WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET A "PROPER" RHYTHMIC/TOP 40 STATION IN ATLANTA?

[Wildstyle K]

I'm not even sure what more to say because the entire situation is just absurd, especially after the amount of time it's been since they've had a successful traditional rhythmic or top 40 AND kept it! I'm just hoping that it can happen soon since I just found out I'm most likely moving (back) there.

If anyone at all knows even any hint or clue to whether or not a new "proper" top 40 or rhythmic can or will happen in Atlanta relatively soon, please do tell. Do not tell me about "Internet radio, mp3 player, hd radio, satellite radio" because I'm already aware of those things.

 

[Mid West Clubber]

Keep your eye on THE GROOVE K,, otherwise no one on this board is gonna know when an actual rhythmic top 40 will come along.. Even The Beat was just a conservative Urban in Disquise,, you would be better off listening to 107.9 for now. Id really like them to get a true rhythmic, but ive listened to the Groove online and it sounds like a recurrent friendly dance-rhythmic to me.. so maybe should give the groove another change.

 

[XCountry285]

Idk but you're sure as hell in the wrong place for that.

 

[Mid West Clubber]

I think he meant to post it on the Rhythmic board, but perhaps he posted it here because aside from Groove and hot 107.9, Atlanta really has to CHRs for the defualt rhythmic hits as of now.

 

[Wildstyle K]

Idk but you're sure as hell in the wrong place for that.

I assume XCountry probably means that Atl is the wrong place for that (thinking that I've already moved there) or saying that it's not a place I should go for this sound, because I did say Rhythmic Top 40, not CHR/Rhythmic/Hip-Hop. In other words, a rhythmic lean top 40, or pop leaning rhythmic.

 

[XCountry285]

KDM it's the wrong board for it.

 

[Wildstyle K]

Then I'd really like to know which board is correct for this because someone needs to say something on that board about it and hopefully get some things happening. ... Without further explanation, I'll just say - the bottom line is something needs to be done about the state of chr in Atl... and that's really all you need to know. I am beginning to believe that this is indeed the wrong board because despite all the talk here (even from those within their own town), nothing seems to be changing. Well... maybe I should be more specific- nothing is changing in Atlanta.

I could understand not having certain formats or sounds in certain cities, but THIS IS CHR we're talking about here.

 

[musicman3355]

KDM it's the wrong board for it.

I'm sure you wouldn't be acting like the police if it was Lisa Paige who posted this. This IS a CHR board and this thread actually does fit in this category.

 

[XCountry285]

CHR/Mainstream Pop NOTRhythmic!

 

[Wildstyle K]

Oh so this is the right board, just the wrong section of the board.
Well... whatever type of sound that is in between KIIS and KPWR is what Atl needs right now. I wont even "beat up" on Q100 too much - I'll just be generous and say a true rhythmic that leans to pop is all they need and leave WWWQ alone. Well, if you want it posted in the rhythmic hip-hop section, the wish will be granted. I'm serious about pushing for this much needed change, doing whatever and even working with whoever is necessary for making something happen and being serious about it, especially if Atl. will be a place where I'll soon be living my life. I'll post it in every section if I have to.

There has been more than enough talk on THIS board with (seemingly) action going on every where else except for Atlanta. We (once again) need someone who, in addition to making money, is also serious about delivering a fun station playing MORE of what the people truly want to hear instead of holding the mind set "well, there's really no direct competition, so we'll do it however we want because our listeners really have no other choice but to come to us". We need someone (owner / PD) with a WPOW, WKQI, or KPWR mentality who cares more than just about the money. A traditional and listener friendly / fun top 40 sound was successfully done there once (In addition to a rhythmic). It's unfortunate that it was during that one time, no one decided to follow the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" rule..


WWWQ... WPOW.... WKQI... etc. .. The reader can make up their mind on whatever section they believe this talk belongs in. All I'm concerned about is finally making something happen in Atlanta, regardless of who it is to step up and do it and which section they read that inspired them to do it.

 

[CHRles]

You've got Q-100 for CHR/Pop and 96.7/105.7 The Groove for Rhythmic CHR.
Could both stations be sounding better/hotter? sure. Bring it up with someone at Cumulus or Clear Channel and see what they say.
Besides, you always have the option to subscribe to satellite radio, stream stations on your phone, or just listen at home online.
The situation has vastly changed (for the better) since the last time you were living in Atlanta back in the 90s.

 

[Wildstyle K]

You've got Q-100 for CHR/Pop and 96.7/105.7 The Groove for Rhythmic CHR.
Could both stations be sounding better/hotter? sure. Bring it up with someone at Cumulus or Clear Channel and see what they say.
Besides, you always have the option to subscribe to satellite radio, stream stations on your phone, or just listen at home online.
The situation has vastly changed (for the better) since the last time you were living in Atlanta back in the 90s.

I do agree strongly... (I was also there in 2001 as well.. by the way). However, I don't have proof to back this up, but I believe.. based on several things I've seen on these boards within the last year alone, there will need to be something to force Cumulus into a more rhythmic direction because if they truly wanted to go that way, they would've done so already, or just left it the way it was when they first took in WWWQ. Even knowing that WSTR was already on the adult chr side of things didn't push WWWQ to not adopt a very similar sound!

Anyway, I'm not even looking to get WWWQ to transform more towards a traditional sound. At this point a (current) rhythmic that leans pop-ish to fill in the gap would do. I know, despite the fact it's been done successfully in the past, people who don't want to try it will just say "It wont work". It will take some convincing to make me believe that in a city like Atlanta, going more pop rock is the definite answer to the mainstream sound, according to the demographics.

The Groove does bring some hope, but look at the ratings in addition to the signal strength and the fashion in which they are playing their music. It's hard for me to completely believe in them when it sounds like they are not too serious or sure about their format themselves. Seemingly, it didn't take much for the decision to destroy The Beat to unfold. Currently, it looks like WWVA is not even performing as well as The Beat was.

 

[Mid West Clubber]

The Groove is now on too signals, its on the old wild 96.7 freq too, if you cant pull in one maybe you can pull in the other.

 

[electroboy73]

I'm serious about pushing for this much needed change, doing whatever and even working with whoever is necessary for making something happen and being serious about it, especially if Atl. will be a place where I'll soon be living my life. I'll post it in every section if I have to.

Dude! You know I am so behind you on this! It's been 20 years since I ve actually worked in radio but, I'm enough....(er, "too much" my friends say) of a pop/dance fanatic and collector not to know what this town (Atlanta) needs! Wow...just thought of us as some sort of "come back duo" that could team up and finally bring the pulse back to Atlanta radio, bro!

Far fetched? Maybe.....maybe not.

 

[Wildstyle K]

I sort of think this thread should become extinct now, now that they technically have a rhythmic and top 40 station, and both have actually gone heavily, if not completely, towards "properly" fulfilling their sound. I'm kind of beginning to think the current amount of pop rock on Q is appropriate, due to the fact that Atlanta is flooded with urbans and now has a proper, traditional rhythmic. It would be a little silly for Q100 to lean too rhythmic and add a bunch of urban hits like KIIS or KZZP with the amount of urbans in Atl. When 95.5 The Beat was around, I was still ok with Q leaning more rhythmic since The Beat did somewhat lean urban. However, now The Groove is a proper, straight up rhythmic that leans pop, so a gap is being filled in.

I just hope that The Groove or Q or even both could provide more mix shows featuring dance exclusives and remixes, just like the phenomenal WKQI in Detroit and WPOW in Miami. I don't see why even WHTA or WVEE doesn't have an electro-hip hop show at least once a week.

As far as a dance leaning rhythmic, I'm not sure where that would fit in on ATL dial since they have so many urbans that another rhythmic would oversaturate the urban sound. One of the urbans would probably have to flip to become or make room for that, which, I doubt will happen anytime soon. Maybe a pure dance station would stand out, but then again, I also don't know how much that would work. At least Groove has dance on HD 2.

 

[jeffrey palmroy]

I Ihink people should learn to like q 100 more then star. Because they play a little more rap then star does? Because star 94.1 sucks more because back in 1994. They played a lot of good dance music back in 1994. then the last time I heard star 94 they suck? z10 4.1 wzee in madison could do better then them specially now days if you don't want to listen to q 100 listen to 105.7 or 96.7 there cool there not going to be a rythem station everywhere you go

 

[Wildstyle K]

I Ihink people should learn to like q 100 more then star. Because they play a little more rap then star does? Because star 94.1 sucks more because back in 1994. They played a lot of good dance music back in 1994. then the last time I heard star 94 they suck? z10 4.1 wzee in madison could do better then them specially now days if you don't want to listen to q 100 listen to 105.7 or 96.7 there cool there not going to be a rythem station everywhere you go

I've talked quite a bit about both stations, but I will say this; Both Star & Q are pretty good for what they are right now. I believe the only real problem is that we are used to things being a certain way and expect a standard "norm" when it comes to radio, and if we weren't into radio as much as we were, we probably wouldn't care one bit about their differences. Star is good now that they've finally decided to do what they're best at - Hot AC. Q, while different from the rest, I'll admit that their difference overall does make them sound better in some ways - as long as they don't lean too fay pop rock or exclude too many established hits from their playlist. They actually have a variety in sound and tend not to lean too urban in a city full of urban sounds.I may talk a lot about Q100, but I will admit that I do like their style to a large degree, and like them even more for who they are now that there's a full blown rhythmic providing strictly the rhythmic sound. Q's Saturday night mix is also awesome as well. I still disagree with their idea to exclude hits to make room for pop rock and only guarantee the top 20 hits in their playlist instead of the full top 40 material, but I really don't have much of a problem with their music in general. Only the fact that they do not fully play ALL the hits. I'd love fo them to keep it as is, BUT play all the rhythmic top 40 material as well, even if it's #39 on the charts and not in the top 20.