Top 40...anyone playing it?

[hrodbert696]

Back when I was just starting out in bands all of the local bands, mostly guys that were a little older than me, were playing the top 40 hits of the day, so that's what we did, too. A lot of that was soul music and then it changed to blues rock and rock, but we still kept playing current songs. Is anyone still doing that? Is it even possible for a cover band to cover today's top 40 hits?

The current top 40 is not the same thing as the top 40 of a generation ago. I don't just mean genre of music or anything: I mean place in the market.

Digital streaming has changed everything. Before, radio was the tastemaker. The current hits everyone wanted to hear was the fresh new stuff your radio DJ served up. Each generation had a sense of "its" music, meaning what radio stations featured when they were teenagers.

With digital streaming, "current" doesn't matter. A teenager can get into any genre or era of music equally easily; they don't depend on radio or on record stores. Remember the big tiktok craze for sea shanties a year or so ago? Sea shanties?

So basically, IMO, a cover band can safely ignore this week's top 40 list. It doesn't mean much. In fact, what dominates the streaming services is Link Removed. If you want to play what crowds want to hear, ignore the top 40 and instead use the DJs' list of most requested songs.

 

[richntiff]

The current top 40 is not the same thing as the top 40 of a generation ago. I don't just mean genre of music or anything: I mean place in the market.

Digital streaming has changed everything. Before, radio was the tastemaker. The current hits everyone wanted to hear was the fresh new stuff your radio DJ served up. Each generation had a sense of "its" music, meaning what radio stations featured when they were teenagers.

With digital streaming, "current" doesn't matter. A teenager can get into any genre or era of music equally easily; they don't depend on radio or on record stores. Remember the big tiktok craze for sea shanties a year or so ago? Sea shanties?

So basically, IMO, a cover band can safely ignore this week's top 40 list. It doesn't mean much. In fact, what dominates the streaming services is Link Removed. If you want to play what crowds want to hear, ignore the top 40 and instead use the DJs' list of most requested songs.

this is spot on. The secret is to grab songs with staying power.

 

[Shenron]

This thread is 10% analysis of the cover band scene and 90% old dudes complaining that things ain’t how they used to be.

To be honest, "top radio hits" have been for me 90% crap since I was 12...

 

[richntiff]

100% agree. Popularity of music is extremely transient right now, so I think the strategy is to see what songs that are 3 to 5 years old appear to be holding up, and add that stuff into your set lists gradually.

I’d propose, across a band’s book:

- 30% cover band standards from the 70s through the 90s. The tunes we’ve all played in a zillion bands.
- 50% cleverly chosen tunes from the 00s and 10s.
- 20% tunes from the last 5 years, but rarely anything being played on the top charts right now because you just don’t know if that song will be around in 9 months.

If this band has good musicians, a good PA, and a nice stage setup with lighting it will pull.

Bonus - if this band runs all IEMs with a modern electronic drum kit it will sound fantastic in any size venue.

YES! You get it! The 25-50 year olds at the upscale brewery gig will know music from all three of your groups - and appreciate the songs, if they are chosen well.

There is a band in southern Wisconsin that is taking this even further and playing basically 100% songs from the 2000's. They are booked every weekend at the best venues in the state, packing in the people, and their fan base is growing rapidly. They also have a very savvy social media guy/band leader (in his 50's - so yes, it can be done by us old guys). Musically, they are decent - far from the best singers around to be honest - but they bring energy and vibe and the right songs. It can be done, but you have to admit that playing Lynryd Skynrd and kveching about how nobody likes music anymore might not be the ticket to success....

 

[Carl Hillman]

I consider myself open minded, and good music is good music. But this is objectively bad and exceptionally formulaic.

I’m right there with you on that.

 

[Altitude]

To be honest, "top radio hits" have been for me 90% crap since I was 12...

I was 12 in ‘83 and ‘84. I was going to say that most of the top hits were crap then too - but I checked this Spotify list and actually there’s a lot of very good material.

Top Hits of 1984

Granted, the early 80s might have been a better musical period than the late 80s. A lot of that glam metal and bubble gum R&B was rough.

 

[51PRI]

I tried to listen to this the other day to see what all the fuss was about. I consider myself open minded, and good music is good music. But this is objectively bad and exceptionally formulaic.

But then I'm not the target audience, so.

Try this one from Colbert the other night:

Ahhh, finally something to make me go back to that other thread to click the link for Yoko Ono singing (if you call it that) Wagon Wheel. I had to find something to put this in perspective.

I don't see how Sabrina Carpenter would remind anyone of Yoko Ono.

Doing the Beatles is easy if you grew up listening to the Beatles - on the AM radio.....

Not really. We've been trying to learn "Two of Us" and it's not easy to play with any authenticity and correctness, and that's maybe one of their easier songs.

'Top 40' in what genre?....

I'm pretty sure that the Top 40, or it may be the Top 100 now, includes all genres, and there are many sub-genre lists, too.

 

[smurfco]

as a 90s-style alt-rock originals band with ages from 40 to 65, WAP isn't going to go well

Says who?

 

[Alexis Duntov]

Back when I was just starting out in bands all of the local bands, mostly guys that were a little older than me, were playing the top 40 hits of the day, so that's what we did, too. A lot of that was soul music and then it changed to blues rock and rock, but we still kept playing current songs. Is anyone still doing that? Is it even possible for a cover band to cover today's top 40 hits?

I’m playing top 40 from the 40s.

 

[fishdude101101]

"I Had Some Help", which also features Morgan Wallen, is essentially a country song.

Yeah I agree. Country songs are our #1 requests now, especially from people under 30. Happy to do it as well. I have no interest in Southern Rock oddly though. Like I said, when I joined this band I made it know that I didn't want to be just another classic rock cover band. We play stuff from all eras, but if you wanna hear skynard, we're not your band.

 

[fishdude101101]

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.

Were I live, it exists. A good portion of our crowd are under 30, and what they want to hear is Tyler Childers, Stapleton, Wallen, etc. They actually have a much more diverse taste in music that most generations at their age.

 

[fishdude101101]

Don’t get me wrong; there is some GREAT material out there. My problem with most of it is that covering a lot of it clears the dance floor. And, not because the rendition is poor; folks just generally aren’t on the same page.

I would also prefer playing a wide variety of material from different eras. The more the better. But, my audiences generally prefer nothing close to that. They need to know the tunes. That generally means material you might not want to cover.

But, I’ll tell you this: Motown ALWAYS fills the dance floor up. Of course, I don’t consider Motown to be Classic Rock. It’s just Classic.

I hear you, luckily we are not in that position. I'd have to make damn good money to play classic rock every weekend because I wouldn't be doing it for the fun any longer. Don't mind doing some of it but its just beat up. Most of our crowd is under 50 though with 50% under 35.

Agree on the motown as well.

 

[Relsom]

Try this one from Colbert the other night:


I don't see how Sabrina Carpenter would remind anyone of Yoko Ono.

That's not what I was getting at. I was using the Yoko track to make that Sabrina Carpenter chick sound better by comparison. And by comparison, maybe she deserves to be in someones top 100.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

Our band slogan is "Playing the hits, for all the drunk chicks"......

"...to flash their---credit cards?"

 

[DaveParker39]

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.

Yeah, Dua Lipa (Training Season) is gonna be my next recommendation

 

[DaveParker39]

So basically, IMO, a cover band can safely ignore this week's top 40 list. It doesn't mean much. In fact, what dominates the streaming services is Link Removed. If you want to play what crowds want to hear, ignore the top 40 and instead use the DJs' list of most requested songs.

I think that might be a "your band" phenomenon.

In my band, who is playing bars/clubs in New England, playing stuff that is fresh that people recognize puts us ahead, gets us paid better, and gets us booked back. Yes, we still play Mr. Brightside and Don't Stop Believin' and all that, but popular new stuff (and better yet, popular new stuff with the band's twist) is a huge difference maker and sets us apart from the others.

 

[51PRI]

Yeah I agree. Country songs are our #1 requests now, especially from people under 30. Happy to do it as well. I have no interest in Southern Rock oddly though. Like I said, when I joined this band I made it know that I didn't want to be just another classic rock cover band. We play stuff from all eras, but if you wanna hear skynard, we're not your band.

Can I be in your band?

 

[JazznFunk]

I'm pretty sure that the Top 40, or it may be the Top 100 now, includes all genres, and there are many sub-genre lists, too.

The problem is that 'charts' are so fragmented now by that Streaming Service Which Shall Not Be Named But Starts With An 'S' and other streaming aberrations it's tough to say definitively what 'Top 40' actually is these days. I guess Billboard may still be relevant, but it's subjective. Then, it comes down to what songs can (or should) be reasonably covered by a given band's instrumentation.... assuming it's a 5 (maybe 6) piece of bass, drums, guitar, keys (maybe), and at least one male and/or female vocalist with the ranges to cover it all, there's a lot out there once you narrow in on which 'Top 40' tunes fit your vibe.

 

[SDC1-ClickClack]

Try this one from Colbert the other night:

(...snip...)

I'm really not familiar with Ms. Eilish's music, but I watched that performance the other night with admiration and it almost gave me chills. One of the best musical numbers I have seen on Colbert's show in quite some time — but probably not a good song to cover for a crowd that wants to dance, have a boisterous good time, etc.

 

[silky smoove]

In fact, what dominates the streaming services is Link Removed.

Where are you getting that statistic? All lists of most streamed artists don't include anything resembling classic rock until quite a ways down.