Nirvana Bump Bizkit Off Dial: Ladies And Gentlemen, Meet "Classic Alternative" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

AKA · 02-03-2004, 06:02 PM

Nirvana Bump Bizkit Off Dial

"Classic alternative" radio brings back the golden Nineties

By Damien Cave
Rolling Stone

A hot new radio format -- "classic alternative" -- has hit the FM dial. Stations in Boston, San Francisco, Atlanta and Seattle have started to replace the rage rock of the past few years with early-Nineties nostalgia. Limp Bizkit, Korn and Godsmack are out; Nirvana, the Pixies and Pearl Jam are in.

There's new music, too: "The mix is sixty percent new, forty percent classic," says Keith Dakin, assistant music director at Boston's WFNX, which made the switch last March. Bands gaining airtime tend to have a retro sound. The Strokes, Death Cab for Cutie and Jet are favorites. "[It's] music that Gen X can relate to," says Garett Michaels, program director at San Diego's KBZT. "It just ain't Puddle of Mudd."

KBZT is credited with starting the trend. On November 11th, 2002, the station converted from an Eighties format to old and new alternative rock. By spring, its ratings had topped San Diego's veteran modern-rock station, 91X (XTRA). Other stations took notice. Programmers at 99X (WNNX), in Atlanta, Seattle's the End (KNDD), Live 105 (KITS), in San Francisco, and Los Angeles' Indie 103.1 (KDLD) say that they were inspired in part by KBZT. They also say that they're responding to audience demand for less Nineties hard rock and more variety.

But that's only half the story. Part of classic alternative's appeal is economic. In September, the beer industry -- which spent $18.3 million in 2002 on radio ads -- declared it would buy time only on stations with an audience that's seventy percent age twenty-one or older. "That's the money demographic," says Sean Demery, program director of Live 105. "All we do is sell twenty-five to thirty-four."

Interestingly, the country's biggest radio broadcaster, Clear Channel Radio, lacks a classic-alternative station, and it has no plans for one at present. To some, the new format is nothing more than a placeholder. Says Chris Williams, program director at 99X in Atlanta, "When rock is this year's hip-hop, I don't think we'll need it anymore."

(January 30, 2004)

Dean Winchester · 02-03-2004, 06:37 PM

THANK GOD!!! Limp Bizkit was absolute crap. I hated when "rock fans" suddenly started preferring crap like Limp and Kid Rock to Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots. Fickle losers.

~*Hannah_Lee*~ · 02-03-2004, 10:28 PM

Hallelujah!! This is like the perfect radio station for me. Finally!!! I can listen to the rock radio stations, without hearing the occasional crap of Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park!!!!

SBTB Geek · 02-03-2004, 11:29 PM

I was reading that last night. Their new article on The Beatles was interesting too.

robyrob · 02-03-2004, 11:31 PM

ditto !!!

02-03-2004, 06:02 PM	#1
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	Nirvana Bump Bizkit Off Dial: Ladies And Gentlemen, Meet "Classic Alternative" Nirvana Bump Bizkit Off Dial "Classic alternative" radio brings back the golden Nineties By Damien Cave Rolling Stone A hot new radio format -- "classic alternative" -- has hit the FM dial. Stations in Boston, San Francisco, Atlanta and Seattle have started to replace the rage rock of the past few years with early-Nineties nostalgia. Limp Bizkit, Korn and Godsmack are out; Nirvana, the Pixies and Pearl Jam are in. There's new music, too: "The mix is sixty percent new, forty percent classic," says Keith Dakin, assistant music director at Boston's WFNX, which made the switch last March. Bands gaining airtime tend to have a retro sound. The Strokes, Death Cab for Cutie and Jet are favorites. "[It's] music that Gen X can relate to," says Garett Michaels, program director at San Diego's KBZT. "It just ain't Puddle of Mudd." KBZT is credited with starting the trend. On November 11th, 2002, the station converted from an Eighties format to old and new alternative rock. By spring, its ratings had topped San Diego's veteran modern-rock station, 91X (XTRA). Other stations took notice. Programmers at 99X (WNNX), in Atlanta, Seattle's the End (KNDD), Live 105 (KITS), in San Francisco, and Los Angeles' Indie 103.1 (KDLD) say that they were inspired in part by KBZT. They also say that they're responding to audience demand for less Nineties hard rock and more variety. But that's only half the story. Part of classic alternative's appeal is economic. In September, the beer industry -- which spent $18.3 million in 2002 on radio ads -- declared it would buy time only on stations with an audience that's seventy percent age twenty-one or older. "That's the money demographic," says Sean Demery, program director of Live 105. "All we do is sell twenty-five to thirty-four." Interestingly, the country's biggest radio broadcaster, Clear Channel Radio, lacks a classic-alternative station, and it has no plans for one at present. To some, the new format is nothing more than a placeholder. Says Chris Williams, program director at 99X in Atlanta, "When rock is this year's hip-hop, I don't think we'll need it anymore." (January 30, 2004)

02-03-2004, 10:28 PM	#3
~Hannah_Lee~ Let's dance in style Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 09, 2002 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,358	Hallelujah!! This is like the perfect radio station for me. Finally!!! I can listen to the rock radio stations, without hearing the occasional crap of Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park!!!!
	__________________ Some are like water, some are like the heat Some are a melody and some are the beat. Sooner or later they all will be gone. Why don't they stay young? It's so hard to get old without a cause. I don't want to perish like a fleeing horse. Youth is like diamonds in the sun, And diamonds are forever. Forever young, I want to be forever young. Do you really want to live forever?

02-03-2004, 11:31 PM	#5
robyrob certified wackball#3 Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Aug 03, 2003 Location: hiding under the third booth at Arnold's Posts: 58,194	ditto !!!
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02-03-2004, 06:37 PM	#2
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	THANK GOD!!! Limp Bizkit was absolute crap. I hated when "rock fans" suddenly started preferring crap like Limp and Kid Rock to Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots. Fickle losers.

02-03-2004, 11:29 PM	#4
SBTB Geek Smooth Moderator Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 21, 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 6,004	I was reading that last night. Their new article on The Beatles was interesting too.