Rap on hot AC

I was in Chicago last week and 101.9 the Mix play "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea. Every now and then, I'll hear a hot AC play a rap song. It's usually something "poppy" like Iggy, Nicki Minaj, Black Eyed Peas or Will Smith.

Would you play rap if you programmed at hot AC.

As I mentioned in another thread not too long ago, WDFM in Defiance, Ohio has a long history of being a rhythmic-leaning Hot AC and doing just that. To be honest, with all the crossover between Mainstream, Rhythmic, Dance, Hip-Hop, Urban Contemporary, Adult Contemporary and Hot AC, the format names really mean next to nothing these days.

Yes, we are a Rhythmic Hot AC. Iggy is huge. So was talk dirty to me (we dayparted the no rap version) Keep in mind at this point most of the Hot AC demo grew up with pop rap songs on top 40. If if fits your format, and is burning up the charts, don't leave it out or listeners will go elsewhere to find it.

What would differentiate hot AC from CHR?

Groove1670 said:

If if fits your format, and is burning up the charts, don't leave it out or listeners will go elsewhere to find it.

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A lesson all too many stations have yet to learn. That and jumping on a hot new song regardless of whether or not it's being pushed to radio. Two of the biggest mistakes traditional music radio makes today.

"What would differentiate hot AC from CHR?" CHR is more likely to play a current song than one that is recurrent or gold. Hot AC is more likely to play a recurrent than a current and more likely to play a gold. Hot AC tends to be slower adding "edgy" songs and more likely to exhibit real personality.

semoochie said:

"What would differentiate hot AC from CHR?" CHR is more likely to play a current song than one that is recurrent or gold. Hot AC is more likely to play a recurrent than a current and more likely to play a gold. Hot AC tends to be slower adding "edgy" songs and more likely to exhibit real personality.

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Yep, in a nutshell that is a fairly good description. For the most part, there might be a slight variation from market to market.

Here in Cleveland, WQAL has always danced on the Hot AC/CHR border, much like WTMX in Chicago. They've never been shy to add artists like Nicki Minaj, Eminem, Flo Rida, Kanye West, etc. to their playlist, though they usually play them a month or two after the CHRs play them.