Q-100: PLEASE STOP PLAYING THE FOLLOWING SONGS ALREADY.............

[electroboy73]

Well, well. Here it is a week into a brand new year and our two Atlanta "TOP-40" stations are still battling it out. (and still they're both using a mostly AC/HOT-AC playlist as their weapon of choice)! So, tired of lack of a true Top-40 in this now #7 market. Something has to give....please! At least for now, I've compiled a list of recurrent "burn-outs" that Q100 has just GOT to stop playing......

1. "Cry Me A River" - Justin Timberlake (2002) (at least 12 times a day on Q for the last 2 years...and now STAR is playing it more!)
2. "Realize" - Colbie Calait (2007/08) (sometimes 25 times a week!) Can we say SOFT-AC at this point?) Especially sad when they play this song after their leagal ID at 9:50 on a FRIDAY NIGHT...(whoo-hoo, party, party!) : (Oh yeah, and now STAR is playing it more)
3. "You And Me" - Lifehouse (2006) (8 times aweek) (Again on a Friday or Saturday evening...I've heard it after 5 mins of commercials!
4. Any song Rob Thomas/Matchbox 20, ESPECIALLY if it's before 2003!

This list is just a few of many that make Q-100 and Star sound so dull (as a TOP-40).

And back to Q-100, they have YET to play MANY current Top-40 songs and/or don't play them enough........

"Live Your Life" - T.I. (ONLY after 7pm and you'll never hear it again until the next evening!)
"Single Ladies..." - Beyonce (Not once)
"Seventeen Forever" - Metro Station (Not once)
"Heartless" - Kanye West (not once)....#4, nationally
"Circus" - Britney Spears (not once)
"Untouched" - The Veronicas
"I hate This Part" - Pussycat Dolls
"Thinking Of You" - Katy Perry

....But yet Q-100 has no problem playing AC hits like "Unwritten", "Chasing Cars", "You And Me", "Little Wonders", "Bubbly", "Realize" (PROFUSELY), "Pocketful Of Sunshine", "Apologize"
(PROFUSELY!), "Because of You", "Love Song", "Unwell", "Slide", "Big Girls Don't Cry",
"Stop And Stare" (PROFUSELY!), "Never Ever", Walk Away", (some of these 7 to 30 times a week!)

(Star 94 - you're not much better either!) Snubbing all CURRENT hip-hop, like new Kanye West, Akon, And why has Star not even touched "Rehab" - Rihanna??) Okay, I'm done....for now!

peace.

 

[D-Oradio]

IMO, Cumulus loves Rob Thomas. Back when WZAT Savannah was top 40 as Z102, they played the heck out of him.

 

[burksy]

Radio info poll... Is this the most brought up, most annoying thread on the ATL board?

Haha

 

[electroboy73]

Radio info poll... Is this the most brought up, most annoying thread on the ATL board?

Haha

Bursky, I thought all about when I wrote this. It is a tired subject. And I appeciate the comment. But, as passionate about radio as I am, I think....(i hope) this would be the one place where I can come and share my thoughts, feelings, and passion about it. And who knows.....(not to sound all "1970's" or anything). But just maybe it'll sink into someone's brain that's running the show out there. I'm not here to entertain.

 

[RadioMahn]

You would think Atlanta would have at least one Mainstream Top 40 station. Neither Q100 or Star play all the hits.

 

[burksy]

Radio info poll... Is this the most brought up, most annoying thread on the ATL board?

Haha

Bursky, I thought all about when I wrote this. It is a tired subject. And I appeciate the comment. But, as passionate about radio as I am, I think....(i hope) this would be the one place where I can come and share my thoughts, feelings, and passion about it. And who knows.....(not to sound all "1970's" or anything). But just maybe it'll sink into someone's brain that's running the show out there. I'm not here to entertain.

I get that, but the majority of your argument is aimed at Q, and they are clobbering Star 18-34. And in reality, I agree with you, I instantly change the station when Colbie comes on, or any of the array of MB20 that they play. But me and you are in the minority, because their ratings are much better than Star's. Not to mention, lots of markets don't have a 95.5, which is a joke of a hip hop station and really just an incredibly aggressive CHR that will play the TI's and those artists, along with the multiple urban stations we already have.

So really, Star should be the one with the more aggressive lean, because Q is beating them at their own game

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Atlanta does not really have a true CHR/Mainstream station like Z100 in New York, 106.1 Kiss in Dallas or Hot 99-5 in DC at this point. Q100 used to be a real CHR under Susquehanna ownership. Just because Q100 is winning does not make it a true CHR.

And 95-5 The Beat has to be the most misunderstood station among posters on this board. Yes, The Beat says "#1 for hip-hop," but it's not trying to go directly against V-103 and Hot 107-9. I've seen posts about how The Beat is far behind V and Hot in adding songs.

The Beat's format is known as CHR/Rhythmic. That format's real target audience is suburban white kids, using white jocks to play black music. In The Beat's case, the station has a high percentage of Blacks and Latinos as well as white kids. The Beat's hip-hop positioner was just recognition (from consultant Steve Smith) that hip-hop had grown beyond just African-Americans.

By the way, The Beat has done well in Arbitron based on its objectives, which don't include competing head-on against V and Hot.

 

[TheMusicMan]

I almost feel like The Beat would position itself more accurately with "Atlanta's Hip Hop & Hits" (a slogan B96/Chicago was using until fairly recently), but at the same time maybe they want to avoid confusion with "All the Hits Q100[/b] and "Atlanta's #1 Hit Music Station, Star 94." That having been said, it's a little disorienting to hear "Atlanta's #1 for Hip Hop" over the intro of Britney Spears' "Womanizer."

Regarding Q100 and their horrendous music...I agree with you 100,000%, electroboy. It's painful. But we've beaten this horse into the ground by now. As long as Jan Jeffries is running the show and Q is enjoying solid ratings, the playlist isn't going to change. I do think it's particularly ridiculous that to hear even the biggest mass-appeal hip hop crossover hits between 6A and 7P - see "Dangerous," "Live Your Life," "Whatever You Like," "Low" amongst others - one must cross the street to The Beat. Q and Star's aversion towards rhythmic material certainly must aid WBTS in the ratings.

 

[top16]

How about a rule of not playing the same song in consecutive hours. When you're saying to yourself and others, "didn't I hear that song an hour ago", that is a case of overplaying a song. I wish we'd go back to the days when a song is only played once during a particular shift.

Also, suggestion to Star 94: bring back the nightly countdown show. The Top 20 daily was a little much, so maybe a "Hot 9 at 9" or "Top 5 at 9." Make the listeners a part of the nightly show.

 

[Kabrich]

Radio info poll... Is this the most brought up, most annoying thread on the ATL board?

Haha

Bursky, I thought all about when I wrote this. It is a tired subject. And I appeciate the comment. But, as passionate about radio as I am, I think....(i hope) this would be the one place where I can come and share my thoughts, feelings, and passion about it. And who knows.....(not to sound all "1970's" or anything). But just maybe it'll sink into someone's brain that's running the show out there. I'm not here to entertain.

And Q100 is not here to be your personal jukebox.

 

[ShawtyBlack_ATL]

Atlanta does not really have a true CHR/Mainstream station like Z100 in New York, 106.1 Kiss in Dallas or Hot 99-5 in DC at this point. Q100 used to be a real CHR under Susquehanna ownership. Just because Q100 is winning does not make it a true CHR.

And 95-5 The Beat has to be the most misunderstood station among posters on this board. Yes, The Beat says "#1 for hip-hop," but it's not trying to go directly against V-103 and Hot 107-9. I've seen posts about how The Beat is far behind V and Hot in adding songs.

The Beat's format is known as CHR/Rhythmic. That format's real target audience is suburban white kids, using white jocks to play black music. In The Beat's case, the station has a high percentage of Blacks and Latinos as well as white kids. The Beat's hip-hop positioner was just recognition (from consultant Steve Smith) that hip-hop had grown beyond just African-Americans.

By the way, The Beat has done well in Arbitron based on its objectives, which don't include competing head-on against V and Hot.

Im sure everyone knows 95.5 THE BEAT is made for white listeners, isn't it obvious? Poor Mami Chula, a true hip-hop head can't even get down like she did at HOT 107.9. Instead, shes playing stuff like this on 95.5.....

Leona Lewis "Bleeding Love"
Brintney Spears "Womanizer"
Pink "So What"
Lady Gaga "Just Dance"

 

[Mid West Clubber]

While I agree with Shawty about The Beat,, I think they should definately be playing the songs he listed,, but drop the Number One for Hip Hop slogan,,,, no one is Buying that,,, I think the Beat should position itself as A-Towns Hottest Music and keep the Hip Hop lean,,, but keep adding those from the Dance-POP genre as the likes of Lady Gaga-Brittney Spears ETC,,, but dont be afraid to play an occasional rock song,,, like over the summer they could have played Metro Stations-Shake it... And go back to airing Dance Music on Weekend late nights like in the past..... The good thing about the beat is they dont play the Ballads like V and Hot do,,, so therefore I choose The Beat as the best of the Hit Music CHR stations cause Star and Q are too conservative,, but for new and edgy hip hop, you have V-103 and Hot 107.9,,, so at least all the top music of today is on A-Town radio, just not on the same station....

 

[radiojunki]

Radio info poll... Is this the most brought up, most annoying thread on the ATL board?

Haha

Bursky, I thought all about when I wrote this. It is a tired subject. And I appeciate the comment. But, as passionate about radio as I am, I think....(i hope) this would be the one place where I can come and share my thoughts, feelings, and passion about it. And who knows.....(not to sound all "1970's" or anything). But just maybe it'll sink into someone's brain that's running the show out there. I'm not here to entertain.

And Q100 is not here to be your personal jukebox.

But Q100 is supposed to be here to entertain, and they are failing at that. I think Star is doing a much better job, I heard Circus for the first time the other day and was in shock and turned it up. Radio stations, in my opinion, need to take more chances with new songs. I think you lose listeners by playing the same songs over and over and over and ignore the new songs that your listeners haven't had an opportunity to hear because you're still playing hit songs from 2003, which in moderation is okay, but someone needs to monitor the playlist at Q a bit more.

 

[electroboy73]

All I'm saying is that ANY ONE of these stations could just totally go after the other two just by being a TRUE top-40!

A playlist might look something like this: (AND YES, if someone had the b*lls, this playlist could even be during MIDDAYS)

(EXAMPLE)
Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
Lady Gaga - Just Dance
T.I. - Live Your Life
Britney - Circus
David Cook - Light On
Rihanna - Rehab
Kanye West - Heartless
Alice Deejay - Better Off Alone
Akon - Right Now...(Na Na Na)
All American Rejects - Gives You Hell
Beyonce - Single Ladies
Ludicris - One More Drink
Ne-Yo - Miss Independent
September - Cry For You
Saving Abel - Addicted
Katy Perry - Thinking Of You
........etc, etc, etc.........

Some VERY succsesful CHR's play this kind of mix 24/7....NO REASON that this can't be the case in ATLANTA

 

[RadioDoogie]

Isn't Alice Deejay's "Better Off Alone" one of the station's first songs played back in the Winter of 2001? I remember it being on the top 40 list then.

I agree with this post and I don't care how many times you have to post it. Please someone go mainstream. Star has a "hot AC" name and Q has more of a "mainstream" name to it. Our Star is the only one in the country I know of that is not officially Hot AC with the Star logo. I think Q is only doing good based on its morning show and not the music. I think if you make Q have more mainstream music it is not going to hurt it one bit and may even help it. The Morning Mess coincidently came at the same time Q switched companies, switched to a more conservative music playlist, and moved to 99.7. Which I think the lack of Mess's ratings boosted Q's ratings and NOT the conservative music switch. This is like me growing up in Memphis in the 80s with FM 100 which was an adult leaning top 40 station and eventually gave up in 1989 and went full-blown Hot AC. It was our only source of top 40 music and it wasn't even mainstream. I don't want to live like this again! Someone out of these two Atlanta stations is going to give one day and switch to full-blown Hot AC. But will this work? Hopefully someone will go mainstream soon.

 

[ShawtyBlack_ATL]

While I agree with Shawty about The Beat,, I think they should definately be playing the songs he listed,, but drop the Number One for Hip Hop slogan,,,, no one is Buying that,,, I think the Beat should position itself as A-Towns Hottest Music and keep the Hip Hop lean,,, but keep adding those from the Dance-POP genre as the likes of Lady Gaga-Brittney Spears ETC,,, but dont be afraid to play an occasional rock song,,, like over the summer they could have played Metro Stations-Shake it... And go back to airing Dance Music on Weekend late nights like in the past..... The good thing about the beat is they dont play the Ballads like V and Hot do,,, so therefore I choose The Beat as the best of the Hit Music CHR stations cause Star and Q are too conservative,, but for new and edgy hip hop, you have V-103 and Hot 107.9,,, so at least all the top music of today is on A-Town radio, just not on the same station....

I'd rather see 95.5 THE BEAT become "Atlanta's Party Station" with more uptempo jamz like POWER 96 in Miami. Problem is they can't even pack a nightclub when they have live broadcast and not to mention 1 in mixshow house DJ.

 

[CHRles]

Shawty Black is on point. Would be awesome if 95.5 The Beat were modeled after Power 96 Miami.
I'm very impressed by The Beat's ratings and cume for two reasons
1) The signal is very spotty in downtown Atlanta (and pretty much city-wise) on a car radio and in in parts on the South side
2) It's not as agressive on new Hip Hop as Hot is, and this is Atlanta we're talking about here - one of the world's true Hip Hop capitals. Then again Hot's ratings aren't as hot as those of The Beat, and Hot's signal is also spotty in some parts of the metro area.

 

[TheMusicMan]

The Beat has a good thing going ratings-wise. They're not my personal preference either, but why would they mess with success? And if they became overly active on hip hop that hasn't really crossed over, what would differentiate them from V-103 and Hot? That's a battle they'd lose. They do have signal issues though. I have trouble picking them up even on a good car radio in the Toco Hills/Druid Hills area.

With respect to Q100 - the biggest issue isn't even that their proclivity for recurrents and golds during the day. It's their (er, Jan Jeffries') nonchalant attitude towards new, OBVIOUS hits. Beyonce's "Single Ladies" still isn't getting meaningful spins at Q100, but it's been a power for at least two weeks at Star. They just added the latest from Pink (now a power at Star) and Britney (in Star's) rotation for a couple of weeks, and even Lady GaGa is getting more spins across the street. If it's a hip hop song, forget hearing about it until after 7PM, regardless of its mass appeal. I really don't understand why their ratings are so strong, quite frankly.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

The reason The Beat's signal is so bad around Toco Hills is that both 94.9 and 96.1 have their antennas mounted on the original Richland tower at Briarcliff Road and Shepherds Lane. The Beat was more listenable until 94.9 and 96.1 turned on their digital carriers around 2005. That knocked out (95.5) The Beat for a several-mile radius.

After WYAY moved its main antenna off the 97.1 Braselton tower, The Beat moved its antenna to the former WYAY position on the tower, which was better than The Beat's original position.

I know there's a way to fix the problem with the digital-signal interference. Of course, Clear Channel has no motivation to do that. About a year ago, I asked former Cox/Atlanta market manager Chris Wegmann whether Cox was going to push Clear Channel to fix the problem. Chris replied, "I'd prefer that it be solved among the engineers first." He also said The Beat's target audience lives north of the Perimeter.

In any case, The Beat has an application to move from Braselton to the Channel 30 analog tower east of Little Five Points, already home to Star 94, V-103 and B98.5. If that came to fruition, The Beat's current problem would be solved.

 

[Mid West Clubber]

Yeah... Shawty and Chrles are right on point,,, Model it after like Power 96 miami, or B-96 Chicago,,, A-Towns Hottest Music,, or A-Towns Party station... I think V-103 is probably the best at serving African Americans,, plus they have a good signal and Heritage and are involved in the community.... I too am greatly surprised at how well The Beat is doing,, cause of the signal,, combined with being late and conservative on Hip hop,,, it basically sounds just like Hot 98.1 in Anderson South Carolina.. The Beats signal on a portable boombox at a hotel just 22 miles west of Atlanta was non existent... So I listened to Q 100 instead, cause at the time they were still on 100.5 and was a pretty dang good station actually. Too bad 99.7 is no longer Power 99,, that station was the best Top 40 ever in Atlanta,,, anyone remember when 99.7 was Power 99????