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Would a "Hot Hits" Format Work In 2011?

W

wxman76

Some of you might be familiar of stations like this in the past. WCAU (98 Now) Philadelphia circa 1983 is a good example. If you aren't, think a current intensive format much like Sirius/XM Top 20 on 20.

This station would have some 40-50 currents on the playlist, instead of the usual 30 or so currents that most stations play. No gold titles over 3 years old. Only 1 recurrent title an hour allowed that would be between 6 months - 3 years old.

I would think that a hyper-current focused station like this would do well against a crosstown Cumulus recurrent heavy CHR. Hot 95.7 out of Houston is one of the closest examples of a "Hot Hit" format like this, but they will still sometimes play up to 4 recurrent+gold titles an hour.

With the current boom in CHR, I am a little surprised no one has rekindled this. I would think these stations that call themselves "Radio Now" could adopt this format and live up to the name of the station. Could a format like this work in a major market in 2011? What current stations today do you think are some of the closest examples to this?
 
wxman76 said:
Only 1 recurrent title an hour allowed that would be between 6 months - 3 years old.
Click to expand...

Honeslty, I'm not sure this is what most of the young pop audience wants right now - my impression is they have both new and older GaGa songs on their IPods, new and older Katy Perry songs, new and older Britney songs, new and older Kesha songs, etc.

In other words, I think most Britney fans want to hear Circus in the mix along with Til The World Ends and I Wanna Go

I'm also not sure the 40-50 currents thing would work with stations with young target demos, since I think musical taste 18-25 right now is on the narrow side, especially in terms of artists
 
This topic was mentioned in the Philly post a few years back mentioning 98 FM. Most of the response was no. Hot Hits was like Top 40 in the 60's and 70's, except rejuvenated for the 80's. It played artist and songs like "This Girl Is Mine" McCartney and Jackson, Men At Work, "Heartlight" by Neil Diamond, as well as hits from Kool and The Gang, Dazz Band, The Tubes, Human League, Asia or any wide variety mix I can think of. It was all played. There were alot more currents and add ons then they have today even though the hot songs were played every 2 hours to the top song every hour and a half.
Hot Hits or CHR is still today very narrow and marketed. You still have stations like mine locally that states 'All the Hits" but not exactly like 98. I don't think that today's listeners can hear the forecast every 15 minutes with jingles that go for 10 seconds, as well as PD's playing it safe as they have for the past 20 years. They would have to loosen up and take chances or end up with the same burn out playlist like they have now. And the talent of alot of young DJ's can't hold up to what you had back then. It could be done, but it's has to be done right.
 
It could work in 2011.....depending on if it's programmed right and if the target demo you're aiming for is willing to listen as they did in the late 70s/early 80s.

The PDs, Music directors, and on-air talent associated with it has to be ready to deliver the energy needed to run a format such as this.
 
Yes, it can work, and I know of one that will be popping up somewhere in the very near future.
 
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