It seemed that practically all the toons that they were dishing out were teenagers solving groovy mysteries and playing in rock groups as a side job. Even the Scooby Doo gang was originally a rock group that solved mysteries but for some reason that idea was scrapped.

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/sK5x69G-ftw/0.jpg

They found a formula that worked so they just kept repeating it. I think in the end that was to their detriment. The shows all started to look alike and sound alike and it didn't take long for audiences to get bored. And soon all the look alike shows began disappearing from the airwaves.

In the late '60s, Archie series comic books exploded in popularity and that also extended to The Archies and Josie and the Pussycats in the music genre or whatever -- animation followed. There was also the popularity of The Partridge Family which followed The Monkees (and The Monkees continued to air in Saturday morning syndication in the '70s). H-B no doubt became aware of the kinds of ratings these series drew.

I'm surprised that Adult Swim (or Cartoon Network) didn't have a Battle of the Bands for the Hanna-Barbera Bands.

It seemed that practically all the toons that they were dishing out were teenagers solving groovy mysteries and playing in rock groups as a side job. Even the Scooby Doo gang was originally a rock group that solved mysteries but for some reason that idea was scrapped.

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/sK5x69G-ftw/0.jpg




Rock and roll was cool back then.

It also provided the shows with some groovy background music while the characters were chasing villians and ghosts.