Fl Classic Hits Formats

[John FL]

There’s an interesting string in the L.A. Board about Classic Hits KRTH adding RAP music to their playlist. As someone who has lived his entire life on the U.S. East Coast, I never listened much to KRTH. It’s not about which coast offers better radio, but rather it’s about what you get used to in overall sound and song popularity.

I have no idea when this was. But I gave a listen based on discussions on the board. Two songs stuck out. I specifically remember them, because I love both. One was Jose Feliciano’s brilliant cover “Light My Fire” followed by Chicago’s “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” My overall impression was the station was just going through the motions so I never listened again. In that string, various RAP artists were discussed, and I had no idea who and what they were talking about. How quickly time passes!

In my view, the most talked about classic hits stations on these radio boards would have to be NYC’s WCBS-FM, Philadelphia’s WOGL, and LA’s KRTH. Florida has had its share of classic hits discussion over the years but not the kind that attracts large numbers of posters and commentary as the aforementioned stations.

Reasons exist. But I feel no Florida Classic Hits station has earned the kind of notoriety found in some other markets. Miami's WMXJ did a great deal of specialty programming in its' time when it was the Magic brand. This was similar to what the old CBS Radio did in way of special countdowns etc. Yet, often times that extra effort was hardly ever acknowledged on these boards as we saw elsewhere.

Perhaps through this discussion, we’ll find out if any Florida Classic stations are featuring RAP. You often find markets such as NYC, and L.A jump out in front with new approaches. I would also think programmers at iHeart are not rushing to offer this in their Premium Choice stations. Very risky indeed. For L.A. most likely not.

I put together a summation of markets and regions radio stations in Florida offering classic hits. I’m noticing the classic hits format has a big tent. There are distinct differences in the format in various markets. While I don’t consider rock-only versions of the format to be a “true” classic hits station, which is multi-genre, they are nonetheless open for this discussion.

If there are any additions or corrections to the list, kindly advise. Classic Hits is a popular format and it no doubt plays into market/cluster strategies. Just for Florida alone, I’ve noticed substantial differences in some of the station playlists. I'll be sure to address some items I came across when putting the list together. There's also still some things up in the air in Lake City.

Market/Area	Station/Brand	Genre/Lean
Miami/Ft. Lauderdale	WMXJ 102.7 The Beach	Variety
Tampa/St.Petersburg/Clearwater	WXGL 107.3 The Eagle	Rock
Tampa/St.Petersburg/Clearwater	WRBQ Q-105	Variety
Orlando	98.9 WMMO Orlando's Classic Hits	Rock
Orlando	WOCL 105.9 Sunny FM	Variety
Jacksonville	WJGL 96.9 The Eagle	Rock
West Palm Beach	WEAT Sunny 107.9	Variety
Ft.Myers/Naples/Marco Island	WOLZ 95.3 The Beach	Variety
Sarasota/Bradenton	WSRZ 107.9 WSRZ The Suncoast's Greatest Hits	Variety
Gainesville/Ocala	WXJZ Classic Hits 100.9	Variety
Daytona Beach	WLOV 99.5 Daytona's Greatest Hits	Variety
Ft. Pierce/Stuart/Vero Beach	WQOL 103.7 The Treasure Coast's Greatest Hits	Variety
Melbourne/Titusville/Cocoa	WSBH 98.5 The Beach Space Coast's Greatest Hits	Variety
Pensacola	WJTQ Jet 100.7 Pensacola's Classic Hits	Rock
Tallahassee	WGLF Gulf 104 Tallahassee's Classic Hits	Rock
Fort Walton Beach	None
Panama City	None
Key West	WWUS 104.1 US 1 Radio	Rock
Flagler Beach/St. Augustine	W265CF KOOL 100.9 Flagler's Greatest Hits	Variety
Lake City	WNFB 94.3 The Lake	???

 

[ScottBurns]

There’s an interesting string in the L.A. Board about Classic Hits KRTH adding RAP music to their playlist. As someone who has lived his entire life on the U.S. East Coast, I never listened much to KRTH. It’s not about which coast offers better radio, but rather it’s about what you get used to in overall sound and song popularity.

I have no idea when this was. But I gave a listen based on discussions on the board. Two songs stuck out. I specifically remember them, because I love both. One was Jose Feliciano’s brilliant cover “Light My Fire” followed by Chicago’s “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” My overall impression was the station was just going through the motions so I never listened again. In that string, various RAP artists were discussed, and I had no idea who and what they were talking about. How quickly time passes!

In my view, the most talked about classic hits stations on these radio boards would have to be NYC’s WCBS-FM, Philadelphia’s WOGL, and LA’s KRTH. Florida has had its share of classic hits discussion over the years but not the kind that attracts large numbers of posters and commentary as the aforementioned stations.

Reasons exist. But I feel no Florida Classic Hits station has earned the kind of notoriety found in some other markets. Miami's WMXJ did a great deal of specialty programming in its' time when it was the Magic brand. This was similar to what the old CBS Radio did in way of special countdowns etc. Yet, often times that extra effort was hardly ever acknowledged on these boards as we saw elsewhere.

Perhaps through this discussion, we’ll find out if any Florida Classic stations are featuring RAP. You often find markets such as NYC, and L.A jump out in front with new approaches. I would also think programmers at iHeart are not rushing to offer this in their Premium Choice stations. Very risky indeed. For L.A. most likely not.

I put together a summation of markets and regions radio stations in Florida offering classic hits. I’m noticing the classic hits format has a big tent. There are distinct differences in the format in various markets. While I don’t consider rock-only versions of the format to be a “true” classic hits station, which is multi-genre, they are nonetheless open for this discussion.

If there are any additions or corrections to the list, kindly advise. Classic Hits is a popular format and it no doubt plays into market/cluster strategies. Just for Florida alone, I’ve noticed substantial differences in some of the station playlists. I'll be sure to address some items I came across when putting the list together. There's also still some things up in the air in Lake City.

Market/Area	Station/Brand	Genre/Lean
Miami/Ft. Lauderdale	WMXJ 102.7 The Beach	Variety
Tampa/St.Petersburg/Clearwater	WXGL 107.3 The Eagle	Rock
Tampa/St.Petersburg/Clearwater	WRBQ Q-105	Variety
Orlando	98.9 WMMO Orlando's Classic Hits	Rock
Orlando	WOCL 105.9 Sunny FM	Variety
Jacksonville	WJGL 96.9 The Eagle	Rock
West Palm Beach	WEAT Sunny 107.9	Variety
Ft.Myers/Naples/Marco Island	WOLZ 95.3 The Beach	Variety
Sarasota/Bradenton	WSRZ 107.9 WSRZ The Suncoast's Greatest Hits	Variety
Gainesville/Ocala	WXJZ Classic Hits 100.9	Variety
Daytona Beach	WLOV 99.5 Daytona's Greatest Hits	Variety
Ft. Pierce/Stuart/Vero Beach	WQOL 103.7 The Treasure Coast's Greatest Hits	Variety
Melbourne/Titusville/Cocoa	WSBH 98.5 The Beach Space Coast's Greatest Hits	Variety
Pensacola	WJTQ Jet 100.7 Pensacola's Classic Hits	Rock
Tallahassee	WGLF Gulf 104 Tallahassee's Classic Hits	Rock
Fort Walton Beach	None
Panama City	None
Key West	WWUS 104.1 US 1 Radio	Rock
Flagler Beach/St. Augustine	W265CF KOOL 100.9 Flagler's Greatest Hits	Variety
Lake City	WNFB 94.3 The Lake	???

Very interesting post, John. I have not been to Daytona in a while, but I had the impression that WLOV was more of an AC or even a Soft AC. Have they moved more in the Classic Hits direction? Also, one other station is Kool 105.5 out of the West Palm Beach market. While it is an AC, it leans Classic Hits at times, especially with some of the '80s songs they play (Hall and Oates and others).

 

[CentralFL]

WOCL Sunny 105.9 could fit into its own category of variety with its horrible talk-radio morning show. It is more like a standard AM radio conservative talk show than a show for a oldies/classic hits music station.

 

[John FL]

Very interesting post, John. I have not been to Daytona in a while, but I had the impression that WLOV was more of an AC or even a Soft AC. Have they moved more in the Classic Hits direction? Also, one other station is Kool 105.5 out of the West Palm Beach market. While it is an AC, it leans Classic Hits at times, especially with some of the '80s songs they play (Hall and Oates and others).

Thanks Scott. I can always count on you to add to the discussion.

It's probably a good a time as any to explain my rationale in categorizing the station lists. I looked at ratings reports. Those stations that were designated as classic hits were included on the list. There's a number of instances, with stations I am familiar with, that the format may not be technically classic hits in the way most execute the format, but they are marketed as such. It's actually a good strategy. I will explain this more in a separate post.

KOOL 105.5 certainly has an oldies format past. Many AC's have classic hits elements about them, especially the gold-based ACs. In my time in Jacksonville, for example, AC WEJZ was a hybrid classic hits station (the variety kind) IMO. It probably explains why there was no interest to support back in the early part of this century, an early classic hits/hybrid oldies type format in their cluster. It was a disaster and I suspect it was by design.

Quite frankly, there's a lot of song overlap...period. I talked about this in the past, but I analyzed CMG's "Eagle" brand of rock classic hits and found at a minimum a 2 out of 3 songs overlap with classic rock stations. In some instances it was 3 out of 4 songs when I substituted other classic rock stations. It's why I regard a market such as Jacksonville one that has a definite format hole for classic hits.

Then again, with 2 ACs playing songs that can be found on a variety-based classic hits format to include even some tunes on 96.9 The Eagle as well, and what's left? Oh, there are songs that can fit the bill. But given Jacksonville's penchant for not putting in much effort and not having the financial strength to see the format through, nor the kind of skilled programing talent found in larger markets, it's doubtful anything will change there anytime soon there.

 

[John FL]

WOCL Sunny 105.9 could fit into its own category of variety with its horrible talk-radio morning show. It is more like a standard AM radio conservative talk show than a show for a oldies/classic hits music station.

I will admit to liking Sunny 105.9 in the past. There were times I would have said they were the best station in all of Florida doing the format. Sometimes I wonder if PD Rick Stacey wants to get fired and be done with radio. The station was on top of the ratings heap and they went political talk a la Gutfeld! in morning drive. The ratings have dropped pretty substantially.

I don't care it it's right or left talk, just play the music and lots of it. I sincerely believe most hold my view. It's politics 24/7 as a way of life in the U.S. and I think people have had enough. There was a time I streamed Sunny on a fairly regular basis. I can't say when I last gave them a listen.

 

[ScottBurns]

Thanks for the reply, John. I see both CMG Eagle stations (Tampa and Jacksonville) as Classic Rock stations, not Classic Hits. Sunny, its morning show notwithstanding, or Q105, are more in line with what I see as a Classic Hits station. Perhaps the "variety" definition that you used is the one with which I align.

I always thought of Classic Hits as inclusive of the entirety of Top 40 in the era that it was playing. But, as we know, playlists are so tight that Classic Hits stations are never inclusive of the Top 40 of any era.

 

[John FL]

We continue with Florida Classic Hits.

In Daytona Beach, 99.5 WLOV Daytona’s Greatest Hits concentrates on softer hits of the past and is no doubt the stuff of a Soft AC hybrid. That market has Classic Rock WHOG-FM. For as long as I can remember, and that’s for decades, WHOG has been on top of the ratings.Obviously, WHOG has been a hugely popular station for a long time.

WLOV is usually in the Top 2 or 3. If they can sell to the audience their playlist delivers, no worries. The various ratings reports have long designated the station as classic hits. They promote themselves as such as well with "Greatest Hits." If you think about it, the smaller Daytona Beach market probably is served better by a station that leans in another direction and not rock or even pop rock.

Whether we’re talking about classic rock-oriented stations that market themselves as classic hits or AC-ish or even Soft-AC-ish stations that promote themselves as classic hits, I would think the drivers are the individual market and the revenue derived from their song orientation. It’s why I believe the classic hits format can play very well into strategy.

For Lake City, it was reported that Classic Hits “The Lake” moved from 106.5 WCJX to 94.3 WNFB. Apparently, they had issues launching on the new signal. It was difficult to even find their FB page which doesn’t have much to it. They don’t stream. Plus, I couldn’t find last songs played. If I recall correctly, the format on the previous signal had variety elements to it. Perhaps someone who lives in that area can provide better insight. A heck of an awful way to launch!

In Key West, WWUS (104.1 US 1 Radio) has taken a rock lean. The last time I heard that station would have been in 2020 when I researched ratings for the entire state of Florida. While Key West is not a Nielsen measured region, WWUS is recognized as heritage and popular.They have news blocks too which makes them unique for a music station.

Gone is Tom Kent’s nighttime 70s program. That’s something I enjoyed hearing. While we can acknowledge that 70s themed shows are no longer viable, there are other format options. I suspect revenue plays heavily. From what I understand, these type syndicated shows share in the revenue. Well, with the radio environment revenue-lean, especially for a place like Key West, it was no doubt a no-brainer decision.

Kent’s various syndicated programming has received thumbs down from most posters. On several stations, I’ve heard Tom Kent’s formats. I often thought the song titles, interractions, and song positioning were far more interesting than the stations’ actual overall sound. Just my take.

The area south of Jacksonville and north of Daytona Beach is worth discussing. I’ll also explain why I included a translator station found there as one to include in the classic hits station list.

 

[gr8oldies]

I sometimes listened to WMXJ online at work, and it was unique in adding in the more R&B-oriented hits from the 70s and 80s, including mixshows. It may have been the only station in the US with "Rapper's Delight" in regular rotation. I listened more recently, but not at length and they sounded more like a standard-issue Classic Hits, but I will admit it was a short listen.

 

[ScottBurns]

We continue with Florida Classic Hits.

In Daytona Beach, 99.5 WLOV Daytona’s Greatest Hits concentrates on softer hits of the past and is no doubt the stuff of a Soft AC hybrid. That market has Classic Rock WHOG-FM. For as long as I can remember, and that’s for decades, WHOG has been on top of the ratings.Obviously, WHOG has been a hugely popular station for a long time.

WLOV is usually in the Top 2 or 3. If they can sell to the audience their playlist delivers, no worries. The various ratings reports have long designated the station as classic hits. They promote themselves as such as well with "Greatest Hits." If you think about it, the smaller Daytona Beach market probably is served better by a station that leans in another direction and not rock or even pop rock.

Whether we’re talking about classic rock-oriented stations that market themselves as classic hits or AC-ish or even Soft-AC-ish stations that promote themselves as classic hits, I would think the drivers are the individual market and the revenue derived from their song orientation. It’s why I believe the classic hits format can play very well into strategy.

For Lake City, it was reported that Classic Hits “The Lake” moved from 106.5 WCJX to 94.3 WNFB. Apparently, they had issues launching on the new signal. It was difficult to even find their FB page which doesn’t have much to it. They don’t stream. Plus, I couldn’t find last songs played. If I recall correctly, the format on the previous signal had variety elements to it. Perhaps someone who lives in that area can provide better insight. A heck of an awful way to launch!

In Key West, WWUS (104.1 US 1 Radio) has taken a rock lean. The last time I heard that station would have been in 2020 when I researched ratings for the entire state of Florida. While Key West is not a Nielsen measured region, WWUS is recognized as heritage and popular.They have news blocks too which makes them unique for a music station.

Gone is Tom Kent’s nighttime 70s program. That’s something I enjoyed hearing. While we can acknowledge that 70s themed shows are no longer viable, there are other format options. I suspect revenue plays heavily. From what I understand, these type syndicated shows share in the revenue. Well, with the radio environment revenue-lean, especially for a place like Key West, it was no doubt a no-brainer decision.

Kent’s various syndicated programming has received thumbs down from most posters. On several stations, I’ve heard Tom Kent’s formats. I often thought the song titles, interractions, and song positioning were far more interesting than the stations’ actual overall sound. Just my take.

The area south of Jacksonville and north of Daytona Beach is worth discussing. I’ll also explain why I included a translator station found there as one to include in the classic hits station list.

That makes a great deal of sense. If I am not mistaken, WLOV has not been on the air all that long. Maybe 10 years. I know WHOG always had good numbers. And Coast Country (it used to be called Crow Country) has also done well. The unique thing about Daytona is that most of the Orlando stations come in like locals. But nearly all Orlando FMs ignore Daytona.

You make such a good point about the individual market determining the lean of Classic Hits stations. I am not as educated on Daytona's demographics, but the Soft AC-lean of WLOV - even its branding - must fit that market.

 

[ScottBurns]

I sometimes listened to WMXJ online at work, and it was unique in adding in the more R&B-oriented hits from the 70s and 80s, including mixshows. It may have been the only station in the US with "Rapper's Delight" in regular rotation. I listened more recently, but not at length and they sounded more like a standard-issue Classic Hits, but I will admit it was a short listen.

Q105 in Tampa also has had Rhythmic songs in its rotation...

 

[John FL]

You make such a good point about the individual market determining the lean of Classic Hits stations. I am not as educated on Daytona's demographics, but the Soft AC-lean of WLOV - even its branding - must fit that market.

Volusia County (Home to Daytona Beach) median age is 46.5 with 25% of the population over 65. Daytona Beach is actually much "younger" than the surrounding areas. There, the median age is 39.3. Just over half the population of Volusia is female. Just to the north in Flagler County where WLOV can be heard along the I-95 corridor and coast, the median age is 52.

And so, a WLOV and their soft approach to classic hits makes sense IMO.

Flagler Broadcasting has made a name for itself. Some time ago, around 2008 I think, the old Clear Channel in Jacksonville was required to sell off station(s) in order to remain under ownership caps. 92.7 was sold to Flagler and wound up becoming an Adult Hits format WBHQ. In time, there would be a sister station to WBHQ in St. Augustine offering Adult Hits. Both were branded as "Beach" but programmed separately.

These two stations are nothing like the Jack FM's of the world. They are far better. Interestingly, while they never called themselves classic hits or greatest hits, the overall sound and vibe have a presentation style that's like classic hits. Over time, Flagler Broadcasting would see a local news station, two county formats, the two adult hits, and a translator station featuring Soft AC.

The Soft AC eventually flipped to classic rock. Perhaps WLOV was strong enough with billing in coastal Flagler thereby making a Soft AC a challenging format to maintain. That's just my guess. Perhaps classic rock was a challenge given WHOG's enormous popularity and far better signal. They say three is a charm and that little translator was branded as KOOL 100.9, and oldies.

KOOL but with a "C" was an extremely popular station in Jacksonville doing the oldies format before Eagle came along and ended all of those "Good times and great oldies." Flagler still uses the sunglass image, just like Jacksonville had to designate the two O's in KOOL/ Cool. It's still a great image even after all this time.

While it may be a stretch to have included KOOL 100.9 in the Florida classic hits list as it is almost all 60s and 70s music, it's nonetheless branded as "Flagler's Greatest Hits." On occasion, an 80s song does pop up in the mix. About the best way I can describe their sound, it's like a throwback to the time some oldies stations were morphing into classic hits.

It's done well. And you'll find their playlist is quite inclusive of many genres of music. They go way beyond the overplayed 60s songs found on iHeart's Premium Choice oldies formats With two adult hits format that feature a good amount of 80s titles, KOOL can't even be considered indirect competition.

Collectively, with both KOOL and Beach, it makes for one heck of a classic hits station. Here's a perfect example of a small company and a relatively low population area that's refreshingly not cookie-cutter. In my view, radio is at its best when it super serves the local community and they do.

Unlike a lot of small companies we see, these guys stream their stations. For the curious, you can check out how "KOOL" the station sounds.

Kool 100.9 | Our Stations | Flagler Radio

100.9 KOOL FM is a station built on the roots of rock n roll with a nearly 50/50 mix of hits from the 60s and 70s.

flaglerbroadcasting.com

More to come...

 

[ScottBurns]

Volusia County (Home to Daytona Beach) median age is 46.5 with 25% of the population over 65. Daytona Beach is actually much "younger" than the surrounding areas. There, the median age is 39.3. Just over half the population of Volusia is female. Just to the north in Flagler County where WLOV can be heard along the I-95 corridor and coast, the median age is 52.

And so, a WLOV and their soft approach to classic hits makes sense IMO.

Flagler Broadcasting has made a name for itself. Some time ago, around 2008 I think, the old Clear Channel in Jacksonville was required to sell off station(s) in order to remain under ownership caps. 92.7 was sold to Flagler and wound up becoming an Adult Hits format WBHQ. In time, there would be a sister station to WBHQ in St. Augustine offering Adult Hits. Both were branded as "Beach" but programmed separately.

These two stations are nothing like the Jack FM's of the world. They are far better. Interestingly, while they never called themselves classic hits or greatest hits, the overall sound and vibe have a presentation style that's like classic hits. Over time, Flagler Broadcasting would see a local news station, two county formats, the two adult hits, and a translator station featuring Soft AC.

The Soft AC eventually flipped to classic rock. Perhaps WLOV was strong enough with billing in coastal Flagler thereby making a Soft AC a challenging format to maintain. That's just my guess. Perhaps classic rock was a challenge given WHOG's enormous popularity and far better signal. They say three is a charm and that little translator was branded as KOOL 100.9, and oldies.

KOOL but with a "C" was an extremely popular station in Jacksonville doing the oldies format before Eagle came along and ended all of those "Good times and great oldies." Flagler still uses the sunglass image, just like Jacksonville had to designate the two O's in KOOL/ Cool. It's still a great image even after all this time.

While it may be a stretch to have included KOOL 100.9 in the Florida classic hits list as it is almost all 60s and 70s music, it's nonetheless branded as "Flagler's Greatest Hits." On occasion, an 80s song does pop up in the mix. About the best way I can describe their sound, it's like a throwback to the time some oldies stations were morphing into classic hits.

It's done well. And you'll find their playlist is quite inclusive of many genres of music. They go way beyond the overplayed 60s songs found on iHeart's Premium Choice oldies formats With two adult hits format that feature a good amount of 80s titles, KOOL can't even be considered indirect competition.

Collectively, with both KOOL and Beach, it makes for one heck of a classic hits station. Here's a perfect example of a small company and a relatively low population area that's refreshingly not cookie-cutter. In my view, radio is at its best when it super serves the local community and they do.

Unlike a lot of small companies we see, these guys stream their stations. For the curious, you can check out how "KOOL" the station sounds.

Kool 100.9 | Our Stations | Flagler Radio

100.9 KOOL FM is a station built on the roots of rock n roll with a nearly 50/50 mix of hits from the 60s and 70s.

flaglerbroadcasting.com

More to come...

Your posts always teach me something, John. Thank you. I agree with your analysis about smaller operators. I especially agree with your point about serving the local community. As much as I like the music variety better on iHeart's Classic Hits stations, there's very little that is local about WQOL, WOLZ, or WSRZ. The latter, from recent memory, has no local hosts. CMG's Classic Hits stations are more repetitive and lean too heavily on Rock.

One thing about which I wonder is the future of Classic Hits. As the '80s ages out, what will happen to the Rock-leaning Classic Hits stations like CMG's Eagle stations in Tampa and Jacksonville? Will those stations morph into Classic Rockers, a format in which music does not seem to have an expiration date? The problem with 90s Rock is that Alternative was often not mainstream, and Alternative music doesn't exact fit with the Classic Hits concept.

 

[John FL]

One thing about which I wonder is the future of Classic Hits. As the '80s ages out, what will happen to the Rock-leaning Classic Hits stations like CMG's Eagle stations in Tampa and Jacksonville? Will those stations morph into Classic Rockers, a format in which music does not seem to have an expiration date? The problem with 90s Rock is that Alternative was often not mainstream, and Alternative music doesn't exact fit with the Classic Hits concept.

My knowledge about 90s rock is practically zero. I've seen conversations about this on the boards but can't remember anything about what was said as this subject has no interest to me.

But what I suspect is those who operate these classic rockers in classic hits name only will find a way to keep it going. At first glance, I would think the classic hits formats that are multi-genre won't have as much difficulty. There's quite a lot of pop and rhythmic music in the 90s. If there's a part of the 90s decade that's especially good in my opinion is the late 90s so there's growth.

You or someone else on this string may have said that classic hits should reflect CHR of the past. That's how I feel too. The "Eagles" of the world don't do that, never did that, now will they ever do that. They are a one-note genre and to me they are very boring formats. There's more personality too from the jocks on the variety-based formats overall too. Yet, they tend to perform very well. It's not the first nor last time my musical preferences are not in sync with the general public.

I was planning on talking about Eagle in this string. But more along how it came about and how it changed a lot of my attitude about radio and how it operates. From a listener perspective, I'm happy to see a number of markets in Florida give listeners a choice between the rock and variety versions of the format.

 

[ScottBurns]

My knowledge about 90s rock is practically zero. I've seen conversations about this on the boards but can't remember anything about what was said as this subject has no interest to me.

But what I suspect is those who operate these classic rockers in classic hits name only will find a way to keep it going. At first glance, I would think the classic hits formats that are multi-genre won't have as much difficulty. There's quite a lot of pop and rhythmic music in the 90s. If there's a part of the 90s decade that's especially good in my opinion is the late 90s so there's growth.

You or someone else on this string may have said that classic hits should reflect CHR of the past. That's how I feel too. The "Eagles" of the world don't do that, never did that, now will they ever do that. They are a one-note genre and to me they are very boring formats. There's more personality too from the jocks on the variety-based formats overall too. Yet, they tend to perform very well. It's not the first nor last time my musical preferences are not in sync with the general public.

I was planning on talking about Eagle in this string. But more along how it came about and how it changed a lot of my attitude about radio and how it operates. From a listener perspective, I'm happy to see a number of markets in Florida give listeners a choice between the rock and variety versions of the format.

Yes, that was exactly what I meant. I prefer Classic Hits that represent the CHR of the past. And '90s CHR - especially the middle part of the decade - represent a wide swath of genres, from Alternative to Dance to Rhythmic. I fear that the future Classic Hits stations will become what the '80s Classic Hits stations are now - they'll represent a small sample of Rock-leaning songs, and perhaps some Rhythmic cuts, that test well, and that these stations will omit the overwhelming majority of CHR songs from the '90s.

I think the "Eagle" format can go in one of two directions:
1. Stay Classic Rock and focus on 70s and 80s Classic Rock songs that still appeal to younger audiences.
2. Evolve by including more and more Alternative songs from the '90s. Most Rock in the '90s was classified as Alternative.

My guess is that the "Eagle" format will stick with the first direction.

 

[John FL]

It's anyone's guess what happens in the future when talking radio. I don't engage in it much because my credibility gets shot to hell as my predictions have rarely come to fruition. For starters, I like to think logically and methodically about things. Radio doesn't always work that way, especially when "back against the wall" scenarios develop.

If there is anything that has remained constant with the general public, it's that they don't like changes that are too sudden and too frequent. Yet, it's a pitfall we see a lot in the business. Scott, I think you're from New England originally and you may be familiar with this station.

WDRC-FM had a good long history in Hartford, Connecticut as an oldies station and then eventually classic hits. That station was among the ones I streamed because I considered it above average fare. I especially liked a 70s syndicated show that featured songs I loved not found elsewhere.

"CT Listener" could probably shed more light on this. He did let me know way back when that Hartford had economic issues. That was one of a number of problems facing the station. So what did they do? They started playing TWO 90s songs per hour. It was too fast and too excessive. I recall WCBS-FM, at the time - whenever that was, featured 90s titles VERY infrequently in comparison. They took the slow and steady course of updating their music sweet spot.

WDRC-FM is classic rock today. The 90s are a challenging decade for music. My view on it is mass appeal music was gone by then. Radio was fragmented. Long gone was music on AM Radio where truly there was a "we play everything" kind of mentality.

But I also believe every decade has music worth hearing. The trick is to find it, test it, and play it in a way that makes sense. To not go so far off course, I can think of WMXJ in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale.

As an oldies station, I considered them one of the best in the entire country. Maybe it was market size, maybe it was at a time revenue didn't see as many challenges. But the old Magic 102.7 hosted many concerts every year. I saw just about everyone who was still alive doing their acts. On the air, the music flowed extremely well.

Mindy Lang, who was long the MD at the station, was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. No doubt, WOGL had influence on her because Magic played a lot of Motown, Soul & R&B in its time.

There were a number of PDs who came and went. They just didn't understand Miami and South Florida. As classic hits, Magic 102.7 sounded "mechanical" when the updated 70s music aired. It was predictable. At 0:45 there was always a 70s rock 'n roll song, especially ELO. At 0:30 there was often a disco song. Most of the rest of the hour was still oldies.

The reason I bring this up is music is the bread and butter of every music format. In the KRTH Rap Music string that inspired me to post this subject, many of the posters talked about just how careful and methodical KRTH is when it comes to the music.

Here in Florida, I've seen lots of sloppy presentation. It's no wonder some stations have fallen by the wayside. The average listener is not radio-intensive as what you find on these boards. But they know a good thing when they hear it.

I have no idea how today's WMXJ and their Beach brand sounds. I haven't listened for a long time. I welcome comments about them. As the classic hits station in Florida's biggest and most diverse market, they need to be exceptional.

 

[ScottBurns]

It's anyone's guess what happens in the future when talking radio. I don't engage in it much because my credibility gets shot to hell as my predictions have rarely come to fruition. For starters, I like to think logically and methodically about things. Radio doesn't always work that way, especially when "back against the wall" scenarios develop.

If there is anything that has remained constant with the general public, it's that they don't like changes that are too sudden and too frequent. Yet, it's a pitfall we see a lot in the business. Scott, I think you're from New England originally and you may be familiar with this station.

WDRC-FM had a good long history in Hartford, Connecticut as an oldies station and then eventually classic hits. That station was among the ones I streamed because I considered it above average fare. I especially liked a 70s syndicated show that featured songs I loved not found elsewhere.

"CT Listener" could probably shed more light on this. He did let me know way back when that Hartford had economic issues. That was one of a number of problems facing the station. So what did they do? They started playing TWO 90s songs per hour. It was too fast and too excessive. I recall WCBS-FM, at the time - whenever that was, featured 90s titles VERY infrequently in comparison. They took the slow and steady course of updating their music sweet spot.

WDRC-FM is classic rock today. The 90s are a challenging decade for music. My view on it is mass appeal music was gone by then. Radio was fragmented. Long gone was music on AM Radio where truly there was a "we play everything" kind of mentality.

But I also believe every decade has music worth hearing. The trick is to find it, test it, and play it in a way that makes sense. To not go so far off course, I can think of WMXJ in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale.

As an oldies station, I considered them one of the best in the entire country. Maybe it was market size, maybe it was at a time revenue didn't see as many challenges. But the old Magic 102.7 hosted many concerts every year. I saw just about everyone who was still alive doing their acts. On the air, the music flowed extremely well.

Mindy Lang, who was long the MD at the station, was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. No doubt, WOGL had influence on her because Magic played a lot of Motown, Soul & R&B in its time.

There were a number of PDs who came and went. They just didn't understand Miami and South Florida. As classic hits, Magic 102.7 sounded "mechanical" when the updated 70s music aired. It was predictable. At 0:45 there was always a 70s rock 'n roll song, especially ELO. At 0:30 there was often a disco song. Most of the rest of the hour was still oldies.

The reason I bring this up is music is the bread and butter of every music format. In the KRTH Rap Music string that inspired me to post this subject, many of the posters talked about just how careful and methodical KRTH is when it comes to the music.

Here in Florida, I've seen lots of sloppy presentation. It's no wonder some stations have fallen by the wayside. The average listener is not radio-intensive as what you find on these boards. But they know a good thing when they hear it.

I have no idea how today's WMXJ and their Beach brand sounds. I haven't listened for a long time. I welcome comments about them. As the classic hits station in Florida's biggest and most diverse market, they need to be exceptional.

I enjoy the Beach, largely because they play songs that most Classic Hits stations don't play. They are more reflective of a CHR from that time period. Despite how different they are from, say, WQOL, they also are repetitive and give some songs too many spins per week. It's true, however, that the Beach is programmed to its market. I know that Audacy has done some extensive research into the market.

You are right about mass appeal being gone by the '90s. That is why I'm guessing that the future Classic Hits stations will be composed of what tests well in each market. In some markets, it'll be CHR-like, with songs ranging from Alternative to Pop to Rap. In other markets, it'll be very Rock and Alternative-heavy.

I am familiar with WDRC-FM, as I spent roughly half my childhood in neighboring RI and still go there during parts of my summers. From what I understand, the station's audience was becoming too old, costing them ad dollars. The move to Classic Rock was done in order to attract a younger demo.

 

[vw86]

I will admit to liking Sunny 105.9 in the past. There were times I would have said they were the best station in all of Florida doing the format. Sometimes I wonder if PD Rick Stacey wants to get fired and be done with radio. The station was on top of the ratings heap and they went political talk a la Gutfeld! in morning drive. The ratings have dropped pretty substantially.

I don't care it it's right or left talk, just play the music and lots of it. I sincerely believe most hold my view. It's politics 24/7 as a way of life in the U.S. and I think people have had enough. There was a time I streamed Sunny on a fairly regular basis. I can't say when I last gave them a listen.

I just posted this in the Paco Lopez thread! 1059 from 2010-2016ish was absolutely amazing. It was a perfect modern take on old school radio. The morning show is absolutely terrible now and completely off format for a music station. Domino sounds tired. The imaging isn't exciting anymore. Sybil on middays is the highlight for me now and the only time I listen.

 

[John FL]

Appreciate all the responses.

I took a look at Miami's 102.7 The Beach's playlist. The station is well-positioned I suppose but I'm not blown away really. I also realize I shouldn't make a judgement based on a couple of hours of songs. I would need to listen intently. There was a time that would have been a joy and not a chore. The truth is my overall listening to the classic hits format is way down.

The talent lineup is different than I recall. I may have missed the news on this but I didn't see "DJ Holiday" anywhere on the schedule. He was the last link to the past and the old Magic 102.7. I know he was MD and from various comments I read, he was regarded as doing a good job.

Perhaps it's a weakness of mine but I get very attached to people on the radio. You'd think by now with the revolving door when it comes to talent, that I would grown used to all of that. I do realize nothing stands still in business and radio is a business. Quite a lot goes into a stations' branding. With wrong decisions comes consequences. No one can deny that the old Magic 102.7 was given a very long run. That was under smaller company ownership.

Obviously, that all changed. And while I don't like to get into all "big companies are bad" mentality, there's also the reality that overall, expectations are much higher the bigger the company. For what it's worth, the last PD under Magic did a good job positioning the station into the 80s. We can all play Monday morning quarterback and acknowledge that a talent with a Hispanic surname was needed but who knows? That may have been in the works. The Magic brand took a hit and that's the way it is.

On a personal listening level, I absolutely loved Magic 102.7, especially in its "heyday." Having listened for 30+ years with many of the same jocks all that time, it's hard shaking the positive impressions made.

Just up the coast is West Palm's WEAT/Sunny 107.9. It's a station I enjoy hearing when I'm down that way or even as close to home as Port St. Lucie. It's my speed when it comes to classic hits. No, they are not a perfect station but musically, they remind me of the old Magic in certain ways. Magic did have some AC elements to it with the various artists that got good spins. Sunny 107.9 has a lot of pop music elements to it. Good for some casual listening but the love I once had the format is just not there.

 

[ScottBurns]

Appreciate all the responses.

I took a look at Miami's 102.7 The Beach's playlist. The station is well-positioned I suppose but I'm not blown away really. I also realize I shouldn't make a judgement based on a couple of hours of songs. I would need to listen intently. There was a time that would have been a joy and not a chore. The truth is my overall listening to the classic hits format is way down.

The talent lineup is different than I recall. I may have missed the news on this but I didn't see "DJ Holiday" anywhere on the schedule. He was the last link to the past and the old Magic 102.7. I know he was MD and from various comments I read, he was regarded as doing a good job.

Perhaps it's a weakness of mine but I get very attached to people on the radio. You'd think by now with the revolving door when it comes to talent, that I would grown used to all of that. I do realize nothing stands still in business and radio is a business. Quite a lot goes into a stations' branding. With wrong decisions comes consequences. No one can deny that the old Magic 102.7 was given a very long run. That was under smaller company ownership.

Obviously, that all changed. And while I don't like to get into all "big companies are bad" mentality, there's also the reality that overall, expectations are much higher the bigger the company. For what it's worth, the last PD under Magic did a good job positioning the station into the 80s. We can all play Monday morning quarterback and acknowledge that a talent with a Hispanic surname was needed but who knows? That may have been in the works. The Magic brand took a hit and that's the way it is.

On a personal listening level, I absolutely loved Magic 102.7, especially in its "heyday." Having listened for 30+ years with many of the same jocks all that time, it's hard shaking the positive impressions made.

Just up the coast is West Palm's WEAT/Sunny 107.9. It's a station I enjoy hearing when I'm down that way or even as close to home as Port St. Lucie. It's my speed when it comes to classic hits. No, they are not a perfect station but musically, they remind me of the old Magic in certain ways. Magic did have some AC elements to it with the various artists that got good spins. Sunny 107.9 has a lot of pop music elements to it. Good for some casual listening but the love I once had the format is just not there.

The thing that is so disappointing about the Classic Hits format is the potential it has. A real 80s-based CHR would be such fun! I know I've mentioned it before and you've checked it out, WPLM-FM/Easy 99.1 out of Plymouth, MA, comes closer than any station I have ever heard to pulling this off (www.easy991.com). But you've also made me mindful of something, John. I should appreciate the better variety of WEAT-FM and WMXJ, especially when compared to the Eagle stations in Tampa and Jacksonville, as well as WMMO/Orlando.

I echo your thoughts about attachment to jocks. To my great consternation, personality has been removed from most FM music stations across the United States. We know why it has been done, as most listeners don't share our enthusiasm for DJs and their salaries have become an albatross for debt-ridden companies. But I think of some of the stations of my youth, from Power 96 during its heyday to my hometown WOVV, and part of the reason I loved listening was the jock on the air. And on the other dial, too many people in South Florida did not appreciate that for almost four decades, we had what might have been the biggest talent in the history of talk radio - Neil Rogers.

 

[John FL]

But you've also made me mindful of something, John. I should appreciate the better variety of WEAT-FM and WMXJ, especially when compared to the Eagle stations in Tampa and Jacksonville, as well as WMMO/Orlando.

I was curious about two classic hits formats in Pensacola and Tallahassee. It's been nearly 3 years since I heard them. They are both Cumulus Media stations. When I listened to them the last time for one of my radio posts, I found them both lacking. In my view Cumulus and it's Westwood One version of iHeart's Premium Choice have some commonality such as VT/syndicated jocks and programing.

Pensacola's WJTQ Jet 100.7 and Tallahassee's WGLF Gulf 104 were not carrying the same programing when I listened today in the midday daypart. Jet is more rock-edgy than Gulf but not that far apart. While I try to look for the positive in everything, I will say the presentation is a little better than I remember it. But iHeart is still far more superior in my view.

At first glance, it doesn't look like Jet has any local personalities. Gulf looks like they carry a local PM drive host. I could be wrong but as we know when it comes to radio, it's not always easy figuring who is live and local.

For Gulf 104, here's a 10 song compilation in exact order as they played earlier today:

Candle in the Wind - Elton John
Carry on Wayward Son - Kansas
Fortunate Son - CCR
If You Leave - OMD
Hungry Heart - Bruce Springsteen
Baby, I Love Your Way - Peter Frampton
Take It Easy - Eagles
Dream Weaver - Gary Wright
Jump - Van Halen
Come Together - Beatles

iHeart's 103.7 WQOL The Treasure Coast's Greatest Hits at just about the same time featured:

Don't Speak - No Doubt
Here I Go Again - Whitesnake
Something to Talk About - Bonnie Raitt
Don't Stop Believing - Journey
Listen to Your Heart - Roxette
Your Love - Outfield
Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Eurythmics
Lean On Me - Club Nouveau
All Star - Smash Mouth

Variety-based classic hits formats shout fun IMO. Quite a few 90s titles in this 10 song sample. But what I especially like is it isn't formulaic. There's a natural flow. You won't hear X# of 90s titles in another 10 song set. And that's better programing because it doesn't try to fit round pegs in square holes. Over time, the sound of the station will come through.

Another 10 song-set that happened a little later:

Faithfully - Journey
Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield
We Will Rock You - Queen
Let's Go Crazy - Prince
Vacation - Go Go's
I Love Rock 'N Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Piano Man - Billy Joel
Got My Mind Set On You - George Harrison
September - Earth, Wind & Fire
Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi

We will revisit Cumulus and their Westwood One Classic Hits programing in an upcoming post. I much prefer the inclusive nature of variety-based classic hits. Perfect it's not and we do see far less music from artists of color than we've seen in the past, but it's still far better than zero. Yes, I do appreciate living where I am.