Boston's shared artists

[MisterBilge]

I apologize if this has been beated to death here - I'm obviously new so give me a hall pass if it has. I thought is was interesting that Retro had to prove to someone that BCN and BMX don't share artists. I would have thought that was a no brainer. But how about BCN (Alternative) vs AAF (Active Rock)? Of BCN's top 11 most played current songs in the past 7 days, AAF is playing 7 of them (Offspring, AC/DC, Scott Weiland, Foo Fighters, Apocalyptica, Shinedown and Guns n Roses). My question is: Active Rock morphing into Alternative or is it the other way around?

Same with XKS (Top 40) vs BMX (Hot AC). In the BMX 20 most played currents over the past 7 days, 6 are shared with XKS. That's almost 1 out of 3. So, is Hot AC becoming Top 40?

Given the similarities in music, what makes one station a winner and the other an. "also ran?" Does a strong focused music direction identify a station or do you raid other formats to broaden your listener base? Can someone please 'splain this to me?

 

[faderraider]

well, back in the day.......(gawd I am getting old!) it wasn't just the music, it was the "sound" , the personalities, the imaging, the "sizzle" a whole package.......hmmmm,come to think of it, not that different today....

 

[Eli Polonsky]

I thought is was interesting that Retro had to prove to someone that BCN and BMX don't share artists. I would have thought that was a no brainer. But how about BCN (Alternative) vs AAF (Active Rock)? Of BCN's top 11 most played current songs in the past 7 days, AAF is playing 7 of them (Offspring, AC/DC, Scott Weiland, Foo Fighters, Apocalyptica, Shinedown and Guns n Roses). My question is: Active Rock morphing into Alternative or is it the other way around?

WBCN and WAAF are competitors, owned by different companies, going for more or less the same listening audience (predominantly young male rock listeners). It doesn't matter much whether it's considered "active" or "alternative", the stations will play whatever they think will attract that audience, and some duplication is necessary because each station wants to make sure that it's offering what's popular in the overall genre so as not to lose listeners to the other.

WBCN came from more of an "alternative" format in the recent past, and WAAF was always more of an "active" rocker, but there isn't all that much musical distinction between the two stations anymore. Personally, I'd just call them both "rock".

WBCN and WBMX are owned by the same company and do not compete with one another. WBCN skews male, WBMX skews female.

Same with XKS (Top 40) vs BMX (Hot AC). In the BMX 20 most played currents over the past 7 days, 6 are shared with XKS. That's almost 1 out of 3. So, is Hot AC becoming Top 40?

Hot AC by definition has always included some of the more adult Top 40.

Given the similarities in music, what makes one station a winner and the other an. "also ran?" Does a strong focused music direction identify a station or do you raid other formats to broaden your listener base? Can someone please 'splain this to me?

The ratings between WBCN and WAAF are usually fairly equal, so I wouldn't consider either a "winner" or an "also-ran" to one another.

WXKS-FM (Kiss) is true CHR/Top 40 with a long established history in the format, and it attracts the large teen and young adult audience. Hot AC on WBMX, though it includes some Top 40, is somewhat more of a niche format that skews a little older, which is why it plays '80s and '90s music along with hot adult contemporary hits. It does fairly well, but it won't attract an audience the size of the teenage-oriented CHR.