Ozzy-obsessed airwaves
What's the deal with WBCN and WAAF? It seems that every 30 minutes or so starting at 5:00 pm, they are guaranteed to have an Ozzy Osbourne song from the 1980s, or maybe something older from his Black Sabbath years.
During my afternoon commute, I have nothing against reliving 1982 -- except for memories of shaggy hair and Rubik's cubes. However, Nirvana tends to be the oldest band you'll hear in rotation on these two stations. I know Ozzy is a crossover pop-culture icon thanks to his reality TV show, but is his regular appearance on local airwaves an indication that he is a music crossover icon, too, with an appeal to anyone who has been 15 years old between 1970 and 2003?
I don't buy it. Kids may know his shuffling TV image, but not his music, even the new stuff. And we can test this hypothesis. My kids are too young, but if you have teenagers, especially teenage boys, ask them these questions:
1) Do you know who Ozzy is?
2) Can you name one of his songs, or hum one?
If enough teenagers say "no" to question 2, then BCN and AAF are wasting their time. There are not enough 40-year-olds out there who will wax nostalgic while listening to "Crazy Train" in their Altimas as they drive home on the Pike.
And besides, if you're going to play something from 1982 during peoples' commute, wouldn't The Cars be more appropriate?
During my afternoon commute, I have nothing against reliving 1982 -- except for memories of shaggy hair and Rubik's cubes. However, Nirvana tends to be the oldest band you'll hear in rotation on these two stations. I know Ozzy is a crossover pop-culture icon thanks to his reality TV show, but is his regular appearance on local airwaves an indication that he is a music crossover icon, too, with an appeal to anyone who has been 15 years old between 1970 and 2003?
I don't buy it. Kids may know his shuffling TV image, but not his music, even the new stuff. And we can test this hypothesis. My kids are too young, but if you have teenagers, especially teenage boys, ask them these questions:
1) Do you know who Ozzy is?
2) Can you name one of his songs, or hum one?
If enough teenagers say "no" to question 2, then BCN and AAF are wasting their time. There are not enough 40-year-olds out there who will wax nostalgic while listening to "Crazy Train" in their Altimas as they drive home on the Pike.
And besides, if you're going to play something from 1982 during peoples' commute, wouldn't The Cars be more appropriate?
posted by Borderline at 11/23/2005 08:39:00 AM
1 Comments:
i am 14 and like ozzys music, and i am not alone. A lot of classic rock bands are popular with people my age, aerosmith, guns n roses, boston, led zeppelin, jimi hendrix and some others.
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