Z100 as an Alternative Station

[dcowboy7]

I don't understand why the Z100 DJs would apologize for changing their sound back to CHR

They didnt -- they apologized for playing alt.

 

[vchimpanzee]

We all know when Nirvana broke through it changed the landscape of pop and rock music.

I was listening to a Casey Kasem type countdown show the first time I heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and the host said this is a song that represents a change comparable to "My Sharona" by The Knack.

 

[storm2k]

I have some memories of this era. My family were always PLJ listeners even when they moved away from the CHR format of the Power 95 era into the Hot AC era of the 1990s and beyond. Still, I was a young teen in the era when Z100 tried the move to the alt heavy format so I do remember listening to it. it was a move that made sense at the time, that kind of music was pretty popular. It also made sense when they moved away from an alt-heavy format in 1996 and back to a traditional CHR sound because other stations (especially when WXRK went full on modern/alt rock at that time) took the audience away from them. That's how you do radio really, you try to model your sound to be what your listeners want to hear so you get the audience which leads to your ad sales.

 

[jnc1978]

They didnt -- they apologized for playing alt.

What did they say during the broadcast (assuming the Z100 Morning Zoo) that they apologized for playing Alt Music mostly from 93-96? As I mentioned the Alt music carried the station those years from a stale top 40 CHR sound that was killing off CHR stations all over the country in the early 90s.
I assume they said something like,"we want to apologize to you the listener of Z100 for not playing hit music from all genres, we know that we have been playing alot of Alt music over the years that doesn't fit the hit music format, and for that we apologize and moving forward you will hear alot more of the artists and songs that fit in with a hit music station"

Check out some broadcasts from 1994-1995. Go to You Tube. and type Z100 1994 1995. Some of these airchecks sound great and a perfect mix for that time, others are too a bit much Alt music back to back, mostly from 95/96.

If you find the 1994 one with Chio the Hitman, it has a more diverse playlist and interesting note. You'll hear the voiceover guy in the beginning for Malloy College and he eventually became the main Imaging guy in the late 90s/00s for Z100. You also will hear the soundbyte, this is Z100 music , this isnt....

 

[jnc1978]

KKFR, Power 92 in Phoenix, AZ back in early 1994 waa an Alternative leaning CHR. I remember hearing Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun", Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" and "Daughter", "No Rain" by Blind Melon, "Hey Jealousy" by Gin Blossoms and The Crash Test Dummies and etc. just to name a few along with Pop hits from Madonna, Janet Jackson, Brandy, Ini Kamoze, etc. I remember their ratings tanked when they switched to that Alternative leaning CHR format then later they dumped it for a Dance leaning CHR and the ratings went back up.

I do remember reading about Power 92 trying the switch Alt learn, I guess it worked in some markets but not all.

 

[teaneck]

Good morning, everyone. I have a Z100 history question. Thanks in advance for answering it.

When I was growing up, my family would visit NYC perhaps once a year (or every other year). I remember being in New York in 1993. I wouldn't describe Z100 as an Alternative station, but perhaps an Alternative-leaning CHR. Is that an accurate way to describe it during those days? I remember hearing plenty of Alternative staples, such as Pearl Jam and the Offspring, but also some regular CHR fare. The presentation was also very CHR-like, and I remember Elvis Duran and Chio the Hit Man being two of their jocks at the time.

I remember other stations having a similar format. I remember driving through Connecticut during the Summer of 1994 and KC-101 having a similar format. In fact, they sometimes called themselves "New Haven's Alternative with the Best Variety." That was also the era in which Glenn Beck was the PD.

Specifically, at Z100, how long did the Alternative-lean last? How did it do ratings-wise?

At one point Z100 was playing all pop/alternative tracks except for "Waterfalls" by TLC. And sure, enough we were getting
some requests for Waterfalls, meaning people were sitting through all the pop/alternative waiting for TLC.

 

[MVB13]

At one point Z100 was playing all pop/alternative tracks except for "Waterfalls" by TLC. And sure, enough we were getting
some requests for Waterfalls, meaning people were sitting through all the pop/alternative waiting for TLC.

Hi Teaneck. I used to teach in Teaneck at the high school. A wonderful town I will say! 😊

 

[JonathanGabel]

It did seem during the 1993-96 era if you wanted to hear an actual mainstream CHR station your best bet would be in the Eastern Pennsylvania region with such stations like 98.5 KRZ in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, B104 in Allentown, and T102 in Pottsville. Just an example from the Northern New Jersey region point of view.

 

[CentralFL]

WKSS 95.7 from Hartford was a pretty good station for Top-40 when NYC was without a CHR during those years. It was receivable, albeit weak in parts of Long Island.

 

[Brandon1993]

WQHT was definitely Top-40 and Dance well into 1992. By 1993 the were mostly hip hop if memory serves.

You’re right because their then sister station, Power 106 LA became hip hop around 93 or 94.

 

[MVB13]

It did seem during the 1993-96 era if you wanted to hear an actual mainstream CHR station your best bet would be in the Eastern Pennsylvania region with such stations like 98.5 KRZ in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, B104 in Allentown, and T102 in Pottsville. Just an example from the Northern New Jersey region point of view.

T102 doesn't come in NJ at all.

 

[MVB13]

It did seem during the 1993-96 era if you wanted to hear an actual mainstream CHR station your best bet would be in the Eastern Pennsylvania region with such stations like 98.5 KRZ in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, B104 in Allentown, and T102 in Pottsville. Just an example from the Northern New Jersey region point of view.

Or K104.7 on WSPK FM from Poughkeepsie.

 

[gr8oldies]

I was listening to a Casey Kasem type countdown show the first time I heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and the host said this is a song that represents a change comparable to "My Sharona" by The Knack.

I never felt older than when I played "Smells Like" as a current

 

[macattack]

I actually enjoy listening to those Z100 1993-96 airchecks. They did a pretty good job of being both an alternative and pop station at the same time, though it can be argued that in 1995 the alternative lean became a little too thick. I know R&R never kicked Z100 to their Alt panel, but I've heard that BB or someone else did kick Z100 to Alternative for a while.

I do think if Alternative does one day return to NYC, the station should note the Z100 approach from those years and update it for modern audiences. I think it'd be mildly successful (Alternative will never be #1 in NYC) if the music quality is high and carefully chosen.

 

[MichaelD1972]

I didn't listen to Z100 much during their alt-leaning years. Too much Alternative for my taste. Some songs were good, but I liked 80's rock better. Most of my Z100 listening was during Casey's Top 40 on Sunday mornings. I was also more of a Hip Hop, R&B and Dance music fan back then.

 

[MichaelD1972]

Or K104.7 on WSPK FM from

I listened to K104 sometimes just to find anything mainstream pop or dance during Z100's alt-leaning period.

 

[MichaelD1972]

It did seem during the 1993-96 era if you wanted to hear an actual mainstream CHR station your best bet would be in the Eastern Pennsylvania region with such stations like 98.5 KRZ in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, B104 in Allentown, and T102 in Pottsville. Just an example from the Northern New Jersey region point of view.

In 1993-96, K104 in Poughkeepsie, NY was my main source for Mainstram CHR even though I had to put up with static to hear it.

 

[CentralFL]

In 1993-96, K104 in Poughkeepsie, NY was my main source for Mainstram CHR even though I had to put up with static to hear it.

Better than nothing...In addition to weak signals from WSPK- K104 and WKSS - Kiss 95.7, I used to tape the abbreviated countdown from the BBC World Service off of shortwave just to get mainstream pop. Today it's a lot easier to get a format missing from your area.

 

[DOB]

I'd rather listen to constipated needle hobby alt rockers than Brit pop like Bob the builder.
Seriously, I would stream Capital and Kiss 100 because it was worth dealing with those novelty hits to get the better pop hits across the Atlantic.
Z 100 had a unique sound in the 90s, I think they avoided the rap hits because Hot 97 really owned hip hop when Kiss 987 went classic soul as their new sister station.
Early 96 was just such an obvious setup for KTU 2.0 as a mass appeal adult dance rhythmic station. They were able to play everything from disco to current 130 bpm dance hits. Once they become sisters with a pop adjusted Z, they were never quite the same. Still good but when they were the only "feel good" station in NYC, it truly was a special station. They were pretty much perfectly programmed.

 

[MichaelD1972]

I'd rather listen to constipated needle hobby alt rockers than Brit pop like Bob the builder.
Seriously, I would stream Capital and Kiss 100 because it was worth dealing with those novelty hits to get the better pop hits across the Atlantic.
Z 100 had a unique sound in the 90s, I think they avoided the rap hits because Hot 97 really owned hip hop when Kiss 987 went classic soul as their new sister station.
Early 96 was just such an obvious setup for KTU 2.0 as a mass appeal adult dance rhythmic station. They were able to play everything from disco to current 130 bpm dance hits. Once they become sisters with a pop adjusted Z, they were never quite the same. Still good but when they were the only "feel good" station in NYC, it truly was a special station. They were pretty much perfectly programmed.

I was excited for the new KTU in 1996. Even though I thought it was a bit too gold-based, I enjoyed it. The classic dance and freestyle that they played brought back memories.

In 1993-96, I had to rely on weekend mix shows such as the Hot 97 Saturday Night Dance Party or Johnny Famolari & Norty Cotto on Mega 97.9 for dance music. Even then, the shows weren't all-dance music. They would mix songs from the regular formats with it.