KITS 105.3 Stunting... Return of Live 105?

[Theater of My Mind]

New music needs context. You can't just have the computer drop "Empty Nest" or "Overrated" after "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

I think fans of the alternative format are more receptive to new music in the mix than listeners to formats like classic rock or classic hits.

Live 105 is going to target the adults who grew up with the music and the station when it was at its best, who want that familiarity without being completely stuck in the past with a playlist of all-old stuff. This approach makes more sense than Mike Kaplan's previous effort to attract a new, young alternative audience with a current-heavy mix of tik tok 'Alt' artists. That never worked because that's not the audience that listens to radio to discover new music anymore.

That's why I'm not a fan of launching this as unhosted. It's the same presentation as Dave.

It's not likely to make a big difference. People will judge the station by what it becomes.

 

[Radiopaw]

Live 105 is going to target the adults who grew up with the music and the station when it was at its best, who want that familiarity without being completely stuck in the past with a playlist of all-old stuff.

From what I’ve read on the article and seen from Audacy’s staff answering around on Twitter, yes and no.

Audacy wants to hit the rewind to 2017, before the rebrand to Alt 105.3 it seems. The goal seems to be well said in the quote “represent the past, present and future of alternative” — they want to make the station familiar to the long time listeners of Live 105 while also catering to the same innovative and experimental spirit of the station. The director for both Alice and the soon to be Live 105 implied the mix should be a pretty decent half and half.

 

[michael hagerty]

Audacy wants to hit the rewind to 2017, before the rebrand to Alt 105.3 it seems.

That only takes them back to a moment when they felt what they had wasn’t working. Yeah, it might be better than the six years that followed, but…

 

[MarkW]

New music needs context. You can't just have the computer drop "Empty Nest" or "Overrated" after "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

Agreed!

Unfortunately, what you described seems to be what KROQ is doing these days.

 

[TheBigA]

I think fans of the alternative format are more receptive to new music in the mix than listeners to formats like classic rock or classic hits.

That hasn't been the experience at other alternatives. Music in this format can be very divisive. There is no consensus in this format, and nothing to base what's good or bad. It's all about what I like and what I don't like. That's why it's so hard playing currents. No basis for making music decisions except personal taste.

What they're doing at KVIL is they play 10 popular currents, and play them each about 40 times a week. The rest is 80s, 90s, 2000s. The playlist is 375 songs total. By currents, I really mean recents, because some of those songs are three years old.

 

[TheBigA]

Unfortunately, what you described seems to be what KROQ is doing these days.

The playlist at KROQ is very different from the one at KVIL. They play fewer currents more often. Three new songs each get played 40 times a week. Linkin Park & Foo Fighters. Then some recurrents. The overall playlist is over 500 songs. Miles the DJ is KROQ's music director. If he's going to be involved at this station, you may hear more variety, but less new music.

 

[Mark Roberts]

I think the perfect sendoff for "Dave" on Monday morning would be Axodry's "You". (Listen to the lyrics and see.) Even better if they could get Steve Masters to spin it but that may be pumping for even too much more already.

With my track record of off-hand jokey remarks coming to life...who knows?

 

[RMarino]

Believe it or not, "Long Day" didn't get pushed to Alt. It was pushed to Active Rock/Mainstream Rock only, and peaked at #8 on the Billboard MR chart.

“Long Day” was pushed to Alternative/Modern Rock. I know this because I was an MD in the format at the time. I also remember we had to pass on it because we couldn’t get a clean edit version.

 

[AceBiscuits]

I have never listened to Dave FM prior to this, but the playlist has so far been interesting. In the last hour, there has been an early Beatles song ("Twist and Shout"), Lit's "My Worst Enemy", and Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing". The rest has been standard 80's classic hits fare.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Here are airchecks of Live105 from its first stint in the 1990's. However they need to go to 2010's and 2020's if they are going to make the reboot work though.

 

[PrezSquid]

Agreed!

Unfortunately, what you described seems to be what KROQ is doing these days.

The difference though they have djs that mention what the new music is about. Isn't thebigA referring to when it's jockless and they randomly play the new Silversun Pickups without a dj mentioning what the new song is?

Because if it's just playing Empty Nest after Nirvana that's the problem, that's goofy, especially since Silversun Pickups have been a longtime beloved alternative act, are we just supposed to play grunge and 90s alt rock forever lol

 

[markkatt]

@sfradio, I’d be interested in trading for the launch as well.

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

Again, it seems like the industry is more concerned about the advertisers than the customers a radio station needs to survive.

What happens when classic alternative is doing the same schtick in 10-20 years when Gen X'ers pass away? You really think anyone younger is gonna be listening to a format like that to help with advertising?

Lol. I’m at the tail end of the Baby Boomers and my parents are part of the silent generation and still alive. Let’s not plan the burials of the Gen X’ers yet. The youngest Gen X’ers are still in the sales demos.

 

[PrezSquid]

Lol. I’m at the tail end of the Baby Boomers and my parents are part of the silent generation and still alive. Let’s not plan the burials of the Gen X’ers yet. The youngest Gen X’ers are still in the sales demos.

Oh, you're from Los Angeles? Care to explain why San Diego plays more new music from LA alternative artists than LA itself does now?

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

Oh, you're from Los Angeles? Care to explain why San Diego plays more new music from LA alternative artists than LA itself does now?

Not sure. I don’t think an LA station would play a new song from a ‘local artist’ just for the sake of it being local except for KCRW or maybe KCSN.

As for San Diego, it could be that the ethnic demos are different.

 

[PrezSquid]

Not sure. I don’t think an LA station would play a new song from a ‘local artist’ just for the sake of it being local except for KCRW or maybe KCSN.

As for San Diego, it could be that the ethnic demos are different.

Not even from an established artist like K. Flay? Or Momma? Or anyone with a decent fanbase?

Isn't that how Red Hot Chili Peppers became famous? Or Blink-182 in San Diego? Local shows are supposed to exist to help let people know about local artists they may not know about unless they're really in the know going to local concerts or listening on the internet.

 

[davideduardo]

As for San Diego, it could be that the ethnic demos are different.

Very, very different.

 

[TheBigA]

Local shows are supposed to exist to help let people know about local artists they may not know about unless they're really in the know going to local concerts or listening on the internet.

As I said earlier, that's what the record label does. They bring the artists together with radio. All of those pictures of radio DJs with artists were put together by record label promo people. All of those Weenie Roasts were done in collaboration with the record labels. If there's no one from the label, there's no connection. Otherwise, radio gets nothing from local shows except maybe a ticket giveaway.

 

[PrezSquid]

Very, very different.

man do i feel lucky living here then to hear more new music

though what does ethnic have to do to affect it though?

 

[davideduardo]

man do i feel lucky living here then to hear more new music

though what does ethnic have to do to affect it though?

When a market is like LA, with around 70% Hispanic, Asian, Black and first generation immigrants of other origins, then that affects the tone of the whole market,

San Diego is vastly more non-Hispanic white and both the songs on "standard" formats and the mix of different formats is affected by the market's ethnic composition.