San Francisco Radio in 2023

[michael hagerty]

An example of this would be something I heard today on KRTH in LA: "Take it Easy"- By the Eagles. The song is from 72, nearly 51 years old. I was a kid when it came out and I'm nearly 59. Radio is more likely to play older songs now then they were 20 years ago. Stations like the Breeze (KISQ) will play some 70's, but AC stations weren't playing any 50's in 2003 and little if any 60's.

You ARE a kid! I was in high school when that came out and I'll turn 67 in a couple of months.

The Eagles get a pass in California. Even though only Felder and Schmidt were natives, "Hotel California" kind of made them the state band.

 

[NoMoreLurking]

An example of this would be something I heard today on KRTH in LA: "Take it Easy"- By the Eagles. The song is from 72, nearly 51 years old. I was a kid when it came out and I'm nearly 59. Radio is more likely to play older songs now then they were 20 years ago. Stations like the Breeze (KISQ) will play some 70's, but AC stations weren't playing any 50's in 2003 and little if any 60's.

KOIT would never have played N'SYNC hits as currents back in the day, but now they feature that act in their latest round of TV commercials! Hey, it's "music that picks you up and makes you feel good," even though KOIT wouldn't have touched it back in the day. Now, it's a great differentiator between today's "KO....IT" (don't call it 'Coit'!) and The Breeze's Air Supply-heavy playlist.

I suppose listeners age out of - and into - the target demo.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

I was going to post this yesterday. I tuned to 105.3 on Sunday morning during a particularly uninteresting (to me) Weekend Edition story. "Dave FM" was playing K.C. and the Sunshine Band's Get Down Tonight. When that ended, they segued into the Beach Boys' Kokomo, and I thought, hmm, maybe they've changed format over New Year's weekend to something good. But the next song was back to whatever it is they usually play. Yesterday I caught them playing Rod Stewart's Da Ya Think I'm Sexy from 1978. So maybe there's hope for them if they're tweaking the music mix. Because the Bay Area definitely needs a pop-leaning CHR, and the definition of insanity is continuing to playing the same obscure rock songs and hoping for more than a 1.4 share.

I was listening to a San Francisco station that leans to pop, KIOI, 101.3. They bill themselves as "music variety", I think. Classic hits from 90's - 00's. Sounds to me like a pop CHR, with more uptempo songs - although they still play Taylor Swift. Not too bad, though. The early evening DJ mumbles and slurs the words sometimes.
Not like the old sound of L.A. Top 40, where the delivery had to be very high energy, but clearly and crisply enunciated. Even KHJ, which required the fastest delivery, also required their air talent to have clear pronunciation. ( yes, I'm still reminiscing about the old days).
Wondering if this is known as a "rhythmic" format. Or, maybe "rhythmic" means urban contemporary with some crossover into Top 40.
I'm trying to learn about different formats. -- Daryl

Edit - They just played "Free Fallin" by Tom Petty. Now they're playing Harry Styles. So, I guess that is surely not a "rhythmic" format.

 

[Radiopaw]

I was listening to a San Francisco station that leans to pop, KIOI, 101.3. They bill themselves as "music variety", I think. Classic hits from 90's - 00's. Sounds to me like a pop CHR, with more uptempo songs - although they still play Taylor Swift. Not too bad, though. The early evening DJ mumbles and slurs the words sometimes.
Not like the old sound of L.A. Top 40, where the delivery had to be very high energy, but clearly and crisply enunciated. Even KHJ, which required the fastest delivery, also required their air talent to have clear pronunciation. ( yes, I'm still reminiscing about the old days).
Wondering if this is known as a "rhythmic" format. Or, maybe "rhythmic" means urban contemporary with some crossover into Top 40.
I'm trying to learn about different formats. -- Daryl

Edit - They just played "Free Fallin" by Tom Petty. Now they're playing Harry Styles. So, I guess that is surely not a "rhythmic" format.

101.3 (Star) is a Hot AC. That format has a lot of leeway. They are truly a “play everything” type of Hot AC. Alice (97.3/KLLC) is a Hot AC that will sometimes (I’d say rarely, but in the last month I’ve heard it more lately) spin an alternative track and Mix (106.5/KEZR) is more of a CHR then anything I feel with their playlist mimicking a very traditional CHR, even more then KYLD does right now!

I listen to every station in the Bay Area since I am in my car for so much a day due to work and my commute. I’m not a replacement for proper data or definitions, these are just my little observations.

That being said, it’s surprising all these stations do so well. We are flooded with AC/Hot AC.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

101.3 (Star) is a Hot AC. That format has a lot of leeway. They are truly a “play everything” type of Hot AC. Alice (97.3/KLLC) is a Hot AC that will sometimes (I’d say rarely, but in the last month I’ve heard it more lately) spin an alternative track and Mix (106.5/KEZR) is more of a CHR then anything I feel with their playlist mimicking a very traditional CHR, even more then KYLD does right now!

I listen to every station in the Bay Area since I am in my car for so much a day due to work and my commute. I’m not a replacement for proper data or definitions, these are just my little observations.

That being said, it’s surprising all these stations do so well. We are flooded with AC/Hot AC.

Thank you for this information ! 😊 It's very useful. I listen to Sarah and Vinnie mornings at Alice KLLC, and they do sometimes play an alternative track. I appreciate the explanation that Star 101.3 is Hot AC. I like their playlist - I just couldn't place what exactly they are trying to do. I can identify that KYLD is CHR, but I was puzzled about 101.3. -- Daryl

 

[cc333]

I would like to see a radio station flip to an MOR/Soft Pop Oldies format similar to the one 1170 KLOK programmed in the 1970's!

Something like that would be OK with me! Something like 80s+, but a decade earlier (70s+?).

I like the idea, but only if it included some late 60's music also.

Hence 70s plus, the plus implying an overlap into adjacent decades – in this case, some 60s and 80s.

You know, something like MeTV Radio might work (what are the ratings like on, say, KVOL 1330 out of the Lafayette, LA metro area?), and their format happens to be soft oldies, which is pretty much what we're describing here.

Yeah, something like that would be perfect. I'd listen to a station like that quite often!

c

 

[davideduardo]

You ARE a kid! I was in high school when that came out and I'll turn 67 in a couple of months.

The Eagles get a pass in California. Even though only Felder and Schmidt were natives, "Hotel California" kind of made them the state band.

And the heavy gold play over the years meant that listeners to contemporary formats heard those songs as "golden" or "oldies" or "flashbacks" and apparently (as testing today indicates) developed a passion for those songs that makes them viable today.

 

[MVB13]

I was going to post this yesterday. I tuned to 105.3 on Sunday morning during a particularly uninteresting (to me) Weekend Edition story. "Dave FM" was playing K.C. and the Sunshine Band's Get Down Tonight. When that ended, they segued into the Beach Boys' Kokomo, and I thought, hmm, maybe they've changed format over New Year's weekend to something good. But the next song was back to whatever it is they usually play. Yesterday I caught them playing Rod Stewart's Da Ya Think I'm Sexy from 1978. So maybe there's hope for them if they're tweaking the music mix. Because the Bay Area definitely needs a pop-leaning CHR, and the definition of insanity is continuing to playing the same obscure rock songs and hoping for more than a 1.4 share.

The Bay Area has 99.7 Now and Wild 94.9 playing Mainstream CHR Pop.

 

[Radiopaw]

The Bay Area has 99.7 Now and Wild 94.9 playing Mainstream CHR Pop.

If you’re going off playlists, 106.5 is more mainstream CHR then 94.9 — 94.9 plays a lot of “throwbacks” as they call them - 2000’s era stuff.

I know 106.5 is labeled as Hot AC… but they really aren’t anymore, they have no distinction from a CHR.

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

If you’re going off playlists, 106.5 is more mainstream CHR then 94.9 — 94.9 plays a lot of “throwbacks” as they call them - 2000’s era stuff.

I know 106.5 is labeled as Hot AC… but they really aren’t anymore, they have no distinction from a CHR.

Yeah. KEZR is more of an adult CHR. The presentation is adult.