Star 94 - What Pop Radio Should Be

[JCMF3]

I am listening to Star 94 right now in Atlanta (one of the two local pop stations), and I am just absolutely delighted at what I am hearing on the station.

Not only have they played currents (AAR, Kelly Clarkson, Daniel Powter), but they have also thrown in U2's Beautiful Day, Everlast's What It's Like, and Creed's Higher. PLUS, right now, they are playing Peter Gabriel's In Your Eyes!!! (And no, this is not a special request lunch thing).

Star 94 gets all my support here!!!! :)

[Radical347]

Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but that sounds like a generic Hot AC sample hour...

[JCMF3]

radical347 said:

Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but that sounds like a generic Hot AC sample hour...

Yeah, but throw in Chris Brown, Mariah Carey (Shake It Off) and Ashlee Simpson, and it isn't.

But, I will agree with you that the station is HAC-leaning as far as not touching the "heavier" hip-hop stuff.

[johnm1120]

I wish more pop stations were like Star94. Hopefully they keep up the list like this cause Jefferson Pilot got bought out. Hope nothing changes at the station.

[tico]

Star 94 has always leaned adult since the beginning. It started out as hot AC when it debuted in 1989, but went slightly towards CHR after Power 99 changed to 99X in 1992.

As a former Atlanta-area resident, I've had my fair share of listening to Star. It's only been the last couple of years or so that Star had begun adding more urban- and rhythmic-leaning songs to their playlist. The only problem I ever had with Star was how they defined themselves as all-emcompassing CHR when they really weren't. I do prefer Q100 over Star (especially in the morning), but Star is a nice alternative to go to when Q plays something I don't like.

[Marv]

That COULD be perceived as a mass-appeal CHR/Pop station, but I'd have to see their entire playlist to be sure.

As long as the're VERY careful about keeping the amount of rhythmic material to a modest amount to avoid blowing off all of the 25-54 adults and 'soccer moms' who are EXTREMELY vital to the success of many radio stations of several formats. Hot AC (or Adult CHR or Adult Top 40) can do VERY well in LOTS of markets if it's done correctly, and with meticulous dayparting.

[tico]

marv said:

That COULD be perceived as a mass-appeal CHR/Pop station, but I'd have to see their entire playlist to be sure.

Here ya go. I got this from R&R's website. I took out the stuff like the record label name and audience impressions.

Data Reflects Airplay Period Ending 4/1/2006 - Updated Every Wednesday at 4:00PM (PST)
Plays ARTIST TITLE
LW TW
64 67 Fall Out Boy Sugar, We're Goin' Down
68 67 Beyonce' Check On It
56 66 Nickelback Photograph
64 63 Kelly Clarkson Walk Away
59 62 Kelly Clarkson Because Of You
59 62 Goo Goo Dolls Better Days
57 56 Keith Urban You'll Think Of Me
41 50 Daniel Powter Bad Day
49 48 Natasha Bedingfield Unwritten
47 46 Mariah Carey Don't Forget About Us
47 45 James Blunt You're Beautiful
46 44 Staind Right Here
46 44 Pussycat Dolls Stickwitu
46 43 Bo Bice The Real Thing
21 37 Bon Jovi w/Jennifer Nettles Who Says You Can't Go Home
30 36 Lifehouse You And Me
30 34 Pink Stupid Girls
33 33 Rihanna SOS
34 33 All-American Rejects Dirty Little Secret
36 32 Teddy Geiger For You I Will (Confidence)
30 32 Fray Over My Head (Cable Car)
26 27 Green Day Wake Me Up When September Ends
30 27 Rob Thomas Ever The Same
26 27 Hoobastank If I Were You
27 24 Nickelback Savin' Me
23 24 Anna Nalick Breathe (2 AM)
32 23 Green Day Holiday (Reprise)
21 23 Saving Jane Girl Next Door
13 19 Nick Lachey What's Left Of Me
18 17 Matisyahu King Without A Crown

[reception]

It really is too bad Star 94 has to edit out rap songs when AT40 is on the air.

[Slinky]

Blah. It's so boring. I like the idea of Adult CHR, but make it fun, dancy, and lots of new music.

[tico]

slinky said:

Blah.  It's so boring.  I like the idea of Adult CHR, but make it fun, dancy, and lots of new music.

That's why I used to like the former Star 100.7 in San Diego. They were hot AC, but they didn't sound boring. They would even go so far as playing some old-school rap songs. The on-air personalities, while a wee bit talkative, meshed well with the music. It just sounded like a fun radio station.

[mst3k]

reception said:

It really is too bad Star 94 has to edit out rap songs when AT40 is on the air.

Exactly.

Whether or not they play rap in regular rotation, there's no need to pretend those songs don't exist at all. Especially since Star airs AT40 on Saturday nights, when you'd expect them to be a little looser with their playlist.

[JCMF3]

I do agree that Q100 is more "all-encompassing", but they lean a little too far into the hip-hop for me at times. Although, I do admit, they play a good amount of recurrents and golds as well.

[Nostalgia Kills]

In Canada, Star 94 would be considered a Hot AC.

I personally have thought that the object of a CHR was to play the hits. A station who purposely doesn't play a hit because of its sensibilities to older listeners should not be considered a CHR.

Sure, one could argue the other way when a CHR doesn't play a hit by an older demo leaning act or style like say a country crossover. To that I say you have to go with what fits the format more closely. CHR always skews younger.

[MikeCheck12]

I've never been a fan of Star 94. They're a Hot AC in my book. Just not my cup of tea...

[JCMF3]

mikecheck12 said:

I've never been a fan of Star 94.  They're a Hot AC in my book.  Just not my cup of tea...

I actually don't mind them that much.  Although I love that I can switch to WWWQ to get my hip-hop pop fix.

[EvanJ]

The call letters are WWWQ, not WQQQ.

[tico]

jcmf3 said:

mikecheck12 said:

I've never been a fan of Star 94.  They're a Hot AC in my book.  Just not my cup of tea...

I actually don't mind them that much.  Although I love that I can switch to WQQQ to get my hip-hop pop fix.

Which one do you like in the morning, Steve and Vicki on Star or the Bert Show on Q100? Or do you have another one in mind?

[MikeCheck12]

I listen to The Bert Show just about every morning. I tried Steve & Vicki for about a week...but they're a little gimmicky to me. Everything seems so staged. Alot of the Bert Show seems much more young & spontaneous.

[johnnywest]

Sounds like a good station. When I was in Nashville about 10 years ago, they had a similar adult-leaning Top 40 station there, WRVW. Not sure if they're more rhythmic these days or not.

[tico]

WRVW is mainstream these days. They may, however, lean slightly towards the right, but I hadn't seen their playlist lately.

[Slinky]

Hehe... so Hot AC is on the right, and Rhythmic is on the left? Is Alternative up or down?

[tico]

LOL

I shouldn't have used left/right comparisons when it comes to music.