The girls don't seem to care whats on, as long as you play too long...
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Top 40...anyone playing it?
- Thread starter 51PRI
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Back in the 80s when I was starting out, there was a hotel lounge, amusement park, prom and wedding circuit with a lot of people making a modest living playing the radio hits basically full time. It was never my thing, but I admired the commitment to the bit. I was a busboy at a hotel that rotated a new band through the lounge every few weeks. They were all good, and basically indistinguishable.
That hotel circuit is mostly gone, and I think most of the bands doing top 40 corporate, wedding and prom gigs are weekend warriors with day jobs.
That hotel circuit is mostly gone, and I think most of the bands doing top 40 corporate, wedding and prom gigs are weekend warriors with day jobs.
General business (ie weddings, private events, corporate events, sponsored events, etc.)
This x100 and conversely the younguns looking for modern music are headed out to see the dj's not a band in my area so very little point trying to chase a market that doesn't exist.
I did that back in the 70's and 80's and made a decent living at it too. I stopped playing covers about 17 years ago and concentrated on originals projects that gigged (not just jammed or recorded exclusively) and that has worked out for me pretty well over that time span.
I recently started working with a young songwriter (30's) and she is aiming at a 50/50 mix of her own stuff and covers. I started out doing tracks for her originals, then it moved on to a project with the goal of playing out (hasn't happened quite yet, but I expect to be gigging by late summer). It's been interesting for me to listen and learn stuff by the likes of Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, Arctic Monkeys, the Killers, Black Keys, Portugal, the Man, etc. and presumably a bunch more, that appeal to 30 year olds in general. It's going to be pretty tracked/teched up with me playing bass as well as keys, sequences, drum tracks and using a vocal processor to get needed multiple backing harmonies. Interesting so far, and the closest I've come to outright modern covers in many years.
I recently started working with a young songwriter (30's) and she is aiming at a 50/50 mix of her own stuff and covers. I started out doing tracks for her originals, then it moved on to a project with the goal of playing out (hasn't happened quite yet, but I expect to be gigging by late summer). It's been interesting for me to listen and learn stuff by the likes of Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, Arctic Monkeys, the Killers, Black Keys, Portugal, the Man, etc. and presumably a bunch more, that appeal to 30 year olds in general. It's going to be pretty tracked/teched up with me playing bass as well as keys, sequences, drum tracks and using a vocal processor to get needed multiple backing harmonies. Interesting so far, and the closest I've come to outright modern covers in many years.
I like playing current pop music more than anything recently. Rhythm is really at the forefront right now and there's a lot of creative stuff being done. Holds my attention more than paint-by-numbers blues or classic rock, most of which was already being called 'classic' when I was growing up
We play sings we like and fit our style.
I'll suggest good tunes that the vox can sing ..male and female leads, and they were mostly hits back then, but they need to fit your audience.
If you've been around, the audience fits you because you give them what they came for.
If I compared our sets with other bands here, we might have a couple of the same songs.
I'm fine with that. I'm not a fan of hearing the same song done the same way. So those classics become a drag when that happens.
I'll suggest good tunes that the vox can sing ..male and female leads, and they were mostly hits back then, but they need to fit your audience.
If you've been around, the audience fits you because you give them what they came for.
If I compared our sets with other bands here, we might have a couple of the same songs.
I'm fine with that. I'm not a fan of hearing the same song done the same way. So those classics become a drag when that happens.
This can be true as per the audience, but what happens when those age groups age out.
We do 80's so some of those tracks are 40 plus years old. Sometimes you need to get your message across well enough to transcend the demographic of the gigs.
My guess is the rock bands are going to end up having the same thing they did to the big band, swing and jazz groups done to them. It's already well and truly started.
I'm pretty sure I wouldn't know any top 40 songs from the past 5 years, except for things Bruno mars was involved in.
Yup. We consistently look at it and then listen and see what we can do in “our” style. “Lunch” by Billie Eilish is one we are working on now.
We do a great version of "Wrecking Ball" and Cher's "Believe," but they're not exactly new songs.
as a 90s-style alt-rock originals band with ages from 40 to 65, WAP isn't going to go well, no matter how many times I suggest we play it.
but even 20-somethings dig "Mustang Sally."
as a 90s-style alt-rock originals band with ages from 40 to 65, WAP isn't going to go well, no matter how many times I suggest we play it.
but even 20-somethings dig "Mustang Sally."
I took that approach in the 70’s and 80’s.
I still play music, but have “aged out” of current music and “club scene”.
Playing current dance music/Top 40 is not something I’d enjoy.
I still play music, but have “aged out” of current music and “club scene”.
Playing current dance music/Top 40 is not something I’d enjoy.
Grandkids playlist in their mum's car is liberally sprinkled with 80s tunes they picked up from all the tv shows set in the 80s. They're a bit young to be anybody's target audience, but those 80s might have a few years left, yet
I remember the 60s seemed to hang around forever, as well. Hiding out in Vietnam war shows and such. Still some interest in Motown and Stax. British invasion, not so much.
That came on in the car the other day and I was just thinking how much fun it could be to work up a version. Nothing particularly catching my ear on the rest of her record, but that's a particularly good one. 'Espresso' is another one I fancy having a go at and it's everywhere right now.
Worth noting that a lot of the current disco-pop stuff like Dua Lipa is (excellent) live bands both on record and tour. Young audiences still like to see a band onstage with big production pop acts.
A couple of singers I work with are always throwing in newish radio fodder, especially for first sets. None of it is tricky or even particularly interesting. The usual few chords, daft lyrics. I lugged “Stick Season” last week and the lyrics are hilarious.
"I Had Some Help", which also features Morgan Wallen, is essentially a country song.
