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Question about the two Now stations music

I

icycool7227

There are 2 Now CHR stations in the country - one in NYC and one in Las Vegas, NV. I've been listening online for a couple hours and didn't hear any pop rock songs like on mainstream CHRs. Are these supposed to be mainstream or are they really rhythmic ones with just urban rap hits? You cannot call a station mainstream CHR if they leave out artists like All American Rejects, Nickelback, Metro Station, The Fray, etc.
 
You forgot about Radio NOW 100.9 in Indianapolis,,, we were the first, and its been around about 9 yrs,,, and in 1982,, B-96 in Chicago was known as 96 Now...

Our Radio Now in Indy is better than the other two,,, it has a slight Rhythmic Skew, but they really play all the big Pop rock hits,, though the rhythmic stuff plays more than the lighter rock, like The Fray, but stuff like All American Rejects and Metro Station that have that youth punk sound get plenty of airplay.
 
icycool7227 said:
There are 2 Now CHR stations in the country - one in NYC and one in Las Vegas, NV. I've been listening online for a couple hours and didn't hear any pop rock songs like on mainstream CHRs. Are these supposed to be mainstream or are they really rhythmic ones with just urban rap hits? You cannot call a station mainstream CHR if they leave out artists like All American Rejects, Nickelback, Metro Station, The Fray, etc.
Click to expand...

I doubt they're "supposed" to be anything other than what they perceive to the be the hole the audience needs filled. Radio nerds are the only people that care about this stuff. The audience only cares about whether or not you're playing their favorite song when they tune in.

Also keep in mind that "mainstream CHR" is as much a presentation as it is a music format. Two stations with the same music, but totally different presentations, can be perceived VERY differently by the audience. It's not the music that listeners identify with. It's the content that surrounds it that determines if a listener can identify with the station.
 
And now for the real answer... ::)

Now 102.7 in Vegas is a pure Rhythmic CHR with excellent imaging. I wouldnt expect anything less from a station consulted by Bill Tanner.

Now 92.3 in NYC does play the Rejects, as well as artists lke Kelly Clarkson, Pink, and Katy Perry (none of these are on Now in Vegas). The playlists definitely leans heavily on Rhythmic/Pop, the imaging is good, and they've already got some good jocks on the air. The big problem is that the repetition on this station is beyond atrocious.
 
I agree,, since Bill Tanner programs it its gonna be a pure rhythmic,, but why does Vegas need 3 rhythmics and no mainstream CHR? KLUC is closer to a CHR, and I expect them to go more CHR in the coming months....

They could have pulled a **** Blocking move and put dance on 102.7 before Vibe gets in Translater,, but I doubt they would test the waters with that,, but wouldnt a full blown CHR been a smarter move... I like the station,, its alot like Power 96 and Wired 96,,, which is to be expected... Well maybe they will add some dance music in the future if KLUC doesnt go all chr...
 
Your description sounded more like a sales pitch, and just sugar coats the fact that Now 102.7 IS a Rhythmic CHR.
Hell, Wired 96.5 Philly at least plays records by the likes of Pink or Taylor Swift. Havent heard anything of that nature on the Vegas station.

As for KLUC, I consider them a CHR/Pop. They play the Rejects, the Veronicas, Jason Mraz, and other songs you wont hear on most Rhythmic CHRs.
 
Then I apologize for not communicating my opinion properly. I haven't even listened to the Vegas NOW, nor do I have a dog in that hunt. My point was intended to be a couple things:

A) Everything is so fragmented now, and music genres are so mixed/combined/crossed-over that it's practically impossible to shoe-horn any station in any category anymore. What's a CHR/M station? You can barely tell by the music anymore. It could be argued that how a station is presented is better represented of the "category" it belongs in. Meaning, if two well-researched, market-and-audience-focused radio stations play similar music because they're going after the same audience, there can be a vastly different perception of the two stations if the presentations are different. Even though I loathe positioning statements, here's an example: "All the Hits" versus "#1 for Hip-Hop and R&B"...they could share 85% with each other and be perceived as completely different radio stations to the audience. That's a crude example, but hopefully you see what I mean.

B) Regardless of everything in A above, this is another thread in which statements like "how can they call themselves a mainstream CHR" and so forth are the focus. It's disappointing, because it means that we're STILL spending time with our eye off the ball. As programmers, our most important consumer is the listener, and they simply don't look at this stuff like we do. They want their favorite music, and any content between the records to relate to them. They don't use terms like Mainstream, Rhythmic, CHR, AQH, TSL, Cume, and so on. To complain that a station is calling themselves something (in trades, not in content coming out of the speakers) is very misguided.
 
Agreed with the above Roger :)
2009 is shaping up to be a great year for Rhythmic Pop, and that's the sound now dominating the CHR/Pop charts (hence its relevance to this board). Most of the CHRs we've seen pop up in the last few weeks are going in this direction, including Amp, Now, Movin in SLC and San Francisco with more to come in the next few weeks.
The lines are further blurred by the fact that some stations classified as Rhythmic are leaning Rhythmic/Pop instead of Hip Hop, and have also found success with songs by Pink and Katy Perry.

Now for the first poster, if you want to hear a great balanced CHR/Pop station check out 92.1 Kiss FM Lake Charles (formerly Star 92.1):
http://www.kissfm921.com/common/stw_player.php
 
Alright... IN MY OPINION, the Now's should be programmed to the market. Similar to MOViN. Las Vegas should have been a Mainstream CHR, not Rhythmic. It's not hard to program. Tanner could have done it.

In NYC, it should have been rhythmic though to compete with Z100. Actually, if 923 would expand their playlist more, they would be fine. It's programmed the way it should be. Vegas is not. And to be honest, NOW is a good idea and I can see it being as big as KISS FM. You have a KISS and you have a NOW. But it would have to be done right.
 
Good comments Lovejamminoldies.
BTW, Which market are you referring to when you ask when will we get a real Top 40 in your profile?
 
But don't you consider 97.9 NCI Columbus to be a real Top 40? They got nearly a 10 share in the latest trends.
You seem to have it pretty good down in Cincy between 107.1 Kiss FM and Q-102. Kiss does play a lot of Rhythmic Pop, but also plays records by Shinedown, Ting Tings, White Tie Affair, and recurrents by the likes of Flyleaf and Paramore.
Q-102's music mix is unique - they lean Adult, but break a lot of new music, and play a lot of Rhythmic tracks you wont hear on most Adult CHRs and Hot ACS. The Script are doing well there, James Morrison and Nelly Furtado, they were early on Flo Rida's "Right Round" and already playing "Sugar", already on the new Black Eyed Peas, they were early on Ciara's new one, and are playing Seether's "Careless Whisper".
 
I mean.... NCI has good presence and fairly good imaging but the music is SO cookie cutter. KISS sucks. Cookie cutter and also the imaging is so listener-created. Q102 is nice for an Adult CHR, but is that really a real top 40? There's no good radio around here. Wild 939 in Lima does a good job.
 
HMMM... Well Indianaolis has WNOU,,, its not in Ohio, but can be picked up nearly to Dayton before 92.9 squashes it out... WNOU,, the first of the NOW stations is definately a true CHR... With good Jocks,,, Imaging,, Breaks new music.. Chrles wouldnt you say WNOU is one of the best in midwest,, definately the best in Indiana for CHR.... Hot 96 STO doesnt really count, their 100kw flamethrower is in Kentucky... Of course.. technically WDJX and WKSF Louisville are technically here in Indiana since they transmit from here... Actually all those stations, and WAZY lafayette are all good CHRs, but WNOU sounds like a big market station.
 
Yeah, I concur - Radio Now in Indi is prolly the best, or at least my favorite of the bunch. Hot 96 continues to sound great for the Evansville area, even with renewed head to head competition from Kiss FM. 99.7 DJX and 98.9 Kiss FM both do a good job of serving Louisville's CHR audience though DJX is still the better one, imo.
Not sure though about Radio Now's signal reaching Ohio these days - ever since they moved to 100.9 their signal strength is much smaller ;(
 
I forgot Chrles,,, yeah radio now is only a Class a at 100.9 now,,, it probably wouldnt make it even into Richmind, but their 93.1 signal would make it about 20 miles into Illinois and Ohio, about 20 miles north of Lafayette, and about 20 miles North of Lousiville KY...

Sucks that they are on a class A instead of the former Flame thrower on 93.1, which is Talk radio WIBC now... WDJX is still the best lousiville CHR, but Kiss has improved over the last year since they arent as Rhythmic now,,, im not Anti Rhythmic, im just Anti ....Rhythmic calling itself CHR AKA Channel 95.5 Detroit.
 
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