Tuesday Nights

If you want to hear the real KRTH Christmas Classics, without Barry Manilow, Air Supply, and the god-awful Mannheim Steamroller, tune in Tuesday nights 8-12pm. It is what they call "HD Tuesday" and they play only 50s and 60s music.

The rest of the time, KRTH is playing similar stuff as the last few years, albeit with a few more spins of Elvis, Ray Coniff, and the Beach Boys. Nice. Still need to dump some of the KOST dreck, but it's a little better.

If you REALLY want great Xmas oldies that won't bore you, check out WLNG, from Long Island. Online at wlng.com

Still watching....

So...you thought I wasn't still keeping an eye on KRTH and the Xmas music. Well, you were wrong. I've deleted the SPAM and am BACK!

It's 2010. Thanksgiving is coming soon. Will Jhani Kaye play good, great, or horrible Christmas music? Will he simply copy KOST FM in a cowardly and sad effort to ride their coattails, or will he do something unique and different that offers us a choice?

Most likely the former, but you never know.

Interestingly, last year saw KOST adding more of the KRTH type tunes (Sinatra, Bing, etc) to their list. Shows you that everyone loves the classics.

Let's hope we hear CLASSIC Xmas tunes on the CLASSIC station, and leave the easy listening / modern material to KOST. Anyone who wants to hear Lionel Richie, Barry Manilow, and the Carpenters is already listening to KOST. Let's hear some good stuff on KRTH. Ventures, Sinatra, Chuck Berry..... You got the idea. For God sakes, leave Mannheim Steamroller to PBS.

And bring back Boney M.

It's beginning to look a lot like XM this year.

Looks like we've got the same playlist as last year. About half KOST music, and half K-Earth music, with the real classic K-Earth songs (Beach Boys and Elvis) in light rotation. Mannheim Steamroller is once again the #1 played band. Same songs being played over and over again - little variety.

Sigh.....guess it'll be XM this year. If you haven't sampled their Christmas offerings, they are truly superb. WCBS-FM is also another great option, with a deeper playlist than KRTH anyway.

Thanks again Jhani Kaye for ruining a great Christmas tradition, keeping FM boring, and giving listeners fewer choices on the dial. Your narrow vision and lack of respect for your station's heritage is quite remarkable.

Beach Boys or Barry

Well, it's been a year since K-Earth mangled Christmas with its easy listening yawn-fest of Barry Manilow and Lionel Richie. In the meantime, their ratings (non-Christmas, non-easy listening) have soared. Perhaps program director Jhnai Kaye no longer feels the need to copy KOST-FM for a ratings boost? In a few days we will know. A promising sign is that Kaye has NOT followed KOST in the lamentable decision to broadcast Christmas music BEFORE Thanksgiving. Good for them.

How about a compromise, Jhani? Play a LITTLE Mannheim Steamroller, Cliff Richard, and Carpetners, but keep the ol' Motown, Beach Boys, Chipmunks, and Elvis rollin' in.

K-Earth Redeeming Itself

For Christmas Eve, K-Earth has switched to wall-to-wall Christmas music. Lots of goodies are being played: Augie Rios, Frank Sinatra, "Man With all the Toys." Sadly, the KOST music is STILL adding some sappiness to the proceedings, but at least they've dug out some of the goodies.

Let's hope next year, program director Jhani Kaye finds a new post at another station, and takes his KOST music with him!

The Ventures are played! (But most of the day is poor.)

Here is K-Earth's Christmas playlist for Saturday: (source Yes.com - No, I don't sit around listening all day!)

BEST SONG OF THE DAY AWARD: Ventures - Frosty the Snowman
WORST SONG OF THE DAY AWARD: Christmas Shoes

MOST PLAYED GROUP: Mannheim Steamroller

TODAY'S UNPLAYED K-EARTH ARTIST: Elvis Presley

TOTAL "REAL" K-EARTH SONGS: 28
TOTAL KOST-FM "EASY LISTENING" SONGS: 20

TOTAL "REAL" K-EARTH SONGS PLAYED THIS TIME LAST YEAR: 100 PERCENT.

KOST SONGS: (I.E. - BAD SONGS)

Mannheim Steamroller - Deck the Halls *twice*
Mannheim Steamroller - Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Mannheim Steamroller - Carol of the Bells

Kenny Loggins - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Kenny Loggins - Celebrate Me Home

Air Supply - White Christmas
Air Supply - Sleigh Ride

Carpenters - Christmas Song
Carpenters - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Carpenters - I'll Be Home for Christmas

Eurythmics - White Christmas
Surface - Christmastime is Here

Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole - Christmas Song *twice*
Commodores - Angels We Have Heard On High
Carpenters - Christmas Song
Ray Parker Jr. - Christmastime Is Here
Madonna - Santa Baby
Christmas Shoes


GOOD SONGS

Johnny Mathis - Sleigh Ride
Johnny Mathis - It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas *twice*
Johnny Mathis - Silent Night

Little Saint Nick - Beach Boys *twice*
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Andy Williams *twice*
Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
McCartney - Wonderful Christmastime
Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano
Eagles - Please Come Home for Christmas
Holly Jollly Christmas - Burl Ives
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Winter Wonderland - Phil Spector
Nat King Cole - Christmas Song
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
Lennon - Happy Xmas
Frosty - Ronettes
Bing and Bowie
Rudolph - Crystals
Elton John - Step Into Christmas
Ertha Kitt - Santa Baby
Chipmunks - Christmas Song
Do You Hear What I Hear - Bing Crosby
Ventures - Frosty the Snowman
Somdeday at Xmas - Stevie Wonder
Vince Guaraldi - Christmastime is Here
Jingle Bell Rock - Hall and Oates

Bring Back Classic K-Earth Christmas Songs

The purpose of this blog is to encourage K-Earth to play more of the classic Christmas songs they are known for. This year, in an effort to compete with KOST, they are playing easy listening artists such as Barry Manilow, Mannheim Steamroller, and the Carpenters in heavy rotation. Meanwhile, the Beach Boys, Elvis, and the Chipmunks are barely played.

Call, email, or write K-Earth to request more classic tunes, and less (or no) KOST music!