New voice over liners being used. "Now more Big Hits on your Big Hit music station the Big D". New top of the hour ID being used also. Today I heard Lovefool by the Cardigans from 1996 in the noon hour. It makes me wonder if WDRC FM would go back to CHR.
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WDRC FM big hits
- Thread starter newbritainradio
- Start date
Playing a 17 year old song definitely isn't a sign of a possible CHR flip. DRC knows better. You're in a market with Kiss 95.7, a CHR coming up on it's 30th anniversary, and TIC-FM, which has been CHR, Hot A/C, or adult CHR and very successful for over 36 years. There's also KC101. Hartford's all set with CHR.
I often think about the origins of the "oldies" format. The first song ever played on CBS-FM after their flip to "oldies" was Runaround Sue. The song was 11 years old. CBS-FM also played 2 currents an hour during their first decade. I think a station that returned to the original concept could have some success. 20-30 year old songs, some newer that fit the feel. In the early days, CBS-FM would play standards, which were the same age or younger as many of today's "oldies," but even those were dropped by the end of the 70's.
The idea that a "TRUE OLDIES" station can only play music from the 50's and 60's, that dropping the 50's and 60's is blasphemous, and that playing the 80's is unfathomable, is just crazy. It was never, NEVER, intended to be that way.
I often think about the origins of the "oldies" format. The first song ever played on CBS-FM after their flip to "oldies" was Runaround Sue. The song was 11 years old. CBS-FM also played 2 currents an hour during their first decade. I think a station that returned to the original concept could have some success. 20-30 year old songs, some newer that fit the feel. In the early days, CBS-FM would play standards, which were the same age or younger as many of today's "oldies," but even those were dropped by the end of the 70's.
The idea that a "TRUE OLDIES" station can only play music from the 50's and 60's, that dropping the 50's and 60's is blasphemous, and that playing the 80's is unfathomable, is just crazy. It was never, NEVER, intended to be that way.
I think it boils down to a marketable demographic. Us "old folk" aren't the ones they see with the money so they have to bump up the music to go after a demo they see worth their effort.
I. for one, have moved on to all-news stations, news/talk stations and have streaming Internet music - even in the car. I'm sure they don't see the 45 or 50+ demo being worthy of targeting these days.
I. for one, have moved on to all-news stations, news/talk stations and have streaming Internet music - even in the car. I'm sure they don't see the 45 or 50+ demo being worthy of targeting these days.
I posted about this earlier today -- a post that may someday actually show up once the blithering incompetents at this website's joke of a new owner (watch them censor this, lol) figure out how to run a message board. I was out of town Monday, when all this went down, and the first hint I had that something was up was when I turned on the radio and heard Grahame Winters talking over the intro to "Beach Baby" with "Coming up this hour, Elton John, Cyndi Lauper and the Red Hot Chili Peppers!"
Got to admit, I wasn't listening to much popular music in the mid/late '90s -- too much time spent with oldies at 102.9 -- and I don't know many of the songs that are being added to the playlist. But I'm finding, sacrilegious as it may seem coming from a baby boomer, that I'm liking a lot of them. They haven't lost me as a listener yet.
Oh, and as of this past weekend, "Beatle Brunch," a long-running fixture on Sunday mornings, was canceled.
Got to admit, I wasn't listening to much popular music in the mid/late '90s -- too much time spent with oldies at 102.9 -- and I don't know many of the songs that are being added to the playlist. But I'm finding, sacrilegious as it may seem coming from a baby boomer, that I'm liking a lot of them. They haven't lost me as a listener yet.
Oh, and as of this past weekend, "Beatle Brunch," a long-running fixture on Sunday mornings, was canceled.
Quickly scanning tonight's BDS ticker, listeners heard Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again" back to back with Sarah Maclachlan's "Angel" just after 11pm. Also in the mix: the Goo Goo Dolls' "Name" and "Slide", Hootie's "I Only Want to Be With You", and Jewel's "You Were Meant for Me". All this while still playing 1964 Beatles and Beach Boys tracks.
Has a Hartford-area station ever had a playlist that spanned more than 35 years?
On a side note: this is making me feel realllllly old. I was in high school when these new additions were still "new" songs, and listening to some of the same oldies on WDRC back in the day.
Has a Hartford-area station ever had a playlist that spanned more than 35 years?
On a side note: this is making me feel realllllly old. I was in high school when these new additions were still "new" songs, and listening to some of the same oldies on WDRC back in the day.
I just noticed the changes as well. Found out about the new voiceover liners and more 90s hits Monday night while briefly tuning in to Ron Sedaille's show. I heard "One Headlight" by The Wallflowers at the time too. At that time, I think they dumped the jingles as well....
It was on last Sunday. We'll see what happens this weekend. There's still plenty of '70s music in the playlist, don't see any reason they'd drop it, but who knows? This isn't your father's DRC-FM. Or yours, for that matter.
They still played "Nights On Broadway" (1975) from the Bee Gees this morning. 
As for different liners and station direction, this made me think about something. Although WDRC-FM has nothing in common with WCCC-FM 106.9, they do share one thing with them: the other commercial FM station in the Hartford/New Britain/Middletown radio market not owned by Clear Channel or CBS that recently tweaked their playlist and went to a different announcer, etc. without any prior hints.
Like another poster already stated, CHR/top 40 is already well covered here. WCCC-FM changing their playlist only made them a bit more like WHCN-FM (The River 105.9). Meanwhile, if you listen to the CBS-owned properties of WRCH-FM 100.5 (AC) and WTIC-FM 96.5 (Hot AC), they don't sound too much different from each other anymore. How sad.
As for different liners and station direction, this made me think about something. Although WDRC-FM has nothing in common with WCCC-FM 106.9, they do share one thing with them: the other commercial FM station in the Hartford/New Britain/Middletown radio market not owned by Clear Channel or CBS that recently tweaked their playlist and went to a different announcer, etc. without any prior hints.
Like another poster already stated, CHR/top 40 is already well covered here. WCCC-FM changing their playlist only made them a bit more like WHCN-FM (The River 105.9). Meanwhile, if you listen to the CBS-owned properties of WRCH-FM 100.5 (AC) and WTIC-FM 96.5 (Hot AC), they don't sound too much different from each other anymore. How sad.
KML-224 said:They still played "Nights On Broadway" (1975) from the Bee Gees this morning.
And the Grass Roots' "Sooner or Later" and Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly" this afternoon. And "Layla" ... OK, it was the unplugged version.
Still, I wonder how long DRC will go on like this before the format goes strictly '80s/'90s. I heard "Help Me Rhonda" last night and it really sounded out of place; so did "Midnight Train to Georgia." It sounds like they're throwing everything at the wall for a while just to see what sticks.
I would like to see the Big D pick up Premiere Networks classic AT40 from the 1970's with Casey Kasem.TIC is already running the 1980's version 6AM Sundays.
I remember listening to AT40 back in the 1970's on the Big D.
I'm not really a fan of the 1990's tunes but what ever helps the station in the books is ok with me.
I remember listening to AT40 back in the 1970's on the Big D.
I'm not really a fan of the 1990's tunes but what ever helps the station in the books is ok with me.
And the Bee Gees played again at about 1:25 PM. I just hope the 70s don't go away completely. Anybody else remember the failed 70s format that WZMX-FM 93.7 had once? I think it was before their Dancin' Oldies Z-93.7 set up. Strange, because I liked that version of WZMX-FM (the Dancin' Oldies version). At that time, WDRC-FM was still playing oldies from the 50s and 60s.
DRC was #1 last time around. Why are they tinkering with the format now? IMHO adding 90's is a mistake. Hell, I think 60's and 80's don't mix well, but that's pretty much a moot point now that DRC and every other oldies/classic hits station has dropped most of the 60's.
I was listening to DRC the other morning. Sheryl Crow was among the artists coming up. I quickly bolted. DRC may be on the cutting edge of classic hits stations moving into the 90's.
I'm very glad I have the internet and satellite radio for 60's music. It's a shame... if you are over 55 radio wants nothing to do with you. Most of my listening on radio is news and news talk, and if you can find it, that elusive station that actually plays music from the 60's and earlier.
I was listening to DRC the other morning. Sheryl Crow was among the artists coming up. I quickly bolted. DRC may be on the cutting edge of classic hits stations moving into the 90's.
I'm very glad I have the internet and satellite radio for 60's music. It's a shame... if you are over 55 radio wants nothing to do with you. Most of my listening on radio is news and news talk, and if you can find it, that elusive station that actually plays music from the 60's and earlier.
benale said:
The changes in direction at DRC-FM actually got me back to listening to WLNG in Long Island. They have that old time charm and the way they mix in "newer" music makes it much more palatable.
@benale: Even those of us who haven't reached 55+ are being left in the dark as far as radio is concerned.
Hey it's not us that don't want you, it's the advertisers. We'd be all-swing all-the-time if we could sell it. DRC may be #1 in the beauty pageant, but are the demos good enough to steal some agency dollars from CBS and CC?
I'd be pretty confident in saying "no." That's why the change is here.
I'd be pretty confident in saying "no." That's why the change is here.
Those of us on the low end of 55+ aren't as monolithic a non-sellable group as the one-foot-in-the-grave high end. But we're still not worth marketing to because we have so few prime spending years in front of us. That's why CBS wins the beauty pageant but flagship shows like "60 Minutes" can only be sold to advertisers selling denture adhesives, health insurance, and pills that might give you one last erection before you croak, and at rates hardly commensurate with its ratings.
I wrote about the new sound of DRC the other day but this message was lost when they screwed up the server here.
Some of the liners are ok, but some of them are HORRIBLE. Why do I want to feel like I am listening to a teenie bopper station when I am listening to the hits of the 70's and 80's?
DRC was a heritage station to hear the jingles gone is just upsetting to me. Rockin Ron's show was unbearable on Sunday Night for me, as one of the main things that gave the show a special feel was the classic PAMS jingles. The Jingles also made the show feel better produced, now its just Friendly Floyds Drive at 5 on Saturday Nights hosted by Ron. Blah!
Bring back the Jingles!
When your #1 (and just got there) why do you screw with the recipe that put you in first place? This is a big mistake and I have found myself turning off DRC and listening to WCBS out of New York this week. I am TRYING to give it a chance, but I honestly DON'T like it.
Some of the liners are ok, but some of them are HORRIBLE. Why do I want to feel like I am listening to a teenie bopper station when I am listening to the hits of the 70's and 80's?
DRC was a heritage station to hear the jingles gone is just upsetting to me. Rockin Ron's show was unbearable on Sunday Night for me, as one of the main things that gave the show a special feel was the classic PAMS jingles. The Jingles also made the show feel better produced, now its just Friendly Floyds Drive at 5 on Saturday Nights hosted by Ron. Blah!
Bring back the Jingles!
When your #1 (and just got there) why do you screw with the recipe that put you in first place? This is a big mistake and I have found myself turning off DRC and listening to WCBS out of New York this week. I am TRYING to give it a chance, but I honestly DON'T like it.
@scottg: You're more of a gentleman than I am, as CBS-FM jumped the shark long ago, but that's probably best served in a New York thread.
It was the lack of classic PAMS jingles that enticed me back to 'LNG. I heard that DRC-FM's HD-2 use to have the classic PAMS jingles but I can't get any firm answer on that (nor do I have an antenna up at this point to pull in enough signal to capture the HD-2).
During the last week I snapped on the radio to give them a chance and three out of four times I heard music I didn't recognize. With that, off to preset 1 and 'LNG. Not a good percentage as far as my experience.
So even those under 55+ aren't really thrill anymore.
It was the lack of classic PAMS jingles that enticed me back to 'LNG. I heard that DRC-FM's HD-2 use to have the classic PAMS jingles but I can't get any firm answer on that (nor do I have an antenna up at this point to pull in enough signal to capture the HD-2).
During the last week I snapped on the radio to give them a chance and three out of four times I heard music I didn't recognize. With that, off to preset 1 and 'LNG. Not a good percentage as far as my experience.
So even those under 55+ aren't really thrill anymore.
The HD2 has classic-sounding jingles, but I'm not sure if they're the PAMS originals. DRC also appears to be in the process of moving a bunch of '60s titles into its library. Its sound isn't nearly as dominated by pre-British Invasion music as it had been since launch. In fact, I heard the poster child for overplayed oldies, "Brown Eyed Girl," there the other day, and Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" today. So it could be that these tired old warhorses of oldies/classic hits radio are finally being put out to pasture.
The problem with the jingles, especially on Ron Sedaille's show, is that they scream "Sixties!" They were the radio equivalent of fins on cars in the '50s. By the mid-'60s, the finny look was dated, same with ostentatious jingle packages by the mid-'70s. And if Ron is going to be taking requests for '80s and '90s music on Saturday nights, why punctuate the music with anachronistic jingles? Ron's in his 60s; the jingles are relevant to him, but no longer to the music he's playing.
The problem with the jingles, especially on Ron Sedaille's show, is that they scream "Sixties!" They were the radio equivalent of fins on cars in the '50s. By the mid-'60s, the finny look was dated, same with ostentatious jingle packages by the mid-'70s. And if Ron is going to be taking requests for '80s and '90s music on Saturday nights, why punctuate the music with anachronistic jingles? Ron's in his 60s; the jingles are relevant to him, but no longer to the music he's playing.
Ron is 48 years old, not in his 60s - lol. For over a month, he has been playing classic top 40 jingles from JAM exclusively. They are from packages that aired on Z100 between 1983 and the early 90s. The PAMS material is no longer relevant to the music on Big D, and has been retired from his show.
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