I'd love to see KVIL adopt a KTBZ-like playlist.
Interestingly, that is pretty much the approach 102.1 The Edge took when The Eagle was previously tossed to the curb.
Will KVIL play Metallica?
Audacy usually doesn't do Active-leaning Alternatives. As it is KVIL is the most Active-leaning of their Alt stations and they're not an extreme example.
I did listen to them for a spell this morning and this is what I got:
9:36 am: Seether - “Fine Again”
9:41 am: Weezer - “Records” (Current)
9:44 am: Oasis - “Wonderwall”
9:48 am: Arctic Monkeys - “Do I Wanna Know?”
9:53 am: 3 Doors Down - “When I’m Gone”
Ian comes on:
10:05 am: Blue October - “Hate Me”
10:09 am: Beach Weather - “Sex, Drugs, Etc.” (Current)
10:12 am: Capital Cities - “Safe and Sound”
10:15 am: Audioslave - “I Am The Highway”
10:21 am: Stone Temple Pilots - “Interstate Love Song”
10:24 am: Glass Animals - “Heat Waves” (recurrent)
10;28 am: blink-182 - “First Date”
10:35 am: The Cure - “Friday I’m In Love”
10:39 am: Red Hot Chili Peppers - “Can’t Stop”
10:44 am: Cafune - “Tek It” (current)
10:47 am: Alien Ant Farm - “Smooth Criminal”
10:50 am: Bush - “Comedown”
10:56 am: Gnarls Barkley - “Crazy”
11:05 am: Nirvana - “Heart-Shaped Box”
11:10 am: Foo Fighters - “All My Life”
11:14 am: Butthole Surfers - “Pepper”
11:18 am: Coldplay - “Viva La Vida”
11:22 am: Meg Myers - “Running Up That Hill”
11:26 am: Gorillaz - “Cracker Island” (current)
There's some rock, in fact, a lot of their golds is stuff from KEGL's wheelhouse. But they're definitely an Alternative that plays some rock, they're by no means a KPNT or KTBZ who will freely play Metallica, Halestorm, or Ghost.
That being said, I think it would be wise of them to pull a few pages out of KPNT's playbook, especially to prevent the rise of another rival. KPNT and KTBZ have squashed all challengers by playing both the rock and alternative lanes, and I wouldn't be shocked if Allers takes KVIL in that direction.