In the 90's the Hip-Hop stations were habitually near the top. Now the demo has grown up and earns money. It boggles my mind why this format is ignored on conventional FM. Clearly Emmis cannot pursue the format in low definition because it would cananbalize Kiss audience, but why hasn't any other company tried it? Why would this format fail?
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Why is there no 90's Hip-Hop format in NYC?
- Thread starter Brooklyndon
- Start date
Hip-hop's roots are here so no doubt it could work.
Hot 97 has their "Throwback" format on their HD-2, and that covers 80's/90's. But then again, who has an HD radio? (I do, but I know no one else that does). I think down the road this will be a future standard format. With the way corporate operates, they want more 30's/40's/50 somethings to target to.
Go figure
Hot 97 has their "Throwback" format on their HD-2, and that covers 80's/90's. But then again, who has an HD radio? (I do, but I know no one else that does). I think down the road this will be a future standard format. With the way corporate operates, they want more 30's/40's/50 somethings to target to.
Go figure
I have little use for Hot 97's main channel (or Power 105.1 for that matter), but I've heard the Throwback channel and I love it. I agree that it's a format that should really be jumped on. Perhaps CBS should have tried this instead of the Now debacle... as it is, they're sprinkling in some older hip-hop tracks.
Hip-Hop (Rap) has seen its peak in the early 2000s and the core they had who were White teens and young adults have turned off this genre.
Just like how Disco faded, the same could happen with Hip-Hop, but not as fast.
Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy
Just like how Disco faded, the same could happen with Hip-Hop, but not as fast.
Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy
Kevin L. Sealy said:
Yeah but Disco in New York City was a viable format into 2006, and Kiss still plays a fair bit of it depending on the daypart. White young adults in the 90's are white mid-twentysomethings and thirtysomethings now, as are the african american and latin young adults from the 90's.
And as far as turning off the genre, it seems like the genre turned off itself, Brooklyn and LA went cold and rap became a caricature of itself. Rappers today are impersonating rappers from the 90s who were impersonating local hustlers from the 80's, so you have rapper quality problems. The beats went to pot because no one wanted to pay for samples, so you have music quality problems. But someone trying to reach out to Gen-Y won't be able to do it with classic rock, and for whatever reason they seem to be afraid of alternative, so that leaves classic rap.
There just might not be that high a quality of Hip-Hop now as there was "then."
Cue: "You sound old" retort. ;D
Fact is...Hip Hop used to have something to say. It was a message from the streets. Sort of a variation on what Punk was back in the 70's. The people listening could empathize with the stories told. I guess the easiest way to put it is:
Hip Hop went Hollywood.
The masses can't identify with the rich-penthouse-dwelling-superstar. When Hip Hop was at its best, it was street. And not some faux-thug talking about how he capped someone. The quality Hip Hop had credibility. The newer stuff comes across as homogenized and textbook. Yeah, that's it. The good Hip Hop wrote the textbook that the new generation is reading from. And you can't learn music from a book. It has to be real. And that's universal across all genres.
So, I guess what I'm really trying to say is: If the music were good enough, there would be a demand, and radio would react.
That's the formula. Give 'em what they want. And right now, there's no groundbreaking Hip Hop exciting the masses at a level tangible enough for radio to react.
...or I could be wrong.
...Burn Hollywood Burn!
Cue: "You sound old" retort. ;D
Fact is...Hip Hop used to have something to say. It was a message from the streets. Sort of a variation on what Punk was back in the 70's. The people listening could empathize with the stories told. I guess the easiest way to put it is:
Hip Hop went Hollywood.
The masses can't identify with the rich-penthouse-dwelling-superstar. When Hip Hop was at its best, it was street. And not some faux-thug talking about how he capped someone. The quality Hip Hop had credibility. The newer stuff comes across as homogenized and textbook. Yeah, that's it. The good Hip Hop wrote the textbook that the new generation is reading from. And you can't learn music from a book. It has to be real. And that's universal across all genres.
So, I guess what I'm really trying to say is: If the music were good enough, there would be a demand, and radio would react.
That's the formula. Give 'em what they want. And right now, there's no groundbreaking Hip Hop exciting the masses at a level tangible enough for radio to react.
...or I could be wrong.
...Burn Hollywood Burn!
D
DesiArnez6
Guest
Maybe its generational or something. 24 year old male here also, white-ish I guess (mixed)
Throwback is a good station, Ive stopped listening to hot 97 and for the most part dropped power 1051. Authenticity is a major part, I want to hear the rappers story or relate somehow, And being in the South Bronx, I can't "personally relate" to Hollywood. Early Rap was "New York", it didn't shout "Thuggish" from the rooftop. I mean it was gritty, but gritty believable or real, not gritty fake, like how the world pictures "ghettos" And the music is an issue too now.
I think "Classic Dance Mix 102.7" showed that Disco was still recently a viable format here. Classic Dance Mix didn't do too bad, remember.
Maybe its just me, but it seems like thats kind of what the early "Millenial" / "echo boomers" Generation grew up on, people in their 20's right now , Classic Hip Hop, and Alternative, both "outsider formats" here.
Throwback is a good station, Ive stopped listening to hot 97 and for the most part dropped power 1051. Authenticity is a major part, I want to hear the rappers story or relate somehow, And being in the South Bronx, I can't "personally relate" to Hollywood. Early Rap was "New York", it didn't shout "Thuggish" from the rooftop. I mean it was gritty, but gritty believable or real, not gritty fake, like how the world pictures "ghettos" And the music is an issue too now.
I think "Classic Dance Mix 102.7" showed that Disco was still recently a viable format here. Classic Dance Mix didn't do too bad, remember.
Maybe its just me, but it seems like thats kind of what the early "Millenial" / "echo boomers" Generation grew up on, people in their 20's right now , Classic Hip Hop, and Alternative, both "outsider formats" here.
I was going to start a thread similiar to this one when Sirius brought back Backspin. I'm white, in my 30's, listening to mostly indie rock, and it's my favorite channel on Sirius. I only get to hear it once in a while, but it always sounds fresh with a great mix of hip hop from 80's and 90's.
I thought it would be a gutsy move to try this format in NYC... I have no idea if it would work. But I'd listen.
I thought it would be a gutsy move to try this format in NYC... I have no idea if it would work. But I'd listen.
J
JimmyJames
Guest
What I find even more puzzling is how really good current hiphop (often labelled as "alternative" or "conscious") can't get much radio traction. It's new music with a classic sound and a lot to say, yet most hiphop stations don't even seem to want to do it as a specialist mix show. Any thoughts as to why mainstream urban radio is resisting the evolution (albeit, one that goes back to the old school often) of hiphop?
A
AlvaJr
Guest
Can I change Hip-Hop and R&B to Classic Hip-Hop format station on Hot 97 myself?
A
AlvaJr
Guest
Can I change Hip-Hop and R&B to Classic Hip-Hop format station on Hot 97 myself?
AlvaJr said:
Hot 97 can't go classic, it'd eat into their Kiss audience.
D
DesiArnez6
Guest
Brooklyndon said:
Probably right. Which would explain why Ive been tuning into Kiss a bit more recently, which I never did before. Hmm. Similar to the Z100 and KTU dilemma.
According to the ratings, it looks like you weeren't the only one. And I always percieved WRKS as the more niche station, not in New York I suppose.
H
hiphopRadio
Guest
WRKS touch more on old-school hip-hop like 1980's and early 90's like on friday nights with Kool DJ Red-Alert
O
oasisrulz
Guest
In the 90's the ROCK stations were habitually near the top. Now the demo has grown up and earns money. It boggles my mind why this format is ignored on conventional FM.
In New York? Throughout the 90s? Are you sure?
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