Just wondering if anyone has ever tried putting Hard Rock & Metal on a AM Signal in a Market where there is no Current Rock / Hard Rock Format, and how it has done. Unless I'm missing something, it seems to me that people who liked that kind of music would tune to AM to listen to it if that were the only place to get it on the Radio Dial. I live in a sea of AC's and Country Stations, and I would truly love a Decent Rock Station anywhere near me, and I think I would listen to it on AM if the signal was decent enough. I realize it would have to happen in a decent sized market to get enough advertisers to pay the bills, but do you think it would fly? Why, or why not?
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Hard Rock & Metal on AM Radio
- Thread starter LowPayDJ
- Start date
There is, always has been, and probably will continue to be a divide on "marketability" and this kind of music.
Marketing metrics "prove" that the segment who this appeals to does not have the $$ to support the format.
"Rebel Radio" in Chicago made no money regardless of frequency it was tried on.
That said, I don't think it was visionary ENOUGH to succeed.
Too much thrash is too much thrash.
Which is OK for a "show", but not good for a whole format.
I like thrash mixed in with lots of other stuff for proper contrast.
I recall a hard-rock AM somewhere inthe 1300's back in the 90s in Daytona Beach.
They did a really good job for an AM with puny signal.
Marketing metrics "prove" that the segment who this appeals to does not have the $$ to support the format.
"Rebel Radio" in Chicago made no money regardless of frequency it was tried on.
That said, I don't think it was visionary ENOUGH to succeed.
Too much thrash is too much thrash.
Which is OK for a "show", but not good for a whole format.
I like thrash mixed in with lots of other stuff for proper contrast.
I recall a hard-rock AM somewhere inthe 1300's back in the 90s in Daytona Beach.
They did a really good job for an AM with puny signal.
Well I'm not necessarily saying a Metal/Thrash station, but maybe a Harder Edged Active Rock format in a market where the only Rock Station there plays the OLD and TIRED Classic Rock, that died 20-30 years ago. If I hear "Take a load off Sally" one more friggin time, I'm sure I'll puke?
Most of Z-Rock's affiliates back in the early 90s were on AM stations.
They only lasted a couple years, at most.
They only lasted a couple years, at most.
i'd listen if they played lots of Rammstein and NIN but don't think it has enough of a market appeal. out in the boonies/desert they're pretty much hard-core classic rock/country/sports.
Back in the late '80s/early '90s, it wasn't unusual at all to find AM rock/metal and alternative stations. Some of them enjoyed small, but rabidly devoted audiences.
Then some FM stations began picking up these rock formats. And well, once these were established, the AM rockers died off.
The Z-Rock network was made up primarily of AM stations, usually second tier stations that failed at just about everything else. And it worked for a while...or at least until an FM competitor came along. Or new owners. The Z-Rock network itself (which was going through some massive changes due to the demise of hair bands and the rise of alternative in the early '90s) finally announced in October 1993 that it was dropping all AM affiliates, which was roughly 2/3rds it's total number of affiliates. The Z-Rock network was dying, but this move seemed to accelerate it's demise more than the changing musical tastes.
There are still a few AMs that break the typical AM radio mold and play rock (or upbeat AC.) But they're usually in smaller towns where there is little to no local FM competition.
Most of today's thrash metal is pretty lo-fi and would be right at home with AM's limited fidelity range. But it's a tough sell. If there's a visible hard core of rockers in an area, it has potential. But most radio business people are yuppie suits who don't want to be associated with "undesirables" (as I actually heard one of these suits call hard rock fans. Tsktsktsktsk!)
Then some FM stations began picking up these rock formats. And well, once these were established, the AM rockers died off.
The Z-Rock network was made up primarily of AM stations, usually second tier stations that failed at just about everything else. And it worked for a while...or at least until an FM competitor came along. Or new owners. The Z-Rock network itself (which was going through some massive changes due to the demise of hair bands and the rise of alternative in the early '90s) finally announced in October 1993 that it was dropping all AM affiliates, which was roughly 2/3rds it's total number of affiliates. The Z-Rock network was dying, but this move seemed to accelerate it's demise more than the changing musical tastes.
There are still a few AMs that break the typical AM radio mold and play rock (or upbeat AC.) But they're usually in smaller towns where there is little to no local FM competition.
Most of today's thrash metal is pretty lo-fi and would be right at home with AM's limited fidelity range. But it's a tough sell. If there's a visible hard core of rockers in an area, it has potential. But most radio business people are yuppie suits who don't want to be associated with "undesirables" (as I actually heard one of these suits call hard rock fans. Tsktsktsktsk!)
Research has shown and ratings continue to confirm, that other than Latino or another other form of ethnic music on AM is a non-starter.
With IPods being so commonplace with the demographic that would be interested in Metal, Rock or HipHop why would someone tune into noisy, lo-fidelity AM? The answer is, they wouldn't. A listener can create their own playlist laced with all the uncensored profanity the artists can scream with an IPod.
It amazes me though the handfull of AM hobbyists that hang around this site who are so amazingly out of touch with the mainstream to even ask the question of putting music back on AM. Talk about a tiny cross section of society in total denial.
With IPods being so commonplace with the demographic that would be interested in Metal, Rock or HipHop why would someone tune into noisy, lo-fidelity AM? The answer is, they wouldn't. A listener can create their own playlist laced with all the uncensored profanity the artists can scream with an IPod.
It amazes me though the handfull of AM hobbyists that hang around this site who are so amazingly out of touch with the mainstream to even ask the question of putting music back on AM. Talk about a tiny cross section of society in total denial.
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