99X Withdrawals

[Sykotik Monkey]

Hello board, long time visitor, first time posting but I have to vent -or maybe I need therapy? It sucks when stations you listen to die but I never expected to still feel so friggin empty and pissed off without 99X. Those of you who didn't listen to alternative rock don't need to respond because you don't get it. Everyday now is like getting up & not being able to find your keys& I have been a total asshole to everyone I know for a couple of weeks. it hit me is because things aren't right anymore and theres nothing to listen to. Too broke to get sirius or Xm and every time I flip to Project theres 2 or 3 songs I like and then crap. And their morning show? rather shoot myself.

Is alt rock dead? or is it just dead in Atlanta?

Anyone else still mourning 99X? Or maybe its just me and i need some...lithium

 

[GetReal]

You are not alone. I was a faithful listener of 99x since the beginning - I admit the station tanked a couple of years ago, but I do miss the new rock and alternative music. I think it will be a big loss to ATL to not have many of the new bands on the air.

I wish project 9-6-1 would lay off the Korn and add some of 99x material in their mix. Its the only station playing anything new.

I do like Rock 100.5 - but miss my new music and today's bands.

 

[theshshshadow]

99x stuck with me for a long time and I'll never forget the times I listened in the mid-to-late 90's and the times going to lunch on a weekday afternoon during work, listening to Steve Craig. I don't really miss the music as much as I miss the personalities and the general "feel" that I got from listening.

And now the other thoughts I had before writing this post have disappeared...

Oh...I don't think alt rock is dead, I think it just needs a rest for now. But yeah I do need some 'lithium', too.

 

[atlradiofan2]

I feel your pain. Not a 99x fan but I was devastated when they killed 96rock. I think part of the appeal of rock100 has been that it feels like revenge for me to those who turned off my favorite radio station. I hope you get a chance to feel that joy too.

 

[FloydB]

The quickest one that could do it is Dave. A lot of 99X listeners, like myself, that was turned away from the "New Noise" (or whatever crap they were calling it) turned to Dave. It just takes a little tweaking to the playlist and they have it. Of course, they'd have to put up with being called a "99X clone" which reverts them back to the scrutiny they had when they had Barnes on in the morning.

 

[MRFLASHPORT]

if alternative is dead, explain this:

http://www.cd1019.com/site_20/home.aspx

this is just 99X "grown up". It's also indicative that in a major market such as NYC, a tweaked "99X" has more potential than a format that lasted longer than 99X in a very diverse radio market. (I was shocked to see "CD 101.9" go the exact same route as 99X, pushed off to HD and Internet. I recall listening to the station back in 1990 on my visits to NYC and it had such a unique sound, and Russ Davis, the "father" of 94'Q's Jazz Flavors was music director back then.)

it can work, but the key is the right combo of music and people. Does Dave have this? Outside of the morning dude which I have yet to hear, Mara Davis and Sully, it sounds very automated in comparison to 99X. Let's face it, 99X was more than just a radio station, it was an institution. It was an identity, it had energy and inertia of it's own. It is going to take more than adding a few songs to an AAA station and thinking "outside the box" to create something so powerful.

 

[deadman]

101.9 WRXQ is proof that alternative is not dead... It's changed shape and colors and now we are in the post-modern rock era.
When 99x was launch it was programmed by DJs, not consultantants. It was truely on the edge of great rock music.
RXQ is bringing the same idea back tweaked for the NYC market. Emmis did a really smart move.

As for what will happen here in Atlanta, I have heard things... Let's wait until late June to see what happens.
(non-compete contracts for Leslie and Steve are up in June)

 

[dmcco01]

Now you young whipper snappers understand how I felt when Power 99 turned in 99X. The 90s were a sad era of radio for me. I turned to CDs instead.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

101.9 WRXP is not what I'd call alternative. They're calling it adult rock. There are some songs played from the adult alternative genre, but they also play classic rock and other rock.

 

[deadman]

I think they are an alternative to everything else in the NYC market. The Post-Modern Rock radio should extend from the 60's to today. The Beatles, The Killers, Velvet Underground, REM, U2, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, The Sex Pistols, Wayne County, Television, Train, B-52's.... all on one radio station.

 

[Inside your head]

I know what u mean dude. 99x rocked and even tho i got most of the cds and mp3s to listen to its not the same cuz the jocks arent there.
cumlus sux i hope 100.5 tanks

 

[DashRiprock]

I felt the same way in October 2006 after TRG and 96Rock were killed by cc. I switched to XM.

Don’t panic! I have a feeling that a 99X clone will happen real soon.

 

[RTibbs]

Don’t panic! I have a feeling that a 99X clone will happen real soon.

Why? 99x with all it's heritage in Atlanta had poor ratings and everyone knows it. Why change your format to match their previous format. I can't think of one station that would be better off switvching to that format. You would be lucky to pick-up 2/3 of their audience so waht does that drop you to a 1.3 12 plus number at best.

I am former 99x listeners. I for one have moved my number 1 preset to Rock 100.5. For me it is a better station. The music for 99x had become to corporate aznd that was not all their fault. Alot can be blamed on the record companies and the crap they pump out. I still have Axl to listen to, TRG is better than anything on 99x in years including Toucher's morning show. They play a good mix of music that I like. I have heard several songs I never heard on Radio before. IT is not just a River like station as some people here would have you believe.

 

[deadman]

RTIBBS - You are right the last couple years the ratings were in the toliet.
Programming by concensus is a horrible way to program + Chris Williams butt rock music choices
choked the life out of the station.

 

[SalesWeasel]

RTIBBS - You are right the last couple years the ratings were in the toliet.
Programming by concensus is a horrible way to program + Chris Williams butt rock music choices
choked the life out of the station.

Oh yes, blame Chris Williams...it's all Chris' fault. Well, it isn't; and if you worked in radio or had any understanding whatsoever of how radio works you'd know that. Alt music died when it went mainstream...somewhere in the late 90s...and 99X held on because they were the only game in town, 96rock lost its identity (until they hired The Regular Guys) and they had a SOLID morning show with Barnes, Leslie & Jimmy. SUSQUEHANNA, not CUMULUS, destroyed their heritage station with ridiculous stunts like Don Miller (why not just call it Toucher, Jimmy & Leslie?) and the fact that there was no more music. Pop won (as it always does) and that was that.

Programming by "consensus" is how radio stations get ratings and make money.

 

[Sykotik Monkey]

if alternative is dead, explain this:

Let's face it, 99X was more than just a radio station, it was an institution. It was an identity, it had energy and inertia of it's own. It is going to take more than adding a few songs to an AAA station and thinking "outside the box" to create something so powerful.

No doubt about that, 99X was more than just the songs it played. I'm just a fan, I'm not in the business like alot of you so I don't know the jocks personally but I still felt like they were old buds. I even got my ass beat in a bar one night defending Steve's Retroplex. Sure I was wasted and the guy had abnormally big friends but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

I even made an attempt to listen to Axel on the <choke> new station. Glad he still has a job and was good to hear his voice until the music came on, then I had to go. back to my cd collection that is getting old and worn fast. Sorry Axel, if you read this, nothing personal. I just can't stomach what they are making you play.

Anyway I hope all of you are right, another alternative station comes here and comes quick. June someone said? God I hope you are right.
But it won't be 99X again which is unfrigginbelievable that it ended that way. And not even a party to end all parties or a big day out style concert to say goodbye, what the hell? least they could have done is give it a proper funeral, you know?

 

[Barbapapa]

SalesWeasel ir right. Alternative was destined to lose its edge which didn't need to kill the station but 99X shot themselves in the foot by changing the MorningX from a proven commodity to a phony laugh fest. It's like they freaked out when they realised the core listeners were getting older so they tried to force zanyness on the morning show. The 'Don Miller' period sucked badly and there was no reason for it to ever had happened.
What is alternative anyway? We may think that it was all Radiohead type acts but in the early nineties bands like Rage Against the Machine were core 99X fare and it was good. It seemed like 99X near the end never played anything interesting or at least energetic. System of a Down should have been there typical music in recent times.
'Monkey, that says something about a show when listeners get into bar fights when discussing the merits of. I wonder there are any brawls over the River or Dave?

 

[deadman]

RTIBBS - You are right the last couple years the ratings were in the toliet.
Programming by concensus is a horrible way to program + Chris Williams butt rock music choices
choked the life out of the station.

Oh yes, blame Chris Williams...it's all Chris' fault. Well, it isn't; and if you worked in radio or had any understanding whatsoever of how radio works you'd know that. Alt music died when it went mainstream...somewhere in the late 90s...and 99X held on because they were the only game in town, 96rock lost its identity (until they hired The Regular Guys) and they had a SOLID morning show with Barnes, Leslie & Jimmy. SUSQUEHANNA, not CUMULUS, destroyed their heritage station with ridiculous stunts like Don Miller (why not just call it Toucher, Jimmy & Leslie?) and the fact that there was no more music. Pop won (as it always does) and that was that.

Programming by "consensus" is how radio stations get ratings and make money.

It makes for bland boring radio. Chris is the one who steered the station to butt rock world.
Toucher's show started off on the wrong foot, but it was choked by the sale of the station.

 

[agentUrge]

Can radio afford to experiment with it's format when the target demo would rather listen to CDs, ipods or even satellite? Seriously. That's a real question. I'm sure that someone has to experiment...so maybe 100.5 with it's weaker signal is the best option for such an experiment..if it fails, they try something else. How many times is a station willing to do that before they end up letting the corporate research department that knows squat about

Then again, does the radio industry ever care what the listener wants to hear? (not a real question)

 

[Inside your head]

does any1 know about hd radio. on 99x.com it says u can get a hd radio for under $99. r there other stations hd 2 that u cant get on regular radio and is it as easy as changing out ur car stereo or do u have 2 upgrade other thing 2