AMERICAN URBAN VS. BRITISH URBAN FORMATTING

[Wildstyle K]

I noticed for many years in London and many other places similar, their urban formats consist of more than just hip hop & r&b. BBC Radio 1xtra "love black music, love 1xtra" which is their slogan, features ALL urban style music, even if it's rhythmic - including urban dance hits from Flo Rida, Usher, Pitbull, Rihanna, and more.

I was wondering why couldn't the overseas style of urban formatting work in the U.S. where ALL urban styles are given attention if they are hits? They play urban hits during the regular playlists, but feature all types of urban dance and urban electronica from drum & bass to grime, garage and funky house. In addition to this, they also have reggae shows as well.

HERE'S THE BBC RADIO 1XTRA TOP 40 CHARTS
http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/chart/singles

If American urban contemporary formats kept their main playlists as they are, but all started featuring mixshows that mixed in different forms of urban hits in such a way that it still catered to their market, could it eventually catch on and be accepted in high urban demographic areas? I can't speak for rock, country, or other formats that I don't explore too much, but as for urban, I do wonder; How is it that the American way of things became so limited to one sound when it comes to urban formatting?

And why does it also seems that back when old school urban dance (from people like Ce Ce Penniston, Dj Taz, Heavy D, Debbie Deb, Lathun, Crystal Waters, Africa Bambaataa, Inoj, and 2 Live Crew...etc.) was popular, it was given attention on urbans, but now that a new generation of the urban dance sound of electro-hip hop, uptempo r&b, baltimore club (from people like Dj Class, Jermaine Dupri, Rihanna, Pitbull, Flo Rida, Kid Cudi, Lil Jon, LMFAO, Flo Rida, Usher-dj got us falling in love..etc.) is rising up once again, this time it's being ignored on urbans?

 

[htowler]

This look Like a Wild Rhythmic format. I wouldn't having that stateside.

 

[kilamanjero]

I blame it on the splicing of the urban format in the US for this lack of inclusion of such songs and artists...

 

[prodigy3]

I blame it on the splicing of the urban format in the US for this lack of inclusion of such songs and artists...

I agree! If we has Urban and Top-40 then it would be better in my eyes, the Rhythmic is like a crappy version of both put together :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\

 

[kilamanjero]

I blame it on the splicing of the urban format in the US for this lack of inclusion of such songs and artists...

I agree! If we has Urban and Top-40 then it would be better in my eyes, the Rhythmic is like a crappy version of both put together :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\

I remember when most American urban stations were still full-service or "urban contemporary" prior to the mid-1990s, they would include such unique songs you may hear on present-day British urban radio. That's how songs by artists like George Michael, Hall & Oates, The Timex Club, Loose Ends, Madonna, etc. all getting charted on Billboard R&B/Hip charts because they freedom of urban stations then. I think it is time for urban stations to come full circle because according to the current ratings, it seems the ones that due in competitive markets are benefiting the most from their variety of song choices.