There are really two Classic Hits formats now.
It has been apparent for a while that the evolution of Classic Hits has brought that radio format closer to the Bob-and Jack-FM stations of Adult Hits. Like Adult Hits, Classic Hits is now predominantly pop/rock. Adult Hits was once differentiated by playing more ‘90s and ‘00s and a few recent titles. At a growing number of Classic Hits stations, even the ‘00s are not unheard of, and you can even find 2017’s “Girls Like You” by Maroon 5 on WNCT New Bern, N.C.
That evolution has also brought Classic Hits closer to Adult Contemporary. So have Mainstream AC’s own changes. All AC stations are inherently “gold-based” ACs, with few true currents and only a few recent songs per hour. But a shortage in viable new CHR music that AC could co-opt, along with the resurgence of the Soft AC format, has slowed the format’s evolution toward the “millennial AC” position that some stations were chasing. The only question is whether “gold-based” means three ‘80s songs an hour or 11.
The result is that even as Classic Hits leans more rock, a parallel pop version of the format has emerged — the one that plays “Hungry Eyes” by Eric Carmen while Classic Hits is playing “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor.
In some markets, such as Charlotte, new Bob & Sheri affiliate WKQC (K104.7) has been able to double as the Classic Hits station for the market for 20 years. Other stations, such as Cox’s WFEZ (Easy 93.1) Miami and WDUV Tampa, have evolved from Soft AC to a pop-based Classic Hits even though there are traditional Classic Hits stations in the market.
In the ‘80s and ‘90s, gold-based ACs were faced with either going all-Oldies or losing their position to a new competitor that would. But it seems easier for stations to straddle AC and Classic Hits these days when there is no brand-new music to deal with. Also, even if a few newer songs were a vulnerability that listeners cared about, it would be harder for a Classic Hits station to emphasize a difference in era that gets blurrier all the time.
Here’s a “Fresh Listen” to three stations with varying era balances that each blur the line between AC and Classic Hits in a different way.
The positioning (“More Hits, Better Variety”) is AC. There was still a recurrent and two ‘00s songs in the hour I heard, but K104.7 essentially shares Classic Hits with Adult Hits WLKO (the Lake). K104.7 has been the No. 1 station in the market from December through March, when it was two shares ahead of WLKO. Now, it’s the new home of long-time Charlotte-based syndicated morning show Bob & Sheri as well.
Here’s WKQC on May 7 just before 4 p.m.:
- Beach Boys, “Kokomo”
- Starship, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”
- Maroon 5 f/Christina Aguilera, “Moves Like Jagger”
- Modern English, “I Melt with You”
- Pat Benatar, “Shadows of the Night”
- Cranberries, “Dreams”
- Talk Talk, “It’s My Life”
- Lionel Richie, “All Night Long (All Night)”
- Dan + Shay, “Speechless”
- Eric Carmen, “Hungry Eyes”
- Cutting Crew, “(I Just) Died in Your Arms”
- Dave Matthews Band, “What Would You Say”
- Spandau Ballet, “True”
- Whitney Houston, “How Will I Know”
- Richard Marx, “Don’t Mean Nothin’”
- Lady Gaga, “Just Dance”
The station was the standard-bearer for the Soft AC format for years, regardless of how the format’s fortunes were cycling elsewhere. Sister WFEZ (Easy 93.1) Miami followed its lead, then morphed to its own sort of Soft AC/Classic Hits hybrid, with a significant ‘90s component. But WDUV has evolved as well, to the point where a few Tampa Bay readers will comment if I ever refer to it as “Soft AC.”
WDUV bills itself as “Continuous Lite Favorites.” You will still hear some defining Soft AC songs, e.g., “Baby What a Big Surprise” by Chicago and “What a Fool Believes” by the Doobie Brothers. But it also played “We Got the Beat” by the Go-Go’s, including a custom power-intro that positions the song as “continuous lite favorites” as well.
WDUV gets to occupy this position, and the No. 1 slot in the market, despite the presence of more traditional Classic Hits WRBQ (Q105). In part, that’s because Cox also owns Classic Rock WXGL (the Eagle) and AC WWRM (Magic 94.9). This is WDUV on May 14 just before 2 p.m.:
- Eric Carmen, “Hungry Eyes”
- Rod Stewart, “Downtown Train”
- Breathe, “Hands to Heaven”
- Stevie Wonder, “Superstition”
- Cutting Crew, “(I Just) Died in Your Arms”
- Whitney Houston, “Saving All My Love for You”
- Go-Go’s, “We Got the Beat”
- Orleans, “Dance With Me”
- Taylor Dayne, “Love Will Lead You Back”
- Billy Ocean, “Loverboy”
- Journey, “Faithfully”
- Commodores, “Brick House”
- Whitesnake, “Here I Go Again”
- Michael Bolton, “How Can We Be Lovers”
- Eddy Grant, “Electric Avenue”
- Starship, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”
Even before it became the home of the now-Brooke & Jeffrey in the morning, WSHE has always had a significant ‘90s pop component, particularly pop/rhythm. In early May, that lean became more noticeable when the station dropped its recurrent titles. WSHE is still positioned as “the best variety of the ‘80s, ‘90s, 2K and today” but the musical cutoff is mostly 2017. Here’s WSHE on May 14 just before 2 p.m. during a “9 to 5 No Repeat Workday”:
- Mary J. Blige, “Real Love”
- Avicii, “Wake Me Up”
- Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories, “Stay (I Missed You)”
- Time, “Jungle Love”
- Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off”
- Hootie & the Blowfish, “Only Wanna Be with You”
- Pitbull f/Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer, “Give Me Everything”
- Britney Spears, “(You Drive Me) Crazy”
- Backstreet Boys, “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)”
- Gwen Stefani, “Hollaback Girl”
- Run-D.M.C. f/Aerosmith, “Walk This Way”
- Ace of Base, “The Sign”
- Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll”
