A different kind of alternative station

[Slinky]

From today's update of R&R:

"Seattle Gets A New 'End'

After playing R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World As We Know It," the song that Entercom Alternative KNDD (107.7 The End)/Seattle launched with in 1991, the station set in motion a huge format tweak, shifting its focus toward classic alternative music. "The End is reclaiming its Alternative roots," PD Phil Manning announced at noon today, when the change occurred, telling listeners that the station will now include more artists from the '90s, more deep album tracks and some artists who have rarely been heard on Alternative radio. Morning host Marconi has been let go, and the rest of the station's on-air lineup has been removed from the air. The station will run jockless for several weeks, and there's no indication whether the current airstaff will return. "The hype and repetition are gone," Manning said, "and when our DJs return, they'll still be having fun, but it will be all about the music. The DJs will not talk over the beginning and end of the songs, they'll tell you every song that we play, and, most importantly, they will pay respect to the music."

My comments:

As someone who was a huge fan of alternative in the 90's, but who has somewhat drifted away from the format lately, I think this is pretty cool. I wish the new End success, and hope it gets cloned all around the country. :)

[Tayzlor]

Now that's awesome.

[Crushcrushchris]

That's what I wish they'd do now on alternative stations, pay more respect to the music. I wasn't a huge fan of the grunge era, but that is a very interesting new alternative (no pun intended).

[insect2]

Wait, so this is indefinite? I thought this was just something they were doing for the holidays. So have all the DJ's have been fired, or are some of them just on vacation?

I turned it on this afternoon and it was kinda surprising to hear them going jockless, but like I said, I assumed it was temporary. They're playing current music along with the classic stuff. But I heard a song by a band called the Screaming Trees today, as well as Bob Marley, so I agree it's pretty cool to hear the older stuff. My only complaint is that if I hear a song I don't recognize, now there's no one to say what it is. Then again, there's always www.yes.net , but I don't want to have to remember what time I heard the song.

I'm also glad they fired Marconi, though. I never heard his show, but from the clips they've played during commericals, it sounded like trash. It sounded like all they do is make fun of people with speech impediments and pretty much whatever they can to sound like a Howard Stern rip-off. I hope they go back to the morning format I made a topic about before. They would play thematic hour-long blocks of music. Top 107 of different years, songs about food, songs by a particular artist, songs that have nothing in common, whatever worked.

Nonetheless, I can't wait to hear what this will sound like. Incidentally, I'll be going to New York next week, so I'll get to see how much K-Rock has changed over the past year, and exactly how much it stacks up The End.

[Matt4319]

Somewhere, Michael Sutton is smiling.

[Crushcrushchris]

insect2 said:

Nonetheless, I can't wait to hear what this will sound like. Incidentally, I'll be going to New York next week, so I'll get to see how much K-Rock has changed over the past year, and exactly how much it stacks up The End.

You probably won't like K-Rock. I'm not going to say it's horrible, but all you're going to hear is the playlist that they have on krockradio.com give or take a few songs, way too much Beastie Boys (and I like the Beasties, but you don't have to play them to death either), and a little bit too much yapping. Shoot, I'd probably like the End.

[Slinky]

insect2 said:

My only complaint is that if I hear a song I don't recognize, now there's no one to say what it is. Then again, there's always www.yes.net , but I don't want to have to remember what time I heard the song.

Manning said, "...The DJs will not talk over the beginning and end of the songs, they'll tell you every song that we play, and, most importantly, they will pay respect to the music."

Looks like that won't be a problem for you. It does seem to be a permanent change. I don't think it would get the R&R writeup if it were temporary.

Nonetheless, I can't wait to hear what this will sound like. Incidentally, I'll be going to New York next week, so I'll get to see how much K-Rock has changed over the past year, and exactly how much it stacks up The End.

K-Rock is not going to stack up well. They're still very tightly playlisted. They have also reduced the gold tracks, which was actually a good idea for them because people had to be sick of K-Rock's Pearl Jam/Nirvana/Alice In Chains obsession. K-Rock has gotten slightly more progressive on the new adds, but they're nowhere near as good as any of the big west coast Alternatives.

[insect2]

Cfw828 said:

You probably won't like K-Rock. I'm not going to say it's horrible, but all you're going to hear is the playlist that they have on krockradio.com give or take a few songs, way too much Beastie Boys (and I like the Beasties, but you don't have to play them to death either), and a little bit too much yapping. Shoot, I'd probably like the End.

I should've made that post more clearer. I lived in New York up until last year. So I've listened to K-Rock for about two years prior to my departure. I thought it was a pretty good station. But I agree they overdo it on the Beasties. Them and Metallica seem to get played every hour. I was going to say Nirvana too, but The End definitely plays more Nirvana than any other station in the country. I made a post back on the R&R boards comparing the stations, and I think I said The End seemed to be the better station. But I'd still like to see where K-Rock stands one year later.

[halo19]

That is a great direction in Alternative radio, as it may help the format become alternative. However, what makes me sad is that now that I live in San Antonio, there is no alternative station. I think there should be one.

[lsutigerfan]

After checking out KNDD's playlist and sample hour, this looks very much like XM-47/Ethel on XM radio, minus the 80's cuts, which are kept to XM-44/Fred. I really hope this does well in the ratings. There are so many great alternative songs that have been forgotten by the "alternative" stations of today.

[tico]

Looks like the End is going for a sound similar to KBZT/San Diego. KBZT plays a lot of late 70s/early 80s punk rock, as well as nu-wave and avoids the rap-metal and nu-metal sound. Here's a two-hour sample from today:

Nirvana, "Polly"
Sublime, "Wrong Way"
Jane's Addiction, "Just Because"
English Beat, "Twist and Crawl"
Tool, "Stinkfist"
Live, "All Over You"
Guided By Voices, "My Kind of Soldier"
XTC, "Dear God"
Alice In Chains, "Man In the Box"
Blink 182, "Feeling This"
Oasis, "Wonderwall"
The Cure, "Lovecats"
Rage Against the Machine, "The Ghost of Tom Joad"
White Stripes, "The Hardest Button To Button"
Sex Pistols, "God Save the Queen"
Filter, "Hey Man Nice Shot"
Nirvana, "About A Girl"
Coldplay, "Moses"
Dramarama, "Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)"
Nine Inch Nails, "Head Like A Hole"
A Perfect Circle, "Weak and Powerless"
Pear Jam, "Yellow Ledbetter"

KBZT, in less than one year, dethroned 91X as the top alternative station in San Diego. While what happens in San Diego isn't indicative of what may happen in Seattle, I'd give it a shot if I programmed the End. Maybe the format can finally climb out of the hole it's in. now.

[EvanJ]

Probably in response to this, the R and R headline is that Infinity is making another K-Rock in Seattle-Tacoma, changing 80s KYPT to Alternative KRQI. This could take listeners away from three Entercom stations, with formats Triple A, Rock, and Alternative, along with an already low rated Active Rock station owned by a small company. What could help Entercom is if the 80s listeners go to their Oldies station. Sandusky's Adult Contemporary, Soft Adult Contemporary, Smooth Jazz, and Adult Standards stations would also like to claim 25 and older listeners.
Offhand I can't name any other markets with Triple A, Alternative, Active Rock, and Rock. The Alternative, Active Rock, and Rock stations all have ratings below 3.0 with a total of 6.8 and none of them in the Top 10, so to me that doesn't look like demand for another Alternative station. Seattle-Tacoma will join the market one smaller than it, Phoenix, as markets with total of four or more Alternative, Active Rock, and Rock stations. Phoenix has two Alternative, one Active Rock, and one Rock station just like Seattle-Tacoma. San Diego had three Alternative stations and an Active Rock before the Alternative station with less than a 1.0 was sold and now simulcasts another station. Boston has a total of four if you count a low-rated out of market station.
As I've said, this station will be different than K-Rock in New York City and Los Angeles in that it has more competitors. The bad signal simulcast KDLD/KDLE Los Angeles is changing to Active Rock but is not nearly as much competition as in Seattle-Tacoma. WXRK has competition from WBAB Nassau-Suffolk and WDHA Morristown that are in markets embedded in New York City but not in the city itself.
Edit: More news: R and R says KISW changed from Rock to Active Rock. The changes combined make two Alternative, two Active Rock, and no Rock stations.

[halo19]

halo20 said:

That is a great direction in Alternative radio, as it may help the format become alternative. However, what makes me sad is that now that I live in San Antonio, there is no alternative station. I think there should be one.

How ironic. Now that I've come across an actual alternative station, it's a bit too "indie" for me. At least they've played Blur though.

[GordonUM]

No complaints whatsoever about this trend. Hope it continues.

[tico]

GordonUM said:

No complaints whatsoever about this trend. Hope it continues.

I hear that 99X in Atlanta has gone in that direction.

[SyrupBoy]

I'd just like to enthusiastically point out that KNND is spinning Muse Time Is Running Out in medium rotation.

I'm already a Seahawks fan...now I finally have a real reason to move to Seattle.

[pookie]

Yay! Maybe some people are waking up, that alternative shouldn't just be the angry white boys station all the time. Even KROQ hasn't been as good in the last year, I've been listening online to www.kjq.com/ they dont play much of anything new though. It'd be nice to find a balance.

[insect2]

SyrupBoy said:

I'd just like to enthusiastically point out that KNND is spinning Muse Time Is Running Out in medium rotation.

I'm already a Seahawks fan...now I finally have a real reason to move to Seattle.

I hope you like it better than I do. Maybe it's because I live in a suburb, but I think the place is dreadfully boring, There's nothing to do if you don't drive a car, and it can take forever to walk from point A to point B. Plus, the fact that they don't have a subway is really disappointing (not only that, but in 1969 the people of the city voted against a referendum that would have installed a major rail transportation system into the city! ) People may call this the city of the future or something like that, but I call it backward. No disrespect to people who live here, but maybe it's just that I belong in New York, not Seattle.

And I think the Seahawks are overrated. But hey, at least you can go to a Seahawks home game and know they won't lose.

I like KNDD better than WXRK, but I really love K-Rock, Listening to it while I'm here just drives home the fact that I like living here better than there. Sure they overdo it on the Metallica, but I think it's a great station nonetheless. It makes me wonder what it would have been like to listen to songs like "The Scientist", and "Headstrong", and "Numb" in my old context and not in Seattle.

My only question now is: will The End be doing the top 107 of 2003 this year?

[Matt4319]

It looks like 99X/Atlanta is doing the same thing:

www.radioandrecords.com/Formats/alt.shtm

"A mere 24 hours after the news that KNDD (107.7 The End)/Seattle is cutting its current load and emphasizing more recurrent and gold — in essence aging their station — we get word that WNNX (99X)/Atlanta is taking the same approach. As of Friday, Dec. 19 at 3pm, the station expanded its playlist to cover more '90s alternative. This permanent change in philosophy was kicked off with a special "Smells Like the '90s Weekend", featuring the music that 99X debuted to the Atlanta audience in the '90s but hasn't played as much in recent years. At the conclusion of the weekend, 99X resumed regular programming with a greater emphasis on '90s alternative and deeper gold cuts. The station will incorporate the positioner "New Rock and '90s Alternative." PD Chris Williams plans to continue taking comments from listeners on the 99X feedback line to monitor reaction to this new direction. I got an e-mail from Leslie Fram, Director/Programming for Susquehanna/Atlanta, on Monday the 22nd, saying, "I have over 300 e-mails this morning! Atlanta is freaking out in a good way. They love all the depth tracks, and I believe this enhances the currents!""

[FriendsFan]

I should listen to The End more now.

insect2 said:

There's nothing to do if you don't drive a car, and it can take forever to walk from point A to point B.

Exactly. The Puget Sound is awfully boring.

[insect2]

They brought their DJs back today. As an example, this is what their People's Choice Top 10 looks like tonight.

10) The Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
9) Brand New - Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades
8) Social Distortion - Story Of My Life :o
7) The Postal Service - Such Great Heights
6) Foo Fighters - Darling Nikki*
5) Johnny Cash and Joe Strummer - Redemption Song
4) The Strokes - Reptilia
3) Incubus - Megalomaniac
2) Phantom Planet - Big Brat
1) Muse - Time Is Running Out

*They claim to have been playing this all along, but this is the first time I've heard it on their station, and only the second time I've heard it at all.

[Tayzlor]

insect2 said:

10) The Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
9) Brand New - Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades
8) Social Distortion - Story Of My Life :o
7) The Postal Service - Such Great Heights
6) Foo Fighters - Darling Nikki*
5) Johnny Cash and Joe Strummer - Redemption Song
4) The Strokes - Reptilia
3) Incubus - Megalomaniac
2) Phantom Planet - Big Brat
1) Muse - Time Is Running Out

Quite the top ten.

[GordonUM]

Another addition to this trend, Indie 103.1 in LA, started up over Christmas. You can listen at indie1031.fm/ Good to see that they're a bit more geared towards new music than most of the other stations mentioned here.

I've never been to LA but I know that 103.1 is a tough channel for any station to be on. In fact this is the third format that I've gone online to listen to on that frequency. But I wish them the best of luck and lots of healthy competition with KROQ.

And it does look like heritage alternative stations are slightly tweaking their music to compete. Or to pre-empt competition as WHFS seems to be doing. I heard them play "This Is Radio Clash" in regular rotation a couple nights ago.

[tobedawg]

:) This new trend in Alternative Radio is a dream come true for people like me.. I was just about to lose hope on the Alternative format and this happens!! I just hope this new Gold-based format sticks!!

KBZT in San Diego is a great station AND has helped to bring down the Clear Channel giant known as 91X.. If "Indie 103 brings down KROQ, expect to see some large scale changes in the alternative format (This is doubtful though since I hear "Indie" has a limited signal).. What is happening in Seattle is nothing short of amazing.. There is a rumor that Infinity is launching a "Classic based" alternative similar to the new KRock in Seattle in Sacramento..

[Slinky]

insect2 said:

-

8) Social Distortion - Story Of My Life :o

Wow... quite a feat for a song that's 13 years old. Glad to see it get some recognition though, I've only really heard this on 91X before.

[GordonUM]

"Classic Alternative" is sure starting to get a lot of press. I came across three articles on it today.

One is from the New York Times, at: www.nytimes.com/2004/01/12/business/media/12classic.html?8dpc . For those too lazy to register, it's reprinted on the 97X message boards at msg.woxy.com/showthread.php?s=fa06f936b1bf30e404ae9cfdccbcb22f&threadid=11437 . This one doesn't say too much, and looks at some of the reasons behind the trend, such as the beginnings of Gen-X nostalgia and increased competition from internet and satellite radio.

The always insightful Ross on Radio at www.edisonresearch.com/rossonradio.htm offers another analysis, noting that the stations that have changed did it due to specific circumstances in their markets, and that programmers should show caution and go for a balanced sound instead of completely abandoning mainstream alternative.

And there's a statistical analysis, which R&R linked to, at www.colemaninsights.com/freereports2.htm . You've got to enter some information and pretend to work in radio, and then you get to view and save the report as a PDF file. They analyzed the music on KBZT, KNDD, WNNX, KYPT/KRQI, and KDLD (Indie 103.1). Their main finding was that all five stations take different approaches. Other findings:
- KNDD and KBZT are the most alike.
- KDLD is not as new-music focused as my initial impression, playing a percentage of new music that's about the same as KNDD and KBZT. However they play more new "pure alternative" than anyone else.
- KYPT plays almost no current music and WNNX plays almost no 80's music.
- WNNX's change may just be a rebranding, as their ratio of new to old music and the average age of their music have changed only slightly from before.

A very detailed analysis, which included breaking the music down into 15-20 subgenres, including two artists who they labeled as genres of their own: Beastie Boys and Bob Marley. However a couple other things they could've analyzed would've revealed more about the stations. Looking at the levels of repetition and the amount of different songs, both new and old on each station would've been helpful. Also it would've been nice if they had some way to analyze how much of the more obscure music each station plays. As far as I could tell, the "Grunge" category would cover both an overplayed single like "Jeremy" and an underplayed track like "Rearviewmirror". I'm not sure, but if they'd checked the obscurity of music in some way, they may have found that KDLD plays the biggest variety of older tracks, and that 99X's big change is more variety in their gold tracks than they had before.

I just hope radio programmers don't misinterpret this trend. Around here at least, the biggest problem isn't too much nu-metal, but not enough new music in general. The last thing we need is stations that only play the already-overplayed grunge, post-grunge and 90's pop-alternative songs, without even trying to break new music.

[crash46]

I just hope radio programmers don't misinterpret this trend. Around here at least, the biggest problem isn't too much nu-metal, but not enough new music in general. The last thing we need is stations that only play the already-overplayed grunge, post-grunge and 90's pop-alternative songs, without even trying to break new music.

Shoot, I think radio stations overreacted to the nu metal overload and now I think they aren't playing enough of it.

And I agree with the rest of this. The format was founded behind the idea of being the first to introduce new rock music, but now there's too many stations that too often play the songs they first introduced 5-10 years ago. A while back I recorded an alternative sample hour from 1-2 PM and I was mad that there were only like 3 currents for that whole time. If a radio station says they're going back to their roots, they should concentrate on breaking the new artists and their songs rather than living in the past.

Of course it's all Clear channel's fault for all but destroying free market in radio. Somebody's going to have to find a way to take care of them first.

[Gorminako]

This is encouraging. I hope it spreads. I've been longing for the alternative channels of old.