My “Fresh Listen” to San Francisco radio started out with Hot AC KIOI (Star 101.3) and Top 40 KYLD (Wild 94.9) and the realization that both stations were continuing to grow in the March PPM ratings. Programmer Mark Adams had made both stations early supporters of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” the No. 1 Billboard hit that radio grappled with in general. It might be overstating things to say that “Bruno” became Adams’ winter book record, but playing it turned out to be a right decision.
But the story expanded. When I listen to KYLD, I want to hear rival KMVQ (Now 99.7). I also wanted to write about the recently retooled Throwback Hip-Hop KRBQ (102 Jams) and the just launched KBAY (Bay Country). Besides Star 101.3, I hadn’t profiled AC KOIT, the market’s No. 1 music station, and well ahead of Soft AC KISQ, which has been extensively chronicled in my Soft AC coverage. Here are six First and Fresh Listens to Bay Area radio. There could have been more.
It’s been less than two weeks since Rhythmic AC Q102 rebranded, dropped its ‘70s and ‘80s titles and refocused primarily on Hip-Hop, although it images itself only as “No. 1 for throwbacks.” Former morning host Chuy Gomez is back in afternoons—in that daypart, it sounds like he and the new station have been there for a while, with a lot of local shout-outs, as well as ticket giveaways for Hip-Hop supergroup Mount Westmore. Here’s 102 Jams at 4 p.m.:
- P. Diddy, “I Need A Girl, Pt. 2”
- Faith Evans, “Love Like This”
- Makaveli, “Hail Mary”
- Mase, “What You Want”
- Warren G & Nate Dogg, “Regulate”
- Usher f/Ludacris & Lil’ Jon, “Yeah”
- Dr. Dre & Eminem, “Forgot About Dre”
- Ghost Town DJ’s, “My Boo”
- Too $hort, “Blow the Whistle”
- Notorious B.I.G., “Big Poppa”
- Rihanna, “Rude Boy”
- Ashanti, “Foolish”
KBAY San Jose and sister KKDV flipped from AC to Country on April 5, in anticipation of heritage KRTY’s format change under new owner EMF. Presentationally, the new station is still sparse compared to full-service KRTY, but with a lot of cross-promotion for Bobby Bones in the mornings.
Musically, however, there’s a definite nod to KRTY’s traditional feel. The artist sweepers include Jon Pardi. The local geography sweepers declare the station to be “unapologetically Country” for San Jose, Sunnyvale, etc. Here’s the station at 4 p.m.:
- Cody Johnson, “Til You Can’t”
- Chris Stapleton, “Millionaire
- Morgan Wallen, “Wasted on You”
- Chris Young, “Getting You Home”
- Jake Owen, “Made for You
- Maren Morris, “Circles Around This Town”
- Garth Brooks, “Unanswered Prayers”
- Jordan Davis, “Buy Dirt”
- Luke Combs, “She Got the Best of Me”
- Eric Church, “Hell of a View”
- Dierks Bentley, “What Was I Thinkin’”
- Cole Swindell, “Single Saturday Night”
- Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood, “If I Didn’t Love You”
- Morgan Wallen, “Whiskey Glasses”
Star 101.3 was airing On Air with Ryan Seacrest. The hour kicked off with Seacrest asking, “Can you make a living making playlists?” Of course, that particular teaser got my attention. Seacrest was teasing an interview segment with playlist creator Sami Weisband—a very 2022 radio moment. There was also a sneak preview of the new Sam Smith single, “Love Me More.”
Star is positioned as “more variety from the ‘90s, 2000s, and today.” In the hour I heard, there was a special emphasis on the ‘90s song. Star’s promotion that hour was an iHeart national keyword contest. Here’s Star 101.3 at 4 p.m.:
- Ed Sheeran, “Shape of You”
- Sam Smith, “Stay with Me”
- Elton John & Dua Lipa, “Cold Heart”
- Pink, “So What”
- Harry Styles, “As It Was” (with a new music sweeper)
- Train, “Hey, Soul Sister”
- Ed Sheeran, “Bad Habits”
- Adele, “Hello”
- Panic! At The Disco, “High Hopes”
- TLC, “Waterfalls” (the sweeper said “from today, the 2000s, and, of course, the ‘90s)
- Glass Animals, “Heat Waves”
- Sia, “Cheap Thrills” (lyrically customized with “turn Star on”)
The last time afternoon host Morris Knight appeared in these pages was for a side project—a harder-leaning Alternative channel on AccuRadio. Knight sounded good on Mainstream AC, too, moving quickly through a lot of topics and station business as the station went into its 90 minute “commercial free ride home.”
KOIT is positioned as “today’s hits and yesterday’s favorites” as well as reminding people a few times during the hour in some form that it was “Nielsen rated No. 1 for listening while you work.” It was teasing an upcoming Disneyland Resort giveaway. Musically, KOIT does a good job of sounding like the market. Here’s the station at 4 p.m.:
- Bruno Mars, “The Lazy Song”
- Matthew Wilder, “Break My Stride”
- Dixie Chicks, “Landslide”
- Lorde, “Royals”
- ‘N Sync, “Bye Bye Bye”
- Adele, “Easy on Me”
- Rod Stewart, “Forever Young”
- Imagine Dragons, “Thunder”
- Fugees, “Killing Me Softly”
- Lewis Capaldi, “Before You Go”
- Journey, “Don’t Stop Believin’”
- Halsey, “Bad At Love”
- Maroon 5, “This Love”
- Savage Garden, “Truly Madly Deeply”
Through CHR’s ups and downs and product slowdowns of recent years, San Francisco has remained one of the best major-markets for new music, and that continues to describe the hour I spent with Wild 94.9, which bills itself as “No. 1 for new hit music.” In general, I always come away from any San Francisco listening feeling like the Bay Area is our best market for Top 40
The station was both participating in iHeart’s national contest and talking about the return of Wild 94.9 Razzmatazz, the station concert featuring the Chainsmokers, 5 Seconds of Summer, and Camila Cabello. Afternoon host Gabby Diaz’s topics ranged from Doja Cat’s TikTok videos to a fight at a local middle school. Here’s the station just before 4 p.m.:
- Zedd f/Foxes, “Clarity”
- Justin Bieber, “Ghost”
- Tiesto & Ava Max, “The Motto”
- Lil Nas X, “That’s What I Want”
- Lizzo, “About Damn Time”
- Ginuwine, “Pony”
- Sam Smith & Normani, “Dancing with a Stranger”
- Doja Cat, “Get Into It (Yuh)”
- Harry Styles, “As It Was”
- Ariana Grande, “Positions”
- Em Beihold, “Numb Little Bug”
- Latto, “Big Energy”
- Rihanna, “Pon De Replay”
- Jack Harlow, “First Class”
- The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber, “Stay”
Also a great listen; heavily produced, not quite as musically aggressive as Wild, but still new feeling. Now 99.7 P.M. driver St. John was in the middle of 99 minutes of music. He was reading names for the station’s $1,000 pay-your-bills contest, but the station was also promoting Disney trips on its Website. The 99 minute sweepers referred to “music bingeing, now in progress.” Here’s the station just before 4 p.m. (In case you’re wondering, they played “Clarity” just a few minutes after Wild 94.9.)
- Zedd f/Foxes, “Clarity”
- Post Malone & the Weeknd, “One Right Now”
- Doja Cat f/the Weeknd, “You Right”
- Harry Styles, “As It Was”
- Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow, “Industry Baby”
- Ariana Grande, “34+35”
- Gayle, “abcdefu”
- Latto, “Big Energy”
- Justin Bieber, “Ghost”
- Rihanna f/Calvin Harris, “We Found Love”
- Jack Harlow, “First Class”
- Post Malone, “Circles”
- Glass Animals, “Heat Waves”
- Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa, “Sweetest Pie”
- Ed Sheeran, “Bad Habits”
- Tiesto & Ava Max, “The Motto”
I listen to both Wild 94.9 and 99.7 Now and prefer 99.7. I’ve wondered whether Wild’s playing songs that 99.7 doesn’t play, perhaps because of their conservative ownership, is the difference in the ratings. But I like 99.7 Now and feel St. John and midday jock Fernando are two of the best. Fernando sounds like CHR should sound IMHO. Also interesting is that 99.7’s contests are totally local in this day and age.