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Alt 92.3 Music Changes
- Thread starter MVB13
- Start date
Not hearing/seeing much of the rock lean you mentioned. They're not playing any recent/currents from Foo Fighters, Rise Against, Halestorm, Korn, Papa Roach, Wolf Alice which are all getting played at non-Audacy alternative stations. No gold tracks from bands like Metallica ,Three Days Grace, etc., which would have been KRock staples.
The sound still leans heavily toward whiney boy singers. Probably less than 10 percent female artists, although to their "credit" they did spin No Doubt 6x in the past day.
The sound still leans heavily toward whiney boy singers. Probably less than 10 percent female artists, although to their "credit" they did spin No Doubt 6x in the past day.
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When I look at that list, my question is: Where are their record label promotion staffs? Are they not trying to get their label's current music played? Or do they no longer care about radio airplay. If the answer is the latter, then it's time for radio stations to find something else to air on those stations.
It's probably not that the labels aren't trying, it's that Audacy has defined their Alt format to sound a certain way and they aren't interested in adding songs that don't fit into that rather small box.
David Eduardo will probably jump in here any minute to tell us but they test all those songs and the research shows that's what the people want to hear. But checking the ratings that doesn't seem to be true.
David Eduardo will probably jump in here any minute to tell us but they test all those songs and the research shows that's what the people want to hear. But checking the ratings that doesn't seem to be true.
But the topic of this thread is that the definition is in the process of changing. I'm seeing reports that Audacy stations in other places are also making playlist changes. Mike Kaplan has hired two new people who are overseeing changes in other regions.
Link to Alt 92.3 7-day playlist: https://onlineradiobox.com/us/wbmp/playlist/
Why do so many of Audacy's alt stations play Nine Days' "Absolutely, Story of a Girl" ?
That song belongs on a soccer mom AC station. There is absolutely nothing "alternative" about that song.
In terms of song choices, that playlist is a near replica of 103.7 in Dallas. The songs are played in a different order, mind you.
That song belongs on a soccer mom AC station. There is absolutely nothing "alternative" about that song.
In terms of song choices, that playlist is a near replica of 103.7 in Dallas. The songs are played in a different order, mind you.
Ever occur to you that the ratings may represent the entire potential audience for alt in the largely hard-wired-for-rhythmic NYC, and that playing the songs that don't make the cut with test audiences would just drive more listeners away than it would attract?
Ever occur to you that in a city that has few alt fans to begin with, it might be better to diversify/water down the playlist with songs that might actually bring female listeners into the fold? Think of it as the way country radio used to be in NYC in the WHN days -- little twang, lots of pop crossover and even pop songs with a country lean. If WHN had played the same songs that were being played in Shreveport or Knoxville, it wouldn't have done nearly as well as it did.
They could test it as applied to the "alternative" audience in these markets. But you should note that if the overall population of Alt audience is (arbitrary number) 10 to 15% of the overall population of music listeners, then the ratings will be low regardless of what tests well and what doesn't. The goal would then be to play songs that would attract that 10 to 15% of people who would buy products advertised on the station, while hopefully seeing more people in the overl population get attracted to the music.
In New York, there are probably two stations that cover some of that music with an overlap, WNYL and WAXQ. But, WAXQ is a classic rock station. So, playing No Doubt as was pointing out, could attract listeners. In other markets where the alternative stations were Foo Fighter, Nirvana, STP, and Pearl Jam focused, the issue is that they have classic rock, modern rock, and alternative stations all relying partially on those acts. In those markets, I agree with the point your making. Its burnt out and time to focus on building a current sound. I said that for Boston when it had more than just two classic rock stations. New York is just in a different boat, in my observation.
And since women are more likely to make impulse/trendy buys than men, softening the playlist is likely the optimal choice.
Didn't that song hit #10 on Billboard Alternative airplay? So not too out there. (And that song never charted on the Adult Contemporary chart.)
And even among men, the demographics are different than Houston, Tampa, and Cleveland. So less demand for a station dedicated to AC/DC, Staind, and Nickelback.
And even WAXQ is friendly towards pop rock, to the point of playing songs like Higher Love and Don't You (Forget About Me).
That isn't a New York exclusive idea. WZLX in Boston also plays pop rock in its rotation as well. Just looking at their playlist which has its predominant harder edge, they also play Message in a Bottle, Wheels in the Sky, Who Can it Be Now, Don't You Forget About Me (as you point out with WAXQ), and others.
Both WAXQ and WZLX are owned by iHeart, who seem to have a formula that works for classic rock. That includes songs that would more naturally appeal to female listeners. So, after this long winded diatribe, I agree.
I don't fully agree. I think anything rock orientated will struggle in New York City. Rock as a whole is down in interest, as is Alternative. But, if their small audience still brings in advertisers, why make the change?
The other question is what format is missing in New York that would be in demand? They flipped country to Classic Hip-Hop, so both of those are out of the question. Don't get me started on the moving of AM news to FM. Too many variables to attribute to that being a "no brainer." But I will point out the flaw in the "they did it in Los Angeles" statements that flooded the other thread, after KNOU started simulcasting KNX News. To think that the listening styles of Los Angeles and New York are exactly the same is short sighted.
Again, is WNYL not bringing in money as an Alternative station? And, if the answer is to flip it, the subsequent question is "flip it to what?"
It was a #10 Modern/Alternative Rock hit in the year 2000. It belongs to the era of what some are now calling "Minivan Rock":
The 50 Greatest Minivan Rock Songs
This was the dependable, generation-spanning pop/rock that filled in the gaps at the turn of the century between some of the more meteoric musical careers shooting off around it. We call it Minivan…
www.billboard.com
That's just it. People forgot that "alternative" spans many different sounds and target audiences. Since the 90s, most people associate Grunge with Alternative, as it was the dominant sound of the time. Modernly, bands like Chvrches come to my mind when thinking of Alternative, and bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam come to my mind when thinking of 90s rock.It was a #10 Modern/Alternative Rock hit in the year 2000. It belongs to the era of what some are now calling "Minivan Rock":
The 50 Greatest Minivan Rock Songs
This was the dependable, generation-spanning pop/rock that filled in the gaps at the turn of the century between some of the more meteoric musical careers shooting off around it. We call it Minivan…
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