Adult Album alternative

[Theater of My Mind]

Baby boomers who think they're not mired in nostalgia the way oldies fans are, because they're seeking out new music. But the new music they're finding is done in styles most appreciated by baby boomers. To most of today's 30- to 45-year-olds, the acts played on AAA radio just sound old, even the ones that feature younger musicians. Nathaniel Rateliff is a perfect example. If you liked Gary US Bonds or early Springsteen, you probably like Rateliff. But listeners whose youth was full of grunge and early hip-hop aren't going to appreciate him.

It depends on the station, there are different flavors of AAA. The non-comm stations like WFUV New York fit that description because they depend on listener contributions, and I think public radio in general gets most of its contributions from older listeners like those people who love Springsteen. But a commercial AAA like KBCO is going to target a younger audience, still firmly in the advertising demo. If you look at their playlist it's not nearly as focused on the folk/roots/classic rock styles. It's modern, melodic, alternative-leaning acts like Lumineers, Death Cab For Cutie, Cage the Elephant, The Black Keys, Mumford and Sons, etc.

 

[TheBigA]

But a commercial AAA like KBCO is going to target a younger audience, still firmly in the advertising demo. If you look at their playlist it's not nearly as focused on the folk/roots/classic rock styles. It's modern, melodic, alternative-leaning acts like Lumineers, Death Cab For Cutie, Cage the Elephant, The Black Keys, Mumford and Sons, etc.

With Fleetwood Mac's Landslide thrown in?

 

[Theater of My Mind]

With Fleetwood Mac's Landslide thrown in?

If KBCO plays Landslide then it's because they tested it with their audience and it scored well. Besides, that's got to be one of the most popular songs for female singers of all ages to cover in their live shows so I'm sure it's well known and well liked even by people in their 40s.

 

[TheBigA]

If KBCO plays Landslide then it's because they tested it with their audience and it scored well.

They played it last night. Today they're playing a lot of Cars in memory of Ric Ocasek.

 

[CTListener]

It depends on the station, there are different flavors of AAA. The non-comm stations like WFUV New York fit that description because they depend on listener contributions, and I think public radio in general gets most of its contributions from older listeners like those people who love Springsteen. But a commercial AAA like KBCO is going to target a younger audience, still firmly in the advertising demo. If you look at their playlist it's not nearly as focused on the folk/roots/classic rock styles. It's modern, melodic, alternative-leaning acts like Lumineers, Death Cab For Cutie, Cage the Elephant, The Black Keys, Mumford and Sons, etc.

Death Cab, Black Keys and Mumford all were played on SiriusXM's The Loft, curated and largely hosted by boomers or very early Gen X'ers. And judging from the makeup of the channel's Facebook group before management essentially removed the station's personality, most of the posters there fell into the same general late 40s to early 70s age range. I'm sure many of them would have no trouble accepting Cage the Elephant, too. This was the channel that was still playing new and classic material from Bowie, Springsteen and Yusuf (Cat Stevens), remember? The key is "melodic." That's not a characteristic of much of the music that would resonate with younger (under 40) audiences raised on Metallica and N.W.A. I wonder what KBCO's ratings look like when broken down by age groups.

 

[Delete My Account]

KBCO's heritage is in the Triple A format, but they're a legacy station that effectively functions as a Rock AC. In any given hour, they're playing an average of two songs that are Triple A exclusive, whereas most stations in the format share fewer tracks with AC & Classic Rock. Sister KTCZ in the Twin Cities more dramatically shed its Triple A heritage and moved further in a Hot AC direction. It performs similarly to KBCO.

Triple A is a difficult format to fit into the national corporate model, the ones that iHeart acquired ended up going the KBCO/KTCZ route. It's a challenging but rewarding format for the smaller companies and independent operators that invest the time and effort. Saga has done well with it - they acquired heritage local Triple A stations in Western Mass (WRSI) and Portland (WCLZ.) They invested in the launch of WCNR in Charlottesville, and expanded a similar format to Asheville, NC.

Triple A attracts some of the best demographics in radio for direct business in high income, educated markets. It's not going to be a Top 5 in most major markets, but it's a viable niche. In some markets, non-comms fill that void and monetize it. In others, there's a place for it but it has to be done by an owner who understands the format or hires the right people to deliver it. The audience isn't easily swayed by gimmicks, and is reluctant to participate in carrying PPM meters. It's also not easily done "out of the box" as each market's preferences are very different within the broader context of Triple A. It's a great format when done properly.