How did “Spanish Tropical” come together successfully?

[101.9 La Kalle]

I know it's a strange and pretty obvious question, but after seeing David Eduardo describe all the target audiences of the three main components of a tropical format, (salsa, merengue, bachata) I wonder how the Puerto Rican/Cuban equivalent to R&B (salsa) is put next to the Dominican equivalent of romantic country (bachata) and the original Dominican variant of urban music (merengue).

 

[davideduardo]

I can only speak of my experiences programming in Puerto Rico and República Dominicana.

In Puerto Rico, when WZNT, "Zeta", was launched in on December 29, 1978 the format included one or two merengues per hour for "variety". It only took about half a year to decide that the mix was not the best; true salseros wanted nothing to do with merengue.

When I got to Z-101 in Santo Domingo in 1976, we had a mix of salsa and merengue, about 50% of each. Some very informal research at a couple of record stores with music buyers showed that those that liked salsa did not want merengue, and the merengue listeners, the vast majority, did not want salsa. So we killed the salsa entirely... but shortly after I put together a mostly talk morning show and the station evolved into a talk format.

Oh, and I would not call salsa "Puerto RIcan / Cuban" as its origins are really New York City and San Juan, with Cuba picking up on the music as it developed.

To me, merengue is Santo Domingo, Bachata is El Cibao. Kind of oversimplification, but there is an element of truth.

 

[101.9 La Kalle]

In Puerto Rico, when WZNT, "Zeta", was launched in on December 29, 1978 the format included one or two merengues per hour for "variety". It only took about half a year to decide that the mix was not the best; true salseros wanted nothing to do with merengue.

I'm guessing such a mix early on would pave the way for stations like Mega KQ 97.9 in New York's (now just Mega 97.9) infamous success in the nineties using a similar playlist but adding in some dance and freestyle.

When I got to Z-101 in Santo Domingo in 1976, we had a mix of salsa and merengue, about 50% of each. Some very informal research at a couple of record stores with music buyers showed that those that liked salsa did not want merengue, and the merengue listeners, the vast majority, did not want salsa. So we killed the salsa entirely... but shortly after I put together a mostly talk morning show and the station evolved into a talk format.

Interestingly, Zeta still occasionally plays merengue as filler. I'm surprised that in the country there are a few all salsa stations (Fuego 90, not counting Caliente 104 because they occasionally play merengue) but none are all merengue.

Oh, and I would not call salsa "Puerto RIcan / Cuban" as its origins are really New York City and San Juan, with Cuba picking up on the music as it developed.

Really? I thought Cuba played a part in its creation. You learn something new everyday.

To me, merengue is Santo Domingo, Bachata is El Cibao. Kind of oversimplification, but there is an element of truth.

Kind of funny that you say that. I know that times have changed, but now it seems like the polar opposite. Stations up north in Santiago De Los Caballeros and La Vega play lots of mambo merengue and perico ripiao while the stations in the capital like Independencia and Supra (I refuse to call the latter by its new name, “TopLatina”) play mostly bachata.

 

[Identnut]

Interestingly, Zeta still occasionally plays merengue as filler. I'm surprised that in the country there are a few all salsa stations (Fuego 90, not counting Caliente 104 because they occasionally play merengue) but none are all merengue.

That used never to happen at Zeta. If anything, they played boleros as filler, most of which were done by salsa stars.

Salsoul historically mixed in a lot of merengue during the "Suavemente" days. That waned in popularity, and after a stint with experimenting with mixing in reggaetón, they're back to playing salsa again.

 

[davideduardo]

That used never to happen at Zeta. If anything, they played boleros as filler, most of which were done by salsa stars.

Salsoul historically mixed in a lot of merengue during the "Suavemente" days. That waned in popularity, and after a stint with experimenting with mixing in reggaetón, they're back to playing salsa again.

The problem with salsa is that the genre has very, very little appeal with people under age 40. So stations like Zeta have a challenge of being appealing to ad agencies. Remember, reggaetón started "taking off" on the Island in the later 1980's... with even a Pichín Román TV channel running all reggaetón videos.

 

[Identnut]

The problem with salsa is that the genre has very, very little appeal with people under age 40. So stations like Zeta have a challenge of being appealing to ad agencies. Remember, reggaetón started "taking off" on the Island in the later 1980's... with even a Pichín Román TV channel running all reggaetón videos.

Zeta has started playing news-talk in mornings. Which may lean older, but with the political situation of the island, it's always been relevant.

Salsoul has never strayed far from politics, but given they're a sister station of NotiUno, they've always leaned more into the satirical side. And even that's changed somewhat with the Ray Cruz segments on the morning and afternoon shows.

Rocky the Kid once joked that FM stations want that AM money and "are smoking news-talk weed".