Three headlines caught my attention this week. Collectively, they may tell the story of where the Classic Rock format stands today.
Let’s review them one at a time, and afterward, we can discuss.
Nirvana Passes AC/DC
According to an article on Loudersound.com, Nirvana’s Nevermind album has now passed AC/DC’s Back in Black to move into sixth place on the list of best-selling albums of all time. The data comes from Chartmasters, which combines physical sales, digital downloads and streaming numbers into a measure of equivalent album sales. While Back in Black has sold more physical vinyl copies, the gap isn’t as big as you might think — 37 million compared to 30 million for Nirvana.
The only two rock albums higher on the list than Nirvana are the Eagles’ Hotel California and Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. The other slots are held by two Michael Jackson releases and the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. To reach the top five, Nirvana will need to pass Jackson’s Bad, which is currently about 3.5 million units ahead of it.
For every programmer who worries about playing ’90s music on their Classic Rock station, seeing Nirvana in the top 10 ahead of not only AC/DC but Pink Floyd, the Beatles and Led Zeppelin should certainly be eye-opening.
The First Quarter Will Belong to Fleetwood Mac
On the other hand, for program directors who worry that Fleetwood Mac no longer fits as well as it used to on Classic Rock stations, here comes a first-quarter marketing blitz you won’t be able to avoid.
The band will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the seminal Rumours album, which came out February 4th, 1977. In addition to, or as part of, whatever else they put together, the documentary The Chain, which was announced back in 2024, will hit Apple TV on January 29th. The film will chronicle the band from Mick Fleetwood inviting Lindsey Buckingham to join through the present day. Stevie Nicks, of course, followed Buckingham, and the rest is a tumultuous history that will be told in the artists’ own words for the first time. You can see the teaser here.
I haven’t seen any announcement yet of what sort of promotions we can expect surrounding the documentary or the album’s anniversary, but be assured they’re coming. Considering what we’ve seen in the past — biopics and documentaries driving renewed interest in artists among people of all ages — I’d suggest preparing to be part of the moment.
The Eagles Just Take It Easy
Remember when the Eagles announced that their final run of shows at the Sphere in Las Vegas would end in March of this year? Since then, in true Classic Rock artist fashion, they have extended their stay four times and just confirmed another pair of shows for early next year. That will bring their total to 74 shows over 34 different weekends, with more than a million fans having experienced the show.
With tickets well over $100 per person, the continued extension of their run at the Sphere shows how much demand there still is from fans. It’s just one more reminder of the enduring popularity and multi-generational appeal of this body of music.
The Breadth of the Format
Individually, each story says a little about the format’s health. Taken collectively, it says something about the breadth of the format, which is something programmers often struggle to embrace.
Whether it’s incorporating music from the ’90s — which, by the way, is over 25 years old — or mixing softer sounds like Fleetwood Mac with guitar-driven acts like Nirvana, the format is at its best when it’s not afraid to play a variety of sounds. Keep in mind that the audience enjoys all of the music.
And when you add in the continued strong draw of the Eagles at a specialized, expensive concert hall, it just reinforces the value of being the outlet in your market that delivers this music to the fans.
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