In the NY Metro area, we have 106.7 , "Lite-FM", playing "your lite favorites" all day, and a more
pop-romantic mix of
Quiet Storm-y "Lite At Nite". The idea is that the boss doesn't want to hear your
acid jazz and
techno; and while you may appreciate a bit of his extensive classical collection, you just find the
Willie Nelson and
Glenn Miller laughable, grating, or both. So, you compromise on the
lowest common denominator, that oh-so-carefully-capitalized
pablum parade, the local easysoftlitekindajazzysomewhatbluesyrock station.
Now, I really like some of the easy-listening palette: lots of Elton John, some cute old spunky disco, and well-executed standards like The Rose or Unforgettable.
What churns my stomach is the steady stream of broken dreams, the softly swelling minor keys that waft gentle gray-and-blue melodies of heartbreak and despair.
Tears In Heaven. The Words Get In The Way. Time Will Tell. These are not my "lite favorites", and I don't want to meet the person (or people, if there are more more than one, which I doubt) whose favorites they might be.
It wouldn't be so bad, if this musical melancholy were mixed in roughly equal proportion with more upbeat, less emotionally charged fare; but no - there seems to be an unwritten Lite DJ rule that since Sad Songs Say So Much, they should say it over and over in rapid succession. If these stations really wanted The Best of My Love, they wouldn't play it.