Of course and perhaps that's why previous management was so reluctant to do anything. You break it, you bought it. So that's what happened. I agree that it will take a long time, because they really have to build a new audience and give them a reason to listen.
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KROQ, again
- Thread starter AceBiscuits
- Start date
Of course and perhaps that's why previous management was so reluctant to do anything. You break it, you bought it. So that's what happened. I agree that it will take a long time, because they really have to build a new audience and give them a reason to listen.
I take from this that it was a means of survival for Audacy. Plus if you think about it, Audacy was only doing what iHeart did years ago with "Premium Choice" formats. Look at the formats that were selected, Alternative, Country and CHR.
I don't think it's news really, I wouldn't be surprised if iHeart do the same in their major markets.
It looks like the strategy Allers and Taylor are going with is "keep the pop-punk, cut down on the alternative pop, play more golds, add more alt-rock currents". The Pick of the Week also looks like an auto-add if it hits the 90% positive reaction, as "KEEP IT UP" by Rex Orange County, and "Loved You A Little" by The Maine cleared 90% positive and were immediately incorporated into the Audacy playlists. The older current "Head Right" by Wilderado, which cleared 90% when it were the Pick while Mike Kaplan still had control over adds, was also added last month after nearly five months in limbo.
During Kaplan's final 6-7 months in full control the Picked songs generally were not added even if they cleared 90%, unless they crossed to pop radio or to the Hot 100. In addition to "Head Right" sitting in limbo, "Hush" by The Marias cleared 90% positive (it had a score of 96%, the highest of any Pick to date) and it was never added. The only exception was Cold War Kids' "What You Say", which had a score of 80% and was added a month after being made the Pick, presumably after much research was done.
EDIT: here's the link to all of the public Pick results if anyone wants to give it a gander.
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K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
A station reverting to a previous branding without a change back to the format which used that brand doesn't happen often. Being relatively unfamiliar with that station, could you educate me on what "The Buzz" was formatically?
Had all local announcers (including Church of lazlo, a talkshow that is syndicated now to Las Vegas and Detroit.) It had a bit of an indie rock lean with previous MD Lazlo having a lot of control over the music, and it spun a lot of currents and would sometimes take chances on obscure gold titles. It had kind of a unique feel in comparison to other alternative stations in the country. Though, it was one of the few stations that actually had its ratings IMPROVE after switching to the national alt format (I believe it went from 2.2-2.8-3.1 in the 6+ numbers the first months it switched) and currently holds a 4.1, so it would be smart to leave that one alone, but I'm thinking more along the lines of other "alt" stations in the country and their previous branding.
The irony of KRBZ improving after the rebrand ratings wise was, that at one time, it was very well rated doing it Lazlo's way.
They also were very promotionally active and doing well with concerts in that era. Post COVID, not sure they could build back what they had.
They also were very promotionally active and doing well with concerts in that era. Post COVID, not sure they could build back what they had.
Perhaps not directly related to this thread, other than all the "Mike Kaplan" chatter. Looks like writing might be on the wall
www.insideradio.com
Audacy Taps Brad Steiner As New Regional Brand Manager Of Alternative Formats.
Brad Steiner joins Audacy as Regional Brand Manager working with three of the company’s modern rock stations – “Alt 92.3” WNYL New York, “Alt 98.7” WDZH Detroit, and “104.3 The
Ad some SELLOUT by REEL BIG FISH.
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
A 25-year-old song --"Sell Out", two words, for anyone who wants to do their own research -- which only got 42 plays combined in the U.S. across five formats over the past seven days. Which only gets airplay in 31% (18 stations out of 58 monitored by BDS) of Alternative stations. Which averages around 730th in the weekly airplay rankings for that format.
This song looks more like a burned-out stiff than any of the ones you have thought were in recent posts.
Nevertheless, it is a song that KROQ has played at least once every three or four months since 2000 (as far back as the spin history archives at BDS go), the most recent being in afternoon drive last week. So it doesn't need to be "ad"ded to the library.
Need I rebut further?
To be fair, Reel Big Fish is a Southern California band and KYSR plays them too, so Sell Out must test well in L.A.
In fact, there have been a lot of complaints about radio's moves toward using nationalized, homogenous playlists, so its hard to complain about these L.A. stations playing a local band that apparently reflects local market tastes.
In fact, there have been a lot of complaints about radio's moves toward using nationalized, homogenous playlists, so its hard to complain about these L.A. stations playing a local band that apparently reflects local market tastes.
But radio in the larger markets does not use national lists... if such a thing even exists. They do local research.
The reason whey there is far less localism in music is the influence of the Internet, which is not just national but international in some formats.
And the record labels who control the music and the way its used. Over the last ten years they've expanded their promotion departments to also include Spotify, Apple Music, SiriusXM, and other major streaming services. If you wonder about music homogenization, look to the music industry. This is a very long and complicated subject.
Especially since KROQ was a holdout in playing the current Foo Fighters song.
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
Okay. I never heard of them before now, and you're very likely correct in presuming that the audience in this market knows them and that drives the airplay on both stations.
But then I end up asking why Patrick phrased his suggestion in a way that sounded oblivious* to the fact that the song has already been playing on a regular basis for over 20 years.
In fact, as one goes smaller and smaller in market size when making comparisons, I find that there is much more homogenization both in music and format and much less difference between stations in different markets. Part of that is likely due to the way the Internet affects the national/international charts, which then become the basis for the smaller market playlists, with very little variation.
* - And not the Aztec Camera song, either.
KROQ was a holdout along with most Audacy stations in playing all of the Foo Fighters songs from the most recent album. KNDD spun Waiting On A War for a few weeks and Making A Fire got on KKDO for a spell but that was it.
All Audacy stations reported Love Dies Young as an add earlier this week, right before Taylor Hawkins’ unfortunate death. Wonder if they’re going to play the hell out of “Love Dies Young” now.
Another part of it is that stations in those smaller markets are running 24/7 formats from syndicators, not local playlists. Which isn't much different from radio stations who at one time took their playlists from format consultants or the Billboard charts. And btw very little of this has to do with ownership. The only difference ownership might make is who the station uses for syndication.
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