Absolute Radio (previously Virgin) are launching an Eighties-only radio station on DAB and the internet.
While part of me applauds such a move - though it makes me feel quite old being a part of the 'gold' market - it also fills me with dread. Why? Because it'll be the same old hackneyed favourites you've heard time and time again.
What's the betting the first song played will be Don't You Want Me, swiftly followed by wallpaper like Easy Lover or Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) or Somewhere In My Heart or Livin' On A Prayer or other songs you still hear on the radio ALL THE TIME.
It would be great if they played artists from the Eighties you don't actually hear very much anymore, but I can't imagine for a moment that we can expect to hear Swansway, Interferon, Scarlet Fantastic or White & Torch, for example. Okay, not (big) hitmakers but worthy of inclusion nonetheless. I doubt there'll be anything non-Top 40 or even non-Top 20 for that matter. It'll be the major hits and nothing else and after a couple of days the playlist will come around all over again.
I know that this what marketing people think the audience want, but really.
Or am I being overly-pessimistic?
