Jacor (now Clear Channel) debuted KSLZ in October 1997 and filled a huge hole in the St. Louis market for a true CHR/Top 40 station. This is a sample of the station from the following May (recorded 16 years ago this month) during Saturday night mixshow programming.
“We’re in the tune in your head…Lexington’s new 104.5 the Kat.”
In the early to mid 90′s, as the CHR format disappeared across the U.S., the idea of a single station offering multiple genres of music had become foreign in many areas. This is presumably why WLKT heavily employed the slogan “Music for All People” on this aircheck (which I believe was recorded not long after the sign-on) — and you will hear, they did a great job of living up to that promise.
Note that this aircheck consists of several segments recorded on two separate days (not a single continous recording), so certain songs are heard twice.
“Arbitron rated #1″ — WFLZ has been one of America’s best CHRs for the past 20+ years, and one of the flagship stations for Jacor & now Clear Channel.
WBLI was (and may still be) an upbeat, fun-sounding CHR outlet, offering Long Island a locally focused alternative to similarly formatted stations from New York City. This is a sample of the station recorded 16 years ago this week.
Recorded 24 years ago, this is a sample of Indy’s longtime Mainstream CHR station. Per Wikipedia, the station had experimented with some form of Classic Rock format the year prior; some titles from that format were still sprinkled throughout the playlist in 1990.
Once a sister station to Y95 (KOY-FM) Phoenix, Q105 (WRBQ) Tampa, and Q106 (KKLQ) San Diego, Q94 is only one that is still on the air with a CHR format.
This aircheck was recorded 16 years ago today, but some of the sweepers indicate that it’s “The Year of the Q”. Does anyone have insight as to what this positioning statement was referring to?
WSNX was one of the standout CHRs of the mid/late 90′s. This sample of the station (recorded 16 years ago today) was during Friday night mixshow programming, when the station branded itself as “Party Radio 104.5, WSNX”.
The music featured on this mix is more reminiscent of what would have been heard on a similarly formatted station in a larger market. (Perhaps the station took a page from the playbook of Chicago’s B96, which was audible in some of the same areas of West Michigan as WSNX.) This was a “live to air” program hosted from a club named The Orbit Room. On this particular evening, the boyband 98 Degrees was making an appearance at said venue.
This is a sample of Philadelphia’s longtime CHR, recorded 15 years ago this month.
In early 1998, after several years with a pronounced Rhythmic lean, Q102 began moving in a more Mainstream direction. As heard on this aircheck, that transition was essentially complete a year and a half later, although the station did seemingly throw in a Dance/Rhythmic classic from its past life, perhaps once or twice an hour.
Recorded 15 years ago this week, this is a montage of Orlando’s longtime Mainstream CHR outlet.
1999 was the peak of the teen pop craze, and Orlando was the home to multiple boybands – resulting in an abundance of Backstreet Boys, ‘N Sync and the like on this aircheck.
WXXL’s production values at this time were a throwback to a bygone era. The station was still employing the legendary Mitch Craig for voicework (seemingly several years after most CHR stations had stopped doing so). In addition, at least during the 10pm hour (and presumably most others), the station featured live legal IDs (including announcement of the current time!) read by the jock who was on-air during that daypart.
Recorded 17 years ago this month (and also on a Sunday), this is a montage of a great Rhythmic-leaning Mainstream CHR that served the Cleveland market for most of the 1990’s. Please visit this page on Wikipedia for more information on the history of this station/frequency.
According to Wikipedia, KDWB (which started on the AM dial) has offered a Top 40/CHR format continuously since 1959 – an absolutely remarkable achievement. (Does anyone know if this makes KDWB the longest-running station of its format in the United States?)
This montage, recorded 17 years ago yesterday, features the personality-heavy Tone E. Fly show and the voice talents of the late and great Brian James. It is the perfect example of what a Mainstream CHR station should sound like.
Recorded 16 years ago this week, here’s a montage of New Haven’s longtime CHR station, during Saturday night mixshow programming. Please visit Wikipedia for more information about the history of this station.
In 1986, 94.7 WLS-FM in Chicago changed its call letters to WYTZ and began referring to itself as “Z95″. This new approach, along with a long list of personnel changes, made the station became a serious competitor to the market’s heritage CHR, WBBM-FM (B96).
This brief montage of Z95 was recorded 28 years ago today.
In 1997, Baltimore’s WXYV flipped from Urban “V103″ to Mainstream CHR as “102.7 XYV”. However, the station would be marred with inconsistency for the next couple of years. WXYV would constantly change its lean from dance to hip-hop to alternative while searching for a gain in audience. In 1998, the name changed to B102.7 in order to prevent a competitor from bringing back B104 and at the same time connect the two CHR’s in Baltimore’s recent history. A newfound mainstream pop lean came in 1999 as B102.7 finally found some stability. In 2001, the station would move to 105.7 and flip to Urban as “X105.7″
This aircheck was recorded 15 years ago today.
From its days as a Mainstream CHR, this is a sample of the “ZPL Hitzone” mixshow from a Saturday night, recorded 17 years ago this month. This was a high-energy program broadcast live from an upscale beach-themed nightclub (now defunct) named Gators on the fourth floor of the Circle Center Mall in Indianapolis. At this time, the station’s primary voice was the late and great Brian James.
Recorded 15 years ago yesterday, this is a sample of one of the longest-running CHR stations in the United States. According to Wikipedia, WHOT debuted in 1955 on 1570 AM and switched (AM) frequencies twice. The station began an FM/AM simulcast in 1984, and made 101.1 FM its exclusive home in 1991.
Recorded 17 years ago today, this is a montage of Q102 near the end of its era as a Dance-leaning Mainstream CHR – a rare format then (and now) for most U.S. commercial stations. The station moved into a more conventional Mainstream CHR direction at the start of 1998.
At this time, in my opinion, the station offered outstanding production values – much improved over what was heard earlier in 1997.
During the 80’s, KZZP 104.7 FM in Phoenix was one of the most successful Mainstream CHR stations in the country. According to the station’s Wikipedia page, it “produced a long list of future stars in the radio business”, and offered a music mix that was adventurous for a Top 40 station. However, a combination of changes in personalities, management, and overall pop music tastes led to the station’s downfall (in April 1991).
Five years later, owner Nationwide Communications brought KZZP back to the airwaves with a Modern AC format, making an attempt to appeal to the listeners who grew up with the station as a CHR. The station performed well, ranking #1 in key demos by 1998. However, by that point, Jacor (now Clear Channel) had taken ownership of KZZP along with KGLQ (96.9). On Labor Day Weekend 1998, KGLQ inexplicably flipped to Hot AC as “Mix 96.9″, suddenly giving KZZP a direct competitor.
Not surprisingly, KZZP began to lose audience, almost forcing a format change. In February 1999, the station began including pop and rhythmic hits in its playlist, and had evolved to full-fledged Mainstream CHR by April. This aircheck was recorded in November of the following year.
The new “104-7 ZZP” never really caught on — and so two years later, following a weekend of stunting with the song “Kiss” by Prince, KZZPrelaunched as “104-7 Kiss-FM”, with a much more Rhythmic-oriented CHR approach.
“The only station the whole family can agree upon”
Recorded 15 years ago today, this is a sample of a longtime CHR serving small market Pennsylvania, voiced by the late and great Brian James. According to Wikipedia, the station first adopted a Top-40 format in 1986. In 2005, it rebranded itself as “Hot 100″ with the WWOT calls.
Recorded on Thanksgiving 1999, this is a sample of two pseudo-competing CHR stations serving Long Island.
WBLI was (and may still be) an upbeat, fun-sounding CHR outlet, offering Long Island a locally focused alternative to similarly formatted stations from New York City.
Party 105 offered an aggressive but balanced Rhythmic CHR format and was voiced by the legendary Mitch Craig at this time.
