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87.7 vs. 99.1

C

CleveFan

Which station do you think is the better alternative station?

I thought this would be interesting since both came on last year as unusual settings for the format that's gone on and off of Cleveland radio.

I think both are pretty unique, but 87.7 has an edge for having a more local angle.
 
Both are better than any of the 92.3 variations back when they were alternative. I might give 99x the edge just because they don't have Archie on in the morning.
 
87.7 is hit and miss to me, but when they're on, they are ON. I'll turn them on one day and they'll play the Pixies and all this other great classic early 90s alt stuff, and then I'll turn them on another day and they're playing Journey or lite folk alternative stuff. I know that's a personal taste thing though, except for Journey, which is a real head scratcher on an AAA/alt rocker. (To be fair, when a format encompasses everything from Disturbed to Mumford and Sons like alternative rock does, it's hard to keep everyone happy)

99.1 is consistently good, much better than I expected for a CC automated format. They play some surprising non-single tracks from people like Nirvana and Alice In Chains that I wouldn't expect.

I listen to 87.7 more than 99.1. IMO, both are far better than what passes for "alternative" radio in the relatively few cities where such a format still exists.
 
Easily 99x. I find myself listening to 87.7 for a song or two then turning it off because of the same reasons DrC mentioned. While 99x is pretty conservative, at least I know I'm gonna hear a good song most of the time.

Personally, I enjoyed Radio 92.3 more than I enjoy 99x, but Premium Choice beats nothing every time.
 
Good point DrC, there have been times when 87.7 has really sounded good for 3 or 4 song intervals, but other times when they sound very confused. I know they are trying to be different, but George Thorogood tunes just don't mesh with an alternative station to me.
 
johnbasalla said:
What kind of ads do you hear on the two stations? I heard an advertisement for Scene Magazine on 87.7.
Click to expand...

The ads on 87.7 have usually been car dealerships, station promos, station-related events, Scene, Insure CLE and some local businesses (maybe restaurants and bars). The commercial breaks there are really short.

On 99.1, it's generally the same pretty much with WMMS.
 
87.7 has been sounding particularly spot-on the past week or so in the afternoons. Lots of early 90s alternative, and as far as the new music they play, I'm hearing more new songs in the electric/electronic vein (MGMT / Silversun Pickups type stuff) in addition to DMB, Mumford, and the like. Reminds me of WEQX in Albany, which is no bad place to be in my opinion.

It seemed like the Scene commercial ran 8 times an hour back when the "Best of Cleveland" voting was open.

SixOnTheFloor - I agree...I can deal with a Bruce song in the mix, or even an off-the-wall deep cut from someone like Artful Dodger like I heard around the start of 87.7's format...but it seems pointless to me to play stuff like Thorogood that 98.5 already plays all the time. If I'm in a mood to listen to 98.5, I turn on 98.5. Just my opinion...
 
Let's just thank Kim Monroe for boosting the format up a notch. The repetition has decreased. Her specialty is rock radio. So I like more variety less repetition. So the classic rock is to keep us "old folks " listening til 2015. At least 87.7 is adding dj's.
 
I agree Jim. Kim Monroe has made 87.7 better in terms of adding DJs and making the playlist listenable. She knows her rock music. I personally think she's doing a better job than the person she replaced.
 
When I left WEOL in September 2010 and moved to Schodack, NY I liked WQBJ/WQBK because 'EQX wouldn't always come in that good. Since I came back to this area in 2011 I've been listening to both 99X and 87.7, along with 88.3 The "Sting". They play good stuff, and they don't have irritating robotic sounding song indentifiers at the ends of select songs. I just wish they had stations like that in the Utica/Rome area of New York State, especially the Adirondacks...
 
87.7 occasionally has used the robots. Which irritates the you know what out of me. Makes it sound like a CC or CBS doing.
 
87.7 has been adding more personalities lately. They've added a co-host with Archie (Kim Monroe - also the new PD), a midday host (Bull), an evening host (a guy who goes by "The Messenger") and a weekend jock (a woman named Lydia). I like that they're making an effort with local personalities. That probably why Kim's the PD now instead of Marty Bender. At least she's familiar with Alternative music.

Speaking of the music, the station has been sounding a bit more modern with the selections. A lot more newer or recent tunes and some harder cuts too. I still hear some older tunes every now and then, but it has been improving since Kim arrived. I've been listening a lot more too. More so than the CHR stations.
 
87.7 has really improved. Have had a chance this week to listen to The Bull doing mid-days and think he has done a really nice job. Working in some cool obscure songs but still being able to tie them into the bigger picture, entertaining and informative, not to mention short commercial breaks (maybe not good for the station's bottom line, but good for me). 99x is good too, but it actually sounds as if a human is programming 87.7 as opposed to a computer.
 
I think even the PC log sounds better, at least with the golds. In the past few days, I've heard 99x play songs like "Mad World", "Graduate", and Johnny Cash's "Hurt". I don't think I've ever heard any of those songs on commercial radio in Cleveland. I still wish PC would get on currents quicker than they do.
 
chrocket87 said:
I think even the PC log sounds better, at least with the golds. In the past few days, I've heard 99x play songs like "Mad World", "Graduate", and Johnny Cash's "Hurt". I don't think I've ever heard any of those songs on commercial radio in Cleveland. I still wish PC would get on currents quicker than they do.
Click to expand...

Hard to argue with that, both stations are far and away better than what we had in this town 5 years ago.

By the way looks like The Sound has added another local voice, saw on Twitter that a DJ from WJCU has been hired to Saturday and Sundays from 5 til 9.
 
I saw on Twitter its Gene from The Rock, which a Friday night tradition on 88.7. Looks like he'll on two unique stations on the left side of the dial, though he has to remember which station he's on to mention on-air and not get both confused with one another. :)
 
I have to vote for 87.7 because, as mentioned before, the local focus of the station. In Vermilion, I can't get 99X due to co-channel WFRO which comes in like a local but I've checked out 99X when driving into Cuyahoga County.

Also, how would you guys compare the signal ranges of the stations? 87.7 is obviously on a wide-open frequency but some, especially after-market car radios won't tune below 87.9. Fortunately my Alpine radio does and I can get 87.7 very well even out in Sandusky. I've actually heard them as far west as the Toledo airport while driving on the Turnpike.
 
Just saw on the 87.7 website that Kim Monroe is no longer at the station. Best of luck to whoever replaces her as PD. Don't know what will happen to mornings.
 
Archie is no answer for mornings either. They need experience at the microphones. Maybe money is an issue already. Time to cut the budget.
 
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