Los Angeles Radio Ratings: January 2024

[Brandon1993]

Correct. KPWR has never claimed or identified to be an Urban or a R&B formatted station. And besides, they were only playing R&B tracks that crossed over to Rhythmic or the Billboard Hot 100 because of the mass appeal it was achieving.

You’re right Power hardly played R&B unless it charted high on the Billboard charts.

 

[cer1992]

Really? Katy Perry and Lady Gaga on a hip-hop station? Those are pop-leaning titles!

The reason Power 106 played the likes of Lady Gaga and Katy Perry back in the late 2000s/early 2010s is because they had no Urban station to compete with after we lost 100.3 The Beat in 2006. So Power 106 at the time started adding pop hits to take away from KIIS FM and AMP radio. But ever since Real 92.3 came on the scene in 2015, Power 106 dropped their Pop and EDM titles and returned to its Urban lean focusing strictly on Hip-Hop/R&B. Plus, the 2009-2012 era was when many Pop songs were present at the Rhythmic chart (even R&B artists such as Usher, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, and Rihanna making Electro-Pop songs at the time), but times have changed now and (just like in the late 90s/early 2000s) the Rhythmic chart nowadays is pretty much interchangable with the Urban chart.

 

[cer1992]

Correct. KPWR has never claimed or identified to be an Urban or a R&B formatted station. And besides, they were only playing R&B tracks that crossed over to Rhythmic or the Billboard Hot 100 because of the mass appeal it was achieving.

Even during their so-called "Urban phase" from 1997-2004, Power 106 still had the Powertools show in those years. So yeah, it was never Urban.

 

[cer1992]

Really? Katy Perry and Lady Gaga on a hip-hop station? Those are pop-leaning titles!

To be fair, the pop songs that Power 106 played back then either featured a rapper or was a remix with a hip-hop instrumental.

 

[only1moore]

The reason Power 106 played the likes of Lady Gaga and Katy Perry back in the late 2000s/early 2010s is because they had no Urban station to compete with after we lost 100.3 The Beat in 2006. So Power 106 at the time started adding pop hits to take away from KIIS FM and AMP radio. But ever since Real 92.3 came on the scene in 2015, Power 106 dropped their Pop and EDM titles and returned to its Urban lean focusing strictly on Hip-Hop/R&B. Plus, the 2009-2012 era was when many Pop songs were present at the Rhythmic chart (even R&B artists such as Usher, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, and Rihanna making Electro-Pop songs at the time), but times have changed now and (just like in the late 90s/early 2000s) the Rhythmic chart nowadays is pretty much interchangable with the Urban chart.

Yes, but when you look at the current Rhythmic charts at Billboard and Mediabase, it seems to reflect a more multicultural feel with artists like Bad Bunny, Peso Pluma, Tyla, and even Jun Kook suddenly showing up as well as Tiesto and Teddy Swims.

 

[Gregg.]

Yes, I remember the launch. Billy Joel, Phil Collins, and The Bangles mixed in with Jody Watley, Paula Abdul, and Michael Jackson. That would change in February 1990 when Salt’N’Pepa, Karyn White, Babyface, Keith Sweat, Bobby Brown, and Skyy entered the picture.

And the program director was Liz Kiley, the only female DJ ever heard on Musicradio 77 WABC New York. She was there for part of 1979 but didn't like it. Based on her working at one of the prestige Top 40 stations in the country, she got the LA PD job at 92.3 FM.

 

[cer1992]

Yes, but when you look at the current Rhythmic charts at Billboard and Mediabase, it seems to reflect a more multicultural feel with artists like Bad Bunny, Peso Pluma, Tyla, and even Jun Kook suddenly showing up as well as Tiesto and Teddy Swims.

I agree with the others, but Tyla is also on Urban stations. You know what I found funny? It seems that Real 92.3, in the last few years, played Bad Bunny's recurrents more than Power 106. Personally, I would refer that the Urban and Rhythmic charts just combine into a single format.

 

[only1moore]

I agree with the others, but Tyla is also on Urban stations. You know what I found funny? It seems that Real 92.3, in the last few years, played Bad Bunny's recurrents more than Power 106. Personally, I would refer that the Urban and Rhythmic charts just combine into a single format.

I doubt that we’ll see a merger between R&B/Hip-Hop and Rhythmic. That’s like Top 40/CHR trying to get engaged to Dance Airplay. Plus you got a lot of owners who’ll like the status quo.

 

[Neel]

Funny to remember that KKBT at its 1989 launch was branded as “Rock with a Beat”. Even got national attention as it had killed off the longtime Classical KFAC. The rock lean lasted, what, six months before it was revamped and relaunched?

I still remember that! They even played a heartbeat sound for about a day before switching formats. One of the earliest songs was "Sowing The Seeds of Love" by Tears for Fears. I still have it on cassette somewhere.

 

[Brandon1993]

Even during their so-called "Urban phase" from 1997-2004, Power 106 still had the Powertools show in those years. So yeah, it was never Urban.

Power was and always will be rhythmic with a heavy emphasis on hip hop according to mediabase but the station reported to Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Airplay during the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Power has been through so many phases in the last 30+years I’ve lost count. IMO they were at their best back in 1995 & 1996 because they opened their playlists to include deep house music.

 

[cer1992]

Power was and always will be rhythmic with a heavy emphasis on hip hop according to mediabase but the station reported to Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Airplay during the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Power has been through so many phases in the last 30+years I’ve lost count. IMO they were at their best back in 1995 & 1996 because they opened their playlists to include deep house music.

True that 💯

 

[only1moore]

Power was and always will be rhythmic with a heavy emphasis on hip hop according to mediabase but the station reported to Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Airplay during the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Power has been through so many phases in the last 30+years I’ve lost count. IMO they were at their best back in 1995 & 1996 because they opened their playlists to include deep house music.

Billboard returned KPWR to the Rhythmic panel in 2004 actually.

 

[Brandon1993]

Billboard returned KPWR to the Rhythmic panel in 2004 actually.

Thanks for correcting me.

 

[MarkW]

I know Power 106 had budget cuts recently. Was the inept person responsible for the station's recent "success" fired? KPWR's ratings performance should be embarrassing.

I'm not seeing very many Latino artists in this playlist:

KPWR-FM Playlist - RADIOWAVE MONITOR

RadioWave electronically monitors 2,000 radio, internet, video, cable, and satellite music sources to determine the week's most popular tracks

www.radiowavemonitor.com

Power 106 appears to be a station staffed by Latino DJs playing almost exclusively African American artists.

The recent phase where Power 106 was incorporating more library tracks into the playlist seems to be a thing of the past. When did the station return to a tight, current-intensive playlist?

 

[Mykel the Radio Guy]

They probably don't have much Latin artists because of KLLI.

 

[Brandon1993]

I know Power 106 had budget cuts recently. Was the inept person responsible for the station's recent "success" fired? KPWR's ratings performance should be embarrassing.

I'm not seeing very many Latino artists in this playlist:

KPWR-FM Playlist - RADIOWAVE MONITOR

RadioWave electronically monitors 2,000 radio, internet, video, cable, and satellite music sources to determine the week's most popular tracks

www.radiowavemonitor.com

Power 106 appears to be a station staffed by Latino DJs playing almost exclusively African American artists.

The recent phase where Power 106 was incorporating more library tracks into the playlist seems to be a thing of the past. When did the station return to a tight, current-intensive playlist?

February of last year.

 

[davideduardo]

They probably don't have much Latin artists because of KLLI.

All across Latin America there are highly successful radio stations that play no music by Latino artists.

 

[Mykel the Radio Guy]

True. Take the Match family of CHR stations in Mexico. They got Spanish personalities and legal IDs, they play a ridiculously long audience cheering sound after a song, and they've only got English hits. Nothing in Spanish! I was on one of their stations on the iHeart site once and got Justin Bieber's Holy and Billie's Happier Than Ever.

 

[davideduardo]

True. Take the Match family of CHR stations in Mexico. They got Spanish personalities and legal IDs, they play a ridiculously long audience cheering sound after a song, and they've only got English hits. Nothing in Spanish! I was on one of their stations on the iHeart site once and got Justin Bieber's Holy and Billie's Happier Than Ever.

Sidebar: remember, "Match" is an accepted Spanish word and it refers specifically to a sporting event between two teams, but can also apply to game shows and the like.

 

[iDontHeartRadio]

I know Power 106 had budget cuts recently. Was the inept person responsible for the station's recent "success" fired? KPWR's ratings performance should be embarrassing.

I'm not seeing very many Latino artists in this playlist:

KPWR-FM Playlist - RADIOWAVE MONITOR

RadioWave electronically monitors 2,000 radio, internet, video, cable, and satellite music sources to determine the week's most popular tracks

www.radiowavemonitor.com

Power 106 appears to be a station staffed by Latino DJs playing almost exclusively African American artists.

The recent phase where Power 106 was incorporating more library tracks into the playlist seems to be a thing of the past. When did the station return to a tight, current-intensive playlist?

You get it Mark. No Black people, but Black culture. Meruelo sees to that.