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Z-93 Playlist - April 24, 1987

C

CHRles

Bob Case was the PD of Z-93. It was Atlanta's most famous CHR in the 80s (and 70s)

Z-93 Atlanta April 24, 1987

1 Cutting Crew Just Died In your Arms
2 Steve Winwood The Finer Things
3 Madonna La Isla Bonita
4 Prince Sign O The Times
5 Chris Deburgh Lady In Red
6 Poison Talk Dirty To Me
7 U2 With Or Without You
8 Jody Watley Looking For A New Love
9 Robbie Nevil Dominoes
10 Peter Wolf Come As You Are
11 Areth Franklin/George Michael I knew You Were Waiting
12 Cyndi Lauper Whats Going On
13 Breakfast Club Right On Track
14 Fleetwood Mac Big Love
15 Chicago If She Would Have Been Faithful
16 Bryan Adams Heat of the Night
17 Kim Wilde You Keep Me Hangin On
18 Donna Allen Serious
19 Huey Lewis & The News I Know What I Like
20 Simply Red The Right Thing
21 Paul Simon You Can Call Me Al
22 Lionel Richie Se La
23 Bon Jovi Wanted dead Or Alive
24 Psychdelic Furs Heartbreak Beat
25 Thomson Twins Got That Love
26 World Party Ship of Fools
27 Atlantic Starr Always
28 Gregg Allman I'm No Angel
29 Gino Vanelli Wild Horses
30 Herb Albert Diamonds
31 Lisa Lisa Head To Toe
32 David Bowie Day In Day Out
33 Glen Medeiros Nothings Gonna Change My Love For You
34 Tom Petty Jammin Me
35 Kenny Loggins Meet Me Halfway
36 Genesis In Too Deep
37 Kenny G Songbird
38 Other Omes We Are What We Are
Adds T'Pau Heart And Soul
The System Don't Disturb This Groove
Truth Weapons of Love
Level 42 Lessons In Love
 
Wow, all those artists co-existing on on station at one time? I mean, Gino f*&^ing Vannelli? Who knew he was still making music in the late 80's?

I have yet to tune it in, but I saw how Reunion Radio is formatted for one channel devoted to a single year, 24/7. I wonder if the music mix on RR is as diverse as WZGC back in 1987.
 
I have the AT 40 on tape from Memorial Day weekend 1987 and it is almost consistent with Z93s playlist from April 1987. The number 1 song was "With or Without You" by U2.
 
Not just the selection, you should have seen the ratings. Prior to this you would have seen a bigger variety including an occasional country crossover. Bob Case wasn't around long and inherited a machine. Shortly after 87 the station became Jerry Clifton driven, then changed to classic rock. The late 70s and thru the 80s were interesting and the best programmers HAD to know and understand more than one niche of the musical pie. "Mass appeal" was a term and a force. Radio, TV, newspapers all delivered tonnage, and it wasn't by accident. It probably was harder because a real programmer had to know a wide range of tastes in his market and the best known PDs in Atlanta and the SE seemed to have grown up here or at least lived here a long time.
 
turnitupnow said:
Not just the selection, you should have seen the ratings. Prior to this you would have seen a bigger variety including an occasional country crossover. Bob Case wasn't around long and inherited a machine. Shortly after 87 the station became Jerry Clifton driven, then changed to classic rock. The late 70s and thru the 80s were interesting and the best programmers HAD to know and understand more than one niche of the musical pie. "Mass appeal" was a term and a force. Radio, TV, newspapers all delivered tonnage, and it wasn't by accident. It probably was harder because a real programmer had to know a wide range of tastes in his market and the best known PDs in Atlanta and the SE seemed to have grown up here or at least lived here a long time.
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Z-93 lost their CHR mojo when Warm 100/99.7 flipped to Power 99. Although a strong case could be made that Susquehanna saw weakness and jumped on it. Power 99 had a very diverse playlist at the beginning and made a very big splash because of it...essentially beating Z-93 at their own game once Z-93 lost it.
 
Z93 PD John Young (1978-86) was a freakin' genius. So much of the credit for what Z93 accomplished in those days was because he knew his market, the music, the attitude and how to get the most and the best out of his staff.
 
Z 93 was a great CHR at this time (mid 80s). I grew up listening to "Hit Radio Z93" with all those awesome hitradio jingles and "10 hit songs in a row every hour". Also, you can't forget Randy Miller in the morning at this time (one of the best CHR morning shows ever. I don't care if he was a bit over the edge and controversial at times, he was damn funny and dominated Atlanta mornings. I still have his greatest bits cassette that Z93 put out in '87). Anyway, I graduated high school in '87 and even though I lived up in East Tennessee, I had a TV antenna set up and I dx'd Atlanta radio and listened every day. (Back then, it was possible before all of the class A, drop-in signals were granted). Anyway, I lived for Z93 during the mid 80's, and then Power 99 in the late 80's and early 90's. They were two of my favorite CHR's of all time. I thought Z93 sounded best during the mid 80s (85-86) during the "hit radio" phase, while I thought Power 99 sounded best a couple of years after they started when they dropped the Power 99.7 name and original rock lean, and went mainstream as Power 99 (89-92). Who can forget those awesome Mark Driscoll sweepers on Power 99 ("From the top of the IBM Tower...Pumping wattage into Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and a itty bitty piece of the Bahamas..... WAPW Atlanta... Power 99!").

Those were the days, and Z93 and Power 99 were two great examples of awesome CHR's. I never really cared for 94Q, which was more adult leaning, boring, and all over the place. Too bad, Atlanta has never had a great CHR since those days. I hated the flip of Power 99 in '92, although I loved 99X as well. And Star 94 was always boring through the 90's. Now of course, there's Star 94 and Q100, and while both are ok CHR's, they are kind of bland, and neither is nearly as exciting as Z and Power were.
 
BRH said:
I thought Z93 sounded best during the mid 80s (85-86) during the "hit radio" phase, while I thought Power 99 sounded best a couple of years after they started when they dropped the Power 99.7 name and original rock lean, and went mainstream as Power 99 (89-92). Who can forget those awesome Mark Driscoll sweepers on Power 99 ("From the top of the IBM Tower...Pumping wattage into Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and a itty bitty piece of the Bahamas..... WAPW Atlanta... Power 99!").

Those were the days, and Z93 and Power 99 were two great examples of awesome CHR's. I never really cared for 94Q, which was more adult leaning, boring, and all over the place. Too bad, Atlanta has never had a great CHR since those days.
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Aww yes, "Mr. Voice"
Rick Stacy was the best programmer I ever worked for. Bill Phippen was the best General Manager I ever worked for.
Steve wyrostock and Lee Chestnut were both great Music Directors who understood the format, the market and the "sound" we were always trying to achieve. "Playing hits so big Stone Mountain is jealous."
We worked hard and we enjoyed going to work every day.
We were always thinking, "What can we do today to stir things up and have some fun."
Oprah didn't have anything over our listeners. They were the greatest audience I ever performed for!
Thank you for the kind words.
 
OH, I forgot about that Stone Mountain sweeper, but it made me remember another used at the same time; "Hits so big...even Rosanne Barr looks skinny by comparison...Power 99". It was truly one of the all time great CHRs. Also, I always enjoyed your show Boomer (middays wasn't it?). Then Shotgun Sean Demery afternoons and The Janitor (Cliff Treadway) at night. The Janitor show was always a must listen every night. Thanks for the great effort you put into the station, and for the amazing CHR that Power 99 was.
 
BRH said:
It was truly one of the all time great CHRs. Also, I always enjoyed your show Boomer (middays wasn't it?). Then Shotgun Sean Demery afternoons and The Janitor (Cliff Treadway) at night. The Janitor show was always a must listen every night. Thanks for the great effort you put into the station, and for the amazing CHR that Power 99 was.
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Domino did nights. Bill "Slam" Duncan worked there. Fast Freddie Luca and Johnny Dark, did also.
Off course there was Don Lardo, Major Tom and as you mentioned, Shotgun Sean. It was the right staff at the right time.
And yes, I did mid-days there for 5 years. It was THE best time I've ever had in radio.
 
This is a serious question. Most Atlanta chr stations had a long life. From WQXI AM to 94Q, and Z93 was huge for a couple of decades. So why then with all the positive memories of Power 99 did it really not last very long. With respect to the fact it might have been a good station, the people named and PD's listed came and went pretty quick. Didn't Steve Davis leave a dj slot at Z93 to be the first PD. Something happened and clearly the real impact of that era wasn't Power 99 but the impact 99X. Or am I wrong?
 
As I remember it, Power 99 in its heyday had huge numbers. Then one book they dropped from a 7.5 to a 5 share, which I guess was a big deal at the time. To be fair, a lot of CHRs across the country were struggling ratings-wise in the early 90s, or even if the ratings were good the revenue wasn't...

In light of all the great responses I'll have to dig up and post a few more sample playlists from Z-93 and Power 99 in the 80s, as well as 94 Q.
 
onetake said:
This is a serious question. Most Atlanta chr stations had a long life. From WQXI AM to 94Q, and Z93 was huge for a couple of decades. So why then with all the positive memories of Power 99 did it really not last very long. With respect to the fact it might have been a good station, the people named and PD's listed came and went pretty quick. Didn't Steve Davis leave a dj slot at Z93 to be the first PD. Something happened and clearly the real impact of that era wasn't Power 99 but the impact 99X. Or am I wrong?
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Onetake brings up an excellent point. I was thinking about this not too long ago. For all the hoopla we make about the good ol' days of Power 99, it was only in the market for six short years (March 1986 to October 1992), a blip in radio history. For its shortness, though it made a heck of an impact.

Susq. was very fortunate to be able to ride two successful waves: the CHR/pop wave of the late 80s and the alternative craze of the 90s. IMO, had WAPW stuck with CHR it would have continued to be successful. They took a gamble by switching when they had a couple of down books yet the payoff was handsome.

I guess what bugs us lifelong Atlantans is that the 99.7 frequency has had some great formats... until now.
 
I can remember driving from Six Flags down to Columbus, Ga. with a friend who listened to Power 99 as long as the signal stayed put. While there are some amazing songs on that playlist, at least half of it is horrid and not something a sane 20-year-old should want to hear. I was so happy when that station flipped.
 
RadioFreeAtlanta said:
Susq. was very fortunate to be able to ride two successful waves: the CHR/pop wave of the late 80s and the alternative craze of the 90s. IMO, had WAPW stuck with CHR it would have continued to be successful. They took a gamble by switching when they had a couple of down books yet the payoff was handsome.

I guess what bugs us lifelong Atlantans is that the 99.7 frequency has had some great formats... until now.
Click to expand...

Susie Q also saw that ATL was glutted with AC in the mid-80s, and wanted out before they got clobbered by a recently-flipped (from beautiful music) Peach and a surging B98.5 (which had recently rebranded from the bland "WSB 99FM" after losing their infamous frequency-branding lawsuit against Susie Q). Hence the demise of Warm 100/99.7 and the end of ATL's first real AC station.

Meanwhile, on the CHR side, Z-93 was going downhill (although they did experiment with a before-its-time CHR/R format) and 94Q had firmly gone AC (tepid AC, not hot AC) as well as schizo with Jazz Flavours, etc. There was definitely a CHR hole in ATL. Sound familiar?

Less explainable is the flip from Power 99 to 99X, although it sounds like from those who were there that something had to give as more and more alt hit the charts but didn't fit a traditional CHR playlist.
 
I've never really heard an explanation of why Z93 tampered with its winning formula. Why did they even replace Steve McCoy?

Jabba, do you know?
 
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