Adult hits (sometimes also called variety hits) is a radio format drawing from popular music from the late 1960s to the present. The format typically focuses on classic hits, but blended with adult contemporary, pop, and rock hits from the 1970s through at least the 1990s, and is synonymous with franchised brands such as Jack FM and Bob FM .
Forerunners of the adult hits format appeared on radio during the 1970s. At the time, enough of a backlog of popular music from the rock and roll era had developed to support a format based on them; oldies stations, however, were still very rare, and instead, stations that did not want to bind themselves to the current top 40 playlist would mix in current hits with the hits of the past two decades. This hybrid format began to fall out of favor in the 1980s as self-contained oldies stations rose to prominence. The Adult Hits format dates back to 1990 when 98.9 WMMO was launched in Orlando, Florida.[ citation needed ] Another predecessor was the short-lived "rhythm and rock" format run by KYOT in Phoenix, Arizona in the early 1990s. [1] [2] Adult hits stations target adults 25–54, and more specifically at 35- to 44-year-olds. Freeform could also be seen as another forerunner due to the freedom of music choice the DJ's had, very similar to what makes up the core basis of the adult hits format.
A large number of adult hits stations utilize male names as their branding. The practice was popularized by the franchised Jack FM and Bob FM brands, and has been widely imitated with other common male names.
The adult hits format draws from a wide playlist of broad appeal, consisting primarily of adult contemporary, pop, and rock hits from the late 1960s through at least the 1990s—including but not limited to classic rock (including pop rock and hair metal), power ballads, dance pop, and new wave among others. The size of their music library and their focus on older music provide a contrast to other stations, which may heavily play certain popular songs throughout the day.
Due to its broad nature, the adult hits format can be easily automated. This means that the station can be run with little to no on-air personalities (a trait that, in some cases, may be openly promoted by the station), leaving only staff involved in station operations, advertising sales, and promotional presences. However, some adult hits stations may still maintain a full airstaff.
Bell Media and Rogers Media operate chains of adult hits stations under the Bounce Radio and Jack FM brands respectively.
Location | Call sign | Frequency | Brand Name |
---|---|---|---|
Belleville, Ontario | CJOJ | 95.5 FM | "95-5 Hits FM" |
Brockville, Ontario | CJPT | 103.7 FM | "Bounce Radio 103.7" |
Calgary, Alberta | CJAQ | 96.9 FM | "Jack 96.9" |
Chatham/Windsor, Ontario | CKUE | 95.1 and 100.7 FM | "Cool FM" |
Edmonton, Alberta | CKNG | 92.5 FM | "92.5 The Chuck" |
Espanola, Ontario | CJJM | 99.3 FM | "Moose FM" |
Halifax, Nova Scotia | CFLT | 92.9 FM | "Jack 92.9" |
Kawartha Lakes, Ontario | CKLY | 91.9 FM | "Bounce Radio 91.9" |
Kelowna, British Columbia | CJUI | 103.9 FM | "Juice FM" |
London, Ontario | CHST | 102.3 FM | "Jack 102.3" |
Stratford, Ontario | CJCS | 107.1 FM | "107.1 Juice FM" |
Montreal, Quebec | CKDG* | 105.1 FM | "Mike FM" |
North Bay, Ontario | CFXN | 106.3 FM | "Moose FM" |
Parry Sound, Ontario | CKLP | 103.3 FM | "Moose FM" |
Grande Prairie, Alberta | CIKT | 98.9 FM | "Q99" |
Red Deer, Alberta | CKRI | 100.7 FM | "100.7 Cruz FM" |
Regina, Saskatchewan | CKCK | 94.5 FM | "Jack 94.5" |
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | CFWD | 96.3 FM | "96.3 Cruz FM" |
Smiths Falls, Ontario | CJET | 92.3 FM | "Jack 92.3" |
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador | CKSJ | 101.1 FM | "Coast 101.1" |
Sudbury, Ontario | CHNO | 103.9 FM | "Rewind 103.9 |
Timmins, Ontario | CHMT | 93.1 FM | "Moose FM" |
Vancouver, British Columbia | CJAX | 96.9 FM | "Jack 96.9" |
Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec | CJVD | 100.1 FM | "CJVD 100,1" |
Victoria, British Columbia | CHTT | 103.1 FM | "Jack 103.1" |
Wainwright, Alberta | CKWY | 93.7 FM | "Wayne FM" |
Winnipeg, Manitoba | CFWM | 99.9 FM | "Bounce Radio 99.9" |
Location | Call sign | Frequency | Brand Name |
---|---|---|---|
Mexico City | XHRED-FM | 88.1 FM | "Universal 88.1" |
Mexico City | XHDFM-FM | 106.5 FM | "Mix 106.5" |
Location | Call sign | Frequency | Brand Name |
---|---|---|---|
Pasig | DZRJ-FM | 100.3 FM | "100.3 RJFM" |
Quezon City | DWNU | 107.5 FM | "Wish 107.5" |
Parañaque | DWLA | 105.9 FM | "Neo Retro 105.9" |
Music radio is a radio format in which music is the main broadcast content. After television replaced old time radio's dramatic content, music formats became dominant in many countries. Radio drama and comedy continue, often on public radio.
Oldies is a term for musical genres such as pop music, rock and roll, doo-wop, surf music, broadly characterized as classic rock and pop rock, from the second half of the 20th century, specifically from around the mid-1950s to the 1980s, as well as for a radio format playing this music.
Jack FM is a radio network brand that is licensed by Sparknet Communications, with the exception of the European Union where it is licensed by Oxis Media. It plays an adult hits format, in most cases not using DJs.
BOB FM is the on-air brand of a number of FM radio stations in the United States and formerly in Canada. The BOB FM format mostly concentrates on album rock, alternative rock and pop hits from the 1980s and 90s, especially those popular during the early days of MTV when music videos made up most of MTV's schedule. But BOB FM also features a smattering of oldies from the 1970s or earlier and classic hits from the 1990s or later.
Free-form, or free-form radio, is a radio station programming format in which the disc jockey is given wide or total control over what music to play, regardless of music genre or commercial interests. Freeform radio stands in contrast to most commercial radio stations, in which DJs have little or no influence over programming structure or playlists. In the United States, freeform DJs are still bound by Federal Communications Commission regulations.
KJEB is a commercial radio station in Seattle, Washington. It broadcasts a classic hits radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The radio studios and offices are in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood northwest of downtown.
KCBS-FM is a commercial radio station in Los Angeles, California, serving Greater Los Angeles. It is owned by Audacy, Inc., and broadcasts an adult hits music format branded as "93.1 Jack FM".
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes songs from the top 40 music charts from the late 1960s to the early 2000s, with music from the 1980s serving as the core of the format. Music that was popularized by MTV in the early 1980s and the nostalgia behind it is a major driver to the format. It is considered the successor to the oldies format, a collection of top 40 songs from the late 1950s through the late 1970s that was once extremely popular in the United States and Canada. The term is sometimes incorrectly used as a synonym for the adult hits format, which uses a slightly newer music library stretching from all decades to the present with a major focus on 1990s and 2000s pop, rock and alternative songs. In addition, adult hits stations tend to have larger playlists, playing a given song only a few times per week, compared to the tighter libraries on classic hits stations. For example, KRTH, a classic hits station in Los Angeles, and KSPF, a classic hits station in Dallas, both play power songs up to 30 times a week or more, which is another differentiator compared to other formats that share songs with classic hits libraries.
A radio format or programming format describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at a time when radio was compelled to develop new and exclusive ways to programming by competition with television. The formula has since spread as a reference for commercial radio programming worldwide.
Urban adult contemporary, often abbreviated as urban AC or UAC, is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have hip hop music on their playlists, and generally include some mix of contemporary R&B and traditional R&B. Urban adult contemporary playlists generally consist of many different genres that originated amongst Black Americans including R&B, soul, funk, disco, jazz, pop, hip-hop, electro, quiet storm, gospel, new jack swing, and hip-hop soul.
WCBS-FM is a radio station owned and operated by Audacy, Inc. licensed to New York, New York, and broadcasting a classic hits format. The station's studios are in the combined Audacy facility in the Hudson Square neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, and its transmitter is located at the Empire State Building.
WBUF is a commercial radio station licensed to Buffalo, New York. Its studios are located at the Rand Building in downtown Buffalo, with its transmitter on Elmwood Avenue in North Buffalo. WBUF is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts a mainstream rock radio format known as "92.9 WBUF, Buffalo's Real Rock".
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.
WHTT-FM is a commercial radio station in Buffalo, New York, serving Western New York. It is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a classic hits format, calling itself "104.1 WHTT". The studios and offices are on James E. Casey Drive in Buffalo.
Variety is a radio format that plays music across numerous genres. Free-form variety is associated with a wide range of programming including talk, sports, and music from a wide spectrum. This format is usually found on smaller, non-commercial public broadcasting stations such as college radio, community radio or high school radio stations. If a variety-formatted station has a program director, that person exerts little if any influence on the music or other programming choices beyond the normal regulatory control required by that country's licensing regulations.
KGOR is a commercial radio station in Omaha, Nebraska, broadcasting a classic hits radio format. It is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., and licensed as iHM Licenses, LLC. The radio studios and offices are at North 50th Street and Underwood Avenue in Midtown Omaha.
WYNZ, is a commercial radio station licensed to South Portland, Maine, and serving the Portland metropolitan area. It is owned by Saga Communications and airs an adult hits radio format. The studios and offices are on Western Avenue in South Portland.
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet storm and rock influence. Adult contemporary is generally a continuation of the easy listening and soft rock style that became popular in the 1960s and 1970s with some adjustments that reflect the evolution of pop/rock music.
KQCJ is a commercial radio station, licensed to Cambridge, Illinois and serving the Quad Cities radio market. Known as "Planet 93.9" the station airs an alternative rock radio format. It is operated by Fletcher M. Ford, of Regional Media, a Virden Broadcasting Corporation. KQCJ's studios and offices are located in Davenport.
KSON is a commercial radio station licensed to San Diego, California. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station broadcasts a country music format.