atlantaboy
9x Platinum Member
Joined: June 2007
Posts: 9,251
|
Post by atlantaboy on Sept 8, 2010 20:13:29 GMT -5
Been listening to them for years now - a few years ago I could see the "CHR without rap" thing, but since the CHR chart's become more rhythmic, WSTR has completely reverted to Hot AC (with the exception of waiting for CHR adds dates - usually)
SAMPLE HOUR (afternoon):
TAYLOR SWIFT Mine
THE FRAY Never Say Never
BLACK EYED PEAS Where Is The Love
DAUGHTRY Life After You
NATASHA BEDINGFIELD Pocketful Of Sunshine
TRAIN If It's Love
CHRISTINA AGUILERA Ain't No Other Man
GREEN DAY 21 Guns
MAROON 5 Misery
ALANIS MORISSETTE Ironic
SARA BAREILLES King Of Anything
GAVIN DEGRAW In Love With A Girl
LADY ANTEBELLUM Need You Now
SAMPLE HOUR (evening)
ENRIQUE IGLESIAS I Like It
SHINEDOWN Second Chance
KATY PERRY California Gurls
ADAM LAMBERT Whattaya Want From Me
ROB THOMAS Mockingbird
JESSE JAMES Wanted
TRAIN If It's Love
TAYLOR SWIFT You Belong With Me
SCRIPT The Man Who Can't Be Moved
DAUGHTRY Life After You
PLAIN WHITE T'S Rhythm Of Love
LADY GAGA Poker Face
|
|
musicfanpete
2x Platinum Member
Joined: January 2007
Posts: 2,194
|
Post by musicfanpete on Sept 8, 2010 20:45:41 GMT -5
As I stated on another thread a few months ago, I believe that "Hot AC" WTMX is more CHR leaning now than "CHR" WSTR! Any station that plays Eminem more often than a supposed CHR station probably belongs on the CHR panel.
Now while WTMX would be considered more Hot AC leaning than most stations on the mainstream CHR panel, there are definitely stations on the Hot AC panel that are far more CHR leaning than WSTR, WKRQ in Cincinnati being the worst offender as that station plays most of the CHR top 10 even if it does play the Hot AC songs a bit more than the average CHR.
I guess the only thing keeping WSTR as a CHR is it's song rotation, which leans closer to the average CHR than the average Hot AC (70+ spins versus 40+ spins for the most active currents on a typical Hot AC station) at least a couple of months ago. Perhaps that has changed (I would have to look at Allaccess to find out). But if you base it on the songs being played, yes, WSTR really has no business reporting CHR anymore. WTMX's format is more open to debate.
|
|
atlantaboy
9x Platinum Member
Joined: June 2007
Posts: 9,251
|
Post by atlantaboy on Sept 8, 2010 21:08:25 GMT -5
^Yeah Star 94's #1 song had 62 spins this past week (almost sure it was Hey Soul Sister - still) - and tons of Hot ACs have those kind of numbers for power rotation A few years ago, though, they were at least still 75% current (with powers in the 90-100 range) - now you gotta sit through What Would You Say, 3 A. M., Ironic, Slide, etc. and I just don't think they're a station that focuses on current hits anymore Especially since they switched over to the HAC version of AT40 last summer I think what I mean is...they've lost their hipness, or their edge that changed them from rock CHR to wussy Hot AC station (sorry just bitter cause I really used to like them  ) |
|
|
|
Post by tico on Sept 9, 2010 16:48:06 GMT -5
When I lived in Atlanta, Star always leaned a little towards the hot AC side. Just since the middle of the 2000s did they start to branch out a bit closer to a CHR sound. I do wonder if Star moving back towards hot AC is a response to Q100 leaning more adult (which most Cumulus CHRs do).
|
|
musicfanpete
2x Platinum Member
Joined: January 2007
Posts: 2,194
|
Post by musicfanpete on Sept 9, 2010 20:09:28 GMT -5
^Yeah Star 94's #1 song had 62 spins this past week (almost sure it was Hey Soul Sister - still) - and tons of Hot ACs have those kind of numbers for power rotation A few years ago, though, they were at least still 75% current (with powers in the 90-100 range) - now you gotta sit through What Would You Say, 3 A. M., Ironic, Slide, etc. and I just don't think they're a station that focuses on current hits anymore Especially since they switched over to the HAC version of AT40 last summer I think what I mean is...they've lost their hipness, or their edge that changed them from rock CHR to wussy Hot AC station (sorry just bitter cause I really used to like them ) Well any station that still has "Hey, Soul Sister" as their number one song with only 60+ spins a week is definitely a Hot AC! Especially a station that plays less pop and rap than a certain other Hot AC station in Chicago.  |
|
atlantaboy
9x Platinum Member
Joined: June 2007
Posts: 9,251
|
Post by atlantaboy on Sept 9, 2010 20:52:20 GMT -5
I do wonder if Star moving back towards hot AC is a response to Q100 leaning more adult (which most Cumulus CHRs do). Yeah I think it's in response to Q100 moving to the higher frequency signal 99.7, and then shooting up in ratings - Star 94's first response was to bring in a new PD and play powers 90-100 a week and lean kinda Alternative - when that didn't work and their ratings went down, they prob. decided to shift over to Hot AC (and their ratings have gone up since) |
|
|
|
Post by The Music Man on Sept 10, 2010 22:33:45 GMT -5
As someone who lives in the area, I think the Hot AC sound that has been adopted in recent months is a great look for Star. It hearkens back to the station's heritage, gives the playlist some depth and occupies a distinct niche in the Atlanta market. Match that with the fact that their full-time airstaff has become the best in the market (better than Q100's by MILES, except morning drive), and I think Star has developed a much more compelling sound as of late. I certainly enjoy them more than Q100, a lame excuse for a major market CHR.
Whether Star is reporting to the CHR panel is impertinent to whether it's actually being programmed as a CHR or a Hot AC. They're not the only station for which that's the case.
|
|
musicfanpete
2x Platinum Member
Joined: January 2007
Posts: 2,194
|
Post by musicfanpete on Sept 11, 2010 15:33:49 GMT -5
As someone who lives in the area, I think the Hot AC sound that has been adopted in recent months is a great look for Star. It hearkens back to the station's heritage, gives the playlist some depth and occupies a distinct niche in the Atlanta market. Match that with the fact that their full-time airstaff has become the best in the market (better than Q100's by MILES, except morning drive), and I think Star has developed a much more compelling sound as of late. I certainly enjoy them more than Q100, a lame excuse for a major market CHR. Whether Star is reporting to the CHR panel is impertinent to whether it's actually being programmed as a CHR or a Hot AC. They're not the only station for which that's the case. Plus, the Star "brand" is used by many AC's and Hot AC's throughout the country, and seems to fit more with these kind of adult music formats. When people hear a station identified as Star or the Mix for that matter, many people know these are stations that are geared towards a more adult audience. The Chicago area has two suburban Star stations, one based in the far northwest suburbs in Crystal Lake, and the other based in the far southwest suburbs in Joliet. Both stations are either Hot AC or very bright AC's (this distinction is pretty blurry these days anyway). And while both do play the likes of Lady Gaga and a few other pop crossovers, both play them pretty sparingly and seem to lean a bit more modern AC than The Mix or Fresh 105.9. |
|
Marv
6x Platinum Member
Joined: September 2004
Posts: 6,308
|
Post by Marv on Sept 12, 2010 9:39:56 GMT -5
Speaking of Cumulus, is KRBE/Houston still as adult-friendly as they've always been since Hot 95.7 (I think) signed on two years ago?
KRBE has always been a female-friendly CHR/Pop station for as long as I can remember.
I agree about Atlanta's Star 94; it might as well be a Hot AC station, which sounds a heck of a lot better these days than top 40 radio thanks to top 40 radio being so rhythmic driven, mostly due to Clear Channel and WKFS.
|
|
