Big 105.9 & Classic Rock

[strangelove]

The playlist on KROQ had been at the same level for years, but it had declined since the early 00's because Alt taste is so fragmented it is harder to find consensus, mass appeal songs.

Is that the same thing that happened with 93 Rock before the change to Easy? Granted it was 10 years ago but my own perception at the time was the playlist was pretty limited.

 

[CTListener]

Miami requires a more rhythmic approach to the Adult Hits idea. The market has always been perhaps the most rhythmic in the US, and with the non-Hispanic white population now being under 30% of the MSA, the driving force for music in Miami is totally a rhythmic one.

Non-Hispanic whites have been avid consumers of rhythmic music since the 1950s. Why have Hispanic whites remained so hard-wired for rhythmic after all these years? You'd think that a decent percentage, three or four generations removed from the Caribbean or Central/South America, would acquire a taste for more melody-based music, but it never seems to happen. Why isn't musical sharing and absorption a two-way street?

 

[criminallawbaer]

David, what is your take on Big 105.9s music change, and where do you expect it to go, or how far in their music selection.

 

[davideduardo]

Non-Hispanic whites have been avid consumers of rhythmic music since the 1950s. Why have Hispanic whites remained so hard-wired for rhythmic after all these years? You'd think that a decent percentage, three or four generations removed from the Caribbean or Central/South America, would acquire a taste for more melody-based music, but it never seems to happen. Why isn't musical sharing and absorption a two-way street?

The whole US music scene has been moving more rhythmic.

Some say that rock played out and fragmented. Others say there are sociological reasons behind rhythmic preferences. Whatever it is, since the 90's we have been seeing rock, even in Fargo and Billings and Duluth, getting lower radio shares.

Interestingly, in the few places where we have fourth generation Hispanics and beyond (Rio Grande Valley, El Paso, San Antonio, ABQ) we see formats like country doing very well with later generation Hispanics... just not so much for rock. In fact, in San Antonio, the two country stations have nearly half their cume with Hispanics.

But the rest of the markets... NYC, Miami, LA, Dallas, are mostly second and first generation. The later generations are much smaller and diffused among many formats.

And the biggest thing in Latin music is reggaeton which is all over the radio from Chile to Chicago... it unites younger Hispanics of all national origins... and has produced the most viewed YouTube video in history. Lots of Hispanics who were listening to rhythmic CHR in English are now back with the Spanish language equivalents because the music is better, more varied and more relevant in lyrics and "feel".

And there was a period in Latin America, mostly the 60's to the 80's, when CHR was rock-leaning. In fact, a station in Buenos Aires did an all-Argentine rock format in 2000 that shot to #1, but has now declined to 6th or 7th with other stations also playing less rock-leaning songs and more rhythmic ones. Remember, not all listeners in Latin America listen to rhythmic music in their own nations... there is as much format diversity... or more... in Latin America as in the US.

Even if you look at the annual Coachella "rock festival" it is not very rock any more and mostly rhythmic instead.

 

[MarkW]

Unlike the recent changes at sister station 93.9, the music adjustments at 105.9 seem to be paying dividends! Nice jump in the ratings. There definitely is demand for 90's & early 2K's rock in the market.

Because I cannot help myself, I have to mention that 104.3 The Flounder is in 24th place. LOL

 

[Groove1670]

Sedaka's "(Happy Birthday) Sweet Sixteen" preceded WMYQ by a decade. Billy Idol's "Sweet Sixteen" came out a decade after it was gone.

What "Sweet Sixteen" are you referring to.

The Sweet 16 format was short lived. When the 96.3 frequency was signed on by Ed Artsinger (?) he did this as a placeholder until the channel was sold to Beasley. I don't remember the year, I recall it was the late 80's or early 90s.