Denominator" - to get as many ears as possible because then those ears stay tuned in during the commercials, which is how the radio station makes money.

You will find that these stations mainly target Adults aged 25-44 - which is those with the most disposable income. The music is still picked to appeal to THEM. You won't hear anything really hard, nor will you hear anything too lite. If they really "played anything" you'd see something that went from a Willie Nelson song to maybe Nirvana, to Jay-Z, to Emerson Lake and Palmer, to Barry Manilow, to..... You get the idea.....

If you really think they are that diverse - then you're buying into their line. Which is as I say - bunk.

--*Rob

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Sounds like a station near me. They had been a bit on the pop side of rock for a while, then abruptly and without warning they changed formats to this 'we play anything'. Which means that they suck because I'm not willing to listen to the other junk for one song that's decent. 98.7 'The Simon' here in Greensboro NC.

I do listen to the Simon once in awhile. I have a broad list of music I listen to but I prefer either Hitz 94 or 106.5 WEND (this one's out of Charlotte and does live streaming broadcasts off their website). Once in awhile I listen to 107.5 whatever they call themselves besides a station that plays a variety of modern music. And rarely I listen to The Buzzard. They play too much old rock from the 70s that I just don't listen to.

 

[Ultrazen]

At the same time, I think they are on to something. Everytime you ask somebody now what they listen to, you usually get the response, "All types of music." or "I'm all over the spectrum."

This is my usual response, but not because it's necessarily strictly true.
1) It's none of their business what I listen to.
2) I don't want to get into a deep discussion of listening habits, and this tends to politely deflect the conversation.
3) If they found out I really preferred classic Ozzy and Pink Floyd with occasional tunes by Clapton, SRV, and Eric Johnson; have been known to unwind alternately with Meatloaf and Kenny G; despise any rap, gospel, or country (excepting a soft spot for Shania Twain); don't think hair bands were as bad as people seem to remember them being; think Beethovan, Chopin, and even that little prick Mozart knew how to rock; and have zero interest in any current performer whose chief claim to fame is how well things jiggle about onstage while singing the latest throwaway top-10 number, people might think I was a bit odd.

That said, Bob sounds more like marketing hype than innovative programming and noteworthy new artists. And marketing hype sucks.

 

[BOZ]

just trying, yet again, to take advantage of the demographic than to truly appeal to anything decent.

 

[haiiro]

So I've noticed BOB FM's sprouting up across the country. Supposedly "[they] play anything." But is that really true?

There was a piece on NPR a few days ago about this format (and its cousins, like TED, etc.). In a nutshell, instead of having a playlist of, say, 200 songs -- like many major radio stations -- theirs is more like 1,200 songs. There's more diversity, although the format's providers tailor the playlist for your region, so there will still be a slant of some sort.

 

[Banshee16]

There was a piece on NPR a few days ago about this format (and its cousins, like TED, etc.). In a nutshell, instead of having a playlist of, say, 200 songs -- like many major radio stations -- theirs is more like 1,200 songs. There's more diversity, although the format's providers tailor the playlist for your region, so there will still be a slant of some sort.

Even if it's still a tailored playlist, I kind of prefer it to hearing the same Britney song 30 times a day....

Banshee

 

[Evilhalfling]

There was a piece on NPR a few days ago about this format (and its cousins, like TED, etc.).

I heard the same report.
The reason that they say they are not a big conglomeration is because the playlist/ format is created by a group of consultants, while the radiostation owners are or can be independents.
I have two minds about the lack of DJs - a freind of mine struggled to have a career as a DJ
before eventually giving up (her radio station perrished and there were no new jobs) So I give lip service to the fact that stations should have people on the air. The problem is most DJs annoy me. And I find myself fliping away from them, hunting for more music.

I have the Denver version on my car radio, but its not my first choice. It is on all the time a the gym, and its not too bad there.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Especially those syndicated "DJs" who do morning "talk radio". I can come up with MY own bathroom humor without having to listen to those twits. In the AM, I prefer more music than babbling that I'd have to tune out. Music makes great "background noise". And I'm too sleepy to care anything about more than the basics: News, weather and traffic. The rest would be crap!