More than a decade ago, Saga’s WKLH Milwaukee made the decision to reimage as “Hometown Rock,” updating its music but not changing format. It was a significant statement for one of Classic Rock’s first and longest-running powerhouses.
Over the years, other stations moved away from the term “classic rock.” They included CILQ (Q107) Toronto and CHOM Montreal, followed several years later by iHeart’s WBGG (Big 105.9) Miami. Often the change accompanied a greater reliance on ’90s titles. A year ago, KQRS Minneapolis broadened its format to include more ’90s Alternative.
Several years ago, WKLH quietly reverted to “Classic Rock.” Now, Classic Rock WAXQ (Q104.3) New York has repositioned itself as “New York’s Rock.” Based on their websites, several iHeart sisters are also downplaying “Classic Rock,” including KRFX (The Fox) (“Colorado’s Rock Station”), KGB (“San Diego’s ’80s, ’90s, and more”), and Big 105.9, this time calling itself “Miami’s Rock Hits.” KYRV (The River) Sacramento first repositioned but has now shifted to fill the market’s Classic Hits hole outright.
Not every iHeart station has made the change. WBIG (Big 100.3) remains “DC’s Classic Rock.” KZPS (Lone Star 92.5) is now mostly where “Dallas Rocks,” although I did hear “Classic Rock” in one sweeper for its commercial-free programming. (Like WBGG, KZPS has a history with this topic–it not only dropped the name but, briefly, the format, in favor of a Classic Rock/Americana hybrid.)
When I last wrote about Q104.3, the station had just scored its highest numbers to date and was second in the market. In doing so, it had overtaken Classic Hits powerhouse WCBS-FM. At that moment, CBS-FM was moving more aggressively into the ’90s, while Q was still comfortable with even the ’60s and early ’70s. Q104.3 also had the advantage of just having become, effectively, “New York’s Rock Station.” Alternative WNYL (Alt 92.3) had become N/T WINS several months earlier.
In the early days of Classic Rock, owning the position was crucial. Heritage rock outlets, blindsided by the new format, began playing primarily Classic Rock themselves, but couldn’t regain the spotlight. When the mid-’90s “New Rock Revolution” came, many of those stations were forced to choose either Alternative or full-fledged Classic Rock. Stations like WMMR Philadelphia and WIYY (98 Rock) Baltimore that carried on as “heritage rock” were the exceptions.
If stations are more comfortable as just “rock” now, it might be because there’s less need to choose sides. Most Alternative and Active stations aren’t playing a lot of currents. Without meaning to dismiss the music that rock programmers are excited about now, the last major body of hit rock, at least in terms of multi-format support was the pop/punk of the mid-’00s. That’s the only era that Classic Rock hasn’t co-opted yet, and even then, you’ll hear “The Middle” and “All the Small Things” on a few stations. Perhaps when everything is Classic Rock, nothing need be “Classic Rock,” at least until the next Nirvana really does start warming up in a garage somewhere.
It’s a lot to hang on a few station positioners, but the concept of one “rock” station also seems tied to radio’s landscape changes, bringing with them less opportunity for fragmentation. AC, Hot AC, CHR, and Urban AC stations have also scaled back currents, usually without announcing it outright. Classic Country stations tend to image around “legends,” not the format name. Why not own everything you can?
Having worked extensively in Classic Hits, I believe whatever concerns Classic Rock may have about the age of its music and audience still seem relatively minor compared to Classic Hits’ ongoing discomfort in its own skin. Twenty years later, it now seems clear that the move from “Oldies” to “Greatest Hits,” “Classic Hits” or just “’70s, ’80s, ’90s” was indeed necessary. I’ve never felt that Classic Rock was facing that sort of existential crisis. If anything, I wonder if doubling-down on the minor-chord unhappiness of grunge is hurting the format, but then again, there were Classic Rock PDs who didn’t want to play Guns N’ Roses.
Having seen rock stations scramble to own something over the years, I still regard “Classic Rock” as an easily understood position with as much halo as baggage. We haven’t yet seen not being “Classic Rock” as a silver bullet for the stations that tried it. WMGK dominates the market as “Philadelphia’s Classic Rock Station”; many stations are midpack (at least 6-plus) whether or not they self-identify with the format. But I’m not party to the internal discussions or research driving these changes. I’m also not on the sales staff.
When heard yesterday with middayer Maria Milito, Q104.3 was wrapping up its “free music mornings” sweep and teasing its noon rock blocs. iHeart’s “guaranteed human” positioning continues to expand beyond its :00 positioner. One sweeper parodying the unreliability of AI data declared “you can’t spell lame without AI – or maybe you can?” Here’s Q104.3 just before 11 a.m., April 29:
- U2, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
- Journey, “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)”
- David Bowie, “Space Oddity”
- Steve Winwood, “Roll With It”
- Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Dani California”
- AC/DC, “You Shook Me All Night Long”
- Alice Cooper, “School’s Out”
- Def Leppard, “Rock of Ages”
- Joan Jett, “I Hate Myself for Loving You”
- John Mellencamp, “Small Town”
- Electric Light Orchestra, “Evil Woman” — the first song of a lunchtime bloc that also contained “Don’t Bring Me Down” and “Turn to Stone”
I also took the opportunity to hear WKLH, now happily “Milwaukee’s Home for Classic Rock” again with p.m. driver Craig Carson. With Active Rock WHQG next door, WKLH isn’t inclined to lean newer. It also has a lot of variety for a major-market Classic Rocker. Here’s the station just before 3 p.m., April 29:
- Journey, “Just the Same Way”
- Billy Idol, “White Wedding”
- Sammy Hagar, “Three Lock Box” — one of the correct answers in a 3 p.m. name that tune feature, today featuring songs with a cappella openings
- Eagles, “In the City”
- Kiss, “Shout It Out Loud”
- Def Leppard, “Hysteria”
- Motley Crue, “Smokin’ in the Boys Room”
- Stone Temple Pilots, “Plush”
- Alice Cooper, “Elected”
- Rush, “Subdivisions”
- McAuley Schencker Group, “There Has to Be Another Way” — Carson played the 1:47 rock instrumental before kicking off the 4 p.m. feature
- Atlanta Rhythm Section, “Homesick” — today’s edition of “The List” featured songs about “home,” with a theme and songs suggested by listeners
- Supertramp, “Take the Long Way Home”
- Beatles, “When I Get Home”
- Genesis, “Home by the Sea”
- Ozzy Osbourne, “Mama I’m Coming Home”
- Led Zeppelin, “Bring It On Home”
Update: Since this article first appeared, original Classic Rock consultant Fred Jacobs has weighed in on the topic. In the many comments about this article–here and on social media–listeners also raise the question of how much a positioning change can do, or whether it even rates coverage. We’ll have something to say about that in coming weeks.
In NY, it’s also easier to drop the “Classic Rock” moniker when you’re the only commercial rock station in the city.
“Classic rock” is an understood term for listeners. I do think it’s a bit “limiting” if you’re playing classics that were AOR hits and Top 40 hits. Tears For Fears, Crowded House, Human League and similar artists come to mind. Back in the 80’s, 103 KDF’s slogan was “Nashville’s Rock N Roll Station”. Always thought that was cool.
Q104.3 has always been a little poppier, as it happens, than the Classic Rock safelist. That used to mean Billy Joel and Elton John. Now it’s Human League (which, to be fair, rock radio did play in 1983 when CHR and MTV ruled the world and they were playing catch-up). If anything, “New York’s Rock Station” takes them a little further away from Eurythmics and Tears for Fears.
15-20 years ago, I recall that KQRS played those “new wave” titles along with the Go Gos. “Thunder Island” was another unique title.
Certainly for heritage Rock stations, I don’t see a need to specifically use “Classic” at all now.
I’m not certain exactly when this started, but WAPL is now again using the iconic “The Rockin’ Apple” as its main positioning, after many years of “Wisconsin’s Classic Rock” (and, before that, “Wisconsin’s Rock Station”). That’s even with having both Modern/Alt (WFUZ) and Active (WZOR/WZOS) flankers, albeit ones that have much less coverage.
I know that my Rock bias is showing here, but I think that a good amount of older Rock still sounds at least somewhat fresh. To put it another way, there’s a reason (beyond pure nostalgia) why Soda Stereo’s current Ecos tour (featuring a holographic recreation of Gustavo Cerati) appears to be performing well, and might actually come to the U.S.
Interesting dilemma here in Boston for WZLX.
When there were 5 other stations on the dial playing rock, they differentiated themselves as “Classic Rock”. They’re now the last rocker left. Yet still calling themselves “Boston’s Classic Rock 100.7 WZLX” They could easily co-opt WBCN’s former “The Rock of Boston” or become “Boston’s Rock Radio”. My guess is “Classic Rock” is inextricably linked to their brand identity, and there’s no benefit to messing with it.
Kinda feels like a “running from something that’s not chasing you” thing. Classic Rock seems universally loved by the target audience and even the target’s kids/grandkids.
That the Target has grandkids is part of the problem.
THIS. So much this.
That is my perception, too. I don’t see the need for an identity crisis, but something prompted a change of this magnitude.
Another example of inside ball that has been a part of the industry for years. Is there research behind this or a bunch of “experts” (egos) looking in their crystal ball.
Personally, if I were still at, say, ‘ZLX, it would be just that — “(W) ZLX” — silo-free and without trying to hold on to the positioning binky.
The station defined itself early and over its 40+ years, grew into its own persona. Listeners know what to (basically) expect from the station and, short of a format change
When we began ‘ZLX in Oct’ ’85, ‘BCN had that silo-free advantage over us, hands-down and in spades. But ‘BCN forgot what made it famous, started chasing Alternative and, then, us, and slowly lost its identity, its curatorial prowess, and eventually caved to its insecurity. ‘XRT didn’t forget. ‘MVY is still MVY. I’m sure there are others, not only in the rock spectrum but in other formats as well.
The flip side of this discussion is that some rock stations, including those that report to the charts, are 90% library and yet never felt the need to declare sides. On the other hand, KLOS Los Angeles walked the line for years without making it official. Now, they use “Classic Rock.” Some Active Rock stations no longer play any currents, and iHeart led the way in fostering that approach. Some positioned themselves as “next generation Classic Rock” and some didn’t. Ironically, although Canada’s Corus was one of the groups moving away from the term “classic rock,” they’ve also launched two successful stations called “iconic alternative.” Now, CFNY Toronto, which wasn’t playing many currents anyway, is picking up that positioning, too. What makes the Q104.3 change notable is that they were always famous for one thing.
Here in the Baltimore area, longtime classic rocker 102.7 The Bay rebranded not long ago as “Baltimore’s Rock Classics” with a playlist heavy on ’90s alt-rock. Bumpers announce “here’s another rock classic” before launching into “Machinehead” or “Lithium”. It’s a subtle but ingenious distinction to the name, great for guys my age (Xennials) who know damn well that the ’90s were 30 years ago and the music of our adolescence is certainly old enough to qualify as classic rock, but for whom “classic rock” specifically means the ’70s AOR our boomer dads listened to.
My early memories of getting into alt-rock as a preteen were hearing then-currents like “Plush” and “Cherub Rock” on WIYY (98 Rock) sandwiched in between Led Zeppelin and Heart, so this mix makes sense to me on a nostalgic level. Hell, that station is still playing all those records plus active rock currents today.
The Bay is so good on grunge, I once heard “Dead & Bloated” on the morning drive and that’s only what, the 5th, 6th biggest song on Core?? The only drawback is that they don’t go as deep on the traditional classic rock. An Alice in Chains deep cut will likely be followed by “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” or something else I can hear on any classic hits stations. Alas.