A Sampling of 101.9 New Rock

[whatsnew3000]

At the time of this posting, it will be 22 hours of Alternative back in New York. One has to beg and wonder: Is Alternative alone going to make Merlin Media even a couple millions in the radio world market today?

Let me start off with the station itself. The station comes off very 'trendy' and takes a direct approach to outreach to any one person who loves Alternative music or has every Apple product released to date (I'm being humorous here, perhaps a bad joke!). The liners and rapid fires seems to do the station justice as it is the best form of today's rock (that's what Alternative is in hindsight), you are going to get today. If you will notice on some of the newer songs such as Gotye "Somebody I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)" will feature at the conclusion of the song the Apple's Siri activation sound and then the name of the song.

The music is a mix of Alternative, Indie Pop, Rock, and Alternative Dance (M.I.A. "Paper Planes"). In my opinion, I believe the station will consider to translation to include other forms of rock with the idea of infusing very best Alternative Rock songs (the Alternative Songs that are considered 'crossover' because they can be played on other formats such as CHR/Pop, AC, and Hot AC) and AOR & Classic Rock.

If Merlin Media is reading this and asks why I mention the latter as a form of translation, it's really the way by which the station of this caliber can survive and make money in Market #1. WHTZ (Z100) made $57 million dollars last year. Granted, they are Clear Channel, well-known for almost 30 years next August, and the most successful Top 40 station in the US, they're making money because they know how to program. Also granted, 90% of the DJs are the source of voice-tracking for other Clear Channel stations, they know how to program.

Therefore, how would you program? Well, at the time I am typing the article on this board, they are playing it fairly how they should. However, they do need to extend on this.

For instance, the following songs the songs they have played and continue to be more like in order for the station should be successful:

8:04am -- Alex Clare - Too Close
8:07am -- Red Hot Chilli Peppers - By the Way
8:12am -- Gotye - Somebody I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)
8:15am -- M.I.A. - Paper Planes
8:23am -- Fun. - Some Nights
8:27am -- Coldplay - Viva la Vida
8:31am -- Kings of Leon - Use Somebody

Good mix here. However, let me complete the hour for them and readers, please feel free to critique the whole hour.

Garbage - When I Grow Up
No Doubt - Settle Down *** New Music ***
Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
The Bloodhound Gang - The Bad Touch
Alanis Morissette - Hands in My Pocket
The All-American Rejects - Move Along
Linkin Park - BURN IT DOWN

The following is how you would infuse a little of AOR and Classic Rock. On my last post about 101.9 K-Rock, people did not like it so much, but let's give it a try anyway given the type of information from above.

Bush - The Sound of Winter
Alex Clare - Too Close
Paramore - The Only Exception
Panic! At the Disco - I Write Sins Not Tragedies
Aerosmith - Jaded
Linkin Park - In the End
Gotye - Somebody I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)
ADELE - Rolling in the Deep
No Doubt - Just a Girl
Sheryl Crow - All I Wanna Do
Snow Patrol - New York
Rolling Stones - Beast of Burden
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Learning to Fly
Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire
The Who - Pinball Wizard
Sugar Ray - Every Morning
Coldplay - Yellow

I believe people get the idea here. What are your first impression of the station? What do you want more of? More Alternative Crossover Hits or just Alternative songs which get the person to change the station? More AOR or Classic Rock or less infused? I put AOR and Classic Rock because the more people listen, the more the PPM numbers improve. It's why WCBS-FM and WAXQ-FM do excellent.

 

[erwin33]

I mention it here in the first couple hours of New Rock 101.9. I hear also music from The Church and Under The Milkyway. On the other board I read that someone hear music from The Cure. I like that mix between new rock and new wave tracks what fits with new rock, so no Duran Duran's and Spandau Ballet from this world, but more tracks from The Cure, Echo and The Bunnyman, The Cult etc, etc. would be great.

 

[mjb1124]

Alanis Morissette - Hands in My Pocket
Aerosmith - Jaded
Sheryl Crow - All I Wanna Do
Rolling Stones - Beast of Burden
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Learning to Fly
The Who - Pinball Wizard

NO to all of these. Nothing against any of these songs or artists, but let's keep it strictly Alternative this time, please. Sheryl Crow and Alanis are best left to AAA. And while playing classic rock may help the cume, it definitely won't help the TSL. (Heck, even RXP stopped playing Aerosmith after a while, and limited the Stones and the Who to their 80's hits.)

Really, I think the focus they have right now is fine. I would just hope that they double the number of currents in rotation, and play the top songs a bit less often. (They're actually playing about the same number of currents as latter-day RXP, but are repeating them a lot more often.)Also, playing a few more late 70's/80's *alternative* titles (as erwin33 mentioned) wouldn't hurt.

 

[MoldaMania182]

I believe people get the idea here. What are your first impression of the station? What do you want more of? More Alternative Crossover Hits or just Alternative songs which get the person to change the station? More AOR or Classic Rock or less infused? I put AOR and Classic Rock because the more people listen, the more the PPM numbers improve. It's why WCBS-FM and WAXQ-FM do excellent.

NO NO NO NO and NO!! Fail.

This is exactly why KRock failed on return and RXP was teetering. They need ZERO AOR, Chicken Rock, nu-metal ( except Linkin Park), Classic Rock, whatever. It needs to be exactly what it is - A modern alternative rock station with some female friendly Rock/Top 40 crossovers (like Fun, Gotye, Alex Clare, M83). Simplicity is key. No more or less. They are so far following a snarky clone of Radio 104.5 and for once in recent memory seem to be doing it right so far.

Keep in mind, this is launch and will be burning tracks and such in the name of cume. AS it settles in, the snark will probably be dialed back, and it will see some tweaks.

 

[mrbrightside]

NO NO NO NO and NO!! Fail.

This is exactly why KRock failed on return and RXP was teetering. They need ZERO AOR, Chicken Rock, nu-metal ( except Linkin Park), Classic Rock, whatever. It needs to be exactly what it is - A modern alternative rock station with some female friendly Rock/Top 40 crossovers (like Fun, Gotye, Alex Clare, M83). Simplicity is key. No more or less. They are so far following a snarky clone of Radio 104.5 and for once in recent memory seem to be doing it right so far.

Keep in mind, this is launch and will be burning tracks and such in the name of cume. AS it settles in, the snark will probably be dialed back, and it will see some tweaks.

Totally agree here. WhatsNew, you do not get the format. That crap would kill the station.

 

[luperm]

WRXP wasn't teetering. It was an unmitigated failure.

If the "new" WRXP doesn't get it right, it will suffer a similar fate. It's all in the execution. Either do Alt Rock or AAA...but you can't be both. The odds are not in favor of success for a rocker...but having said that, a well executed and tight format will have the best chance of success.

 

[Macker]

Good mix here. However, let me complete the hour for them and readers, please feel free to critique the whole hour.

Garbage - When I Grow Up
No Doubt - Settle Down *** New Music ***
Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
The Bloodhound Gang - The Bad Touch
Alanis Morissette - Hands in My Pocket
The All-American Rejects - Move Along
Linkin Park - BURN IT DOWN

The following is how you would infuse a little of AOR and Classic Rock. On my last post about 101.9 K-Rock, people did not like it so much, but let's give it a try anyway given the type of information from above.

Bush - The Sound of Winter
Alex Clare - Too Close
Paramore - The Only Exception
Panic! At the Disco - I Write Sins Not Tragedies
Aerosmith - Jaded
Linkin Park - In the End
Gotye - Somebody I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)
ADELE - Rolling in the Deep
No Doubt - Just a Girl
Sheryl Crow - All I Wanna Do
Snow Patrol - New York
Rolling Stones - Beast of Burden
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Learning to Fly
Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire
The Who - Pinball Wizard
Sugar Ray - Every Morning
Coldplay - Yellow

I believe people get the idea here. What are your first impression of the station? What do you want more of? More Alternative Crossover Hits or just Alternative songs which get the person to change the station? More AOR or Classic Rock or less infused? I put AOR and Classic Rock because the more people listen, the more the PPM numbers improve. It's why WCBS-FM and WAXQ-FM do excellent.

Well, I think with your ideas, you may run into the same problem that RXP had, in that they were a little too "over the map" and tried to mix too many different styles.

Sugar Ray, Sheryl Crow for the women lite fm hot ac demo mixed with Linkin Park for the young male teens and The Who and Tom Petty for classic rock and older demo. I don't think these 3 types of styles should be mixed. I like the way they are playing it for now. The programming seems pretty smart and "right" for the imaging.

I think the old RXP would have been better than your suggestions - new alternative like Linkin Park, Phoenix, et al as the core. The extent of classic rock is maybe maybe a Bob Marley track or 2. The Who at this point is too outplayed (RXP liked playing them at various phases). Some grunge like the Sirius Lithium channel would work well. I've heard Nirvana, Sublime, and Red Hot Chili Peppers - solid programming choices, giving it a little bit of a hip west-coast KROQ feel. I think that's it.

I think your suggestions make it geared more toward the Hot AC audience, with Gnarles Barkeley, Sheryl Crow, etc. I'd steer clear of any of those as well as Aerosmith. All-American Rejects may be a little too pop. Unlike the old RXP, I'd stay clear of The Police, Depeche Mode, and other ones RXP considered to be 'hipster'.

 

[mjb1124]

WRXP wasn't teetering. It was an unmitigated failure.

The ratings were on the upswing and were starting to look decent before they abruptly sold the station to Merlin. Given some time, it could've really become at least a moderate success.

Unlike the old RXP, I'd stay clear of The Police, Depeche Mode, and other ones RXP considered to be 'hipster'.

I think Depeche Mode would absolutely be a good fit for their format, especially since I have heard them play New Order. (For the record, their appeal goes far beyond hipsters.) But I do agree that I'd rather they not play the Police, though they'd at least be a better fit than some of the other classic rock played on the "old" RXP.

 

[mary]

they should have went country music? We need one in NY!!!

 

[whatsnew3000]

Thank you for the honesty. Have it continue as probably the more comments, the more input the station will put in making it the station people want to hear.

I'll give up with the point about making the station more attractive with adding songs that a massive amount of people have listened to. Reaching as many people as possible is ideal in order to make money in the radio business. NY is a heavy urban town with too many CHR stations already. If New Rock can find a way to attractive people to keep them listening where they can reach 3 million people each week and a PPM of 3.4, they will be on the right track to develop an income.

I am thinking for the everyday radio listener who doesn't want to hear the same station that the CHR stations play, but if they bump into New Rock, the best thing to do is play music that people recognize, not an exclusive group of people know. If there's a way, I would love to hear it.

 

[p_herring]

Maybe I'm in the minority but I feel like the music selection has been perfect for what the station is trying to accomplish. Seems to be focused on people who grew up in the 90's who still enjoy checking out new music. Obviously, they have more CHR/AC friendly titles but I think it sounds great. Of course, I'm just waiting for some out-of-touch baby boomer corporate moron to screw it up but....fingers crossed.

 

[Barry]

The station probably sounds good because it is being programmed by the same person that has selected the music for Merlin's new but already popular alternative station in Chicago, WKQX LP.
Since they are playing a considerable amount of new music, it would be helpful if the RDS display showed the names of the songs and artists.
While it is common for a music station to launch without dj's in most dayparts, usually there is at least one, during morning or afternoon drive. Hopefully, one will be on soon. I wonder whether they will offer jobs to any of the personalities that were on the original WRXP

 

[mjb1124]

Maybe I'm in the minority but I feel like the music selection has been perfect for what the station is trying to accomplish. Seems to be focused on people who grew up in the 90's who still enjoy checking out new music. Obviously, they have more CHR/AC friendly titles but I think it sounds great. Of course, I'm just waiting for some out-of-touch baby boomer corporate moron to screw it up but....fingers crossed.

I think they are definitely on the right track. I would loosen and expand the new music rotation, and perhaps add a bit more pre-90's alternative. (They did play Dramarama's "Anything Anything" as per yes.com, which they deserve props for.) But all in all, it is great to actually see a straight-up Alternative station in NYC for once, and I think that so far they are good job of staying true to the format while still being accessible to casual listeners.

And yes, this does sound very similar to Chicago's Q87.7 so far.

 

[radiojomo]

New Rock 101.9 is extremely different from previous incarnations of rock stations in New York. RXP was a hybrid Alternative/AAA/Classic Rock station. K-Rock went through several stages as an Alternative/Active Rock/Classic Rock station. New Rock 101.9 is doing it right. They're doing an Alternative format. They're playing New Alternative and 90's Alternative Hits. Very well formatted and targeted. I think that while it may not make the type of money a successful FM News station may make, it will be successful in the fact that the overhead is lower and will grow faster than FM News.

 

[MarcR]

I wonder whether they will offer jobs to any of the personalities that were on the original WRXP

Though I don't know what he's up to lately, Merlin should consider hiring Nik Carter. He did the afternoon shift briefly with the first 'RXP, and has worked for other Alt-Rock outlets.

 

[mikerock]

They are doing a great job with the playlist which is similar to WRFF. Couple of things they are doing wrong.

1. 101.9 audio is harsh. Bring back the WRXP audio settings. It makes it a hard listen with the harsh audio and gives me a headache. I have to keep the volume really low.

2. Shortening songs. STOP shortening the dam songs. Example: Coldplay Paradise missing about 10 seconds from the beginning.

3. Speeding up songs or using versions of songs that have been sped up. Example: "We are young" by Fun.

This an adult male and female format but not a pre-teen format nor is it WABC radio in the 70s. This is an Alternative Rock station therefore speeding up and shortening songs is completely out of the question. They will lose their male listeners and Adult females by doing so.

 

[pjc1961]

Sean Ross of radio-info.com weighs in with his "First Listen" column for New Rock 101.9 here.

 

[mikerock]

Sean Ross of radio-info.com weighs in with his "First Listen" column for New Rock 101.9 here.

I disagree with the part where he says it is like the return of WXRK (92.3 K-Rock). The new station is nothing like K-Rock which was more of a harder edge alternative. The new RXP is more like WRFF

WRXP helped blur the lines between Triple-A and Alternative, so when one hears the Lumineers' "Ho Hey" on New Rock 101.9, you can hear RXP's legacy at work.

I have a hard time believing the old RXP would have played the Lumineers.

I think they are doing a good job so far with the playlists but they are destroying their efforts with sped up songs, cutting songs and especially the horrible audio quality. I want to listen to the new format since it playing all the new music I like that I hear on WRFF. But it the audio is so nerve racking I cannot listen to more than a few minutes.

 

[erwin33]

They are doing a great job with the playlist which is similar to WRFF. Couple of things they are doing wrong.

1. 101.9 audio is harsh. Bring back the WRXP audio settings. It makes it a hard listen with the harsh audio and gives me a headache. I have to keep the volume really low.

Also on the stream.

 

[Barry]

I wonder whether they will offer jobs to any of the personalities that were on the original WRXP

Though I don't know what he's up to lately, Merlin should consider hiring Nik Carter. He did the afternoon shift briefly with the first 'RXP, and has worked for other Alt-Rock outlets.

I totally agree. Nik was my favorite personality on 'RXP. He would be a good choice for mornings on the new station. Nik could offer some quick wit between the songs, while keeping the music flowing.