WSTR-FM gifts Atlanta the city's "Best Music," with an older-skewing playlist

[will19]

WSTR-FM gifts Atlanta the city's "Best Music," with an older-skewing playlist

Amidst all the speculation, some of which avoided the truth that dozens of Hot AC stations across America's largest markets go all-Christmas each year, the question has been answered: Star will stay "Star," for now at least, returning to the airwaves today with a playlist titled "Atlanta's Best Music."

The changes aren't massive, at least to the average listener, but they're there nonetheless: the playlist skews older, includes a lot more 90s/2000s throwbacks, and seems more up-tempo, with lots of imaging pointing out the station is unique to Atlanta — an obvious callback to its longstanding existence on the city's airwaves.

A sampling of the past hour on the station includes:
• 11:21 am — "Broken" by lovelytheband (2017)
• 11:24 am — "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga (2008)
• 11:34 am — "Sucker" by Jonas Brothers (2019)
• 11:37 am — "Nice to Meet Ya" by Niall Horan (2019)
• 11:40 am — "Water Under the Bridge" by Adele (2015)
• 11:44 am — "The Middle" by Zedd ft. Maren Morris (2018)
• 11:47 am — "Memories" by Maroon 5 (2019)
• 11:50 am — "Caught Up" by Usher (2004)
• 11:54 am — "Lover" by Taylor Swift (2019)
• 11:57 am — "Whenever, Wherever" by Shakira (2001)
• 12:01 pm — "Walk Me Home" by P!nk (2019)
• 12:04 pm — "Lose You to Love Me" by Selena Gomez (2019)
• 12:07 pm — "Return of the Mack" by Mark Morrison (1996)
• 12:10 pm — "Trampoline" by SHAED (2019)
• 12:13 pm — "If We Never Met" by John K (2019)
• 12:16 pm — "Dark Horse" by Katy Perry (2013)
• 12:19 pm — "Circles" by Post Malone (2019)
• 12:22 pm — "Only Girl In The World" by Rihanna (2010)

A couple of items remain for the station to resolve in the new year, first among them making Madison James (B98.5 alum) permanent in mid-days. The other is to solve mornings, which are its weakest daypart in terms of talent and will likely be switched up in the new year. I'm told to be on the lookout for more playlist curation to occur, including "songs you'll only hear on Star" to show up within the next few weeks.

Thoughts?

 

[JohnM.]

Terrible!!! They should’ve put Star to bed and refreshed with variety hits type station. I can’t listen to 94.1 except HD2 which is what I thought they’d do with the main channel. I refuse to listen to the crap station..the playlist shown is so dull and boring.

 

[CTListener]

Terrible!!! They should’ve put Star to bed and refreshed with variety hits type station. I can’t listen to 94.1 except HD2 which is what I thought they’d do with the main channel. I refuse to listen to the crap station..the playlist shown is so dull and boring.

It doesn't look like a playlist designed to attract any male listeners, which is probably what its advertisers prefer.

 

[Tibbs4]

John? What did you expect or want? Could they really win with you? (Not being smart, just saying the music mix is not geared your way, anyway, etc.)

I think we all saw the Star branding staying in place. I am going to say, having heritage (good or bad) is important and the moniker is well recognized and certainly flexible. I actually now think they are doing something smart and this explains the sudden switch to Christmas. They come out of the change back to regular programming with a semi-similar, but evolving format that they can ebb and flow based upon the response from advertisers and listeners. They will probably waffle the 80s in and settle on the format we talked about as Spring rolls in. Not a sudden format or brand name change, but a station that can finally find its success, if it can. I have not listened, but will after I get off the air today and see what has changed. Interesting.

AT LEAST they did the right thing and made some legit changes and will continue and did not just throw up all over their own radio station for Christmas, which is what I was afraid had happened and would surely lead to more turnover in management. In the old days this would have been a more noteable change.

They have to fix the morning show, which seems like Jenn has messed the nest and Jeff Dauler's podcast is better received than Star 94 in listenership? That's an entire set of questions.

 

[BIGSTICK]

It doesn't look like a playlist designed to attract any male listeners, which is probably what its advertisers prefer.

Like I said on the other thread, it sounds WORSE than ever...Embarrassing...

 

[Tibbs4]

Stick - Did you ever think Star ever sounded decent? Still "looking forward" to listening.

 

[TheBigA]

A bit surprised to see Slim Shady from Eminem. But this sounds like oldies for millennials. If you're in your 30s, you know all this stuff.

This is what you do when the current music is stagnant. As I said in the other thread: A tweak, not a format change.

 

[Radio_Alex_1990]

"More Hits. Your Hits"

What? They really are going to tank if they can't be a little more creative than that. I was hoping they would rebrand, format wise. I am surprised Entercom isn't doing much about it.
As they say, it's their funeral.

 

[BIGSTICK]

"More Hits. Your Hits"

What? They really are going to tank if they can't be a little more creative than that. I was hoping they would rebrand, format wise. I am surprised Entercom isn't doing much about it.
As they say, it's their funeral.

It is a joke as is Jenn Hobby...with her whiny voice...

 

[PTBoardOp94]

I sampled Star 94 this afternoon, and I like the change to the music.

Like we discussed in the Christmas thread, the playlist Star 94 had in the fall was too close to its competing station, without any particular heritage or standout talent to draw in listeners. This will at least be different enough from WSB-FM that someone could develop a preference for Star.

Imaging seemed weak, but whatever. I thought WBEB's imaging in Philly was awful as "More FM", and they did all right.

 

[will19]

I sampled Star 94 this afternoon, and I like the change to the music.

Like we discussed in the Christmas thread, the playlist Star 94 had in the fall was too close to its competing station, without any particular heritage or standout talent to draw in listeners. This will at least be different enough from WSB-FM that someone could develop a preference for Star.

Imaging seemed weak, but whatever. I thought WBEB's imaging in Philly was awful as "More FM", and they did all right.

Star is now running a quick sounder before some of its 90s and early 2000s songs that goes something like this... “This is a song you heard with Star 94.1 Atlanta was just ... [old “Star 94” jingle].” It’s a cool programming trick, especially as the station tries to differentiate itself with songs like “It Wasn’t Me” by Shaggy and “Larger Than Life” by Backstreet Boys — which can now only be heard at one spot on the dial.

 

[TheBigA]

“This is a song you heard when Star 94.1 Atlanta was just ... [old “Star 94” jingle].”

When we was fab.

 

[Groove1670]

This is your typical 90's and today format. It will attract women (a very important consumer). Right now HAC and Top 40 is a mess. You have record companies trying to infuse Hip Hop, rock, and alternative titles in the playlist that are not working (stations are not adding them), and a lack of new material from core artists such as Bruno & Beiber. The numbers on those formats are down.

Many stations are playing it safe now not to run off the core listener, and to add more listeners. Some stations are being very conservative with new adds, fewer new songs, or adding more recurrents (or gold).

In my opinion, we are seeing a musical genrational shift and Top 40, AC, and HAC are caught in the middle.

It will be interesting to see how it all works out.

With that said, It is a decent playlist, and probably a smart move to recapture or retain the demo.

 

[TheBigA]

This is your typical 90's and today format. It will attract women (a very important consumer). Right now HAC and Top 40 is a mess. You have record companies trying to infuse Hip Hop, rock, and alternative titles in the playlist that are not working (stations are not adding them)

Exactly...as I often say, when people complain about radio, quite often it's a music problem, not a radio problem. It's getting harder to find those consensus songs or artists to fit a format. It's not just in HAC or Top 40. It's becoming a problem in country, where that same Dan & Shay/Bieber song is now in the Top 5. Country fans aren't sure how they feel about Bieber. So stations are reaching back to find songs that fit the format because a lot of the new music isn't testing as well with the core demo.

 

[Groove1670]

Exactly...as I often say, when people complain about radio, quite often it's a music problem, not a radio problem. It's getting harder to find those consensus songs or artists to fit a format. It's not just in HAC or Top 40. It's becoming a problem in country, where that same Dan & Shay/Bieber song is now in the Top 5. Country fans aren't sure how they feel about Bieber. So stations are reaching back to find songs that fit the format because a lot of the new music isn't testing as well with the core demo.

Yes. I'm running into that problem on our HAC. Our new adds have been light, and the list is now populated with more recurrent, gold titles. We skew more 90's on our country FM and currents are light.

The scary part is the labels are turning over music faster based on downloads and views and that is reflected on the charts. Radio is having a tough time catching up, and there is a disconnect with radio building new core artists (my opinion).

 

[TheBigA]

The scary part is the labels are turning over music faster based on downloads and views and that is reflected on the charts. Radio is having a tough time catching up, and there is a disconnect with radio building new core artists (my opinion).

My view on that is it's easier to see who's connecting and who isn't. Sure a label can push out a lot of new music, but all that does is service fans of particular artists. Radio stations aren't in that business. So you study the streaming charts, see which songs are connecting with the most people, and try them out. Hits by big stars are spending less time on the charts. It's not unusual to have a song with a 12 week run. Three months isn't too long, and they already have the follow-up trending online. But it's making the charts crowded, and some good songs are getting pushed out because they're taking too long.

 

[RadioDoogie]

Maybe Rick Dees will come back to Sunday’s on Star? Fingers crossed.

 

[will19]

Yes. I'm running into that problem on our HAC. Our new adds have been light, and the list is now populated with more recurrent, gold titles. We skew more 90's on our country FM and currents are light.

The scary part is the labels are turning over music faster based on downloads and views and that is reflected on the charts. Radio is having a tough time catching up, and there is a disconnect with radio building new core artists (my opinion).

I haven't programmed HAC in at least 5 years (side note: how in the world is it already 2020?), but this problem was starting to emerge even back then, as the advent of Spotify and Apple Music truly took hold with mainstream listeners. In our current world, #NewMusicFriday, as Spotify lucratively calls it, produces so much new music each week that it's often hard to sort through the (literal) noise and pick the winners.

That's how you get three or four Dan + Shay songs, Lizzo and a few different Khalid duets to dominate HAC and Adult Top 40.

As far as gold titles, Sean Ross recently wrote a fantastic piece on "the next Classic Hits format — the one that begins rather than ends with Bon Jovi and Bobby Brown": https://radioinsight.com/ross/182276/the-songs-that-make-todays-programmers-say-hmmm/

 

[will19]

Here's the current Mediabase sample for both of the competing stations. My hunch says Star has the better music mix of them, but I'm curious to hear thoughts. They're also playing more songs an hour and promoting 60-minute music blocks during workdays. From 12/28 (Saturday) at 5 a.m.

WSTR-FM
5:03 AM SWIFT, TAYLOR You Need To Calm Down (2019)
5:06 AM RONSON, MARK Uptown Funk f/Bruno Mars (2014)
5:10 AM MORRIS, MAREN The Bones (2019)
5:15 AM CAPALDI, LEWIS Someone You Loved (2018)
5:18 AM POST MALONE Better Now (2018)
5:22 AM AGUILERA, CHRISTINA Genie In A Bottle (1999)
5:25 AM SWIFT, TAYLOR Delicate (2017)
5:29 AM STYLES, HARRY Adore You (2019)
5:36 AM MAROON 5 Memories (2019)
5:39 AM RIHANNA SOS (2006)
5:43 AM PANIC! AT THE DISCO High Hopes (2018)
5:46 AM ZEDD & CARA, ALESSIA Stay (2017)
5:49 AM DAN + SHAY & BIEBER, JUSTIN 10,000 Hours (2019)
5:52 AM CLARKSON, KELLY Stronger (2011)
5:56 AM LADY GAGA & COOPER, BRADLEY Shallow (2018)
5:59 AM PUSSYCAT DOLLS Don't Cha (2005)

WSB-FM
5:01 AM THICKE, ROBIN Blurred Lines f/Pharrell/T.I. (2013)
5:11 AM ARTHUR, JAMES Say You Won't Let Go (2016)
5:14 AM GOULDING, ELLIE Love Me Like You Do (2015)
5:18 AM CARDIGANS Lovefool (1996)
5:21 AM KHALID Talk (2019)
5:24 AM USHER Caught Up (2004)
5:28 AM IMAGINE DRAGONS Whatever It Takes (2017)
5:31 AM RASCAL FLATTS Life Is A Highway (2006)
5:42 AM DAYA Sit Still, Look Pretty (2015)
5:45 AM DEEP BLUE SOMETHING Breakfast At Tiffany's (1994)
5:49 AM P!NK Try (2012)
5:53 AM COUNTING CROWS Big Yellow Taxi f/V. Carlton (2002)
5:57 AM DAIGLE, LAUREN You Say (2018)

 

[TheBigA]

They're also playing more songs an hour and promoting 60-minute music blocks during workdays.

That's the main thing I noticed, 16 songs an hour on Star, 13 songs an hour on B98.5. That's about ten more minutes of music! Also B has 2 90s songs an hour, while Star has one, and B is a bit rockier than Star.