Since nothing is going on here....

[jabba17]

Here are some superlatives in ATL radio (for commercial stations, at least):

Format/Moniker:
Country on 101.5, 1968
Urban V-103, 1977
Country Kicks, 1981
AC on 98.5, 1982
AC B98.5, 1985
Hot AC Star 94, 1989 (one could argue that Star 94 has moved between Hot AC and CHR).

Calls:
WSB-FM, 1940s
WZGC, 1972 (was WGKA-FM before that)
WVEE, 1977 (was WPLO-FM before that)
WKHX, 1981 (was WBIE-FM before that)
WSTR, 1989 (was WQXI-FM before that)

 

[RadioDoogie]

Star 94 has definitely gone back and forth between CHR and Hot AC since 1989. If I recall correctly, after Power 99 switched to 99X in 1992, Star left Hot AC, adopted Rick Dees WT40, and was at it's closest to CHR ever until the summer of 94 when they changed PDs and went more Adult CHR. During this time they played the CHR version of WT40 and filled in all the rap and R&B songs with fill in pop friendly hits. Used to call it a WT40 extra. They stayed this way until the Beat came around Sept of 99. It seems like they went a little closer to CHR until Q came along in January of 2001 and the Beat segued to CHR Rhythmic. In 2002, they were pretty much Hot AC for about two years. The WT40 was Hot AC version for a week or two and then would go back to the CHR version. It was like they were trying to play the version that was less rap filled but didn't play too many lite rock songs. In 2004, they went back closer to CHR and adopted AT40. It was weird because for a short while they would play the CHR version of AT40 on Saturday night and the Hot AC version on WT40 on Sunday night. Then they eventually played both CHR versions. Really weird. Then in October 2007 they changed PDs, went really close to CHR, moved AT40 to Sunday mornings, ditched WT40 and replaced it with Dawson McAllister. Then in the fall of 2010, they segued to Hot AC, started playing the Hot AC version of AT40 and that's where they've been since.

 

[secondchoice]

No disrespect to the late great Kasey Kasem, but are the "count down" shows audience "builders"? I never recalled a music or program director at any station I worked at adding or deleting songs based on a national count down show. Back before PC automation, a lot of count down shows ran during low revenue hours when there is not enough revenue to pay for real talent by minimum wage teenagers trying to get a start a station. I was one of those teens.

 

[RadioDoogie]

I agree with you. I don't think Star 94 built their playlist based on what was on the countdowns at the time. I do think they played whatever countdown would most fit what they were playing at that time. They would always add those "countdown extras" to AT40 and WT40 where Seacrest and Dees would voice track onto the existing countdown and play a more "adult" sounding song. For example, in early 2002, WT40 was supposed to play Camron/Juelez Santana's "Hey Ma" and instead you would hear a countdown extra playing Kylie Minogues "Can't Get You Out of My Head." I do notice that when I listen to WT40 on Entercom's FM100 in Memphis on TuneIn that the countdown is playing almost every single song currently playing on Star 94. Not saying that the countdown is influencing the playlist but I'm sure the Hot AC chart is completely driving Star 94 as it has been for the last 5 years. Except now there are no more 90s hits mixed in. I doubt Dees will come back to Atlanta radio based on the amount of affiliates that still carry him. Plus he is 65 and I'm sure he's got to be close to retirement. And he doesn't DJ anymore. He does the show entirely online. Most of the younger kids I work with have no idea who Rick Dees or Casey Kasem were. They were radio legends in my book. I only wish the new Star 94 PD would pick Dees up so we have something from our younger days to hold onto.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

My perception is that Star 94 has really deemphasized the '90's since Entercom took over. It also sounds like they've added a number of (hip-hop oriented) songs that they stayed away from prior to Entercom.

 

[Radio_Alex_1990]

My perception is that Star 94 has really deemphasized the '90's since Entercom took over. It also sounds like they've added a number of (hip-hop oriented) songs that they stayed away from prior to Entercom.

They have classified themselves as "Playing Atlanta's Hit Music". That doesn't sound a lot of Hot AC-ish to me...