Cumulus CHR's improving?

[carolinaradio]

I was looking at the Mediabase playlists for the Cumulus CHR stations in larger markets, and is it just me, or does it seem that their stations are finally having a little more variety in sound and not following the Q100 mold exactly as they had been? I remember about 8-9 months ago when they all seemed to have identical playlists, and "ban" certain songs (such as they did with "Super Bass" forever), and follow Q100, but it seems that each station is a little different now. Q100 is still adult, but it seems like their other CHR's, at least in larger markets, aren't adhering to that mold as closely as they were last year and are more customized. Are they giving the local stations more control again? Hopefully so. I don't have anything wrong with CHR's leaning adult, but I don't care for them to all follow one station just because a certain approach happens to work for that certain one.

Thoughts?

 

[atlantaboy]

I feel like Q100 is getting worse - the same handful of songs over and over, most of which sound exactly the same - and their adds seem to be getting more and more conservative

 

[The Outsider]

They still have the group adds, but there are different lists. 95..7 The Vibe in KC, KLIF Dalls and the "i" branded stations, other than the one in Indy, are the most mainstream of the bunch and work off of a different playlist. As those stations compete against well established competitors, they have to do that. The i branded station here in Cedar Rapids, is actually a good listen. The other stations, at least the ones I can pick up locally, have sounded better over the last couple of weeks. I never thought Jan would add "Young, Wild & Free", but he has. They have also been very early on the new Karmin song, after ignoring their previous single.

 

[carolinaradio]

I feel like Q100 is getting worse - the same handful of songs over and over, most of which sound exactly the same - and their adds seem to be getting more and more conservative

In the latest PPM, Star was actually beating Q, so I have a feeling this isn't going to change - Star's strength is amazing. I feel bad for the Atlanta market not having a true CHR, though, like Channel 96.1 in Charlotte or G105 in Raleigh....I think CC should try taking Wild mainstream CHR and seeing what happens.

I'm just glad these stations aren't carbon copies of Q100 anymore. Like I said, I understand Q's reasoning, but I didn't understand why Cumulus seemed to think that using that exact same playlist in other markets where their CHR's situations (as far as competition goes) are totally different would work. Musically, WZRR/Birmingham, one of their newest CHR's, is very good as well. A lot like KCHZ/Kansas City and KLIF/Dallas, both of which have greatly improved. I seem to remember Mike McVay saying back in the fall that the stations would be gaining more local control again. Luckily, they seem to pretty much left the old Citadel CHR's alone, as far as the music goes...heard 95SX in Charleston last week and they are a very good CHR.

 

[atlantaboy]

Just wanted to add that not only are Cumulus CHRs boring, Cumulus Hot ACs are really boring as well (WPLJ/New York, WRQX/Washington, WDVD/Detroit) - and most of the stuff played is similar to what's played on Q100

The Citadel takeover thing really bothers me - a year ago, WPRO/Providence would be all over Alternative stuff like Gotye, Fun, and Foster The People - and what a surprise, now that they're owned by Cumulus, the Modern AC stuff is nowhere to be found - instead, the same watered down CHR selection with traditional middle-of-the-road Hot AC stuff like Train and The Fray

 

[carolinaradio]

I guess the Citadel takeover affected more stations than others, because I can't tell much difference with 95SX - they were usually an adult friendly, rather cutting edge CHR until a couple of years ago, when they went more rhythmic - at times, they seemed to be ignoring pop/rock completely, but are a little more balanced now. Their music wasn't anything unique before the Cumulus takeover. I agree about WPRO, but I saw they were playing We The Kings - that's odd, as I don't think any of the other Cumulus CHR's are playing SYLM, or ever did. Maybe they are allowing a little deviation.

WPLJ is a pretty boring Hot AC, I can agree with that....I like WWFS more, actually.

 

[Slinky]

The Citadel takeover thing really bothers me - a year ago, WPRO/Providence would be all over Alternative stuff like Gotye, Fun, and Foster The People - and what a surprise, now that they're owned by Cumulus, the Modern AC stuff is nowhere to be found - instead, the same watered down CHR selection with traditional middle-of-the-road Hot AC stuff like Train and The Fray

And interestingly, it's now Clear Channel that's taking the lead on the Fun song (added to Z100, KIIS, and WIHT, among others)

 

[rubberchicken]

Appears many of the former Citadel stations will add songs the same week as their new Cumulus sisters. Karmin, Wiz Khalifa, and Chris Brown were all adds this week.

However there does appear to be some deviation.
WFHN Fun 107 is all over Calvin Harris.
WIOG is on Wild Ones, giving a lot more airplay to I Like It Like That, and is their only CHR playing Nickelback's Lullaby.
KLAL has Crawling Back To You in power
KSMB spins Avicii and Big Sean.

 

[carolinaradio]

It seems that the stations can opt out on certain adds (some of the stations aren't playing The Fray) or not play them as heavily as others (it used to not really be this way, IIRC), and they are making exceptions with adds (like Avicii, We The Kings, Big Sean, etc)....this is an improvement.
Are they ignoring any songs like they did with "Super Bass" forever? That was one of the strangest things Cumulus ever did. They finally added it when it started falling down the charts.

I think they've come a long way from last summer.

 

[Wildstyle K]

Was "I'm on one" by Dj Khaled ever a top 40 hit?

 

[bchristi]

Was "I'm on one" by Dj Khaled ever a top 40 hit?

No, that was played on rhythmic CHRs, mainstream CHRs didn't play it too much if at all.

 

[atlantaboy]

Wanted to bump up this thread to point out that Cumulus has molded its newly acquired Hot ACs to almost the same Q100-modeled programming as most of its CHRs...

Q100 can now basically be heard on WPLJ/New York and WRQX/Washington

And if you think Cumulus is conservative about adding songs off the CHR chart, they're even worse about adding songs off the Hot AC chart, where songs are Top 15/Top 10 (Gotye, Jason Mraz, Andy Grammer, Nickelback) and still no sign of Cumulus Hot AC adds

Honestly, if they're not going to even attempt to follow the Hot AC chart, IMO Cumulus should just move WPLJ and WRQX to full-fledged adult-leaning CHR, especially since CBS owns additional Hot ACs in both those markets

 

[CHRles]

Honestly, if they're not going to even attempt to follow the Hot AC chart, IMO Cumulus should just move WPLJ and WRQX to full-fledged adult-leaning CHR, especially since CBS owns additional Hot ACs in both those markets

Man, I wish PLJ and WRQX both reverted back to CHR, but the music logs I see (especially for PLJ) clearly indicate they're still Hot ACs.
Back in the 80s 95.5 WPLJ was a CHR known as Power 95 and really gave Z-100 a run for its money in the NYC market. Both WPLJ and WHTZ went Top 40 in the summer of 1983 (PLJ actually beat Z-100 to the punch).

WRQX was known as Q-107. It was an Adult leaning CHR in the early 80s that went pure CHR/Pop once the mighty 105.1 WAVA came on the scene (also in 1983), and both were well known around Washington DC.

BTW, In the early 80s the dominant CHR in DC was 95.5 WPGC, programmed by none other than Scott Shannon, and succeeded by Steve Kingston.
A couple of years later (after making Q-105 Tampa the most successful CHR in the country) Scott Shannon launched Z-100 in New York, which went up against WPLJ. When Shannon left Z-100 in the late 80s he was succeeded by...Steve Kingston! Finally, around 1991 Scott comes back to New York(after launching Rock/CHR 100.3 The Pirate in L.A.) and takes up shop at Z-100's arch nemesis WPLJ. Within a couple of years PLJ evolved into a Hot A/C, and it's been that way ever since.

 

[atlantaboy]

Honestly, if they're not going to even attempt to follow the Hot AC chart, IMO Cumulus should just move WPLJ and WRQX to full-fledged adult-leaning CHR, especially since CBS owns additional Hot ACs in both those markets

Man, I wish PLJ and WRQX both reverted back to CHR, but the music logs I see (especially for PLJ) clearly indicate they're still Hot ACs.

Yeah, I probably should've looked at yes.com before I posted that :-\

WPLJ and WRQX do have almost the same currents, though, as Q100 and most of its sister stations - seems like Cumulus is using CHR currents and mixing them with 80s/90s/00s gold tracks - which makes for a really boring Hot AC IMO

 

[carolinaradio]

I think WPLJ really needs to get rid of those stray 80s songs - that decade just doesn't belong on Hot AC anymore, Fresh even ditched the 80s.

WDVD/Detroit is in a similar situation with adds, but they don't play anything before 2000 to my knowledge...

 

[atlantaboy]

WDVD/Detroit is in a similar situation with adds

And guess what...they're owned by Cumulus! :-\

Just like WPLJ and WRQX, they stay away from anything that isn't on the pop chart

And add to that Cumulus-owned Hot ACs in Indianapolis, Oklahoma City, and Harrisburg PA - still no Gotye, no Jason Mraz, no Andy Grammer, no Nickelback, etc.

 

[CHRles]

WDVD/Detroit is in a similar situation with adds

And guess what...they're owned by Cumulus! :-\

Just like WPLJ and WRQX, they stay away from anything that isn't on the pop chart

And add to that Cumulus-owned Hot ACs in Indianapolis, Oklahoma City, and Harrisburg PA - still no Gotye, no Jason Mraz, no Andy Grammer, no Nickelback, etc.

Geez, all former CHRs.
96.3 WDVD used to be known as 96.3 WHYT, a fantastic CHR all throughout the 80s. Went through a couple of Rhythmic and Alternative leaning permutations in the first half of the 90s before settling on Modern Rock.
Wink 104 Harrisburg? The quintessential Pennsylvania CHR in the 80s and 90s.
99.5 WZPL Indianapolis? The Apple was a great Midwestern CHR in the 80s, and survived through much of the 90s.
Even KYIS 98.9 Oklahoma City was CHR in the 80s, known as Z-99.

 

[only1moore]

WZPL is owned by Entercom. Cumulus owns WRWM, which Atlantaboy was referring to.

 

[carolinaradio]

At least the markets like Detroit, DC, NYC, and Indy have alternatives for Hot AC - WRWM really seems like an afterthought for Cumulus, it's pretty much voicetracked/syndicated...

Entercom's WZPL is a pretty good Hot AC.

 

[electroboy73]

Cumulus CHR's improving?

NOT IN THE #9 market of ATLANTA.....AT ALL!

Q100....stll not playing or barely playing:

DRAKE ft. Rihanna - "Take Care" (not even once)
SEAN PAUL - "She Doesn't Mind"
NICKI MINAJ - "Starships" (still only at night)
WIZ KAHLIFA - "Young Wild Free" (dropping down the charts but, they BARELY touched this one)
K'NAAN F - "Is Anybody Out There?"

(as usual the list can go on)