Is 105.7 The Hog Really Classic Hits?

[Elkhosen]

I would like some thoughts from the "experts" out there. Is WIHG 105.7 truly a classic hits format? That's their tagline "Tennessee's Classic Hits Station, 105.7 the Hog". To me, they are maybe classic rock, but really seem all over the road.

During one hour today here's a sample of what I heard...

Fleetwood Mac "You Make Loving Fun"
Styx "The Grand Illusion"
Van Halen "Dance The Night Away"
Beach Boys "Sloop John B"
Aerosmith "Dude Looks Like A Lady"
Will To Power "Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley" (I hear Ronnie Van Zant rolling over in his grave)
Monkees "Last Train To Clarksville"
Queen "You're My Best Friend"
Ozzy Osbourne "I Don't Know"
Eddie Money "Take Me Home Tonight"

The ads during the hour were also a bit out there -- 2 car lots, a jewelery store, a movie theater, a body repair shop, and... a "gentlemen's club". Really??

Thoughts, comments, jibes, gestures?...

 

[tennessee steel]

I don't care what they call it, just hope they keep playing the music - I want a Knoxville move-in!

 

[formerjock]

where it is written if you call yourself "classic rock" you have to play only these 300 songs, or if you play "classic hits" you can play these 300 but they have to be different than the classic rocks 300? A lot of people who listen to classic formats grew up listening to top 40 which played everything. 105.7 is a breath of fresh air.

 

[Elkhosen]

I guess I'm just curious since they seem to wander around between "actual" classic hits (think 70s top 40) one week and classic rock (think 80s hair bands) the next.

Oh, and certainly agreed... they are a breath of fresh air! Get 'em on stronger in Knoxville!

 

[Kent T]

I agree that they are one of the better stations in this market on variety. They seem to be running locally. Signal is good here in Athens if a little more processed than I like. Signal could be better into Knoxville.

 

[RMarino]

I agree that they are one of the better stations in this market on variety.

Maybe I listen too much, but they seem to have a problem with what I call "mile wide, inch deep." Sure they play everything from The Isley Brothers to Soundgarden, but they always play the same song or two from that artist (in this case "It's Your Thing" and "Outshined" respectively.) The original post mentioned an hour's worth of music and for the most part, those are the only songs from those artists that they play. I've heard them play the Beach Boys many times, but 9 times out of 10, it's "Sloop John B." This kind of programming sounds really good for a day, but when you hear the same pattern over and over, it gets old. I can understand maybe playing one or two of an artists "biggest" hits, that makes sense, but not some random song.

The jocks are good. I enjoy Chris Cannon and Dave Bartley. Even if the music does get stale, their personalities liven things up a bit.

 

[jwk1979]

So you like it better when an AC station (Mix 92.9 in Nashville/B-97.5 in Knoxville) play "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" -Ruppert Holmes, "Flashdance"-Irene Cara and "This Very Moment"-Billy Vera and the Beaters everyday for the last 10 years?

 

[RMarino]

So you like it better when an AC station (Mix 92.9 in Nashville/B-97.5 in Knoxville) play "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" -Ruppert Holmes, "Flashdance"-Irene Cara and "This Very Moment"-Billy Vera and the Beaters everyday for the last 10 years?

Those were 3 very huge #1 hit songs. I don't know what your point is.

 

[jwk1979]

So you like it better when an AC station (Mix 92.9 in Nashville/B-97.5 in Knoxville) play "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" -Ruppert Holmes, "Flashdance"-Irene Cara and "This Very Moment"-Billy Vera and the Beaters everyday for the last 10 years?

Those were 3 very huge #1 hit songs. I don't know what your point is.

Maybe "Flashdance" was a huge hit song, but both "Escape'' and "This Very Moment" weren't really huge hits and both recieved almost no air play for several years after they were hits. Yet for some reason, AC stations started playing those three songs on a daily basis about ten years ago. They sucked when they were on the charts and they suck even more now. I would much rather hear an obscure Beach Boys song on occasionally than a song that sucks like "Escape" daily.

 

[Tennessee Cowboy]

"Escape" was a popular song once, but you gotta admit that it's one of the more difficult ones to sit through. About the same time, The Oak Ridge Boys' "Elvira" and Journey's "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" were burning up the request lines in similar fashion. Thankfully, we're getting a decent break from those two.

Does anyone else ever wonder if one-too-many Rupert Holmes songs over Muzak has triggered any violent workplace incidents?

 

[jwk1979]

"Escape" was a popular song once, but you gotta admit that it's one of the more difficult ones to sit through. About the same time, The Oak Ridge Boys' "Elvira" and Journey's "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" were burning up the request lines in similar fashion. Thankfully, we're getting a decent break from those two.

Does anyone else ever wonder if one-too-many Rupert Holmes songs over Muzak has triggered any violent workplace incidents?

I hated that song when it first became a hit and I hate it even more today. I didn't hear that song for almost 20 years but for some unknown reason, Mix 92.9 started playing it every day about 10 years or so ago. My ex-wife listened to Mix 92.9 in her car back then and my current wife listens to it in her car. Everytime I hear it, Ihave to turn the radio to another station when I'm with my wife. And I know a lot of people that feel the same way about that song that I do. But you can't tell Mix 92.9 that.

 

[Tennessee Cowboy]

"Escape" was a popular song once, but you gotta admit that it's one of the more difficult ones to sit through. About the same time, The Oak Ridge Boys' "Elvira" and Journey's "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" were burning up the request lines in similar fashion. Thankfully, we're getting a decent break from those two.

Does anyone else ever wonder if one-too-many Rupert Holmes songs over Muzak has triggered any violent workplace incidents?

I hated that song when it first became a hit and I hate it even more today. I didn't hear that song for almost 20 years but for some unknown reason, Mix 92.9 started playing it every day about 10 years or so ago. My ex-wife listened to Mix 92.9 in her car back then and my current wife listens to it in her car. Everytime I hear it, Ihave to turn the radio to another station when I'm with my wife. And I know a lot of people that feel the same way about that song that I do. But you can't tell Mix 92.9 that.

One would anticipate that this song is in power rotation in Hell.

 

[Kent T]

"Escape" is much better to hear than "Elvira". When that was a current, it got 4 plays an hour and wore out it's welcome very fast. Regarding Rupert Holmes, "Answering Machine" was his best from that album. I still love that song.

 

[TnJanitor]

Regardless of "genre", 105.7 is an excellent small market alternative to country...imo, to hell with the big city losers...the hog is a very listenable station...if the dufus heads in ktown and blount county would get over their metro centered opinions..they would realize how unimportant that strict "genere" radio is when it comes to the grass roots...refer to the arb cty by cty and see who has the real numbers..

 

[TnJanitor]

The numbers don't reside with horne radio, merle, old wivk-am (850), old wgap, wlil, espn k-town, Q-93, espn shy of a million dollar pigeon forge, etc.. The"hog" does ok in a sales mkt that includes an incredible country station..."Wow 102.5" and an ac.."Mix 99.3"

 

[RMarino]

Regardless of "genre", 105.7 is an excellent small market alternative to country...imo, to hell with the big city losers...the hog is a very listenable station...if the dufus heads in ktown and blount county would get over their metro centered opinions..they would realize how unimportant that strict "genere" radio is when it comes to the grass roots...refer to the arb cty by cty and see who has the real numbers..

The problem is 105.7 is advertising as playing a "genre" and not delivering on that promise. They promote themselves as "Tennessee's classic hits station" and then play Nickelback. They either need to change the slogan to fit the format, or change the format to fit the slogan.