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If Star 94 isn't a Hot AC station...

whit979

whit979

...then there are no Hot AC stations in America. They're all just Top 40 stations.

I love Star 94. Longtime fan. But c'mon...Star 94 is as close to Hot AC as it gets.
At this point, it almost seems more beneficial to just go ahead and call it a Hot AC.
Might be able to gain the appeal of adults who shy away from the phrase "Top 40".
 
Hot AC = 80's, 90's, and now
Modern AC = Currents (KYSR 98.7 LA comes to mind).

The question should be...Star 94 should be classified as modern AC? (Answer: YES)

But it seems top 40 at the moment has shyed away from urban product, and back towards rock songs.

We could also classify B98.5 as a hot AC. They play 70's to today (few currents), but claim that No Doubt's "Hella Good", Third Eye Blind's "Semi-Charmed Life" (with drug references intact), and Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping" is soft rock. Even though AC has gone more upbeat over the years, B98.5 is one of the few AC's in the country that has a playlist this ecclectic (small, but ecclectic).

We can have a vigorous debate over the formats of Dave FM, Star 94, Project 96.1, 97.1 The River, B98.5, The Fish, Eagle 106.7, and WJZZ. It seems to me neither of these stations stick to their format. From observation, it seems like Atlanta is one of the few markets that has so many stations that go off format.
 
The question should be...Star 94 should be classified as modern AC? (Answer: YES)
Click to expand...

I don't quite agree with you there. Yes, Star plays a lot of product that could be called modern AC: Linkin Park, One Republic, Finger 11, etc. But, Star plays a lot of stuff that would never make a modern AC playlist, such as Jordan Sparks, Colbie Caillat, Taylor Swift, etc. To me, Star is a CHR station that leaves out the young-leaning urban product. And that makes Star close to the CHR/Hot AC borderline, if there's such a thing.

I do agree with you that B98.5, with its latest playlist changes, is close to being a hot AC.

As far as stations deviating from whatever format they're supposed to be in, I don't think Atlanta is unique. Format labels mean only so much. For example, I've always felt there were two forms of hot AC, one like what B98.5 is doing and one that's really a modern AC (or pop conservative), such as what Charlotte's 107.9 The Link did before becoming basically a talk station. If you had to define The River's format, you'd probably say classic hits. But the new WCBS-FM in New York, which plays some '60s along with 70's and 80's and is much more CHRish, is also referred to as a classic hits station.

By the way, what is John McCain?
 
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