You don’t read a lot about radio stations staffing up in these days of cutbacks and consolidation, but earlier this week, KTSU Houston announced four on-air hires for “The Vibe,” the almost-digital-only “Urban Alternative” station it launched over Labor Day weekend.
The Vibe’s programming is airing from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. on the over-the-air signal of heritage non-comm KTSU, which is jazz and adult R&B during the rest of the day. Last month, it announced the hiring of market veteran Madd Hatta, longtime morning host of Hip-Hop KBXX (the Box) Houston and APD of Adult R&B sister KMJQ (Majic 102.1).
The Vibe is launching in a market where Majic 102.1 has long been one of the best stations in the Adult R&B or any format, and where The Box (3.5 6-plus) and KQBT (The Beat) (2.6) have fragmented the Hip-Hop/R&B franchise. It has the advantage of being non-commercial. There’s also a significant component of the late ‘90s/early ‘00s hip-hop that drove the former KROI (Boom 92.1) during its mid-‘10s tenure as the first “Throwback Hip-Hop” station, and highlighted the strength of Houston hip-hop.
The Vibe’s first promotion was a voter drive. On the night of October 14, evening personality Michele McKnight was talking about early voting. Once, she noted, voters only needed ID and proof of registration; now she was reminding them to fully charge their phones and take snacks and water bottles. Here’s the station starting at 7:45 p.m.
- Snoh Aalegra, “I Want You Around”
- Ashanti, “Foolish”
- DVSN, “Mood”
- Kiana Ledé, “Ex”
- Curtis Waters f/Harm Franklin, “Stunnin’”
- The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights”
- Travis Scott & Kid Cudi, “The Scotts”
- Kiana Ledé, “Mad At Me”
- Mike Jones, “Back Then”
- Skye & Chris Brown, “Fairytale”
- Drake & Future, “Desires”
- Chingy f/Tyrese, “Pullin’ Me Back”
- J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny & Tainy, “Una Dia (One Day)”
- Plies f/Jacquees, “B.E.D.”
- Roddy Ricch f/Mustard, “High Fashion”
- Summer Walker, “Playing Games”
- Lenora, “Relax”
Here’s the station the following morning at 6 a.m. with Rob G The General, a veteran of KBXX and KROI:
- Justin Bieber f/Quavo, “Intentions”
- Post Malone, “Wow”
- Young Dolph f/Megan Thee Stallion, “RNB”
- Brandy, “Baby” (with a ‘90s stager jingle to the tune of Bell Biv Devoe’s “Poison”)
- Alicia Keys, “If I Ain’t Got You”
- Jhané Aiko f/H.E.R., “B.S.”
- Mary J. Blige, “Thick Of It”
- Usher, “Bad Habits”
- Beyoncé, “Before I Let Go”
- Inayah f/Big Freedia, “Best Thing”