First Listen: Hippie Radio
Written Sep. 21, 2007 by Sean Ross in Content + Terrestrial Radio with 1 Comment
For the last few months, you've probably seen the trade ads for Hippie Radio, the syndicated format which bills itself as "Radio for Baby Boomers" and positions itself as Oldies without the baggage of the name.
Now, it's possible to hear "Hippie Radio," following WXMP (Mix 101.1) Peoria, Ill.'s switch to the format as WHPI from AC on Sept. 19.
Here's the station between 4:30-5p Peoria time on Friday (21):
Carly Simon, "You're So Vain"
Moody Blues, "Question"
Happenings, "See You In September"
Arlo Guthrie, "City Of New Orleans"
Beach Boys, "God Only Knows"
Aretha Franklin, "Think"
Three Dog Night, "Celebrate"
David Bowie, "Space Oddity"
Eagles, "Take It Easy"
Grass Roots, "Let's Live For Today"
Grateful Dead, "Truckin'"
Some interesting things about the station at first blush:
* It's more apparent if you look at the station's "just played" log, but there are definitely some songs that you haven't heard on Oldies radio on a regular basis recently, particularly from the early '70s Rhino compilation era: Billy Preston's "Space Race", the Sweet's "Little Willy," Sammy Johns' "Chevy Van,," Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show's "Cover Of The Rolling Stone," etc. In that regard, it recalls the early days of ABC/Scott Shannon's True Oldies Channel, without that network's emphasis on early '60s music. (The most recent song seen on the Website listing was Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop" from 1977.)
* As in the format's demo aircheck, there are a lot of attempts to be lifestyle oriented. When Aretha Franklin's "Think" played, the jock frontsold it with, "Remember this one from 'The Blues Brothers'?" A liner positions the station as "a brand new radio station for the generation that changed the world." Not all baby boomers think of themselves as hippies--the wisdom of Oldies radio for many years was that it was for the audience that was alienated by hippies and acid rock. But that was in an era when the Doors and CCR were not staples of the format. And who would deny having helped to change the world?
* And, yes, George Carlin fans, the weather is indeed courtesy of the "Hippy Dippy Weatherman." (No other references, however, to "Wonderful WINO.")
Reader Comments
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We have listened to this station for a long time, but now I find myself changing the ch. As the music is great there seems to be more commercials than music...the same commercials over and over and over! And I might add the commercials are not so good. The thing that has really turned me away from the station is the stupid guy that tries to act like the barber from the Andy G. Show! The cheap commercials are killing the station.