Becasue unlike other industries, versatility gets punished in the music industry.

Edit to add: PlectrumElectrum was #1 on the rock album charts.

[Edited 3/23/19 22:00pm]

MickyDolenz said:

djdaffy1227 said:

I worked at a classic rock station that did play this one. In fact the classic rock format has changed a lot since it first began. Artists like Don Henley and others from the softer side of rock barely get played anymore for the likes of Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, Ozzy and Metallica. Yeah, Prince is not considered classic rock no matter how many rock songs he made.

I've heard the 1990s Beasties stuff on a local station that plays alternative rock or modern rock or whatever it's called, but never on an AOR format. Album Oreinted Rock is where I guess most of what is considered "classic rock" comes from. Classic rock is just the rock format for oldies like "old school" is used for old R&B and rap hits and "retro" for 1980s/1990s Top 40. Here are AOR charts for 3 different years. So these songs are probably what is more likely to get classic rock airplay today. I haven't heard any Wang Chung played though. To the person who mentioned INXS, they're on the 1986 AOR chart.

There are two "classic rock" channels on SiriusXM that I'm aware of. One is called "Classic Rewind" - and it would play song like those on your charts from the 80s/90s.

The other is "Classic Vinyl," which plays AOR. Moody Blues, the Stones, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Led Zeppelin, etc. Basically stuff from BEFORE the 80s.

It's exactly like the difference between "Soul Town" and "The Groove" on the R&B side.

The only channel of the four that Prince ever appears on is "The Groove."

Toofunkyinhere said:

I think it's because Prince is generally seen as a "pop" artist.

Pop meaning popular, now there's a genius category. Music lovers don't make the categories, bean counters do. ALL black music was in the Race Music category back in the day.

Genesia said:

MickyDolenz said:

I've heard the 1990s Beasties stuff on a local station that plays alternative rock or modern rock or whatever it's called, but never on an AOR format. Album Oreinted Rock is where I guess most of what is considered "classic rock" comes from. Classic rock is just the rock format for oldies like "old school" is used for old R&B and rap hits and "retro" for 1980s/1990s Top 40. Here are AOR charts for 3 different years. So these songs are probably what is more likely to get classic rock airplay today. I haven't heard any Wang Chung played though. To the person who mentioned INXS, they're on the 1986 AOR chart.

There are two "classic rock" channels on SiriusXM that I'm aware of. One is called "Classic Rewind" - and it would play song like those on your charts from the 80s/90s.

The other is "Classic Vinyl," which plays AOR. Moody Blues, the Stones, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Led Zeppelin, etc. Basically stuff from BEFORE the 80s.

It's exactly like the difference between "Soul Town" and "The Groove" on the R&B side.

The only channel of the four that Prince ever appears on is "The Groove."

Deep Tracks is also Classic Rock. I want to say I've heard a Prince song on it but can't remember what it was.

Garage Rock plays rock from all eras so while it's not purely Classic Rock, at least half its catalogue generally comes from the 60's-70's-80's. And I have definitely heard Prince on that station.

Anyone who wants to hear Prince on any station can email Sirius/XM. You never know what might happen.

To me, the 'term 'classic rock' does not apply to Prince and I would not expect to hear him in the rotation. I have Sirius XM and hear him on the 80s channel as well as The Groove. Actually, The Groove has played the extended version of Kiss several times, and I've also heard The Time and Vanity 6.

sulls said:

To me, the 'term 'classic rock' does not apply to Prince and I would not expect to hear him in the rotation. I have Sirius XM and hear him on the 80s channel as well as The Groove. Actually, The Groove has played the extended version of Kiss several times, and I've also heard The Time and Vanity 6.

The Groove usually plays the album/12" versions of stuff - while the 80s on 8 nearly always plays the radio edits.

I was also surprised to hear I Wanna Be Your Lover on the 70s on 7 awhile back - and they play tracks like 1000 Xs & Ox, Adore, Pink Cashmere, etc. on Heart & Soul.

I hear 1999 Delirious Little Red Corvette Let's Go Crazy Take Me With U When Doves Cry I Would Die 4 U Purple Rain the Glamorous Life Rasperry Beret Kiss

That is a wonder to me. Because there are certain songs that I requested and I have beeb told that they had it. But now it either has been inplaced or lost

khemseraph said:

Grog said:

My local "Classic Rock" station, 100.3 (Big 100--Washington, D.C.), an iheart station, NEVER plays Prince. I have requested several Prince songs by telephone and email, but to no avail.

Does anyone know if iheart is not allowed to play Prince for some reason?

Is Prince played on your local classic rock station?

How can a rock station play songs from the '50s-'90s and not include Prince??????

This is also my local rock station and I have also had that same complaint. They can play Eminem and Beastie boys on DC rock stations, even Bob Marley but you get absolutely no Prince at all. And you know now that I think about it classic rock stations don't play any Sly and the family Stone . I'm all about emailing them and requesting Prince.

Yeah, they'll play an occasional Jimi track, even Livin Colour at times, but no Sly.

There's a form on the 100.3 website that offers you the possibility of emailing the station, but no one ever replies, even though they have a box for you to click if you want a response. You can try to contact each DJ by email as well. I emailed Lisa Berrigan the other day but never heard from her. Her email address is lisa@wbig.com. I think the email format for the other DJs is the same (first name/DJ name@wbig.com). I will email the other DJs soon. I don't expect a response, but you never know.

By the way, 94.7 (a mostly 80s station in DC) plays a few Prince hits. I've asked the program director (steve.davis@entercom.com) about an April 21 tribute of some kind, but I havent' heard from him. Maybe you will get a response.

94.7 The Wave in California just played Prince's Nothing compares 2 U. (2018 version) mixed in with a bunch of other easy listening songs by Simply Red, Sade, etc.

poppys said:

Lil Nas X kicked off country chart, leading some to blame racism

In a statement, Billboard says ‘Old Town Road’ ‘does not embrace enough elements of today’s country music to chart in its current version.’

If crap from Jason Aldean, Florida-Georgia Line, and Colt Ford is categorized as "country music" then this should be, too. And "Old Town Road" is a HELL of a lot better than the crap put out by those Bro Country morons.

RodeoSchro said:

poppys said:

Lil Nas X kicked off country chart, leading some to blame racism

In a statement, Billboard says ‘Old Town Road’ ‘does not embrace enough elements of today’s country music to chart in its current version.’

If crap from Jason Aldean, Florida-Georgia Line, and Colt Ford is categorized as "country music" then this should be, too. And "Old Town Road" is a HELL of a lot better than the crap put out by those Bro Country morons.

Agree. This is the kind of stuff that determines playlists.

poppys said:

RodeoSchro said:

If crap from Jason Aldean, Florida-Georgia Line, and Colt Ford is categorized as "country music" then this should be, too. And "Old Town Road" is a HELL of a lot better than the crap put out by those Bro Country morons.

Agree. This is the kind of stuff that determines playlists.

This thread within a thread is somewhat off topic but at the same time it does speak to how playlists are determined, as poppys says. If not for racial reasons, why was "Old Town Road" kicked off the Country charts? It has as much, if not more, "elements of Country" as most neo-Country songs. Billboard, even in 2019, still seems to be clueless when it comes to music that does not fit neatly into a single category.

Grog said:

poppys said:

Agree. This is the kind of stuff that determines playlists.

This thread within a thread is somewhat off topic but at the same time it does speak to how playlists are determined, as poppys says. If not for racial reasons, why was "Old Town Road" kicked off the Country charts? It has as much, if not more, "elements of Country" as most neo-Country songs. Billboard, even in 2019, still seems to be clueless when it comes to music that does not fit neatly into a single category.

It's not racial reasons. Kane Brown and Jimmie Allen are in the country Top 40 and both are black artists. "Old Town Road" is a rap song with country elements, not a country song with rap elements. It's a fine distinction but a legitimate one. If country programmers decide to start playing the song then it will chart country. Billboard didn't include Bebe Rexha's "Meant To Be" on the country chart until country stations started playing it, then it debuted on their hybrid streaming/sales/airplay 'Hot Country Songs' chart at number one. If "Old Town Road" crosses over to country radio then it will return to the Hot Country Songs chart, likely at number one.

renfield said:

Grog said:

This thread within a thread is somewhat off topic but at the same time it does speak to how playlists are determined, as poppys says. If not for racial reasons, why was "Old Town Road" kicked off the Country charts? It has as much, if not more, "elements of Country" as most neo-Country songs. Billboard, even in 2019, still seems to be clueless when it comes to music that does not fit neatly into a single category.

It's not racial reasons. Kane Brown and Jimmie Allen are in the country Top 40 and both are black artists. "Old Town Road" is a rap song with country elements, not a country song with rap elements. It's a fine distinction but a legitimate one. If country programmers decide to start playing the song then it will chart country. Billboard didn't include Bebe Rexha's "Meant To Be" on the country chart until country stations started playing it, then it debuted on their hybrid streaming/sales/airplay 'Hot Country Songs' chart at number one. If "Old Town Road" crosses over to country radio then it will return to the Hot Country Songs chart, likely at number one.

Thanks for the feedback. I suppose it's a "fine distinction" because I do not consider the song to be a rap song at all but a song in the tradition of someone like Jake Owen, especially "Down to the Honkytonk." I don't want to split hairs but I am curious why Billboard included it on the Country chart without County radio's input. I know the song with viral but someone at Billboard was convinced it belonged on the chart.

Once again music is music. The rest is mostly industry hack hair-splitting for profit.

Grog said:

renfield said:

It's not racial reasons. Kane Brown and Jimmie Allen are in the country Top 40 and both are black artists. "Old Town Road" is a rap song with country elements, not a country song with rap elements. It's a fine distinction but a legitimate one. If country programmers decide to start playing the song then it will chart country. Billboard didn't include Bebe Rexha's "Meant To Be" on the country chart until country stations started playing it, then it debuted on their hybrid streaming/sales/airplay 'Hot Country Songs' chart at number one. If "Old Town Road" crosses over to country radio then it will return to the Hot Country Songs chart, likely at number one.

Thanks for the feedback. I suppose it's a "fine distinction" because I do not consider the song to be a rap song at all but a song in the tradition of someone like Jake Owen, especially "Down to the Honkytonk." I don't want to split hairs but I am curious why Billboard included it on the Country chart without County radio's input. I know the song with viral but someone at Billboard was convinced it belonged on the chart.

I think Billboard included it that first week without input then removed it once they had input. I guess the distinction is that Lil Nas X is a rapper who made a song with country elements. While Jake Owen may have elements from other formats, he is still a core country artist. Sam Hunt has made several songs that essentially are rap, but I don't think he should be number one on the rap charts. Ultimately none of these distinctions really matter though, the same way many classic rock fans dig Prince's music whether he or his work are considered classic rock or not.

renfield said:

I guess the distinction is that Lil Nas X is a rapper who made a song with country elements. While Jake Owen may have elements from other formats, he is still a core country artist. Sam Hunt has made several songs that essentially are rap, but I don't think he should be number one on the rap charts.

The Pointer Sisters got a Grammy in the country category in the 1970s though for Fairytale. They're not a country group. I think Sheena Easton & Lionel Richie are the only acts to have Top 10 hits on the Hot 100, R&B, country, dance, & adult contemporary charts in Billboard.

Prince is considered an R&B artist first and foremost. His music maintains a heavy presence on classic R&B/Soul radio stations. Also, to a lesser extent, on classic Pop stations. I'm not sure why anyone would expect to hear him on a classic Rock format. I don't hear Donna Summer, Chaka Khan and Tina Turner on classic rock stations and they have all recorded in the Rock genre.

kitbradley said:

Prince is considered an R&B artist first and foremost.

Whenever I went into a record store, Prince was pretty much always in the R&B section. If a particular store didn't have a designated R&B section, then the R&B records would just be in the pop music section. I've never seen Prince in the rock section, which were mostly white artists like the R&B section was mostly black artists. Chuck Berry might be in the blues or rock section, depending on the store. Singers like Sammy Davis Jr and Rosemary Clooney would be in a section called either "easy listening" or "vocals".