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99X Tweeks Format Ever so Slightly

A

acheron1982

My interest in rock radio has me glued to the main 5 rock stations in Atlanta (Dave, River, Project, Rock and X). One thing that 99x has done in the past which has hurt them was really lean on the 90's. If you would look at one of their playlists you would see each song rotating between a 2K song then 90's song. Now they seem to be focusing much more on 2K and modern and laying off so much 90's.

Foo Fighters- Walk
Rise Against- Punching a Dream
Beastie Boys - So What Cha' Want
Switchfoot- Dark Horses
Anberline- Impossible
Crossfade- Cold
Janes Addiction- Irresistible Force (arguably a 90's band but a new song)
311- Amber

An improvement for those who have been wanting 99x to get out of the 90's.
 
I never knew there were 5 main rock stations... which leads me to a question: How many rock/alternative stations are currently there in total? I believe that outnumbers the (main) urbans.

I find it funny how many places are pretty much duplicating formats on multiple signals with slight to moderate differences. Lately, I've been to a few places in the west coast with a whole bunch of chr's that all now sound more alike than ever. There was a time when I used to love a bunch of chr's, but I'm beginning to have a change of heart as they all (rhythmics & top 40's in certain towns) begin to sound identical!
 
KDM 7000 said:
I never knew there were 5 main rock stations... which leads me to a question: How many rock/alternative stations are currently there in total? I believe that outnumbers the (main) urbans.
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Do keep in mind that 99X is on a 99W translator and Rock 100.5 is on a 10kW class C-something. With ratings to match. River is a move-in. Only two of these stations are on high-power intown signals (Project and Dave). 92.9 has downgraded over the years.

That leaves three class C/C0/C1 rock stations (Dave, Project, and River). Compare that with V-103, Kiss (also a move-in), and the various Radio One stations.
 
I've noticed the modernization of 99X as well.

It always irked me that they seemed to bring back the station, but didn't really try to do anything with it. Maybe they've finally realized that their target demo of 18-34 had either been born in or went to college, and lived through their 20s in a world where Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Stone Temple Pilots weren't the biggest bands in the world.

So much good alternative music has been made in the last decade, seems silly to just ignore 95% of it. The alternative music listener is a different sort...they don't want the same old, same old.
 
It's not so much that 99x does not play the newest music but they seem to have forgotten about the earlier 2k bands. Ever noticed you don't hear Hot Hot Heat, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Stereophonics or Bloc Party any more? Even some of the bands they do play like The Strokes for example, they only play two songs from the band, Last Night and the newer one. The Strokes had MANY more hits than that. Hey, even the White Stripes. Seven Nation Army was not the only hit!

99X needs to get away from all the active rock (that's projects job) and focus more on Alternative. Arcade Fire was the grammy winner last year and you never even hear them on Atlanta's ONLY alternative rock station. Thats like not hearing GaGa on Q100!
 
99x's version of alternative used to be pretty much whatever wasn't getting air on the other stations. Contemporary swing...electronic...industrial...even the singer-songwriter genre.

Seems to me that 99x could be taking more risks considering they're reach isn't as great as it used to be.
 
On another note regarding 99x:

I notice their website is advertising a big announcement that will be aired by Axel at 9:00 a.m. Monday morning. Probably another concert but hey... worth watching I guess.
 
99X is moving to 98.9. Listen Monday for details.

In other translator news, 100.9 isn't WSB-FM HD2. It's WUBL HD2 (religious programing). 93.5 in Suwanee could present problems for J-93.3 and the 93.7 translator, if Sutton has the money after taking 105.1 WNGA silent.
 
KDM 7000 said:
They should really consider placing Journey on a better signal...
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Until the Citadel deal closes, the only option is Rock100.5. But you might have a point there.
 
I'm actually really disappointed in the new 99X playlist - I used to listen all the time, but now they constantly play stuff that just isn't popular (even in the Alternative world)

Personally, I'd rather hear quality songs from the 90s/2000s than a lot of non-quality stuff from this year
 
agentUrge said:
Seems to me that 99x could be taking more risks considering they're reach isn't as great as it used to be.
Click to expand...

This is somewhat my argument overall...take risks, break bands, and move into a more modern alternative playlist as well.

I've always felt like an alternative station should be programmed by asking the question "What bands are selling out venues here in my city?" The Avett Brothers filled up Chastain - there poppy, acoustic, alternative...play them. My Morning Jacket draws big, so does Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, etc., play them...and so on. Even bands that sell out "smaller" venues like Tabernacle, Cobb Energy, Variety, etc.
 
RadioNerd78 said:
agentUrge said:
Seems to me that 99x could be taking more risks considering they're reach isn't as great as it used to be.
Click to expand...

This is somewhat my argument overall...take risks, break bands, and move into a more modern alternative playlist as well.
Click to expand...

I was starting to write this the other day but had to go to a meeting. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems to me that 99x is in a position where they can afford to take a few risks. They're not reaching as much of an audience as they were years ago so the risk seems to be less (of course, I'm not in the biz so I know nothing about it) therefore, why not go back to the old model? Why not go to the popular college radio charts...pitchfork, Hypemachine? Hell, how about probing the audience for alternative obscurity or taking some of those random 90's tracks that get played ever so often during the retro show and tossing them into regular rotation?

I'm sure someone here will explain why they can't/won't do such a thing...maybe licensing reasons or advertising....but my point is that they're in a good position to be able to take the risks so it seems logical that they do so.
 
While I think they play a little too much 90's music, I guess I can see where you are coming. Yeah, I'm sick of the RHCP from the 90's and Nirvana style 90's rock but some Pixies added and even the Cure from time to time would be nice.

I've long said that 99x should really model 94.9 FM in San Diego. Check their playlist out!

http://www.fm949sd.com/onair/broadcasthistory.aspx

Two things I want people (AXEL, I KNOW YOUR READING THIS) to take from this list:

1- 94.9 plays the deeper alternative bands. Cold War Kids, MGMT, and Arcade Fire just to name a few. These songs get NO (ZERO) play on 99x. Atlanta's "alternative" station.

2- 94.9 also plays some of the second tier hits from bands. For example, they play more than just 1 or 2 songs from The White Stripes and The Strokes. What ever happened to the Yeah Yeah Yeah's? 99X playlist for bands is a little smaller only playing the biggest of the hits.

Just my opinion but yeah... I'm an alternative junkie (but I don't live in little five points).
 
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