It may not be dead yet, but is Active Rock dying? With a flip any day now at KFLY in Eugene, Portland losing its rock station 4 years ago, and other markets not having one, is rock on the decline? It sure seems like it. Not only is there no Active Rock in some big markets like Miami or Portland, but what could be even more of a telling sign is the situation in Seattle. Yes we do have a rock station, and a successful one at that. Other than not really being a station for me, the issue I have with it is that it's always top 10 in 6+, wins men 25-54, and is top in adults 25-54. This in itself isn't an issue, but we have a Hot AC that is not a top performer 6+ but wins in 25-54 book after book, so that was chosen when the Smooth Jazz station flipped formats. Now a Modern AC, this station has only beaten the more established station 6+ once and has never managed to take down KPLZ 25-54, and despite numerous music tweaks the station doesn't seem to be wanting to give up. All this while the rock station continues to pull big numbers with its only competition on a signal that's beyond a rimshot. There are numerous examples of stations flipping to CHR after a competitor has gone #1, we saw it in Spokane a few years ago, competitor has since backe out, and we saw it recently with Country, so why doesn't it work with rock? Why doesn't anyone put rock on a full market signal in this market when they'll challenge the leading Country or CHR at the drop of a hat?
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Active Rock dying?
- Thread starter bobdavcav
- Start date
Rock is too fragmented to fit a format neatly anymore. And with rhythmic pop and hip-hop crossing racial lines in a way that rock has never been able to do, rock doesn't get the 18-34 Caucasian ears in anywhere close to the numbers it used to. Many of the suburban kids who are into rap have no use for rock. It's not like the baby boomer days, when we'd listen to the Stones and the Temptations on the same station. Hip-hop is so far removed from rock that liking both isn't common at all.
Last edited:
Even when some rock songs have rap in them?
I'm not yet convinced that KFLY is changing format. If they were going to do so, I would think it would have been Monday at the latest. It's been about a week with no other adjustments and the promos continue. If they're going to change, I don't see any advantage in dragging it out without some kind of tease. They could just be cutting costs. It's strange that they would take down the website though.
I was just discussing this with a friend yesterday, and you're right in the fac that whatever they're doing is strange. I thought the Donkey Show was highly rated though and simulcast on KLOO as well as down in Medford? It doe seem odd that they'd tak down the website though, that's the big sign to me. Still, counting Eugene out, what's the deal with the format in general? I can understand in a market like Miami, but why is there no KISW challenger in Seattle? I'd love to see Hubbard try and wedge 98.9 into a hole between KISW and KZOK.
The music itself has basically been a "niche'" for 25 years. It seems to do better in Seattle than most places, which makes me wonder what's so special about the city. Is it all about the heritage of Grunge or something else?
WXQR Greenville NC isn't doing so well 12-plus. Digity is now the owner and while their WKZQ in Myrtle Beach leans active (I think it switched before Digity) it is alternative. WXNR is already alternative so that may be the reason they haven't switched. Or they could go mainstream.
If you'll just hand me a knife and fork, I'll get started eating.
At noon today, KFLY switched to AAA as "World Class Rock".Let's face it: If a heritage rock act like Steven Tyler of Aerosmith is making a new COUNTRY record rather than new rock records, perhaps the rock format is in trouble.
And if a third of the artists making country records today could also just as easily make rock records (except no one would play them) maybe the rock format is in trouble.
But in my opinion, all of this starts at the record labels. If they don't make airplay a priority, the radio stations will be just as happy to play something else.
Last edited:
About a third of what is called country music today sounds like rock radio did in the 70s, so it makes perfect sense for Steven Tyler to do country.
On a rock radio station which lost lots of listeners when it was alternative, when the song would have made more sense, I heard "Radioactive", which is not rock according to any definition I know.
On a rock radio station which lost lots of listeners when it was alternative, when the song would have made more sense, I heard "Radioactive", which is not rock according to any definition I know.
WXQR Jacksonville NC is below an AM oldies station in 12-plus. It is last among reporting stations. You have to figure something is going to happen. It won't be alternative like the same company's WKZQ in Myrtle Beach because the market has WXNR. But if Myrtle Beach can have two classic rockers, maybe that's the solution here.
He was on "Nashville" on ABC last week and I forgot about this. He can certainly do country because he sang "Crazy" with Juliette Barnes, who starred as Patsy Cline in a movie. He also commented on how country was the new rock. That sounds about right to me.
- Status