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40 years of 91X

GeoffR said:
That is correct. The "FM" was emphasized since Magic 91 was on AM. If someone just wrote "91" down in a diary, it most likely would have credited to Magic 91 AM.
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No, not "most likely"... the term is "precisely". Arbitron has always had an "ascription" process where ambiguous entries are credited to possible stations in exact proportion to the properly credited entries.

So, if the AM got 300 proper diary mentions in the survey and the FM got 900, "91" entries would go 1/4 to the AM and 3/4 to the FM.
 
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I listened to the end of the 91X "A to XYZ" tonight, which ended at 10 PM and they went into automated jukebox mode (jockless) afterward, but in two hours of listening they have not played anything new but just continued with the "iconic" playlist. I'm sure they will return to the mostly current-based alternative soon, but I am hoping that they will be mixing more of the classics with the new stuff. One thing I've liked about 91X is that they never really abandoned the songs that made them who they are. It's always been somewhat comforting to hear the occasional classic (I'm 52 and grew up on the music of 91X in my teen years) where so many other alt-rockers have either done away with the original tunes or relegated them to "special" status like early Sunday morning and then never mixed them in anywhere else. Do you think 91X would stand to benefit by keeping a more classic-based playlist in regular rotation? Even if it's 10-20% of each hour, I think I would enjoy it more....not sure about the target demo though. There are some stations that mix classic and current rock, why not alternative?
 
DavidEduardo said:
No, not "most likely"... the term is "precisely". Arbitron has always had an "ascription" process where ambiguous entries are credited to possible stations in exact proportion to the properly credited entries.

So, if the AM got 300 proper diary mentions in the survey and the FM got 900, "91" entries would go 1/4 to the AM and 3/4 to the FM.
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Add on to prior message:

The reason why they do ascription is to not "loose" any listening, as that would reduce the PUR (Persons Using Radio) which reflects negatively on the industry as a whole.
 
A vague "big announcement" happened at the end of the Thu. 2/24/22 morning show - Garett Michaels and Hilary joined in.
Michaels said, “91X should always strive to be different. The Alternative format is not very alternative anymore.
91X going back to our roots with tons of variety and music discovery.” -
From Hilary: “We're listening to SAN DIEGO and returning to our roots to just be the best 91X for SAN DIEGO and our listeners.”
Then an on-air positioning statement: “This is 91X... Same As it Ever Was" and launched into Talking Heads “Once In A Lifetime.”

91X A to XYZ may be over, but the station continues to focus on the depth of the station’s music library from the last 40 years.
91X has begun a new era and it will include new music.
(But not at the moment - stay tuned...)

As mentioned by "powers" above, playing mostly (all?) "classic alternative".

Details: 91X/San Diego Hits The Reset Button And Returns To Its Roots

91X playlist: 91X On Air Playlist
 
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At 10am, 91X PD Garrett Michaels joined Hillary to announce that 91X has shifted to Classic Alternative, now branded as the "Original". Most of the music will now be centered on the 80's and 90's.
 
This is pretty heartbreaking not gonna lie, and honestly short-sighted considering that there is a lot of modern alternative starting to break out. They should have given the new breakouts a chance before such a drastic move. But I suppose this attitude mirrors most of the pros here and we’ll see if copycats result from this.
 
Personally, I think it will work just fine.
 
macattack said:
This is pretty heartbreaking not gonna lie, and honestly short-sighted considering that there is a lot of modern alternative starting to break out. They should have given the new breakouts a chance before such a drastic move. But I suppose this attitude mirrors most of the pros here and we’ll see if copycats result from this.
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They are still playing new music, just in very low quantities. The station sounds like FM 94/9 before PPMs.
 
It’s easy to do as long as they need to. They can shift back to playing more newer music at any time. 107.7 The End in Seattle did this in 2004 during a down period with the format. WKQX in Chicago went to Everything Alternative (same general idea) in 2005, and WLUM in Milwaukee relaunched in 2006 with a similar wide playlist gold heavy format. They frequently mentioned “We don’t use radio consultants” and that it was “Locally owned and programmed” which was the case for the most part. It worked. Best ratings they had in years. To me it seems like 91X is trying that approach.

The End ended up back with regular Alternative. WKQX shifted back to where it was before after 2 years. WLUM evolved to a current-friendly format as time went on. WLUM actually last year was probably one of the highest rated current friendly Alternative stations in the country.

These things are easy to adjust as needed. Right now they have KBZT beating them in the 6+ ratings with a current friendly format and their A-XYZ event was supposedly very well recieved. They can use that to attract an older 25-54 audience that grew up with the station but only likes limited amounts of the new music. They can do this by testing the new songs on that audience and only play the ones that test well among the older audience. They can do this as long as they need to. If new acts come around in the future and the format gains with them, they can easily just add them. If this doesn’t work, they can easily shift right back.
 
Seems like the commercial load on 91X today is lighter too. If not lighter than before, at least it is light enough to be listenable. Some stations have so many commercial breaks (and long too) that they are not listenable. Los Angeles radio is even worse in my opinion.
 
JeremyAndrews said:
It’s easy to do as long as they need to. They can shift back to playing more newer music at any time. 107.7 The End in Seattle did this in 2004 during a down period with the format. WKQX in Chicago went to Everything Alternative (same general idea) in 2005, and WLUM in Milwaukee relaunched in 2006 with a similar wide playlist gold heavy format. They frequently mentioned “We don’t use radio consultants” and that it was “Locally owned and programmed” which was the case for the most part. It worked. Best ratings they had in years. To me it seems like 91X is trying that approach.

The End ended up back with regular Alternative. WKQX shifted back to where it was before after 2 years. WLUM evolved to a current-friendly format as time went on. WLUM actually last year was probably one of the highest rated current friendly Alternative stations in the country.

These things are easy to adjust as needed. Right now they have KBZT beating them in the 6+ ratings with a current friendly format and their A-XYZ event was supposedly very well recieved. They can use that to attract an older 25-54 audience that grew up with the station but only likes limited amounts of the new music. They can do this by testing the new songs on that audience and only play the ones that test well among the older audience. They can do this as long as they need to. If new acts come around in the future and the format gains with them, they can easily just add them. If this doesn’t work, they can easily shift right back.
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To me, it seemed like 2004 and 2005 was when many Alternative stations went the classic route, mostily to avoid the then polarizing Nu-Metal music dominating the Alt charts. When 107.7 The End went in the classic alt direction, they even had imaging that apologized for playing artists POD and Limp Bizkit. So stations having a Classic Alternative playlist with occasional new music like Franz Ferdinand, the Killers and Modest Mouse seemed to be a good idea at the time.

Same thing is happening now. However, this time it's that the Alternative charts are now leaning too far in the pop direction. This means that Alternative stations that lean towards a true Alternatrive sound have had, for a while now, a harder time staying within the confines of the Alternative chart panels. Let's face it, awesome current acts on the Alternative charts, such as the Interupters, just could not compete with modern day faux Alt artists like AJR, Moden-Day Coldplay, and it this point Avril Lavigne.
 
Haven't many of the harder edged or active rock stations made a similar move? Their playlists have plenty of Zeppelin, Van Halen, AC/DC and Rolling Stones songs with only a few current and recent releases per hour? So why shouldn't 91X play the artists that also made the station what it was? Duran Duran, Eurythmics, U2, Police and Talking Heads. If San Diego has two Alternative stations, it makes sense that one of them should lean classic, while the other concentrates on current/recent titles.

If it improves 91X's ratings, I wouldn't be surprised if KROQ Los Angeles makes a similar move as it competes with KYSR. Salt Lake City, which has too many FM signals, has a Classic Alternative station on a rimshot, 103.1 KLO-FM Coalville, while 96.3 KXRK Provo is current/recent alternative.
 
gamefreak said:
Same thing is happening now. However, this time it's that the Alternative charts are now leaning too far in the pop direction. This means that Alternative stations that lean towards a true Alternatrive sound have had, for a while now, a harder time staying within the confines of the Alternative chart panels. Let's face it, awesome current acts on the Alternative charts, such as the Interupters, just could not compete with modern day faux Alt artists like AJR, Moden-Day Coldplay, and it this point Avril Lavigne.
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Thing is when I look at the chart right now I don’t see a lot of pop music. This is today’s Mediabase update. There are a few poppier songs like “Toxic”, chart-topper “Enemy”, and “abcdefu” but the bulk of the songs are recognizably Alternative. The amount of poppier fare is actually almost back to where it normally is for the format (Alternative historically has always had a couple of pop songs on the format, even back in the nu-metal days).

Almost all of the remaining pop music is clearly taking on a synthpop or new wave direction. The Weeknd track Alt is picking up has the singer clearly mimicking Dave Gahan’s vocal style in the verses, for example. Not to mention that it sounds like a lost Depeche Mode song instrumentally.

This is why I’ve been critical of the move - the music is clearly moving on from the pop-centric sound of 2017-20. There isn’t a need to go classic Alternative. The format is already returning to its roots. They may have other reasons to go classic and that’s fine but if the reason why is that the currents are too poppy that doesn’t hold water.

Anyway the chart.

1 1 IMAGINE DRAGONS Enemy From League Of Legends 3067 3087 -20 6.743
3 2 RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS Black Summer 2580 2236 344 5.25
2 3 JACK WHITE Taking Me Back 2156 2297 -141 3.447
5 4 CANNONS Bad Dream 2115 1960 155 4.39
6 5 MUSE Won't Stand Down 2038 1915 123 2.901
7 6 MANESKIN Beggin 1742 1835 -93 4.646
4 7 TWENTY ONE PILOTS The Outside 1709 2000 -291 3.433
8 8 YUNGBLUD fleabag 1664 1641 23 2.574
9 9 FOO FIGHTERS Love Dies Young 1529 1466 63 2.081
14 10 PORTUGAL. THE MAN What, Me Worry? 1362 1092 270 2.183

11 11 FOALS Wake Me Up 1352 1311 41 1.275
12 12 BOYWITHUKE Toxic 1232 1187 45 1.841
13 13 GAYLE abcdefu 1143 1148 -5 1.898
16 14 BOB MOSES Love Brand New 1136 963 173 2.223
15 15 COIN Chapstick 1044 1031 13 0.975
17 16 WILDERADO Head Right 955 916 39 0.777
18 17 WET LEG Chaise Longue 895 884 11 1.548
20 18 TURNSTILE Mystery 881 699 182 1.148
19 19 BRING ME THE HORIZON DiE4u 843 712 131 1.095
25 20 MACHINE GUN KELLY emo girl f/WILLOW 789 523 266 0.779

21 21 GIRL IN RED I'll Call You Mine 704 639 65 0.48
22 22 REX ORANGE COUNTY Keep It Up 654 588 66 0.622
28 23 A DAY TO REMEMBER Re-Entry f/Mark Hoppus 585 503 82 0.643
29 24 BLEACHERS How Dare You Want More 550 476 74 0.337
24 25 RUFUS DU SOL On My Knees 550 535 15 0.529
26 26 WOMBATS If You Ever Leave I'm Coming.. 498 518 -20 0.297
43 27 WALLOWS Especially You 462 153 309 1.169
31 28 SAM FENDER Seventeen Going Under 458 391 67 0.78
33 29 GIOVANNIE AND THE HIRED GUNS Ramon Ayala 403 374 29 0.239
23 30 AVRIL LAVIGNE Bite Me 397 564 -167 0.321

36 31 LUMINEERS Where We Are 343 252 91 0.248
32 32 INHALER Cheer Up Baby 335 375 -40 0.167
35 33 BASTILLE Shut Off The Lights 334 333 1 0.189
27 34 THE MAINE Loved You A Little 317 506 -189 0.287
42 35 HEAD AND THE HEART Virginia (Wind In The Night) 267 165 102 0.315
30 36 WAR ON DRUGS I Don't Live Here Anymore 238 447 -209 0.324
38 37 THE WEEKND Gasoline 228 196 32 0.039
41 38 CULTURE WARS Faith 226 172 54 0.073
34 39 RISE AGAINST Talking To Ourselves 216 350 -134 0.301
40 40 EDDIE VEDDER Brother The Cloud 190 183 7 0.321

39 41 BILLIE EILISH Happier Than Ever 188 189 -1 0.43
44 42 SMITH Scab 169 149 20 0.041
45 43 JELLY ROLL Dead Man Walking 159 146 13 0.421
57 44 SNAIL MAIL Valentine 157 89 68 0.26
47 45 SHINEDOWN Planet Zero 154 129 25 0.305
51 46 HIPPO CAMPUS Ride Or Die 137 111 26 0.109
50 47 WHOLE DAMN MESS Some Big Something 130 120 10 0.046
49 48 JOY AGAIN Looking Out For You 129 121 8 0.169
48 49 WELSHLY ARMS Are You Lonely? 119 126 -7 0.036
52 50 KORN Start The Healing 117 108 9 0.217
 
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As has already been suggested, this may be a move to position 91X against Alt 94.9 as a choice for the older demos who would be more likely to gravitate toward the familiar Classic Alternative focus.
 
Hard to believe, but the 2 way Alternative battle between KBZT and 91X has been going on for nearly 17 years in San Diego. This could be a way for 91X to finally gain an upper hand. Formats that appeal to older demo's do very well in this market. Just look at Sunny 98.1 and Magic 92.5. So why not a move to Classic Alternative, there's an audience there for it, as well as a chance to take a bite out of Sunny's big numbers.
 
I just checked in BDS and Alt 94.9 only plays 80s titles during that Sunday morning "Legends" show, the rest 1990 and newer. 91X, since the format adjustment, is playing 80s two or three times an hour, out of a typical 12 or 13 spins. Looks like most of the rest is 1990s, with one or two post-2000, one current per hour, and an occasional pre-1980 song (average: one every other hour).
 
Another uniqueness about 91X not yet mentioned is the fact with the exception of overnights, they still do a live, local on air presentation. Compared to Audacy's nationalized VT'ed Alt, the difference is noticable.

Being live and local is becoming a rarity.
 
Rock 105.3 plays a lot of alternative product these days, including several currents and recurrents that most self-proclaimed rock stations would never dare play.

So, really, the alternative battle is a three way race.

91X with its recent move now plays a lot of music that cannot be heard elsewhere on the local FM dial. It's a bold move, and I hope it succeeds!
 
michael hagerty said:
As late as 1980, KGB was able to rebrand itself as 13K and do well for a year or two---and The Mighty 690 did very well when it first launched as a CHR on AM in the 80s.
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Michael, do you recall why 13K went away? It lured me away from KOGO. I'd see plenty of 13K bumper stickers around town, it seemed to be popular, then suddenly it was gone...
 
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