The First ‘First Listens’ of 2024

I didn’t know what the song on KBSO (Retro 94.7) Corpus Christi, Texas, was. It was stumping Shazam and SoundHound. It sounded like one of the many unlikely “Euro” hits that made their way to Texas radio in that 1989-91 moment when Depeche Mode and New Order became core CHR artists. WHBC-FM (Mix 94.1) Canton, Ohio, PD Joel Murphy was the first to figure out that it was “What Do You See” by Cause & Effect (later confirmed by the station). 

By the time Murphy identified KBSO’s mystery oldie, there were already a number of Facebook friends tuned into Retro 94.7. Others have been enjoying Canada’s CKHD (Hitradio 98), an interesting ’80s-based take on Classic Hits with a deliberately ’80s-flavored presentation. Here are more than a half-dozen first “First Listens” of 2024, designed as a listening guide until next time when we unveil the Intriguing Stations of 2023.

CKHD (Hitradio 98) Assiniboia, Saskatchewan

Like a lot of new Classic Hits stations, Steve Huber’s new Hitradio 98, which recently flipped from Country, comes into the ’90s and early ’00s musically, but its core sound is the CHR boom of 1983-85. The station voice is Earl Mann (Letterman, the Simpsons); the jingles are a mix of JAM ’80s packages. The inspiration is KKHR (Hitradio 93) Los Angeles, one of several CBS Top 40s from that era evolved from the “Hot Hits” format. Here’s Hitradio 98 on Dec. 29 at 12:15 p.m.:

• Streetheart, “One More Time” (Canadian)
• Guns N’ Roses, “Sweet Child o’ Mine”
• Quiet Riot, “Cum on Feel the Noize”
• Gowan, “A Criminal Mind” (Canadian)
• Bay City Rollers, “Saturday Night”
• Cars, “You Might Think”
• Platinum Blonde, “Crying Over You” (Canadian)
• Tom Petty & Heartbreakers, “Free Fallin’”
• Sum 41, “In Too Deep” (Canadian)
• Belinda Carlisle, “Heaven Is a Place on Earth”
• Rick Springfield, “Jessie’s Girl”
• A Flock of Seagulls, “I Ran (So Far Away)”
• Bon Jovi, “Lay Your Hands on Me”

KBSO (Retro 94.7) Corpus Christi, Texas

It’s a six-year-old station, but Corpus Christi’s Retro 104.1 has moved to the former frequency of Texas Country US94.7. (The 104.1 frequency became “Retro Tejano,” also an interesting move.) Retro launched six years ago with the feel and former rhythmic lean of WMXJ (102.7 the Beach) Miami. That station has gone more mainstream, but Retro remains, essentially, the greatest hits of Rhythmic Top 40 with occasional pop/rock outliers, under PD Ed Oconas, former PD of heritage Rhythmic outlet KZFM. Here’s Retro 94.7 at 3:30 p.m., Dec. 26:

• Dino, “I Like It”
• Ne-Yo, “Miss Independent”
• Pras, Ol’ Dirty Bastard & Mya, “Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)”
• Akon, “Lonely”
• Asia, “Heat of the Moment”
• Cause & Effect, “What Do You See” 
• Diana Ross, “Upside Down”
• Will to Power, “Dreamin’”
• Tag Team, “Whoomp! There It Is”
• Laura Branigan, “Gloria”
• Robert Palmer, “Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor Doctor)”
• Jason Derulo, “Whatcha Say”
• Information Society, “What’s on Your Mind”
• Philip Bailey & Phil Collins, “Easy Lover”

WMGA (97.9 the River) Huntington, W. Va.

In many markets, the ’60s/’70s Oldies format has been the province of AM translators. It came to Huntington, W. Va., instead on the frequency of Kindred Communications’ AC WMGA (the River), which is now billing itself as “the greatest hits of the rock and roll generation.” The River was able to keep syndicated morning hosts Bob & Sheri, whose show has evolved to be more Classic Hits-compatible. Here’s The River at 4 p.m. on Dec. 26:

• Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
• KC & Sunshine Band, “That’s The Way (I Like It)”
• Jay & Techniques, “Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie”
• Fleetwood Mac, “Go Your Own Way”
• Al Green, “Let’s Stay Together”
• Badfinger, “Come and Get It”
• Four Tops, “Baby I Need Your Lovin’”
• Eagles, “One of These Nights”
• Gallery, “Nice to Be with You”
• Beatles, “Day Tripper”
• Johnny Nash, “Hold Me Tight”
• Supremes, “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”

KNAH (101.5 Hank FM) Salt Lake City

It’s been a busy holiday season for Howard Kroeger, creator of the Adult Hits Bob-FM format and its Hank-FM Country counterpart. KWFB Wichita Falls, Texas, returned to Bob-FM after having briefly switched to the rival Jack-FM format. Meanwhile, Broadway Media, which runs Bob in Salt Lake City, switched contemporary country sister KEGA (The Eagle) to Hank-FM, ending a three-way war of attrition for that franchise. KEGA launched with a recent-Country component that other Hanks don’t have. Here’s Hank FM just before 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 26:

• George Strait, “I Cross My Heart”
• Toby Keith, “I Wanna Talk About Me”
• Gary Allan, “Nothing On but the Radio”
• Collin Raye, “That’s My Story”
• Carly Pearce & Lee Brice, “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
• Mark Chesnutt, “It’s A Little Too Late”
• Pam Tillis, “Maybe It Was Memphis”
• Charlie Daniels Band, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”
• Rodney Atkins, “These Are My People”
• JoDee Messina, “Heads Carolina, Tails California”
• Bailey Zimmerman, “Rock and a Hard Place”

WQCP (Q91.1) Fort Pierce, Fla.

Toward the end of the holiday season, we covered both KEGA’s mostly Country Christmas and WQCP’s R&B version of the format, both part of format transitions. WQCP’s non-comm Adult R&B format replaced Classical music. It also replaced heritage Adult R&B station WFLM, which has moved to West Palm Beach. Here’s Q91.1 at 5 p.m., Dec. 26:

• 2Pac f/K-Ci & Jojo, “How Do You Want It?”
• Ella Mai, “Trip”
• John Legend, “Tonight (Best You Ever Had)”
• Outkast, “So Fresh So Clean”
• Ari Lennox, “Pressure”
• Michael Jackson, “The Way You Make Me Feel”
• Tems, “Free Mind”
• Boyz II Men, “I’ll Make Love to You”
• Kelly Rowland, “Motivation”
• Patti LaBelle, “Love Need and Want You”
• Isley Brothers, “Last Time”

KSMG (Hits 105.3) San Antonio

In September, Summit Media’s WPYA (Mix 97.3) Birmingham, Ala., made an unusual move (for 2023, anyway) from Hot AC to CHR. Cox, the former owner of the Summit/Birmingham cluster, hasn’t gone that far, but it has rebranded heritage KSMG (Magic 105.3), always a good-sounding Hot AC that is currently handily leading the market’s two mainstream CHRs. It’s an interesting bet on the power of the word “hits,” even at this moment. Here’s Hits 105.3 during a “two-hour Hit List” at 8:50 a.m., January 1:

• Glass Animals, “Heat Waves”
• Fifth Harmony, “Worth It”
• Miguel, “Sure Thing”
• Harry Styles, “Adore You”
• Elton John & Dua Lipa, “Cold Heart”
• The Weeknd, “Can’t Feel My Face”
• Billie Eilish, “What I Was Made For”
• Onerepublic, “I Ain’t Worried”
• Pitbull f/Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer, “Give Me Everything”
• Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”
• Post Malone, “Better Now”

KRAT-HD2 (X94.9) Reno, Nev.

This one was suggested by Radioinsight publisher Lance Venta. KRAT (Alt 92.1) Reno, Nev., is a gold-based Alternative that just played the Cranberries, Imagine Dragons, and Panic! At the Disco. Its recently launched HD-2/FM translator sister combo plays a lot of Alternative gold, too, as well as the Modern AC ’90s. It also plays currents found on the Triple-A chart, but helps illustrate how close Alternative and Triple-A are at this moment. It’s also bringing back the “X” branding from heritage KTHX. Here’s X94.9 at Noon, January 8:

• Coldplay, “Viva la Vida”
• Mumford & Sons, “Believe”
• Dishwalla, “Counting Blue Cars”
• Amy Winehouse, “You Know I’m No Good”
• Walk the Moon, “Shut Up and Dance”
• Portugal. The Man, “Live in the Moment”
• Big Data f/Joywave, “Dangerous”
• Twenty One Pilots, “Stressed Out”
• Record Company, “Talk to Me”
• Neon Trees, “Everybody Talks”
• Milky Chance, “Colorado”
• John Mayer, “Daughters”
• Modest Mouse, “Float On