How's the new Alternative station doing?

[acheron1982]

@Atlantaboy - Let me ask you something. First, we don't agree all the time but we both love Alternative so for that, I have to give you props. You mentioned about 90's and 2000 re-currents. I argue that alternative radio (all alternative radio) seems to play the hell out of the 90s and modern stuff and have forgotten about the the 2000 - 2010 stuff. You never hear The Strokes (except "Last Night") or Interpol. Remember Louis XIV? How about some of the Radiohead stuff from the early 2ks. Even The Cure and Depeche Mode had a few hits during the early 2ks (though only one off the albums).

With the exception of the gold artist like Linkin Park, Green Day and Red Hot Chili Peppers, we don't hear very many songs, those one "HIT" wonders (note my stress in hit) from the early and mid 2ks. Another example would be Bloc Party, Hot Hot Heat.... etc... etc.... etc.

P.S. Love Tame Impala and XX right now. Wished I could hear more of that as well. Also, while I understand your fear of more indie stuff on Radio 1057, would you have an issue with a two hour show on the weekends highlighting some of the newer stuff?

 

[atlantaboy]

Also, while I understand your fear of more indie stuff on Radio 1057, would you have an issue with a two hour show on the weekends highlighting some of the newer stuff?

I think they should definitely do that - they're doing it now on Sunday nights, but only with local artists - maybe a Friday or Saturday night show?

BTW I don't think Indie on 1057 is a problem - I think it's just adding unfamiliar Indie stuff too quickly, at least at this point - I guess I'm at the point where I trust Clear Channel with what they're doing, since they've got a 3.3 share with a limited signal, in just a couple months, at a time when so many posters thought that Alternative in ATL wasn't realistic

I think the reason there's more 90s gold than 2000s gold is that the Alternative format in the 2000s was flooded with Active Rock, so IMO 90s mixes in better with 2010s Alternative - they do play the 2000s Alt. that fits in though, IMO - Filter/Take A Picture, Third Eye Blind/Never Let You Go, a lot of tracks from Incubus (Drive, Dig, Wish You Were Here, Pardon Me), Puddle Of Mudd/Blurry, Snow Patrol/Cashing Cars, Fuel/Hemorrhage In My Hands, Jet/Are You Gonna Be My Girl and Look What You've Done, Silversun Pickups/Lazy Eye,Yellowcard/Ocean Avenue, Ataris/The Boys Of Summer, lots of 2000s tracks by Linkin Park, Foo Fighters, RHCP, Weezer, Green Day/Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, Death Cab/I Will Possess Your Heart, MGMT/Kids - those are just some I could think of off the top of my head

If there are big 2000s tracks you think they're skipping, you can definitely call in or request online, and they'll probably play it if it "fits" - someone did that with AFI/Miss Murder, and now they're playing it all the time

The only 2000s Alt. tracks I've noticed them skpping over, personally, so far are Death Cab songs like Soul Meets Body and I Will Follow You Into The Dark and they don't play Creed, Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, etc. - but you're right, I don't think they play the Strokes, either

BTW I really hope they add Chocolate by the 1975 when it goes for adds next week

 

[awp69]

Since you mentioned Snow Patrol and Death Cab for Cutie, that's one thing that I don't understand about our station. Pretty much all of the new stuff - save something like Nine Inch Nails - is more on the mid-tempo, pop sounding alternative, which is also just reflective of today's alt charts. But, as I mentioned before, they are little lacking when it comes to gold tracks. They have a set group of songs by groups like Garbage, Dave Matthews, R.E.M, Sonic Youth and other hits like "Closing Time", "No Rain" and The Atari's version of "Boys of Summer". But the vast majority of their gold is grunge.

It makes little sense that they don't play groups like Snow Patrol and Death Cab for Cutie (along with a ton of non-grunge 90s alt) when those songs would actually be a better fit with today's charting groups.

I like that we get a lot of new music and also understand why Radio 105.7 is more cautious based on the history of alt in Atlanta. Guess I'd like more if 105.7's approach to gold along wih the new stuff (essentially Radio 104.5). Kind of annoying that a lot of good classic alt gets overlooked on X98.5. I tend to listen primarily because of how quick they are with new ads. But cringe at the grunge, even if I used to like it, because I know there's a lot more old tracks that fit the current mold.

 

[atlantaboy]

^It's the Carolinas, and the whole macho hetero rock thing - when I lived in Charlotte, 106.5 The End didn't touch Death Cab, barely played Coldplay, and skipped everything by Snow Patrol except for Chasing Cars - I didn't even know who MGMT was until last year

 

[awp69]

^It's the Carolinas, and the whole macho hetero rock thing - when I lived in Charlotte, 106.5 The End didn't touch Death Cab, barely played Coldplay, and skipped everything by Snow Patrol except for Chasing Cars - I didn't even know who MGMT was until last year

True, but they thankfully have gotten rid of most of the more active rock (even though I personally think grunge fits more on the active spectrum even if it was what made alternative "big"). But they play some of the more "adult alternative" stuff like Lorde's "Royals" and he aforementioned Fitz and the Tantrums, etc., so to me those songs just would fit better. The only Coldplay they play is "Paradise".

Well, no station is perfect, although I used to think Radio 104.5 was pretty close for my tastes.

 

[acheron1982]

Do you think it's a South Carolina thing or possibly a station that is trying to still snatch some of the active rock station listeners. I ask that because 98X out of Charleston was one of the best alternative station along with 96 Wave. Of course, those stations no longer exist but one station that does is 96.1 KZQ. About a year ago, I passed through that area and they were playing The Cure's "End of the World" from 2001. Hell, I can't even think of an alt station that will even touch that song today.

The End in Charlotte has always leaned alternative but I thought for the longest that this was just a Clear Channel Premium Channel thing (which leans active anyway). I've not listened to them in some time now so I don't know if they have improved or not.

99x was leaning hardcore active before their demise.

Here in St. Louis, The Point, is an active/alternative hybrid. Sorta screws both genres though because they don't play all of the hits from either the alt or active charts and they are late as hell getting new alternative rock. Don't even get me started with them though because I cringe when I here "St. Louis' Alternative, 105.7 The Point" then they play "The Unforgiven" by Metallica. ***JUMPS OFF CLIFF***

Side Note: While I hate the alt station in St. Louis, they are smart because the staiton has been around for 20 years and no other modern rock (alt or active) even attempts to take them to task because technically, the cover both genres; They just do a shi**y job at it.

 

[chrocket87]

Lorde's "Royals"

See atlantaboy's original assessment of "Breezeblocks". IMO, this is the worst song I have ever heard on an Alternative station.

 

[chrocket87]

Here in St. Louis, The Point, is an active/alternative hybrid. Sorta screws both genres though because they don't play all of the hits from either the alt or active charts and they are late as hell getting new alternative rock. Don't even get me started with them though because I cringe when I here "St. Louis' Alternative, 105.7 The Point" then they play "The Unforgiven" by Metallica. ***JUMPS OFF CLIFF***

Sounds like 89x/Detroit, which I grew up listening to. They've always leaned active, but over the past three years, they've become mostly active with some alternative sprinkled in (Fun and Imagine Dragons have become huge bands on the station however). They also do a half-assed job with both genres, but having AAA sister station (CIDR) and the infamously blue collar demographics makes moving toward "true" Alternative impossible.

[/quote]Side Note: While I hate the alt station in St. Louis, they are smart because the staiton has been around for 20 years and no other modern rock (alt or active) even attempts to take them to task because technically, the cover both genres; They just do a shi**y job at it.
[/quote] The closest I can think of someone trying to take them on was Modern AC 100.3 the Sound a few years ago. They actually sounded pretty good, but they never really caught on and have flipped formats a few times since then. Other than that, yeah, no one has tried to attack the Emmis Wall of Rock in STL.

 

[atlantaboy]

Do you think it's a South Carolina thing or possibly a station that is trying to still snatch some of the active rock station listeners.

I'd say it's both - in other words, Active Rock does well in the Carolinas, so it's important not to isolate those listeners

I know you guys like hearing Active mixed in (or I thought that's what someone said at one point), but for stations that aren't well-established, that model is really bombing right now - Cumulus uses that model on most of their stations, and nearly every one of them has plummeted into the 1's in share

I know there are some stations where the Alternative/Active hybrid is doing well (Houston, St. Louis, etc.), but overall, I feel like the newer Clear Channel formula is much more successful - especially at a time when there are literally no Active tracks anywhere in the ITunes Top 100

In a lot of markets, including Atlanta, I think that if you lean "adult", you'll be able to advertise to the money demo, while still picking up younger listeners since there's nowhere else to hear Indie bands - Radio 104.5/Philly leans adult, and they are #1 in the 18-34 demo

 

[awp69]

Lorde's "Royals"

See atlantaboy's original assessment of "Breezeblocks". IMO, this is the worst song I have ever heard on an Alternative station.

Yeah, I said they played it. Not that I like it. In fact, I was a little taken back that they were playing it but then again I don't understand alt stations playing "Get Lucky" at all (only heard it once on X98.5 and assumed it got negative reaction).

Probably needed to preface what I posted by saying that the GSP station was kind of mixing active and alternative when they started. And indeed, I think that was an attempt to siphon off some of Greenville's active rock station, WTPT, "The Planet". But now that they've been around 10 months, most of the active rock is gone (and they would never play Metallica ).

They cover the alternative charts well. It's just the gold tracks that they have a short list as far as non-grunge is concerned. And given the more adult leaning way the alt charts have been going lately, it doesn't make much sense that the "mellower" gold tracks are lacking.

Radio 105.7's non-current playlist would be a better fit. Just doesn't make a lot of sense to me why X is somewhat resistant to '90s alt that isn't grunge (as well as 2000s like Snow Patrol, etc.).

 

[atlantaboy]

Radio 105.7's non-current playlist would be a better fit. Just doesn't make a lot of sense to me why X is somewhat resistant to '90s alt that isn't grunge (as well as 2000s like Snow Patrol, etc.).

I actually lived in Charlotte when Chasing Cars came out - Kiss 95.1 tested it, and then immediately dropped it, while it went on to go Top 10 CHR nationally - sorry to be blunt, here, but there's a lot of resistance in the Carolinas to stuff that sounds "gay" (as awful as that is...)

 

[awp69]

Radio 105.7's non-current playlist would be a better fit. Just doesn't make a lot of sense to me why X is somewhat resistant to '90s alt that isn't grunge (as well as 2000s like Snow Patrol, etc.).

I actually lived in Charlotte when Chasing Cars came out - Kiss 95.1 tested it, and then immediately dropped it, while it went on to go Top 10 CHR nationally - sorry to be blunt, here, but there's a lot of resistance in the Carolinas to stuff that sounds "gay" (as awful as that is...)

Not sure if it's all formats in the Carolinas as our Hot AC does play Death Cab for Cutie and Snow Patrol. The true "active"'rock folks came and went from X98.5 after trashing Mumford & Sons, Fun. and the like for not being "rock" so guess I don't see any reasons holding them back from tracks like that. And tracks like "Sweater Weather" would blend perfectly with them. But I guess they have their reasons.

 

[atlantaboy]

our Hot AC does play Death Cab for Cutie

Really? That's awesome, and pretty rare I think

 

[DefinitelyIan]

I really like this station. I just wish it would have better coverage in Midtown/Buckhead. It drives me even more batty when the HD signal drops in and out.

 

[awp69]

our Hot AC does play Death Cab for Cutie

Really?  That's awesome, and pretty rare I think

LOL. That may be awesome, but as a whole the station, WMYI, is generally about a year behind the times - still thinking Katy Perry and Lady Gaga are "hot". It's honestly a pretty pathetic station that went from traditional to Hot AC but took like two messy years to do it. So, unfortunately, a few cool adult alternative tracks does not make it a good station.

 

[atlantaboy]

I really like this station. I just wish it would have better coverage in Midtown/Buckhead. It drives me even more batty when the HD signal drops in and out.

Either they boosted the signal somehow, or my car radio reception just got better, cause it's actually coming in clear in most of Midtown for me

Still can't get it (clearly) for most of the 400 corridor in Buckhead

 

[NightFlyer]

My reception has always been pretty good in the car.. well, it's a young Ranger with a very good radio, but still.. I did notice a few weeks back weak reception as I headed down South Cobb Drive towards I-285 but as of late it's been very good along my top end commute. Weather pattern changes perhaps, or maybe they did make a change to improve reception? I noticed it coming in strong today as I arrived at our client site in Midtown.

Playlist and personality wise, they're doing a very good job. I've been enjoying it.

 

[atlantaboy]

I've also noticed a couple billboards in the city - one on Cheshire Bridge Rd., pretty close to Midtown - the other one I hope they bought for cheap, because (sorry if this comes out wrong), it was in a part of the South Side of ATL where you wouldn't expect, demographically, to find a whole lot of Alternative fans - I wonder if it was an old billboard for Wild that they covered over

BTW I don't understand how the 105.7 signal, based out of Canton, "skips over" a lot of Buckhead, and then comes in stronger in the Southern portions of the city

 

[secondchoice]

BTW I don't understand how the 105.7 signal, based out of Canton, "skips over" a lot of Buckhead, and then comes in stronger in the Southern portions of the city

105.7's tower is on Sweat Mt. in Northeast Cobb Co.:

https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=34.066111,+-84.454167+(WRDA-FM)&om=1


Any hill above line of sight will hurt reception of a FM signal. How much varies with the height, "width" and geologic makeup of the hill. Big tall buildings don't help reception too. Circular polarization is suppose to help with reflection / refraction from buildings which can really mess with a FM signal.

Also I suspect that 94.9 is interfering some with a possible IF harmonic to 105.7 in some receivers which doesn't help things with 94.9's tower close to Buckhead.

https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=33.807500,+-84.340833+(WUBL-FM)&om=1

 

[atlantaboy]

Big tall buildings don't help reception too.

That would totally explain it, since the interference seems to be near 400, in between the Sandy Springs Perimeter area (where there are tall buildings) and the southern part of Buckhead (where there are also tall buildings)

Meanwhile, I-85 and I-75 are fine, signalwise

Lol that I didn't think of that...