the Not-So-Big 80s

Bandit 5160

Member
Oct 31, 2008
323
8
18
I just saw on XM fan where someone said that the 80s on 8 playlist has been cut by more than half recently, from about 1,000 songs at the time of the merger to around 400now. Any idea why they are doing this? As a passionate fan of 80s music, the smaller selection of songs now is truly a disappointment. In a way, I feel teased. We had the biggr playlist, and then it was taken away again! Are some of you actually in favor of this more shallow playlist? Who makes these decisions? I want to send a constructive e-mail that trimming playlists is not what most subscribers likely want. It isn't Rick Stacey- even though he's the PD of the 80s on 8, I've heard that he has nothing to do with the playlists and song selections.
 

Aaron

Moderator
Oct 10, 2008
16,049
10,938
168
South Louisiana
I enjoyed the bigger playlist those first couple weeks after the channel merger. Sad to see the stale Big 80's playlist return, if that is in fact what has happened?
My gut feeling is that the playlist is smaller than in the first weeks post channel merger, but still playing stuff not played on The Big 80's.
 
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Bandit 5160

Member
Oct 31, 2008
323
8
18
Just a thought, though it really doesn't make much sense...does trimming playlists somehow save money- I just don't see the connection there, but maybe their is one.
 

Bigrock

Member
Oct 15, 2008
62
1
8
What the hell, I gave a good listen and it does sound like the terrible Sirius Big 80's. why go back to crap?
 

KTMCDO

Member
Oct 15, 2008
582
16
18
ALBUQUERQUE NM
i am not surprised about this
since Jon Zellner and the FM
thinking is the overriding winner
now SIRIUS/XM=FM WITHOUT COMMERCIALS :(
 

prymel

New Member
Nov 27, 2008
6
1
3
Just a thought, though it really doesn't make much sense...does trimming playlists somehow save money- I just don't see the connection there, but maybe their is one.
Adding something they don't have would incur extra cost, but I can't see how cutting existing songs saves money. Even adding songs couldn't possibly increase costs that much. There are, what, 2,500 or so songs that hit the Top 40 in the 80's, so filling out any holes in their library would be an immaterial expense.
 

crazeecarroll

Member
Oct 18, 2008
67
4
8
Just remember Sirius/XM uses a shared server so most of the 80's songs that are played are also spread out on other channels to fit their respective formats so it is not like they have songs for one station... If they wanted to widen the playlist back to the way it was shortly after the merger all it takes is a simple keystroke and boom they can pretty much add what songs they would want... My thinking is this... When the merger first took place a lot of the other songs ie from The Strobe and a few from Backspin popped up on the 80's on 8, but now that The Strobe and Backspin will both be returning those songs that really made the playlist much deeper will now be back on their own channel thus the shrinking of the 80's on 8 playlist... Believe me I am for a bigger playlist, but atleast for me Sirius/XM is still light years ahead of radio here in Rockford IL... On that note with The Strobe returning and for the most part Soultown seemingly heading more towards what they were also doing before the merger it will be interesting to see if 70's on 7 starts to tighten up as well... CC1
 

TSSJimmyCoN

Member
Oct 13, 2008
424
7
18
Chitown
www.tss-radio.com
Cutting existing songs to my knowledge would definitely decrease spending, not for the station though! Radio does not get paid or does not pay based on what songs they spin and how many times a day they do. Artists however do through certain royalty companies based on publishing I.E Ascap,BMI,Harry Fox....HOWEVER since the concept of Payola (DJs being paid to spin songs) is an illegal action now, I'm not sure why sirius isn't playing a little of everything
 

VinnyM27

Active Member
Oct 14, 2008
1,204
21
38
Just remember Sirius/XM uses a shared server so most of the 80's songs that are played are also spread out on other channels to fit their respective formats so it is not like they have songs for one station... If they wanted to widen the playlist back to the way it was shortly after the merger all it takes is a simple keystroke and boom they can pretty much add what songs they would want... My thinking is this... When the merger first took place a lot of the other songs ie from The Strobe and a few from Backspin popped up on the 80's on 8, but now that The Strobe and Backspin will both be returning those songs that really made the playlist much deeper will now be back on their own channel thus the shrinking of the 80's on 8 playlist... Believe me I am for a bigger playlist, but atleast for me Sirius/XM is still light years ahead of radio here in Rockford IL... On that note with The Strobe returning and for the most part Soultown seemingly heading more towards what they were also doing before the merger it will be interesting to see if 70's on 7 starts to tighten up as well... CC1

That doesn't make sense to me. After all, there are a TON of crossover tracks on the 80s channel and the Classic Rewind. They are almost becoming the same channel!
 

Argji

Member
Oct 14, 2008
400
21
18
Oklahoma City, OK
This is becoming such as disappointment. I liked how 80s on 8 sounded just right after the channgel merger. I heard tunes that I hadn't heard from well - the 1980's.

I agree, from a monday morning quarterback perspective there seems so much crossover between not only 80s on 8 (and Big 80's before that) and Classic Rewind, but also 1st Wave (which is my fave). On 80's on 8 they just played INXS - The One Thing as a "lost hit" or something. They've played that on both Rewind and 1st Wave within the last couple of days according to Dogstar. I know it was a hit for INXS and all three channels are covering the same era, but still.
 

Jleimer

Active Member
Oct 30, 2008
1,226
13
38
Sparks,NV
I agree and the channel was playing alot of good stuff , but now 80's on 8 is just playing alot of duplicates that are heard on other channels plus the fact they are not focusing on the later portion of the 80's . At this rate Slacker's channel is so much better then this crap.
 

VinnyM27

Active Member
Oct 14, 2008
1,204
21
38
My favorite thing the Big 80s did for a while was pick one very obscure one hit wonder titled "Living In A Box" (band the same name, apparently) and they would add it into heavy rotation demonstrates a deep playlist...it doesn't! It's an OK song, but hardly well known even by one hit wonder standards! How about a million better known tracks from the 80s instead that were hits but are rarely played!

Glad I'm not the only one that noticed the major jones the programmer seems to have for INXS. It's crazy!
 

Bandit 5160

Member
Oct 31, 2008
323
8
18
Slacker 80s kicks the living shit out of the Sirius XM 80s right now! As a matter of fact, I am enjoying the Slacker's 80s channel right now, and so far have heard many songs the so-called Big 80s would NEVER play because after all, they HAVE to play Ratt's Round and Round and that Mickey song every day. It's making me want to buy a Slacker radio so I can listen in the car!

So far the playlist on Slacker has been:

Just Like Heaven- The Cure
Heart Attack- Olivia Newton-John
Don't You (Forget About Me)- Simple Minds
Hangin' Tough- New Kids On The Block
Give It To Me Baby- Rick James
La Bamba- Los Lobos
The Way It Is- Bruce Hornsby & The Range
Who's Holding Donna Now- DeBarge
Strut- Sheena Easton
Be Good Johnny- Men At Work
Endless Summer Nights- Richard Marx
Conga- Miami Sound Machine
Poison- Alice Cooper
Islands In The Stream- Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton
How 'Bout Us- Champaign
Two Occasions- The Deele

I swear I've never heard over half of these on Sirius-Xm's 80s on 8!

Up Next- Wham! (and there's an actual chance it won't be Careless Whispers or Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go- I'm actually looking forward to hearing what's next)!
 
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Boges

New Member
Oct 15, 2008
28
0
1
I think it just proves how many "rock" stations Sirius has. There are so many stations that overlap that they could reduce them by 20% and expand the playlists for the remaining stations. The extra bandwidth could then be used to create new stations.
 

VinnyM27

Active Member
Oct 14, 2008
1,204
21
38
I would say to email them more, but the fact that they won't even update the Sirius 80s webpage shows how low priority that channel has become!
 

DAB

Mod Emeritus
Oct 9, 2008
9,434
149
63
Louisiana
Slacker 80s kicks the living shit out of the Sirius XM 80s right now! As a matter of fact, I am enjoying the Slacker's 80s channel right now, and so far have heard many songs the so-called Big 80s would NEVER play because after all, they HAVE to play Ratt's Round and Round and that Mickey song every day. It's making me want to buy a Slacker radio so I can listen in the car!

That is what I am screaming... The decades channels on Slacker are very well done and the good thing is that you can tweak them. Want more classic, hits or some where inbetween you decide. :bluemusic: