Radio Consultant Sees Dim Future for New Wave Rock

Feb. 16, 1980: New Wave rock is a cult phenomenon that is on its way out, says AOR radio consultant Lee Abrams. "With the exception of the Boomtown Rats, the Police and a few other bands, we're not going to be seeing many of the New Wave circuit acts happening very big over here (in America). As a movement, we don't expect it to have much influence." Patrick Goldstein says: "This may mean bad news for fans of acts such as the Clash, Elvis Costello and the Talking Heads, who have begun to enjoy regular airplay on many AOR stations."

Comments

[Ed Kollin]

This prediction belongs with "Dewey Wins" and "Mission accomplished". I guess Abrams did not figure out that video would kill the radio star and that the synthesizer would revolutionize pop. From what I have read the radio programmers were freaked out by the anti-disco backlash and completely misread it thinking the fans wanted super safe sounds when the opposite proved true. I remember he did cause big time short term damage. We had a great New Wave station in here in New York WPIX-FM that changed formats a month after his infamous memo. In the long term it worked out. The 1980's are in part symbolized by New Wave Music (even though Heavy Metal was twice as popular at the time), its 2010 and it seems like half of the new acts are in part or whole aping that style.

Kudos for reverting this guy goes to despite their faults MTV, your KROQ , our WLIR and countless college radio stations for reviving New Wave after he almost killed it and eventually planting the Alternative Rock seeds