Often, it’s not the pioneer of a new format that prompts the building boom, but the second station to have success. Former Clear Channel/iHeart Los Angeles GM Roy Laughlin recalls that all-Christmas radio was already a tradition at KESZ Phoenix, but far from entrenched nationally when KOST Los Angeles put it on the air in 2001, two months after 9/11. With its Los Angeles showplace, KOST’s success was a format tipping point.
KESZ was recently profiled here as part of a Fresh Listen to the year’s first holiday music flips. KOST is also one of the holiday format’s tentpole stations and was due for a monitor as well.
As it happens, my holiday listen was to KOST yesterday on Giving Tuesday while the station was in the middle of a radiothon for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Morning host Ellen K (to whom Laughlin is married) was back for afternoons, joined by co-hosts Ryan Manno and Social Queen Darlene.
Chris Pine made an appearance that hour to talk about his involvement with CHLA. Jimmy Kimmel, whose son was born with multiple heart defects, was coming up next hour. Matt LeBlanc and Jamie Lee Curtis had also joined. Ellen K’s son Calvin had been on early that morning to talk about his emergency surgery for a football injury, then he flew back to college in time for classes.
During its regular format, you can hear some edgier Classic Hits formats on KOST, especially in a market where hearing “Dancing With Myself” is barely edgier than “Footloose.” But you can also hear a song like Vanessa Williams’ “Save The Best for Last” with a sweeper promoting “songs you can only hear” on KOST; or Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One” as part of “amazing heartfelt songs like this one.”
Even by the standards of its iHeart brethren, “your home for holiday music” was particularly driven by ‘60s MOR. But hearing KOST yesterday linked it to legendary MOR outlet KMPC, and not just because that station’s former owner Gene Autry has become a bigger presence on Christmas radio each year recently.
That said, there were also a few non-standard holiday titles too. (Both the Parton and Trainor songs were set up with CHLA testimonials from the artists.) One of the sweepers features two listener calls—one saying she appreciates the traditional music, another who likes hearing new holiday songs. Here’s KOST at 3 p.m., Nov. 29:
- Eagles, “Please Come Home for Christmas”
- Michael Bublé, “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow”
- Bing Cosby, “Oh Come All Ye Faithful”
- Lindsey Stirling, “Carol of the Bells”
- Johnny Mathis, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”
- Dean Martin, “Jingle Bells”
- Amy Grant, “Winter Wonderland”
- Meghan Trainor, “I’ll Be Home”
- Frank Sinatra & Cyndi Lauper, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”
- Daryl Hall & John Oates, “Jingle Bell Rock”
- Dolly Parton & Michael Bublé, “Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas”
- Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme, “Happy Holiday”
UPDATE: I also took a Fresh Listen to rival KKGO (Go Country 105) which has done its own version of Christmas music for the last six years. KKGO was downplaying its branding that afternoon, referring to itself as “Your Christmas Destination, 105.1 FM,” although the station name was still in some sponsorships and contest promos, including one for the station’s giveaway of passes to “Knott’s Merry Farm” (the holiday alias of Knott’s Berry Farm). Here’s the station with one-time KOST personality Christine Martindale, just before 3 p.m.:
- Bing Crosby, “Do You Hear What I Hear”
- Darlene Love, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”
- Taylor Swift, “Santa Baby”
- Elvis Presley, “Silver Bells”
- Faith Hill, “Holly Jolly Christmas”
- Johnny Mathis, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”
- Kelly Clarkson, “White Christmas”
- Nat “King’ Cole, “Deck the Halls”
- Tim McGraw, “Christmas All Over the World”
- Martina McBride, “Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
- Dolly Parton, “Hard Candy Christmas”
- Frank Sinatra, “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”
- Idina Menzel, “Sleigh Ride”
- Lady Antebellum, “Blue Christmas”
- Kenny Loggins, “Celebrate Me Home”
Meanwhile, a prominent former KMPC staffer returns again this year with his long-running holiday offering. Wink Martindale and Gary Theroux are again teaming for The 100 Greatest Christmas Hits of All Time, a 10-hour holiday countdown syndicated through G Audio Networks. Martindale is one of my favorite all-time interviews; here’s what I wrote about the show in 2020.
