Night Tracks
Encyclopedia
Night Tracks was an American
television series which ran from 1983
to 1992
on SuperStation WTBS (later known as TBS SuperStation) on late night weekends. It premiered on Friday, June 3, 1983 and the first music video
aired was "Family Man"
by Hall & Oates
, from their H2O
album.
Night Tracks was created and produced by Tom Lynch
and Gary Biller
(Lynch/Biller Productions).
and NBA on TBS
that ran overtime into Night Tracks schedule. Night Tracks did not get the benefit of being seen in its entirety and had to abruptly end its broadcast just before 6:00 AM ET/3:00 AM PT. In the Spring of 1989, its cut off time for the Friday night broadcast was changed to 5:00 AM ET/2:00 AM PT. This meant that viewers had to wait until Saturday night to catch the entire broadcast of the second 3 hour block. In the Summer of 1990 the Friday night cut off time was changed to 5:30 AM ET/2:30 AM PT. In a few rare instances a sporting event ended early thus produced extra time for Night Tracks so the first 3 hour block of that evening was repeated until the cut off time just before 6:00 AM ET/3:00 AM PT.
In August 1989, this was changed to two 2 hour blocks and the remaining 2 hours each night became Night Flicks which can be considered as when the show started "jumping the shark
".
In the Spring of 1990, it was further reduced to two 90 minute blocks. This meant that it was possible to see the first 90 minute block again (albeit in abbreviated form just before the cut off time) on the same night.
In the Spring of 1991, Night Tracks introduced "College Crush Groove", two 30 minute blocks of Alternative
music videos in addition to the two regular 1 hour blocks. In August 1991 it flipped to Alternative and Rap with the subtitle moniker "The Music That Matters". However, the ratings did not significantly improve, TBS replaced more of Night Tracks' airtime with Nite Flix on May 15, 1992 and eventually canceled the show after its Friday, May 29, 1992 final abbreviated 40 minute airing. The only program that aired on the night of Saturday, May 30, 1992 was New Alternative Express.
Unlike MTV
, the format for much of Night Tracks featured Rock, Pop, Dance, Adult Contemporary, R&B, Rap, Heavy Metal, and Alternative. By the Summer of 1991, Top 40 music was on the decline while Alternative and Rap rose dramatically which was why Night Tracks changed its format.
America's Music Tracks (1983-1984) Following Night Tracks success, WTBS launched a one hour Country Music version with different voiceover announcers but used the same Chyron
font for music video identification. It premiered on Sunday, October 2, 1983 at 8:05 PM Eastern Time/5:05 PM Pacific Time. The show ran for 15 weeks before it was canceled in February 1984.
. The show also aired an additional BREAKER video that was predicted to hit the charts in the following weeks.
Power Hits was canceled in February 1990 and nothing Night Tracks related was put in its place.
Night Flicks (1989-1991) A byproduct of Night Tracks, it was a 2 hour movie presentation (4 hours total for both nights) that used Night Tracks theme music. The name Night Flicks was also previously used on Night Tracks as a movie trailer commercial segment (Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvWeBY90dZk). (replaced most of Night Tracks, changed to Nite Flix in 1991) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhgi_o5MhoA
Its final episode aired on Saturday, May 30, 1992 (early morning Sunday, May 31 on most time zones) and officially signaled the end of the Night Tracks franchise.
The announcers faces were never seen except during a special year end show in 1991. During a typical Night Tracks show the announcers would mention artists and music videos that would be aired within the hour. They would also mention facts and information about the artists just before the videos were aired. The announcers were also heard in these segments during the show.
. Today, Lynch produces mainly children's programs, such as The Secret World of Alex Mack
, Caitlin's Way
and Romeo!
.
In Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony
, the original theme music can be heard in the Princess Robot Bubblegum program that players can watch on the safe house TV.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television series which ran from 1983
1983 in television
The year 1983 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1983.For the American TV schedule, see: 1983-84 United States network television schedule.-Events:...
to 1992
1992 in television
The year 1992 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1992.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:*Hallmark Hall of Fame .*Guiding Light .*The Today Show ....
on SuperStation WTBS (later known as TBS SuperStation) on late night weekends. It premiered on Friday, June 3, 1983 and the first music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
aired was "Family Man"
Family Man (song)
"Family Man" is a single by musician Mike Oldfield, released in 1982 . It was released from the album Five Miles Out, with vocals performed by Maggie Reilly.- Lyrical content :...
by Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates are an American musical duo composed of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Both sing and play instruments. They specialized in a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles, which they dubbed "rock and soul."...
, from their H2O
H2O (Hall & Oates album)
H2O is the eleventh studio album from Daryl Hall and John Oates, released in 1982. A hit, it featured three top 10 US singles, one being "Maneater", which was the biggest hit of their career, spending four weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts...
album.
Night Tracks was created and produced by Tom Lynch
Thomas W. Lynch
Thomas W. Lynch is an American television series creator and executive producer who is the head of his own production company, Tom Lynch Company based in Los Angeles, CA.-Career:The New York Times referred to him as "the David E...
and Gary Biller
(Lynch/Biller Productions).
Night Tracks (1983-1992)
It was composed of two 3 hour blocks (1983–1989) of music videos in which the Friday night airings (usually scheduled at 12:05 AM Eastern Time/9:05 PM Pacific Time) were swapped and repeated on Saturday nights. This was done partly to accommodate sporting events programming such as Braves Baseball on TBSBraves TBS Baseball
Braves TBS Baseball or Braves Baseball on TBS is a Major League Baseball broadcast on the TBS cable network by Turner Sports, featuring Atlanta Braves regular season games...
and NBA on TBS
NBA on TBS
The NBA on TBS debuted in the 1984-1985 season under a four year contract, where they shared the NBA package along with CBS.-Coverage:...
that ran overtime into Night Tracks schedule. Night Tracks did not get the benefit of being seen in its entirety and had to abruptly end its broadcast just before 6:00 AM ET/3:00 AM PT. In the Spring of 1989, its cut off time for the Friday night broadcast was changed to 5:00 AM ET/2:00 AM PT. This meant that viewers had to wait until Saturday night to catch the entire broadcast of the second 3 hour block. In the Summer of 1990 the Friday night cut off time was changed to 5:30 AM ET/2:30 AM PT. In a few rare instances a sporting event ended early thus produced extra time for Night Tracks so the first 3 hour block of that evening was repeated until the cut off time just before 6:00 AM ET/3:00 AM PT.
In August 1989, this was changed to two 2 hour blocks and the remaining 2 hours each night became Night Flicks which can be considered as when the show started "jumping the shark
Jumping the shark
Jumping the shark is an idiom used to describe the moment in the evolution of a television show when it begins a decline in quality that is beyond recovery....
".
In the Spring of 1990, it was further reduced to two 90 minute blocks. This meant that it was possible to see the first 90 minute block again (albeit in abbreviated form just before the cut off time) on the same night.
In the Spring of 1991, Night Tracks introduced "College Crush Groove", two 30 minute blocks of Alternative
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
music videos in addition to the two regular 1 hour blocks. In August 1991 it flipped to Alternative and Rap with the subtitle moniker "The Music That Matters". However, the ratings did not significantly improve, TBS replaced more of Night Tracks' airtime with Nite Flix on May 15, 1992 and eventually canceled the show after its Friday, May 29, 1992 final abbreviated 40 minute airing. The only program that aired on the night of Saturday, May 30, 1992 was New Alternative Express.
Unlike MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, the format for much of Night Tracks featured Rock, Pop, Dance, Adult Contemporary, R&B, Rap, Heavy Metal, and Alternative. By the Summer of 1991, Top 40 music was on the decline while Alternative and Rap rose dramatically which was why Night Tracks changed its format.
America's Music Tracks (1983-1984) Following Night Tracks success, WTBS launched a one hour Country Music version with different voiceover announcers but used the same Chyron
Chyron
Chyron may refer to:*Lower third, television graphics that occupy the lower area of the screen*Chyron Corporation, develops and manufactures on-screen graphics for the broadcast industry...
font for music video identification. It premiered on Sunday, October 2, 1983 at 8:05 PM Eastern Time/5:05 PM Pacific Time. The show ran for 15 weeks before it was canceled in February 1984.
Chartbusters (1984-1991)
An hour long Top 10 (changed to Top 20 in 1990) music video show countdown that aired on Saturday nights preceding Night Tracks. It premiered on Saturday, May 19, 1984 and its chart listing was associated with Kal Rudman's Friday Morning QuarterbackFMQB
Friday Morning Quarterback is a trade magazine which covers the Radio and Music industries in the United States. Its coverage includes programming, management, promotion, marketing, and airplay for music formatted radio. The magazine was founded in 1968 by Kal Rudman and is read by over 10,000...
. The show also aired an additional BREAKER video that was predicted to hit the charts in the following weeks.
Chartbusters '85 (December 28, 1985)
A 2 hour special that aired on a special time at 8:05 PM Eastern Time on Saturday, December 28, 1985 with top music videos and musical events of 1985 also hosted by Sandy Kenyon. (see clip at 2:31 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bDu3A8Fq7g)Power Play (1985-1988)
An hour of top ranking music videos that aired on Friday nights preceding Night Tracks. It premiered on Friday, October 4, 1985. This brought the total time to 14 hours of music videos aired each weekend.Power Hits (1989-1990)
An hour of Hard Rock music videos. (replaced Power Play Dancin)Power Hits was canceled in February 1990 and nothing Night Tracks related was put in its place.
Night Flicks (1989-1991) A byproduct of Night Tracks, it was a 2 hour movie presentation (4 hours total for both nights) that used Night Tracks theme music. The name Night Flicks was also previously used on Night Tracks as a movie trailer commercial segment (Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvWeBY90dZk). (replaced most of Night Tracks, changed to Nite Flix in 1991) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhgi_o5MhoA
New Alternative Express (1991-1992)
An hour long Top 10 Alternative videos. (replaced Chartbusters)Its final episode aired on Saturday, May 30, 1992 (early morning Sunday, May 31 on most time zones) and officially signaled the end of the Night Tracks franchise.
Night Tracks voiceover announcers
This list only include permanent announcers and not announcers filling in such as Bill Brummel and others.- Bob Coburn (1983–1986): Currently hosting the national call in radio show RocklineRocklineRockline is a nationally syndicated radio interview program hosted by Bob Coburn that broadcasts live via satellite every Monday and Wednesday night from 8:30pm-10pm PT to radio stations in the United States. Founded in 1981, it is considered to be the longest running, uninterrupted program in rock...
. - Joanne Erhart (1983–1989)
- ??? (America's Music Tracks) (1983–1984)
- Frazer SmithFrazer Smith (Comedian/Broadcaster)Frazer Smith, also known as Frazier Smith, is an American radio personality, actor and stand-up comedian.-Biography:...
(1986–1988), (1989–1991) - Mike Carruthers (1988–1989): Currently hosting Something You Should Know.
- Cynthia Fox (1989–1991): Currently at KLOS-FMKLOSKLOS is an FM rock music radio station based in Los Angeles, California, that debuted in 1969. The station is owned by Cumulus Media. It is home to the nationally broadcast Mark & Brian radio show, and Off The Record host Uncle Joe Benson.-History:...
http://www.955klos.com/showdj.asp?DJID=15968. - Phil ??? (1991–1992)
- Nile Fair (1991–1992)
- Heath Adams (1992)
The announcers faces were never seen except during a special year end show in 1991. During a typical Night Tracks show the announcers would mention artists and music videos that would be aired within the hour. They would also mention facts and information about the artists just before the videos were aired. The announcers were also heard in these segments during the show.
- New Video of the Week
- New Music Spotlight (changed to New Music Preview in 1989) - Highlighting a new artist to Night Tracks just before that artist's debut video is aired.
- Original Classic - A classic music video is aired with info on that artist.
- World Premiere - Occasionally Night Tracks would have the privilege of being the first to air a particular music video. The announcers would thank the people at the record company for the arrangement.
- The Inside Track - A short one question interview segment just before that artist's video is aired.
Celebrity Guest Hosts
- Pet Shop BoysPet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
(November ??-??, 1988) - Taylor DayneTaylor DayneTaylor Dayne was born Leslie Wunderman on March 7, 1962 before later adopting her current stage name. She is an American pop vocalist, songwriter, and dance artist. Overall, she has had eighteen individual hit songs reach the top ten in Billboard magazine...
(December 9–10, 1988)
Trivia
Following Night Tracks debut, Lynch and Biller would go on to create a musical series for children, Kids IncorporatedKids Incorporated
Kids Incorporated, is an American children's television program that was produced from 1984 to 1993. It was largely a youth-oriented program with musical performances as an integral part of each and every storyline....
. Today, Lynch produces mainly children's programs, such as The Secret World of Alex Mack
The Secret World of Alex Mack
The Secret World of Alex Mack is an American television series that ran on Nickelodeon from October 8, 1994 to January 15, 1998, replacing Clarissa Explains It All on the SNICK line-up. It also aired on YTV in Canada and NHK in Japan, and was a popular staple in the children's weekday line-up for...
, Caitlin's Way
Caitlin's Way
Caitlin's Way is a live action teen drama series that aired on Nickelodeon from 2000–2002. The show was co-created by Thomas W. Lynch . Aired on The N from January 2003 to September 27, 2009...
and Romeo!
Romeo!
Romeo! is an American/Canadian television series that aired on Nickelodeon from 2003 to 2006, totaling 53 episodes. The filming was done in Vancouver, British Columbia, while the show takes place in Seattle, Washington....
.
In Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony
Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony
Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony is the second of the two episodic expansion packs available to the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC versions of Grand Theft Auto IV, which was developed by Rockstar North and first released for the Xbox 360 on 29 October 2009. It was then released for both...
, the original theme music can be heard in the Princess Robot Bubblegum program that players can watch on the safe house TV.