Decade Stations
It’s all about 10 years worth of songs… to be honest there’s not much to see here from the bar chart and graphs point of view, it’s just Global v Bauer with not many songs on Heart’s mostly automated and/or voice tracked selection against Bauer’s larger collection of decades, and larger record collection too (!!), but it’s always interesting to see what everyone else considers to be THE songs of a decade, because every music buff has their own ideas!
…Of course one can speculate as to whether the songs selected were chosen by someone who’s musical memories were formed with love in the decade concerned, or whether someone “looking in from outside” was given the task – the results can be quite different… An obvious illustration of this being Bryan Adams – Summer of 69 – a total non event when recklessly released in the 80’s, it didn’t even make the top 40 at the time, but in later times has become considered to be one of the biggest and best songs of the 80’s, clearly by people who weren’t there at the time!!
The Absolute family of decade stations used to play a lot more credible and “edgy” selection of tracks, but since they have become part of the Bauer family, the mix of tracks in the 60’s to 90’s section has been ‘dumbed down’ and features a lot more of a “range” of music genres – there’s certainly more pop dance and slightly cheesey offerings than would have been considered acceptable before. The 00’s and 10’s stations have not had much of that happen to them though, but to be honest, with less than 500 songs each on these later additions, it seems that not much time has been spent digging up many nuggets from those decades either – clearly the 80’s and 90’s are the ones that the effort has been put into as far as the music variety is concerned!
Global added Heart 00s to their roster of Decade Stations in May 2022, and more recently Greatest Hits radio has added some decade stations for it’s premium subscribers, providing some interesting comparisons between the big groups.
Analysis: 27 days, up to 24-09-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 9342
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 572
Variety factor for this station is : 6.1%
50% OF PLAYS is 159 Songs (27.7% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 101 MOST played songs (17.6% of the total)
or 338 LEAST played songs (59% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 16h 12m
10th most played song airs every: 19h 3m
101st most played song airs every: 23h 8m
159th most played song airs every: 1d 1h 55m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 85 (14.8%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 18 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 573
..in 3 months: 609, in 6 months: 618
..in 9 months: 662, in 12 months: 668
Top 13 Most Played:
1 [37 plays] Buffalo Springfield and Neil Young – For What It’s Worth
2= [34 plays] each for…
+ Patsy Cline – Crazy
+ Sandie Shaw – Always Something There To Remind Me
4= [33 plays] each for…
+ Junior Walker and The All Stars – How Sweet It Is
+ The Kingsmen – Louie Louie
+ Wilson Pickett – In The Midnight Hour
7= [32 plays] each for…
+ Box Tops – The Letter
+ Cream – White Room
+ David Bowie – Space Oddity
+ Edison Lighthouse – Love Grows
+ Love Affair – Everlasting Love
+ The Monkees – Daydream Believer
+ The Shirelles – Will You Love Me Tomorrow?
Analysis: 27 days, up to 24-09-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 7455
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 588
Variety factor for this station is : 7.8%
50% OF PLAYS is 141 Songs (23.9% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 89 MOST played songs (15.1% of the total)
or 388 LEAST played songs (65.9% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 18h 30m
10th most played song airs every: 20h 54m
89th most played song airs every: 1d 1h 55m
141st most played song airs every: 1d 4h 10m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 242 (41.1%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 22 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 593
..in 3 months: 737, in 6 months: 794
..in 9 months: 826, in 12 months: 843
Top 12 Most Played:
1 [33 plays] Bruce Springsteen – Born To Run
2= [30 plays] each for…
+ Curtis Mayfield – Move On Up
+ Mott The Hoople – All The Young Dudes
+ The Clash – London Calling
+ Tom Robinson – 2-4-6-8 Motorway
6= [29 plays] each for…
+ Boomtown Rats – Rat Trap
+ Donna Summer – I Feel Love
+ Manfred Mann – Blinded By The Light
+ Peter Gabriel – Solsbury Hill
+ Smokey Robinson and The Miracles – Tears Of A Clown
+ Stealers Wheel – Stuck In the Middle With You
+ The Jackson 5 – I Want You Back
Analysis: 25 days, up to 24-09-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 6565
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 975
Variety factor for this station is : 14.8%
50% OF PLAYS is 217 Songs (22.2% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 131 MOST played songs (13.4% of the total)
or 648 LEAST played songs (66.4% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 1d 3h 16m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 4h 34m
131st most played song airs every: 1d 18h 51m
217th most played song airs every: 2d 6h 32m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 453 (46.4%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
1 after 24 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 1023
..in 3 months: 1410, in 6 months: 1833
..in 9 months: 2149, in 12 months: 2401
Top 10 Most Played:
1= [23 plays] each for…
+ Boy Meets Girl – Waiting For A Star To Fall
+ Thompson Twins – Hold Me Now
3= [22 plays] each for…
+ Bill Medley/jennifer Warnes – I’ve Had The Time Of My Life
+ Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill
5= [21 plays] each for…
+ Aztec Camera – Somewhere In My Heart
+ Bonnie Tyler – A Total Eclipse Of The Heart
+ Guns N Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine
+ John Parr – St Elmo’s Fire
+ Starship – We Built This City
+ The Waterboys – Whole Of The Moon
Analysis: 27 days, up to 24-09-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 6953
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 919
Variety factor for this station is : 13.2%
50% OF PLAYS is 228 Songs (24.8% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 145 MOST played songs (15.7% of the total)
or 595 LEAST played songs (64.7% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 1d 10h 6m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 12h
145th most played song airs every: 1d 19h 12m
228th most played song airs every: 2d 1h 50m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 392 (42.6%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
2 after 13 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 957
..in 3 months: 1208, in 6 months: 1422
..in 9 months: 1596, in 12 months: 1710
Top 18 Most Played:
1= [18 plays] each for…
+ The Wannadies – You And Me Song
+ Urban Cookie Collective – The Key, The Secret
3= [17 plays] each for…
+ Counting Crows – Mr Jones
+ Foo Fighters – Everlong
+ James – She’s A Star
+ La’s The – There She Goes
+ Nirvana – Lithium
+ Ocean Colour Scene – Hundred Mile High City
+ Pearl Jam – Jeremy
+ Pulp – Mis-shapes
+ Robin S – Show Me Love
+ Snap! – Rhythm Is A Dancer
+ The Boo Radleys – Wake Up Boo!
+ The Cardigans – Erase/Rewind
+ The Divine Comedy – National Express
+ The Seahorses – Blinded By The Sun
+ Utah Saints – Something Good
+ Weezer – Buddy Holly
Analysis: 24 days, up to 24-09-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 6735
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 516
Variety factor for this station is : 7.6%
50% OF PLAYS is 176 Songs (34.1% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 111 MOST played songs (21.5% of the total)
or 262 LEAST played songs (50.7% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 21h 20m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 1h 2m
111th most played song airs every: 1d 8h
176th most played song airs every: 1d 12h
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 52 (10%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 9 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 517
..in 3 months: 524, in 6 months: 535
..in 9 months: 553, in 12 months: 570
Top 12 Most Played:
1 [31 plays] Primal Scream – Country Girl
2 [28 plays] James – GETTING AWAY WITH IT
3= [27 plays] each for…
+ Jamie T – Sticks N Stones
+ My Chemical Romance – Welcome To The Black Parade
+ Puddle Of Mudd – Blurry
+ The Zutons – Valerie
7= [26 plays] each for…
+ Crazy Town – Butterfly
+ Fall Out Boy – Sugar We’re Going Down
+ Nelly – Hot In Herre
+ Queens Of The Stone Age – No One Knows
+ Scissor Sisters – I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’
+ Stereophonics – Mr Writer
Analysis: 27 days, up to 24-09-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 7493
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 428
Variety factor for this station is : 5.7%
50% OF PLAYS is 112 Songs (26.1% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 68 MOST played songs (15.8% of the total)
or 265 LEAST played songs (61.9% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 10h 58m
10th most played song airs every: 15h 25m
68th most played song airs every: 20h 54m
112th most played song airs every: 1d 0h
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 99 (23.1%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 15 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 444
..in 3 months: 470, in 6 months: 585
..in 9 months: 609, in 12 months: 626
Top 10 Most Played:
1 [50 plays] Catfish and The Bottlemen – 7
2 [45 plays] Of Monsters and Men – Little Talks
3= [44 plays] each for…
+ Foster The People – Pumped Up Kicks
+ Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know
5 [42 plays] One Republic – Counting Stars
6 [41 plays] Fun – We Are Young
7 [39 plays] Passenger – Let Her Go
8 [38 plays] Hozier – Take Me To Church
9= [36 plays] each for…
+ Clean Bandit and Jess Glynne – Rather Be
+ James Bay – Hold Back The River
Analysis: 27 days, up to 24-09-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 9469
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 155
Variety factor for this station is : 1.6%
50% OF PLAYS is 28 Songs (18% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 15 MOST played songs (9.6% of the total)
or 112 LEAST played songs (72.2% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 2h 38m
10th most played song airs every: 2h 46m
15th most played song airs every: 5h 8m
28th most played song airs every: 5h 47m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 11 (7%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 4 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 159
..in 3 months: 204, in 6 months: 265
..in 9 months: 321, in 12 months: 375
Top 10 Most Played:
1 [243 plays] James Bay – Goodbye Never Felt So Bad
2 [242 plays] Kasabian – Algorithms
3 [239 plays] The 1975 – Looking For Somebody
4= [238 plays] each for…
+ Fall Out Boy – We Didn’t Start The Fire
+ Inhaler – Just To Keep You Satisfied
+ James – Love Make A Fool
+ Royal Blood – Pull Me Through
8 [237 plays] Queens Of The Stone Age – Paper Machete
9 [235 plays] Guns N Roses – Perhaps
10 [231 plays] The Killers – Your Side Of Town
Analysis: 26 days, up to 24-09-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 9054
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 309
Variety factor for this station is : 3.4%
50% OF PLAYS is 122 Songs (39.4% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 78 MOST played songs (25.2% of the total)
or 139 LEAST played songs (44.9% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 14h 30m
10th most played song airs every: 14h 51m
78th most played song airs every: 17h 20m
122nd most played song airs every: 18h 54m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 9 (2.9%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 5 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 309
..in 3 months: 319, in 6 months: 405
..in 9 months: 519, in 12 months: 568
Top 14 Most Played:
1= [43 plays] each for…
+ Billy Joel – My Life
+ Peter Gabriel – Solsbury Hill
+ Robert Palmer – Every Kinda People
+ Van Morrison – Bright Side Of The Road
5= [42 plays] each for…
+ Chaka Khan – I’m Every Woman
+ Diana Ross – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
+ Dolly Parton – Here You Come Again
+ Genesis – Follow You Follow Me
+ Gonzalez – I Haven’t Stopped Dancing Yet
+ Labelle – Lady Marmalade
+ Stephanie Mills – Never Knew Love Like This Before
+ The Crusaders – Street Life
+ The Osmonds – Love Me For A Reason
+ Toto – Hold The Line
Analysis: 26 days, up to 24-09-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 8555
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 426
Variety factor for this station is : 4.9%
50% OF PLAYS is 153 Songs (35.9% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 95 MOST played songs (22.3% of the total)
or 208 LEAST played songs (48.8% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 16h 51m
10th most played song airs every: 18h 21m
95th most played song airs every: 1d 0h
153rd most played song airs every: 1d 2h
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 17 (3.9%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 8 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 426
..in 3 months: 437, in 6 months: 538
..in 9 months: 593, in 12 months: 616
Top 10 Most Played:
1= [37 plays] each for…
+ Four Tops – Loco In Acapulco
+ Soft Cell – Tainted Love
3= [36 plays] each for…
+ Neneh Cherry – Buffalo Stance
+ The Temptations – Treat Her Like A Lady
5= [35 plays] each for…
+ Ashford and Simpson – Solid
+ DeBarge – Rhythm Of The Night
7= [34 plays] each for…
+ Amii Stewart – Friends
+ Arrow – Hot Hot Hot
+ Patrice Rushen – Forget Me Nots
+ Taylor Dayne – Tell It To My Heart
Analysis: 27 days, up to 24-09-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 8762
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 321
Variety factor for this station is : 3.6%
50% OF PLAYS is 118 Songs (36.7% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 76 MOST played songs (23.6% of the total)
or 156 LEAST played songs (48.5% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 14h 24m
10th most played song airs every: 15h 48m
76th most played song airs every: 18h
118th most played song airs every: 19h 38m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 9 (2.8%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 7 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 321
..in 3 months: 329, in 6 months: 412
..in 9 months: 447, in 12 months: 462
Top 15 Most Played:
1 [45 plays] Cornershop – Brimful Of Asha
2= [43 plays] each for…
+ Charles & Eddie – Would I Lie To You
+ The Boo Radleys – Wake Up Boo
4= [42 plays] each for…
+ Bobby Brown – Two Can Play That Game
+ Chesney Hawkes – The One And Only
+ Karen Ramirez – Looking For Love
+ MC Hammer – U Can’t Touch This
+ Mike & The Mechanics – Over My Shoulder
+ Wilson Phillips – Hold On
10= [41 plays] each for…
+ Crowded House – Weather With You
+ Cyndi Lauper – (Hey Now) Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
+ Dina Carroll – Ain’t No Man
+ James – Sit Down
+ Michael Bolton – Love Is A Wonderful Thing
+ Zoe – Sunshine On A Rainy Day
Analysis: 23 days, up to 24-09-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 8285
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 415
Variety factor for this station is : 5%
50% OF PLAYS is 155 Songs (37.3% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 98 MOST played songs (23.6% of the total)
or 198 LEAST played songs (47.7% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 15h 20m
10th most played song airs every: 17h 48m
98th most played song airs every: 21h 13m
155th most played song airs every: 1d 0h
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 19 (4.5%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 8 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 415
..in 3 months: 417, in 6 months: 435
..in 9 months: 464, in 12 months: 532
Top 10 Most Played:
1 [36 plays] Elvis Presley / JXL – A Little Less Conversation
2= [33 plays] each for…
+ City High – What Would You Do
+ George Michael – Amazing
+ Gnarls Barkley / Cee-Lo – Crazy
+ Gym Class Heroes – Cupid’s Chokehold
+ Keane – Everybody’s Changing
7= [31 plays] each for…
+ A1 – Take On Me
+ Bon Jovi, R Sambora – It’s My Life
+ Just Jack – Starz In Their Eyes
+ Lemar – Dance (With U)
Analysis: 23 days, up to 25-09-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 8966
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 404
Variety factor for this station is : 4.5%
50% OF PLAYS is 182 Songs (45% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 119 MOST played songs (29.4% of the total)
or 155 LEAST played songs (38.3% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 15h 46m
10th most played song airs every: 21h 13m
119th most played song airs every: 23h
182nd most played song airs every: 1d 0h
No. of songs with 15 or less plays: 9 (2.2%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 6 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 404
..in 3 months: 413, in 6 months: 466
Top 16 Most Played:
1 [35 plays] Elo – Mr Blue Sky
2= [28 plays] each for…
+ Curtis Mayfield – Move On Up
+ George Harrison – My Sweet Lord
4= [27 plays] each for…
+ 10cc – I’m Not In Love
+ Freda Payne – Band Of Gold
+ Jimmy Cliff – Wild World
+ Kate Bush – The Man With The Child In His Eyes
+ Suzi Quatro – Can The Can
+ The Temptations – My Girl
10= [26 plays] each for…
+ Bachman-Turner Overdrive – You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet
+ Barbra Streisand – Evergreen
+ Bee Gees – Jive Talkin’
+ Bob Marley and The Wailers – Three Little Birds
+ Boney M – Rivers Of Babylon
+ Captain and Tennille – Do That To Me One More Time
+ Carly Simon – You’re So Vain
Analysis: 27 days, up to 25-09-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 9910
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 542
Variety factor for this station is : 5.4%
50% OF PLAYS is 248 Songs (45.7% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 161 MOST played songs (29.7% of the total)
or 204 LEAST played songs (37.6% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 1d 1h 55m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 5h 27m
161st most played song airs every: 1d 8h 24m
248th most played song airs every: 1d 10h 6m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 2 (0.3%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 8 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 542
..in 3 months: 551, in 6 months: 603
Top 17 Most Played:
1 [25 plays] Dire Straits – Romeo & Juliet
2= [22 plays] each for…
+ Aretha Franklin – Who’s Zoomin’ Who
+ Chaka Khan – I Feel For You
+ Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time
+ Don Henley – The Boys Of Summer
+ Foreigner – I Want To Know What Love Is
+ Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Relax
+ George Michael – A Different Corner
+ Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five – The Message
+ Holly Johnson – Americanos
+ John Parr – St Elmo’s Fire
+ Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart
+ Miami Sound Machine – Dr Beat
+ R.E.M – Orange Crush
+ Steve Winwood – Valerie
+ The Cure – Close To Me
+ ZZ Top – Sharp Dressed Man
Analysis: 23 days, up to 25-09-2023
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 8215
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 348
Variety factor for this station is : 4.2%
50% OF PLAYS is 155 Songs (44.5% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 101 MOST played songs (29% of the total)
or 137 LEAST played songs (39.3% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 18h 24m
10th most played song airs every: 19h 2m
101st most played song airs every: 21h 13m
155th most played song airs every: 22h 4m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 1 (0.2%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 6 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 349
..in 3 months: 352, in 6 months: 357
Top 16 Most Played:
1= [30 plays] each for…
+ Daft Punk – Around The World
+ Kirsty MacColl – Walking Down Madison
3= [29 plays] each for…
+ Amy Grant – Baby Baby
+ Backstreet Boys – As Long As You Love Me
+ Blink 182 – All The Small Things
+ Boyz II Men – End Of The Road
+ Corona – The Rhythm Of The Night
+ Dario G – Sunchyme
+ Eric Clapton – Change The World
+ LeAnn Rimes – Can’t Fight The Moonlight
+ Michael Bolton – Love Is A Wonderful Thing
+ Natalie Imbruglia – Torn
+ Spin Doctors – Two Princes
+ Stereo MCs – Connected
+ The Connells – 74-75
+ U2 – Even Better Than The Real Thing
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