101.5 Tampa, Fl

[gamefreak]

The infamous station that has been alive for almost 10 Years on a 200-Song Playlist. The tagline "Best of the 80's and more". Oh and the fact that the station is still "NEW".

Well last September Cox finally tweaked the Playlist and now calls it "Best of the 80's amd 90's." Then added more 90's music from "Stone Temple Pilots", "Pearl Jam" and such.

I admit after 8 years the station needed a face-life. However I have some complaints as well. While 101.5 added a broader variety of 90's artists they got rid of a bulk of 80's msuic.

For Example prior to the format tweak 101.5 was playing Madonna. Not to mention other such staples such as Howard Jones, Talk Talk and Guns N Roses. The station used to also play Cindy Lauper, George Harrison and other such artists. In the stations last year of "80's and More" other artists and songs were added to the playlist as well. Such as Duran Durans "View to a Kill", Tarzans "Jungle Life" and so forth. Which added great variety to the station. However Cox stopped playing those songs entirely after the switch.

What pisses me off a bit is they added some 90's songs but got rid of a lot of the 80's music. Yes the station had a short playlist prior to the changes. However did getting rid of the bulk of 80's music really help. Cox just substiuted 80's music with 90's music. Instead of broadening the list they just repleced some songs with others.

 

[firepoint525]

The infamous station that has been alive for almost 10 Years on a 200-Song Playlist. The tagline "Best of the 80's and more". Oh and the fact that the station is still "NEW".

One of my major pet peeves is when a station continues to refer to itself as "new" until long after it has gotten OLD with listeners! :

 

[oldies76]

The infamous station that has been alive for almost 10 Years on a 200-Song Playlist. The tagline "Best of the 80's and more". Oh and the fact that the station is still "NEW".

Well last September Cox finally tweaked the Playlist and now calls it "Best of the 80's amd 90's." Then added more 90's music from "Stone Temple Pilots", "Pearl Jam" and such.

I admit after 8 years the station needed a face-life. However I have some complaints as well. While 101.5 added a broader variety of 90's artists they got rid of a bulk of 80's msuic.

For Example prior to the format tweak 101.5 was playing Madonna. Not to mention other such staples such as Howard Jones, Talk Talk and Guns N Roses. The station used to also play Cindy Lauper, George Harrison and other such artists. In the stations last year of "80's and More" other artists and songs were added to the playlist as well. Such as Duran Durans "View to a Kill", Tarzans "Jungle Life" and so forth. Which added great variety to the station. However Cox stopped playing those songs entirely after the switch.

What pisses me off a bit is they added some 90's songs but got rid of a lot of the 80's music. Yes the station had a short playlist prior to the changes. However did getting rid of the bulk of 80's music really help. Cox just substiuted 80's music with 90's music. Instead of broadening the list they just repleced some songs with others.

Sounds like boredom to the max....200 songs.....ouch! And replacing the 80's?...what's that all about. 90's are not classics....just yet.

Funny, any station that even plays 80's as a format, really don't know the decade to very well...How many times do we have to endure "Boys of Summer" or "What I Like About You"??

 

[RDO]

Funny, any station that even plays 80's as a format, really don't know the decade to very well...How many times do we have to endure "Boys of Summer" or "What I Like About You"??


As a fan of the 80's, I could listen to those songs all day long. It's all generational. I could say the same about music from the 60's. How many times can you listen to "Red Rubber Ball" or "Drive My Car"? Or anything by Bob Dylan?

 

[firepoint525]

As a fan of the 80's, I could listen to those songs all day long. It's all generational. I could say the same about music from the 60's. How many times can you listen to "Red Rubber Ball" or "Drive My Car"? Or anything by Bob Dylan?

I'm a big fan of music from the '60s, but even I have never been able to understand the appeal of Bob Dylan. I suppose you actually had to have lived during the '60s in order to "get" him.

 

[gamefreak]

101.5 The Point started out 10 years ago in December 2001. Cox ditched its "Jammin Oldies" format which was actually pretty good for an 80's station. This was during the early 2000's All 80's radio fad.

"The Point" and similar 80's and more formats were tried throughout the U.S. When 101.5 stared off the station was the Best of the Late 70's, 80's and Early 90's. Played anything from Queen to R.E.M

The station never did a good job with the 80's. They never played Micheal Jackson, anything R&B, Not even Madoona. They mainly only played U2, REM, Bon Jovi, Maybe some David Bowie, The Police and so on. The station mainly just stuck to Rock, very little New Wave and no Pop. 101.5 definately didn't add any rythmic 80's msuic. 101.5 had maybe 15 artists in rotation.

When I listen to 80's I want. The B-52's, Elvis Costellio, The Go-Go's, Cindy Lauper, Madoona, Wham! Janet Jackson, INXS, Depeche Mode and so on. I want variety. I want to hear more than a certain genre. Why the station hasn't been JACKED yet is beyond me. Or another Variety Hits format.

 

[Fastphilly]

I am much more into the 80's since thats the decade of my youth, but I can see the PD adding some 90's in there. You need to have more than just a ten year span of music if your station is geared towards non currents. Since the 70's have been scorched beyond belief and the music in the last 10 years have been attrocious, I guess the only well left to tap is the 90's.

I would like to add on the topic of why these so called 80's stations don't have more variety of 80's genres on their playlist. The only reason I can think of is if this 80's station is part of a cluster and begins to play a good mix of R&B mixed in, then there is fear of possibly killing the ratings of another one of their stations that are formatted on classic R&B. Radio today owned by conglomerates tend to keep each genre segued to assure the financial health (ad revenue) for each of it's stations it owns.

 

[oldies76]

I would like to add on the topic of why these so called 80's stations don't have more variety of 80's genres on their playlist.

80's stations tend to focus more on the mid-late 80's, but the "heart" or true sound of the 80's lies more in the earlier part with New Wave. 1982, 83, 84 & 1985 should be the focus for an 80's format.

80-81 had very good hits too, but slower, disco remnants and more country crossovers.

1983 was an especially good year for music, but very little is heard, except for Billie Jean, Come On Eileen and All Night Long...etc..

 

[Fastphilly]

1980 and 1981 seem to be the most negleted years in the decade. Christopher Cross, Air Supply,Country crossovers, and some lite rock artists (Little River Band,Rupert Holmes,Cliff Richard, etc.) that rolled over from the late 70's that don't fit with the trendy sounds of Duran Duran, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna. Most PD's think blending these tunes would be a trainwreck. I don't agree. "You Can do Magic" by America was a huge record back in 1982. No so called 80's station has got the balls to throw that song on after the burned out "Sunglasses At Night". Oh well, I still have my 45's ;D

 

[gamefreak]

I am much more into the 80's since thats the decade of my youth, but I can see the PD adding some 90's in there. You need to have more than just a ten year span of music if your station is geared towards non currents. Since the 70's have been scorched beyond belief and the music in the last 10 years have been attrocious, I guess the only well left to tap is the 90's.

I would like to add on the topic of why these so called 80's stations don't have more variety of 80's genres on their playlist. The only reason I can think of is if this 80's station is part of a cluster and begins to play a good mix of R&B mixed in, then there is fear of possibly killing the ratings of another one of their stations that are formatted on classic R&B. Radio today owned by conglomerates tend to keep each genre segued to assure the financial health (ad revenue) for each of it's stations it owns.

I get that. I am for adding 90's to the playlist as well. Personally I think 101.5 should be a 70's, 80's and 90's Variety Hits station. My complaint is when the station starting focusing on the 90's they purged a lot of the 80's off the playlist. As well as all of the Late 70'S Tracks the station used to play. The format shift came apart because of listener scruntity of the limited-playlist(200 songs). So why didn't Cox just keep a lot of those 80's songs when the station somewhat swifted into the 90's music wise. Now because they just replaced some songs with others they have the same problem. I say focus on all 3 decades, all the genres and even add currents to make the station fresh.

The Point can do more R&B. Cox doesn't own any R&B stations in Tampa so why not. Now Classic Rock-wise there is 1073 The Eagle. No other station other the Q105 and Mix 100.7 even touch 80's and 90's pop. Oh and even then not that much. Cox really doesn't have to worry abput cluster programming.

 

[firepoint525]

A couple of things about that:

1) No radio station seems to able handle a playlist of larger than 200 songs anymore. So if they add something, they are dropping something else.

2) The station that you are referring to is owned by a company starting with the letter "C." 'Nuff said about that!

 

[Fastphilly]

These classic hits / 80's based formats are geared at not just music from a specific era, but making sure the songs "blend" with each other. There is all kinds of data out there on listener tests regarding which songs "test well by listeners". Instead of radio experimenting with a lost hit single, they go the safe route with the well tested songs. There are two kinds of 80's stations, Your mid to late 80's hair band, mainstream alternative with few and limted played to death new wave tracks. Then you have your classic R&B/jammin' Oldies 80's station that plays your fried to a crisp tracks by Rick James, Janet Jackson, Madonna, Donna Summer, etc.

So artists like Laura Branigan, Joe Jackson, and other lesser played pop/R&B records don't have a station they can call "home". Mainly because stations are scared to death to play "65 Love Affair", "Human Touch", "Let Me Tickle Your Fancy","More Than I Can Say" and other great records by well known artists.

 

[MsMusicRadio]

The stations that played this music in the Eighties were strong on local personality like B94 in Pittsburgh and Q94 in Richmond. WPOI totally lacks in that area. They are incredibly dull with only 2 air talents who have 9 hour VT'ed shifts. I think stations who play any form of oldies should sound like stations did back in the day. CBS is faithful to this, Cox isn't

 

[gamefreak]

The stations that played this music in the Eighties were strong on local personality like B94 in Pittsburgh and Q94 in Richmond. WPOI totally lacks in that area. They are incredibly dull with only 2 air talents who have 9 hour VT'ed shifts. I think stations who play any form of oldies should sound like stations did back in the day. CBS is faithful to this, Cox isn't

Whats funny is that I can hear a wider variety of 80's and 90's music on Mix 100.7. Which is a Hot AC Station. I can hear the Go-Gos and Madoona on WMTX. Not so much on WPOI.

Heck a numerous amount of Hot AC's with a dedicated retro music night. Such as WOMX (Mix 105.1) in Orlando and WCVQ (Q108) Fort Campbell, Ky play a wide variety of 80's music.

I can even hear a better deal of 80's alternative on Cox co-owned WSUN. When the station does its Sunday School Alternative.

 

[gamefreak]

The stations that played this music in the Eighties were strong on local personality like B94 in Pittsburgh and Q94 in Richmond. WPOI totally lacks in that area. They are incredibly dull with only 2 air talents who have 9 hour VT'ed shifts. I think stations who play any form of oldies should sound like stations did back in the day. CBS is faithful to this, Cox isn't

Isn't Corey Dylan at least local. I know she does all the promotional events in regards to WPOI. Or does she just fly in from Seattle whenever Cox has her do something local. Like lets say the PointNier Fest or any other event of the like. Dick Reins also does the morning traffic on all Cox Tampa stations. I'm guessing he might be from somewhere else as well.

 

[willdav713]

101.5 the Point was the same format as Houston's Now Defunct 106.9 the Point even the same logo! They played the exact same songs! It is off Satelite (like the old Z-rock) With an 80's Adult Hits format. What is one their playlist would constitute a Adult Top 40 station back in the 80s. Heavy emphisis on Adult Pop Rock. No R&B, No Rap, No Freestyle, No Hard Rock. If they were invented in the 80s they would be The Modern AC station of the 80s. During the 80s Top 40 began to variete between a Rock Leaning Top 40, a Dance Leaning Top 40 (San Antonio's KTFM 103) a Pop Leaning Top 40 (San Antonio's KITY Power 93), a Rythmic Top 40 (Corpus Christi's Z-95) an Urban Leaning Top 40 (San Antonio's Q96) with that in mind plus DMCA are the reasons why the Point sounds like it does.

The oldies stations would play 1964-1979 would go straight from the Top 40 charts which back during that time you had the following formats Country, Beautiful Music, Top 40, Rock, Classical, Jazz, and Black. Other formats like Middle of The Road were varients of the above. Oldies stations don't play Country unless it crossed over to the Top 40 charts same with the other genres at the time.

After 1 year of listening to 106.9 The Point in Houston I stopped listening to it.
I would really like a radio station in Austin, Texas that would play 70s, 80s, and 90s oldies R&B, Dance, Pop, and some Rock on a decent signal.

 

[Fastphilly]

101.5 the Point was the same format as Houston's Now Defunct 106.9 the Point even the same logo! They played the exact same songs! It is off Satelite (like the old Z-rock) With an 80's Adult Hits format. What is one their playlist would constitute a Adult Top 40 station back in the 80s. Heavy emphisis on Adult Pop Rock. No R&B, No Rap, No Freestyle, No Hard Rock. If they were invented in the 80s they would be The Modern AC station of the 80s. During the 80s Top 40 began to variete between a Rock Leaning Top 40, a Dance Leaning Top 40 (San Antonio's KTFM 103) a Pop Leaning Top 40 (San Antonio's KITY Power 93), a Rythmic Top 40 (Corpus Christi's Z-95) an Urban Leaning Top 40 (San Antonio's Q96) with that in mind plus DMCA are the reasons why the Point sounds like it does.The oldies stations would play 1964-1979 would go straight from the Top 40 charts which back during that time you had the following formats Country, Beautiful Music, Top 40, Rock, Classical, Jazz, and Black. Other formats like Middle of The Road were varients of the above. Oldies stations don't play Country unless it crossed over to the Top 40 charts same with the other genres at the time.

After 1 year of listening to 106.9 The Point in Houston I stopped listening to it.
I would really like a radio station in Austin, Texas that would play 70s, 80s, and 90s oldies R&B, Dance, Pop, and some Rock on a decent signal.

What you say is true, but that did'nt begin to happen until the latter half of the decade. Up until 1986, most Top 40 stations still played a mix of everything.

 

[gamefreak]

At 10 this morning "The Point" flipped to CHR as Hot 101.5. If Cox only just added more songs and live DJ's.

 

[willdav713]

At 10 this morning "The Point" flipped to CHR as Hot 101.5. If Cox only just added more songs and live DJ's.

No they probally have 3 CD Player's with 1 CD of 300 MP3s on it, and another CD player for Jingles plus another one for commercials. They are COX Radio and as such they will have 1 person in the chair blabber. If it is 10,000 songs in a row commercial free for starters they will set it on shuffle and play cards ;D A good example is COX's failed CHR in San Antonio KELZ Z106.7 10-31-2003 to 10/2006.

 

[imhomerjay]

I think it was fall of 2003, on a visit to Sarasota I found 101.5 on the rental car radio, and left it there for most of our trip. At some point during every drive we took, they played "Soak up the Sun"--without fail We went to breakfast....there it was. Went to dinner another day....there it was. Driving to visit family....again. Checking out other beaches.....check. On the way back to the airport....again. Can't hear that song to this day without thinking of that trip, not that I mind the reminder.

A year or so later, back to Florida, this time Orlando. Happened to scan to 101.5 on the drive from the airport again, without realizing what I had done. Thought maybe we'd reach our hotel without hearing it once it clicked what station I had on....but as we pulled in, sure enough, there it was.