WFEZ/Miami making tweaks to its playlist

[new_friends_gr]

I stream WFEZ (Easy 93.1) out of Miami almost every day because I still love the Soft AC format and because the music they play is such a novelty. (There are so few radio stations around the U.S. that play this kind of music, and I can't seem to get enough of it.) The playlist on Sirius XM's Love channel is kinda close but not exactly the same.

Anyway, I've noticed lately that WFEZ is making subtle changes to its playlist. They don't seem to play nearly as much Streisand, Diamond, Carpenters, Manilow, and Air Supply as they used to. That's the bad news. The good news is that they are slowly adding songs that are a perfect fit for the format that I don't recall them playing before. I've noticed a lot of these songs lately, but two examples I can think of off the top of my head are "Lotta Love" by Nicolette Larson and "When You Believe" by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

One other thing I've noticed that's kind of disappointing is that the commercial break for online listeners seems to be just as long as it is for terrestrial listeners down in Florida. The online stream used to include songs for online listeners (such as "Let 'Em In" by Paul McCartney and "Somewhere" by Barbra Streisand), and they don't do that anymore. :'(

I'm so glad to see that they are introducing new songs that they should have been playing all along, but I hope they don't abandon those core MOR/Soft AC artists I mentioned above.

Has anyone else noticed these changes on WFEZ?

 

[new_friends_gr]

Here are two more songs I noticed WFEZ play yesterday that I don't believe they'd played before: "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" by Barry White and "Love is the Answer" by England Dan and John Ford Coley.

"Love is the Answer" is a good song for that station, and I'm surprised I hadn't heard it at all before yesterday. However, the Barry White song seems a bit out of place for some reason. It's more disco and flashback mainstream AC than "soft AC" in my opinion.

 

[Gregg]

When it first went on the air, WFEZ Easy 93 had a virtually identical playlist to The Dove 105.5 WDUV Tampa. Both stations are owned by Cox.

But lately they've been making adjustments to WFEZ's playlist. You're right that most of the MOR artists are gone from WFEZ: Striesand, Diamond, Manilow, Carpenters, Fifth Dimension, Air Supply, Midler, etc. I imagine the one Sinatra song they'd play, New York, New York, is also gone. You'll also notice that they don't play any 60s songs anymore. No Beatles, Beach Boys, Mamas & Papas, Motown.

I think they also play a higher percentage of rhythmic artists, such as Barry White, Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, etc. than they had been, due to Miami's larger Latin and African-American audience. Whatever they're doing, it's working. They're tied for #3, and only one-tenth below the #2 station.

If you miss what WFEZ used to play, switch over to www.wduv.com because The Dove hasn't made the changes that WFEZ has.


Gregg
[email protected]

 

[new_friends_gr]

If you miss what WFEZ used to play, switch over to www.wduv.com because The Dove hasn't made the changes that WFEZ has.

Is it true, though, that WDUV plays a lot of older songs (from the '50s and '60s) and doesn't play as much from the '80s and '90s? I really like what WFEZ plays but just wish they hadn't dropped a lot of the MOR artists.

Part of me just wonders if WDUV might be a bit to "sleepy" for my tastes if they play too much '50s and '60s music. I might have to check it out though and listen for myself. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Gregg]

I think I was wrong that WFEZ doesn't play 60s music. I should have said that WFEZ plays only occasional 60s hits... not as much as WDUV.

And even The Dove may not be as sleepy as you remember it. While they still play some MOR artists such as Streisand and Manilow, they don't play as much as they once did. I also think the 50s music has been scaled way back. They also had been playing one or two Smooth Jazz instrumentals per hour up till a few years ago. Now they're gone, too. And most of the Dean Martin/Andy Williams/Perry Como titles are pretty much gone, except for a few big hits.

The Dove is still softer and older than WFEZ but not by that much.

 

[new_friends_gr]

I think I was wrong that WFEZ doesn't play 60s music. I should have said that WFEZ plays only occasional 60s hits... not as much as WDUV.

WFEZ as recently as a couple months ago played more '60s than it does now. As of now, it plays very little from the '60s anymore.

And even The Dove may not be as sleepy as you remember it.

I should clarify. I've never actually listened to WDUV before. I'm only going off of what I've heard others say about the station. However, a good friend of mine shared with me the other day their playlist from Yes.com, and it actually sounds pretty good. I seriously should give it a chance now. It's just that, when he described it to me a few months ago, it sounded like too much '50s and '60s.

While they still play some MOR artists such as Streisand and Manilow, they don't play as much as they once did.

I actually really enjoy listening to Streisand and Manilow and wish WFEZ didn't reduce the airplay of those artists' music at all.

The Dove is still softer and older than WFEZ but not by that much.

I'll probably continue listening to WFEZ a lot (and will probably like it a little better) but now have a good reason to give WDUV a try too. ;D

 

[passtheword]

I listen to WFEZ quite a bit, too, and I wouldn't be too happy if the MOR artists were completely eliminated. Even if there are only 2 or 3 tracks an hour by those artists, I am fine with it. It's much better than the alternative...listening to the so-called soft AC format that is on the air today. Better to hear a few of the MOR artists every now and then than none at all.

 

[FLjack2]

I'm betting a few things:
1) it was easy (not pun intended) for Cox to just duplicate their Tampa station in Miami. They had everything set; songs, automation, etc. BAM! You're on the air.
2) They established themselves as the soft station by playing Streisand, Manilow, etc. They own that audience that likes those artists and stole those people from WLIF.
3) Now that they own the soft and "easy" franchise, they can slowly add more uptempo and ethnic artists without totally disrupting their older core.
4) Steal some of the talent from your competition and you're set for some big ratings.

Cox is doing everything right. Slow, methodical and....it's working.

 

[davideduardo]

I'm betting a few things:
1) it was easy (not pun intended) for Cox to just duplicate their Tampa station in Miami. They had everything set; songs, automation, etc. BAM! You're on the air.
2) They established themselves as the soft station by playing Streisand, Manilow, etc. They own that audience that likes those artists and stole those people from WLIF.
3) Now that they own the soft and "easy" franchise, they can slowly add more uptempo and ethnic artists without totally disrupting their older core.
4) Steal some of the talent from your competition and you're set for some big ratings.

Cox is doing everything right. Slow, methodical and....it's working.

Very nice analysis. Thank you.