Final Listen: WXRK (K-Rock) New York
Written Mar. 10, 2009 by Sean Ross in Content + Terrestrial Radio with 17 Comments
At 7:45 a.m. today, I was able to turn on the car radio and hear something that I haven't heard in more than 20 years on WXRK (K-Rock) New York: music in the mornings. You'll have one more opportunity tomorrow, then K-Rock will be Top 40 "92.3 Now FM."
Since returning to Rock radio roughly two years ago, K-Rock has been through at least three different permutations of the format -- more Alternative at its launch, then more Active, and, most recently, only a few currents away from being Classic Rock That Really Rocks, along the lines of sister WYSP Philadelphia. Last night, they were still running sweepers that announced, "We're back."
K-Rock's departure once again raises the question of why New York is not "where rock lives," but where rock struggles. What will K-Rock's departure mean for eclectic rival WRXP? And what will become of Chris Booker, who signed off his afternoon shift yesterday by saying that it had been good to be back on the station ... for two months, then launched into "Do You Remember Rock & Roll Radio?" by the Ramones.
Okay, globals first: Rock radio does okay in New York, if you're Classic Rock WAXQ (Q104.3). And with its many changes over the past five years -- even before that switch to Talk as Free FM -- K-Rock had commitment issues that go beyond the prospects for the format itself. Even in its Howard Stern heyday, it rarely had a music franchise after 10 a.m. locked down. And the switch to Talk and Stern's departure both helped scatter the rock audience to the winds; PPM might help Rock radio reclaim its credit for existing listening, but it won't get you a pre-set if you don't have it or have already relinquished it.
That said, the dilution of Rock radio as a shared experience happened earlier in New York than in other markets. For most of the country, the coalition began to crumble around 2000 as Alternative bounced from one thing to another in the manner of Top 40 radio a decade earlier - from Rap/ Rock to more mainstream guitar rock to indie/neo-garage, each of them peeling off a piece of the much larger '90s Alternative/Grunge coalition. It's why the top testing songs at most current based rock stations are still 15 years old - nothing except Nickelback has had quite the same reach since then.
But in New York, the coalition broke up a lot earlier. The New Rock Revolution was diffused over multiple stations between 1992 and 1997 - none of whom were the music's HQ for more than two years during that period: WLIR, WHTZ (Z100), WNEW, Modern AC WDBZ (the Buzz), and K-Rock. Z100's audience experienced the Smashing Pumpkins and Red Hot Chili Peppers interspersed with Coolio and Mariah Carey. WXRK's audience heard those records in between Hendrix and Ozzy. So with Q104.3 picking off the bigger Pearl Jam and Nirvana records, it's no surprise that there's not much left even from the '90s, for a newer station to hang its hat on.
K-Rock's departure isn't necessarily a gift from the gods for WRXP, which just announced a new "rock is alive" campaign to welcome any displaced K-Rock listeners. Rock radio's musical continuum in New York right now isn't a straight line, it's more like a horseshoe with K-Rock and WRXP at opposite ends and Q104.3 taking up most of that big center. WRXP launched with a lot of music for stray K-Rock cumers (Linkin Park, Nickelback, Finger Eleven), but has downplayed those in favor of the indie, alternative, and '80s alternative aspects of its mix. Today, it's not the perfect station for anybody who was enjoying Tool's "46 and 2" on K-Rock last night. But with K-Rock turning a larger audience loose than WRXP had garnered so far, it will be interesting to see whether present or potential constituents win the coin toss.
It also takes time these days for listeners to shake out after a format change. Sister station KMVN (Movin' 93.9) Los Angeles found that out when rival KBIG moved away from Rhythmic AC and it still took a year for any displaced audience to make its way over. That said, I do continue to meet people who are just discovering and enjoying WRXP now - more than a year after its launch and well after its outdoor campaign. K-Rock probably also had listeners sitting around who were just okay with Tool and those listeners will now have the incentive to find something else.
Finally, there's Booker, who is now rumored to be penciled in for mornings at the new Now FM. He never sounded entirely comfortable in mornings at WIOQ (Q102) Philadelphia - which doesn't mean that he wasn't still better than a lot of air talent. But he did sound incredible a few years ago filling in at WHTZ (Z100), a moment at which his amiably caustic personality and Z100's big boss sound came together to create something unique. If Booker does a poor Elvis Duran imitation, he does a pretty good job of channeling John Landecker at that WLS Chicago legend's late '70s/early '80s peak, and that's the act I hope we'll get to hear in mornings.
Here's K-Rock at 7:45 this morning:
Pink Floyd, "Time"
Def Leppard, "Armageddon It"
Tom Petty, "I Won't Back Down"
Led Zeppelin, "Rock And Roll"
Foo Fighters, "Everlong"
Kiss, "Lick It Up"
Alice In Chains, "Man in the Box"
Heart, "Magic Man"
Guns 'N' Roses, "Nightrain"
Weezer, "Say It Isn't So"
Van Halen, "(Oh) Pretty Woman."
Reader Comments
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Good luck to Booker. Might CBS move the WNEW call letters back up from West Palm to NYC to go on 92.3 Now FM?
If that 7:45AM playlist is indicative, it isn't hard to see why they are on the brink of another format change. Talk about a list of overplayed songs! Does anyone really still get that first time euphoria if they turn on the radio now and hear "Magic Man" or "Rock And Roll"? I doubt it.
I've said this before and I'll say it again: go deep! Familiarity breeds contempt. And until mainstream radio realizes that, then the situation you described will continue to manifest itself in other out of touch with reality FM outlets across the country.
Michael Mc Dowell of Blitz Magazine...you hit the nail on the head man. "We play from the biggest library in town...". Right...all 300 tired, overplayed "hits."
If you want to hear what a great rock station should sound like, try 107.1 The Peak, broadcasting out of White Plains...a fantastic mix of Classic Rock, new music, reggae and blues with high quality personalities like Jimmy Fink and Chris Herman. The only downside is their poor signal. Listen online at www.1071thepeak.cpm
"For most of the country, the coalition began to crumble around 2000 as Alternative bounced from one thing to another in the manner of Top 40 radio a decade earlier - from Rap/ Rock to more mainstream guitar rock to indie/neo-garage, each of them peeling off a piece of the much larger '90s Alternative/Grunge coalition. It's why the top testing songs at most current based rock stations are still 15 years old - nothing except Nickelback has had quite the same reach since then."
Forget "rock" as a music for second, and consider "rock" as a cultural statement. That cultural statement"tends to be reflected in clothing, language, hairstyles, social attitudes, politics, etc. 15 years ago Kurt Cobain killed himself and "rock" at the same time. Grunge was the last rock cultural statement for the young White males who have traditionally been its adherents.
Tupac, Biggie, Snoop, Jay Z, 50 Cent, along with MTV as an engine, took over the youth culture rebellion market after Cobain and Grunge. Rap became "rock" for many young males, irrespective of color ("rock" never achieved such a "rainbow" coalition...).
Given that NY is where rap started, the development of the NY area's demos for the past twenty years, new tech choices of young folks, and the changed demographics of the region, current "rock" radio never had a chance in New York post Cobain.
I must agree with McDowell and Hamilton. Rock listeners don't want to hear the same kind of tight, repetitious playlist found on a CHR. CBS may have more luck with a tight, repetitious playlist now that the station IS a CHR because apparently that's the only kind of playlist they know how to do.
I gave up on New York commercial radio a long time ago and went over to free-form WFMU-91.1 and other non-comms. Fortunately WFMU only does a two-week pledge drive each year and they manage to make it entertaining, with a lot of personality and stunts. For those less adventurous, WNYE-91.5 has some good new rock programming weekday mornings until 12 noon.
Leave to Infinity Broadcasting to foul up another great station. These guys don't know a good thing when they've got it in their hands! First they screwed around withWXRK-moving from a highly popular 'classic'rock format to alternative and han active rock then messed up WNEW FM by messing around with yet another very successful format of Classic or Heritage Rock not once not twice but three before they decided that the original place that rock live in was an idea whose time had come and gone and that Talk was in, and we all know how that turned out...CBS FM was New Yorks Oldies Station with a group of jocks who knew the music they played well and usually had some great stories to go along with it, not unlike WNEW FM. Infinity decided that New Yorkers needed to know JACK and quite controversially 86'd the oldies staff and format without warning...JACK fell on its face and the revamped CBS FM arose from the ashes like a Phoenix...K ROCK went to K-TALK as WFNY for a while after the departure of Howard Stern and that bombed. They bought back the music and even hired Booker to run the afternoon shift in hope s that they would show some improvements in the ratings. The couldn't wait and turned to CHR aka Top 40 and that is the sad story of KROCK. These hire a listener to program that station. Probably could do a better job at 1/2 the pay!
K-Rock never really established itself as a solid rock station on its own merits. The rock music was the filler that occupied the space when Howard Stern ended his show each day. Booker established himself as a talented personality, but with Howard gone, the station always seemed devoid of its own true identity. I cannot fathom that in a market as large as New York, someone can't come in and win with a rock station playing the right balance of new and "old-school" rock. The station would need strong air personalities who really connect with rock fans. There has to be a large enough audience for it and there certainly will be advertisers who would buy it. Man cannot live on "classic" alone.
tonight i turned to krock only to hear rhianna and beyonce.. and all the other stuff that dominates the air waves. i couldnt believe what i was hearing. the last station alive in ny is now gone. bring back rock.
Krock was the last decent rock station in NY metro. now they sold out to top 40? What the hell? It was the only station i turned the radio on for. they played good music. they need to bring back krock. every other station in ny is pop which is just rnb and rap. (not like hip hop of the 80s and 90s rap on radio is pop music now)
I cannot believe the massive NY market cannot sustain a decent Alt Rock station.
The problem with Krock was that it was targeting two completely different audiences. Classic rock/40-50 year olds and Alt Rock/20-30 year olds. I do not think that works. You make neither group really happy.
You have to think there is a large enough Alt Rock audience in the Metro NY area to support a good station like CFNY 102.1/The Edge in Toronto or XFm in London, UK.
I know the Internet is making things tough, but you have to believe the cost of running a radio station, because of technology, has fallen. These radio stations need to think out side the box and find a better way to leverage and link to MySpace, iPods, Internet radio, etc.
Im so upset that theres not rock station in new york anymore. I mean.. come on.. this is New York!!! How can this be possible? I dont even listen to radio anymore in my car. How many pop r&b rap stations do we need? seriously.. I'm so jealous of other states that have a good alt rock station. *sigh*
Can't believe there's no decent new rock/alt rock station in NYC. I'm a 40+er and don't want to hear the same old rock tunes over and over when I turn on the radio. I want to hear NEW rock music. 106.3 in Jersey is gone, and now this. A shame.
I say hit where it hurts.
Find out who advertises on the dead empty husk that was formerly 92.3 K-Rock, and don't buy their products. Boycott any companies that advertise with any CBS radio or TV affiliate.
No sales = pulled ads = no $ = bye bye top 40 sh**.
I hate him, but Neil Young said it best: Rock & Roll Can Never Die.
For a huge musical city with a heritage of blues jazz, big band, broadway, adult standards and modern modern jazz barely
any of this is found on New York radio. These formats can be heard in much smaller markets. The market could support one country station too but again there is nothing at all. Visitors to the city
Might think they are having signal problems
Pulling in such stations. The fact is none
of these formats exist
I hate to repeat what has been said over and over. But I am truly jonesing for a NYC ROCK station. I'm sitting here pressing seek on my radio praying perhaps I missed something. Right now i'm listening to "let the music play" gag me. I too am 40+ and while I love classic rock I need some new stuff PLEASE!!! I cannot believe the "Greatest city in the World" is anything but when it comes to music choices. It is just the same old derived crap over and over. I mourn a time when Rock was alive and well in the Big Apple.
Don't feel too bad New Yorkers...U.S. radio is in a state of total disarray. Think about it this way - the radio spectrum is limited. Because of that, there needs to be a cultural consideration of what goes on the radio, as well as a commercial one. Since the market can't give us good, diverse programming, how about the government strip these companies of their licenses and give the airwaves over to companies like Google. They can repurpose them for better wireless internet access to make it easier for you to listen to Pandora, last.fm, imeem, Rhapsody, Sirius XM, and SHOUTcast etc. in your car.
Pound sand, Clear Channel...