I first became aware of “Wisconsin 106” last night, after Northpine.com reported on the format change. WCWI Wisconsin Dells had gone from Mainstream AC, promising to play “a broad mix of Classic Hits and Classic Country.” That prompted a follower to tag me:
What would @RossOnRadio say?
— John Gallagher Wedding/Special Event Entertainment (@JohnGallagherDJ) May 17, 2020
But it’s not about what I’d say. Ross On Radio readers have been excited about the new Soft AC “Breeze” stations of recent years that mostly play ‘80s and ‘90s. They’ve been very excited about the new stations that go further into ‘70s pop, including KDRI Tucson, Ariz., and John Sebastian’s KOAI (The Wow Factor) Phoenix. Sebastian upped the ante by throwing in some late ‘90s/early ‘00s Country titles.
The change follows Marcus Jaeger’s Heart of Wisconsin Media purchasing WCWI last Fall. GM/Morning Host Bob Goff described the change in a Facebook video as a broadening the library coming from the new owner asking why the station didn’t play certain songs that he’d like to hear on the air.
The best way to describe Wisconsin 106 is that they’re the Breeze list, plus the Drive list. There’s not quite as much Classic Rock as Wow Factor, although there’s some. Plus the Country titles are about a generation older than what Sebastian was playing at the launch. And, oh yeah, I heard Destiny’s Child, too.
Throughout the history of mixtape formats, the challenge is always programming to somebody who likes the concept but prefers their own mix of Country, Hip-Hop and Classic Rock. Some people don’t feel the need at all. (“Hard pass,” tweeted one person in response to the Northpine tweet.) But there were a lot of ROR readers excited about The Wow Factor, and they’ll enjoy this one, too.
Here’s WCWI at 9:30 a.m., February 18:
- Albert Hammond, “It Never Rains In Southern California”
- Devo, “Whip It”
- Warren Zevon, “Werewolves Of London”
- Dire Straits, “So Far Away”
- George Strait, “Ocean Front Property” (tied to Strait’s birthday)
- Madonna, “Into The Groove”
- Air Supply, “The One That You Love”
- Peabo Bryson & Celine Dion, “A Whole New World”
- Simply Red, “Holding Back The Years”
- Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose, “Too Late To Turn Back Now”
- Judy Rodman, “Until I Met You”
- Destiny’s Child, “Bills Bills Bills”
- Eagles, “The Long Run”
- Donna Summer f/Brooklyn Dreams, “Heaven Knows”
- Booker T & the MGs, “Time Is Tight”
- Def Leppard, “Photograph”
- Dion, “Abraham, Martin & John”
- Martina McBride, “Wild Angels”
- Duran Duran, “Is There Something I Should Know?”
- Ugly Kid Joe, “Cats In The Cradle”
