Another new Cox translator for Greenville?

[carolinaradio]

Or Chuck FM, don't they "play everything?" ???

Obviously about 350 songs exist.

 

[awp69]

I know I have a tendency to overanalyze everything (and everyone except Carolinaradio probably hates me for it), but is it just me or has it seemed like X98.5 has slid back a little towards overplaying grunge? Prior to this week, the grunge stuff appeared to be down to maybe one or two an hour at most. Now, almost every time I listen I'm hearing the likes of Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Smashing Pumpkins and Soundgarden much more often. Still not as much, perhaps, as when they first started. But enough that I've seemingly have noticed a change.

BTW, I was in Myrtle Beach over the weekend (unfortunately for a family emergency) and listened to KZQ while I was done there. Nice station. Playlist overall was very similar to X98.5 (at least prior to this week). They even had a countdown and from what I heard of it, X is playing all of the latest alt hits. KZQ may lean a bit more towards the Radio 104.5 side of the spectrum with less of the harder rock (Korn, Tool, Incubus -- which I still wish X would leave to The Planet).

Still am quite happy with X, just has me wondering why -- unless I'm imagining things -- the sudden turn back towards more grunge.

 

[carolinaradio]

It does seem like there has been a shift back towards grunge and more 90s material from the newer focus they had last month, but still not as heavy as in early August when they signed on. I still hear a lot of new stuff, which is good, but not quite as much as last month. I haven't looked at the charts recently (I miss that and the Ratings feature on this site), but I'm not hearing as much "new" material. Perhaps there is a lull in the charts, I'll have to check it out.

I do not think Alternative stations even need to play the grunge area anymore, and can probably do away with a lot of the 90s. Even stations like 99X, who held on to grunge longer than a lot of other Alternative outlets, had moved away from it greatly. There is a ton of good material out right now for Alt. - better than there has been in years, IMO. I like it a lot more than grunge and metal.

KZQ is pretty good from when I've listened, which hasn't been in quite a while, but they have a "Rise Guys" type morning show, but not as bad. That is something I could definitely do without. Myrtle Beach's support of the Alternative format has always been a little surprising to me, especially since it is a smaller southern market. Speaking of The Rise Guys, 98.5 is still after them and The Planet.

Edit to add: I haven't commented on here about it lately, but MY continues to sound very good. Nice to hear them playing stuff like Alex Clare and Ed Sheeran.

 

[awp69]

I do not think Alternative stations even need to play the grunge area anymore, and can probably do away with a lot of the 90s.  Even stations like 99X, who held on to grunge longer than a lot of other Alternative outlets, had moved away from it greatly.  There is a ton of good material out right now for Alt. - better than there has been in years, IMO.  I like it a lot more than grunge and metal.

I agree. There is a ton of good music in Alternative rock right now. It's gained a lot of momentum which has led to a lot of cross over to CHR -- Fun., Gotye, Grouplove, Alex Clare and even Adele (which is now strange to think that it was stations like 99X and Radio 104.5 that were playing her music long before CHR. She may be one of the few artists that actually got too popular and Alt rock stations stopped playing her. Haven't listened to Radio 104.5 much lately. Curious if they still play her music).

When I listened to KZQ, I'd say close to 75% of what I heard was either a current or re-current. It was about 50/50 on X98.5 last month, but now seems like maybe 1 out of 3 songs are "newer" (when they started it was probably more like 1 out of 5).

 

[vchimpanzee]

KZQ is pretty good from when I've listened, which hasn't been in quite a while, but they have a "Rise Guys" type morning show, but not as bad. That is something I could definitely do without. Myrtle Beach's support of the Alternative format has always been a little surprising to me, especially since it is a smaller southern market.

According to Arbitron, the market doesn't support the format.

 

[awp69]

Not sure what was going on but there was dead air for a while this morning and their sister translator Chuck was still on. The stream is currently on (not sure about the OTA).

Station still sounding pretty good even with a bit more grunge than I'd like. I was getting a little worried about them getting stagnant with the "new" songs with the same lead-ins for some songs that have been out for months now.

But they've picked up some new adds with songs by Two Door Cinema Club, Atlas Genius, Youngblood Hawke and the latest singles from Grouplove ("Itchin' on a Photograph") and Green Day ("Let Yourself Go", a song IMO that's much better than "Oh Love").

Also seem to be playing every song from the Billboard Alternative Top 20 chart. Except one - the new Soundgarden single, which is strange since they have mixed in more grunge lately.

On a personal note, I've been trying to convert my 13-year-old son from his B93.7 fandom to X98.5, but seems like everytime he's in the car, that's when they play some older grunge and not the newer stuff. Guess I'm stuck with Hawk & Tom on those morning drives.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Green Day ("Let Yourself Go", a song IMO that's much better than "Oh Love").

Also seem to be playing every song from the Billboard Alternative Top 20 chart. Except one - the new Soundgarden single, which isstrange since they have mixed in more grunge lately.

Green Day and Soundgarden! I've heard of them.

 

[carolinaradio]

Not sure what was going on but there was dead air for a while this morning and their sister translator Chuck was still on. The stream is currently on (not sure about the OTA).

Station still sounding pretty good even with a bit more grunge than I'd like. I was getting a little worried about them getting stagnant with the "new" songs with the same lead-ins for some songs that have been out for months now.

But they've picked up some new adds with songs by Two Door Cinema Club, Atlas Genius, Youngblood Hawke and the latest singles from Grouplove ("Itchin' on a Photograph") and Green Day ("Let Yourself Go", a song IMO that's much better than "Oh Love").

Also seem to be playing every song from the Billboard Alternative Top 20 chart. Except one - the new Soundgarden single, which isstrange since they have mixed in more grunge lately.

On a personal note, I've been trying to convert my 13-year-old son from his B93.7 fandom to X98.5, but seems like everytime he's in the car, that's when they play some older grunge and not the newer stuff. Guess I'm stuck with Hawk & Tom on those morning drives.

This station still sounds a little better than Cox's other Alternative stations, but to be fair, I haven't paid them any attention (other than checking out their websites) since I was in Florida earlier this year. They're playing a pretty good variety of recent stuff (groups like the Alabama Shakes and Silversun Pickups, which were absent initially, are well represented now).
Strangely, they still don't play anything female-fronted. The closest there is are groups like Of Monsters & Men.

You mentioned Adele on Alternative earlier. I think I remember Radio 104.5 played "Set Fire To The Rain" and "Rolling In The Deep" when they were just released, but I doubt they play those anymore since they weren't huge Alternative hits.

I don't guess you could at least convince your son to listen to Channel 96.1

 

[carolinaradio]

I listened to X-98.5 today on the way to Newberry. I was able to get it all the way down 385 to I-26 decently, with the signal becoming too weak to really listen to around Clinton.

Just for comparison, 97.7 Chuck FM's signal doesn't make it as far...the static gets really bad on 385 past Laurens, which is about 10 miles closer from where 98.5's got too bad at I-26.

Funny, because looking at the specs 97.7 should have a better signal than 98.5.

 

[awp69]

You mentioned Adele on Alternative earlier. I think I remember Radio 104.5 played "Set Fire To The Rain" and "Rolling In The Deep" when they were just released, but I doubt they play those anymore since they weren't huge Alternative hits.

Yeah, I doubt they do and know that X98.5 certainly would never play her (nor would I expect them to). I guess I was just pointing out that, IMO, Adele may have opened the doors a bit for some alternative crossover to CHR. She's far from being "alternative" now. It's actually funny looking back that Radio 104.5 was where I first heard her.

I don't guess you could at least convince your son to listen to Channel 96.1

Unfortunately, he also likes Hawk & Tom's "humor". Sad, but true.

 

[KyleSmith1988]

I drove around Gaffney yesterday and at times X98.5 came in with very little static, very listenable even while driving.
Feels like X98.5 has more than 200 watts headed up this way, it comes in pretty well sometimes.
Chuck FM has never been this good up here...97.9 in Charlotte kills it past eastern Spartanburg and Cowpens.

I would expect 97.7 to suffer greatly heading SE from Greenville past Gray Court due to 97.5 WCOS...

Chuck was gone for me on I-26 as I crossed into Laurens County from Spartanburg County,
but came in again for a brief time as I got near I-26 at which point 97.5 started to bleed out Chuck.

I was in Greenville a few days ago and had some trouble Getting X98.5 (and even B93.7) near The Handlebar in Downtown Greenville.
X98.5 had some static even while driving on that part of East Stone Ave near 29 and then again near 385.

At one point when I stopped at the traffic light for 276 @ 385...B93.7's analog signal had static as I tuned in
but then it locked in HD with a perfect signal just fine in the same spot...that was pretty cool

 

[carolinaradio]

I drove around Gaffney yesterday and at times X98.5 came in with very little static, very listenable even while driving.
Feels like X98.5 has more than 200 watts headed up this way, it comes in pretty well sometimes.
Chuck FM has never been this good up here...97.9 in Charlotte kills it past eastern Spartanburg and Cowpens.

I would expect 97.7 to suffer greatly heading SE from Greenville past Gray Court due to 97.5 WCOS...

Chuck was gone for me on I-26 as I crossed into Laurens County from Spartanburg County,
but came in again for a brief time as I got near I-26 at which point 97.5 started to bleed out Chuck.

I was in Greenville a few days ago and had some trouble Getting X98.5 (and even B93.7) near The Handlebar in Downtown Greenville.
X98.5 had some static even while driving on that part of East Stone Ave near 29 and then again near 385.

At one point when I stopped at the traffic light for 276 @ 385...B93.7's analog signal had static as I tuned in
but then it locked in HD with a perfect signal just fine in the same spot...that was pretty cool

98.5 seems like more than 200 watts to me, too. Especially when compared to 97.7. When I lost 97.7, it wasn't due to 97.5 as much as it was just a weak signal. Whatever kind of setup Cox is running there, it's working quite well.

I always have a little static on 93.7, 102.5, and 98.5 on the Haywood Rd bridge over 385. I've stopped at the traffic lights there before and had it be very noticeable.

 

[carolinaradio]

Yeah, I doubt they do and know that X98.5 certainly would never play her (nor would I expect them to). I guess I was just pointing out that, IMO, Adele may have opened the doors a bit for some alternative crossover to CHR. She's far from being "alternative" now. It's actually funny looking back that Radio 104.5 was where I first heard her.

Yeah, I think Adele was a big part of the beginning of the trend of Alternative and AAA crossing over to CHR last year. The reception to "Rolling In The Deep" was massively positive. I think that positive reaction definitely had an impact to artists such as Fun. and Gotye crossing over and being successful. Now I notice The Lumineers and Of Monsters & Men are crossing over, even. I think those may be pushing it, but I think it's quite a feat given how little rock/alternative material there was on CHR in 2009 and 2010.

I am personally a little surprised that "Too Close" by Alex Clare has been so popular on Alternative. I guess it's the dubstep which makes it have a little bit of a rhythmic sound. I'm sure that helped it greatly on CHR. It's sort of a change of pace for Alternative.

 

[wnc40]

I was in the actual Upstate this weekend for the first time since X98.5 signed on. WOW. It sounds really, really good. I believe I would put that on a much bigger stick. To me, that is the best sounding station in the market right now. I wish someone in CLT or GSO would do this.

 

[KyleSmith1988]

A few days ago, a CP was granted to upgrade X98.5 from 200 to 250 watts.

 

[awp69]

A few days ago, a CP was granted to upgrade X98.5 from 200 to 250 watts.

Didn't even know that was possible using the translator. But agree with wnc40 that I'd love to see it on a bigger signal. I honestly do feel like it could easily take on The Planet -- and possibly surpass it if it had enough strength. Even though it's "alternative", with as much success as there's been with CHR crossover with a lot of bands lately, to me it's more mainstream than the head-banging trash on 93.3.

 

[carolinaradio]

250 watts is what Cox is running on 97.7 but the 98.5 signal is much better as it is, even with lower wattage. They are even increasing the antenna height a little bit. This signal will be interesting to hear. I was in Spartanburg and got 98.5 clearly around the Dorman Center and Westgate Mall last week. It has plenty of pickup to the east and south.

I like the voice they've been using for a while now more than the original one. Sounded too whiny for Alternative for my tastes. I think it has a great sound. Certainly not like one would expect from a low-powered signal in a midsized southern market programming Alternative. It's certainly blown my expectations. I do find it interesting that they play radio edits of some songs (cutting out length), especially being an Alternative station - for example, the edit of "Some Nights" that cuts one of the most interesting parts towards the end of the song out (about 30+ seconds, I believe). Some CHR's play this edit.

 

[carolinaradio]

Interestingly, I notice the X has a "Rate The Music" feature on their website. Might be worth taking if you listen regularly. http://www.x985fm.com

 

[awp69]

Just wanted to pop over here and, since there was a few mentions (including from myself), of the lack of female-led groups on X98.5 that they are finally playing Metric. Prior to that, no new material from female artists except a few dual singer bands like The Naked and Famous and Of Monsters and Men was getting any airplay. Older stuff from Flyleaf and Evanescence has been there as well.

But there's still more opportunities they could take in female alt acts though. In particular, I'm surprised by the lack of Florence and the Machine. It's not like everything they play is electric guitar-driven rock. Florence and the Machine would fit nicely along side things like Of Monsters and Men and Mumford and Suns. There's also Paramore, which is more guitar-driven.

Anyway, at least Metric broke into their playlist. Still am pretty impressed with the station overall.

 

[tylerSC]

This station may sound good, but how is it doing in the ratings? That may determine its long term survival, especially in light of its upcoming sale. But I agree Cox is doing a very good job with its format. It should be on a stronger signal.