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WBCN - WZLX Rivalry in the 80s

Ed Nielson

Ed Nielson

Does anybody remember this stunt from the WBCN/WZLX rivalry?

Sometime in the 80s (I'm guessing late 80s) WZLX (100.7) published an all-time greatest hits list (either the top 100 or the top 500 songs, again I don't remember). During the weekend (labor day??) WZLX ran the countdown... but rival WBCN (104.1) decided to play the same tunes in the same order, but roughly 15 minutes ahead of WZLX. What I always found ironic about this was the fact that WBCN at the time referred to WZLX as "Classic Copycats," obviously a poke at the latter's "Classic Hits" slogan.
 
Ed Nielson said:
Does anybody remember this stunt from the WBCN/WZLX rivalry?

Sometime in the 80s (I'm guessing late 80s) WZLX (100.7) published an all-time greatest hits list (either the top 100 or the top 500 songs, again I don't remember). During the weekend (labor day??) WZLX ran the countdown... but rival WBCN (104.1) decided to play the same tunes in the same order, but roughly 15 minutes ahead of WZLX. What I always found ironic about this was the fact that WBCN at the time referred to WZLX as "Classic Copycats," obviously a poke at the latter's "Classic Hits" slogan.
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Shouldn't the bigger question be how did 'BCN acquire 'ZLX's list of top songs? They were not co-owned by CBS at that time.
 
I can't say this with one hundred percent certainty, but I seem to remember that prior to the weekend broadcast, the list was available in record stores. Again, I could be wrong.
 
Ed Nielson said:
I can't say this with one hundred percent certainty, but I seem to remember that prior to the weekend broadcast, the list was available in record stores. Again, I could be wrong.
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That sounds right.

The rivalry between WBCN and WZLX was a good one. And between WBCN and WCOZ before that. If you go back to the 1980s, WBCN was progressive rock. I'm not sure if the DJs could choose all of the music for their airshifts or they could choose some, with some required playing of current releases. Meanwhile WCOZ was among the early examples of a researched playlist. Only the top songs from the best selling rock albums with no choice for the DJs.

Over time, WBCN introduced more control over what was played. But it was still more adventurous than WCOZ. Yet WCOZ had great ratings too because many folks liked hearing just the top rock album hits. They weren't concerned with being adventurous.
 
Then there was the response to WBCN's "Kick Ass Rock 'N' Roll" slogan... I thought it was WCOZ, but I've seen posts somewhere stating that it was WBOS. It consisted of the line "Are you tired of getting your ass kicked?"
 
Ed Nielson said:
Then there was the response to WBCN's "Kick Ass Rock 'N' Roll" slogan... I thought it was WCOZ, but I've seen posts somewhere stating that it was WBOS. It consisted of the line "Are you tired of getting your ass kicked?"
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“Kick Ass…” was WCOZ’s slogan, used in the last few years of their rock format when it switched from more progressive AOR to mainstream hard rock album hits. WBCN never used that slogan.

WBCN or WBOS, or perhaps another station (WEEI-FM?), may have spoofed it with “are you tired of…” to target WCOZ.
 
At this point all I remember is the slogan... at least I have that right.:p
 


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