Adult standards

Last updated February 04, 2024

Adult standards (also sometimes known as the nostalgia or Big Band format^[1]) is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.

Adult standards started in the 1950s and is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those people over 50 years of age,^[2] but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens. It is primarily on AM because market research reveals that only persons in that age group listen to music on AM in sizable numbers. Adult standards first became a popular format in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a way to reach mature adults who came of age before the rock era but were perhaps too mature for adult contemporary radio or too young for beautiful music or MOR stations. A typical adult standards playlist includes traditional pop music by artists such as Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, some easy listening numbers from Roger Whittaker and others, and softer tunes from the oldies and adult contemporary music formats.

As originally conceived, the format features big band music, particularly from the 1940s and 1950s,^[1] though most modern stations eschew that genre. Younger artists who record in the big-band era style, such as Harry Connick Jr., or Diana Krall, may be played as well. The term "standards" in the format's title is a reference to the standard, a song that is covered extensively by many artists over a prolonged period of time; adult standards may play true standards but are not limited to them.

According to Nielsen Audio, there were 129 stations with adult standards/MOR as format in 2016.^[3]^: 95 Because the adult standards audience has increased in age to the point where many of its listeners have either died or are no longer attractive to advertisers, the format as it is known today (much like the contemporary decline of oldies and smooth jazz formats, along with the earlier demise of easy listening) is likely to die out. Most independently programmed former adult standards stations have transitioned to other formats such as oldies, classic hits, or adult contemporary music that have similar music but skew toward more modern songs.

Satellite delivered formats

Only about a handful of adult standards stations today are live and locally programmed around-the-clock. Many have affiliated with nationally distributed satellite formats to cut costs; due to advertiser perceptions about the audiences these stations primarily target, a large number of adult standards stations have trouble selling airtime to advertisers, which makes them unprofitable. For example, KIXI 880 AM, serving the Seattle market and KKIN 930 AM, serving Aitkin, terminated its local airstaff to affiliate with the Music of Your Life network. Many others have simply dumped the format altogether, often for all-talk or all-sports formats, oldies, or other formats deemed by management more profitable than standards.

Music of Your Life is an adult standards format that probably more than any other source defined the format. Music of Your Life, was founded by Al Ham in 1978 and boasts a roster of well-known personalities including Peter Marshall, Steve March-Torme, son of the legendary crooner, Mel Tormé, big band leader Les Brown, Jr., radio veteran Al Hardee, Lorri Hafer, daughter of founder Al Ham, and weekend host Pat Boone. Following an internal shakeup in 2008, business developer, Marc Angell took over the fledgling network and moved the company's broadcasting operations to Denver, Colorado, under a distribution deal with Clear Channel Satellite. Music of Your Life is currently distributed by Music of Your Life, Inc. a publicly traded company listed on the OTC markets under the ticker symbol, MYLI, and is distributed to AM, FM, and HD radio stations using the Barix system.

Dial Global (formerly part of Westwood One) has an adult standards format distributed via satellite; Dial Global's is called "Adult Standards" (known on-air as "America's Best Music"). Prior to 2010, ABC distributed Stardust/Timeless Classics/Timeless. Stardust/Timeless Classics was consolidated with a middle-of-the-road format owned by ABC—Unforgettable Favorites/Memories—in 2006, creating Timeless. Westwood One originally called its format AM Only and for a time, as the name suggests, offered the format only to AM stations; today, a handful of FM stations also air Westwood One's format.

While Music of Your Life has not eliminated all of the big-band and traditional pop music from its playlist, Westwood One and ABC dropped much of the older music in favor of softer pop and rock oldies from the 1960s and 1970s top 40 era and a good deal of soft AC material as well. Under Dial Global, some of the older-style songs are making a comeback on the Westwood One format. ABC discontinued its Timeless service early in 2010; that same year, Music of Your Life added more 1960s oldies to its playlist.

iHeartMedia's Format Lab also features at least two adult standards formats.

Adult standards terrestrial stations

Some noteworthy AM & FM radio stations featuring the adult standards format today include:

Call sign	Frequency	City of License	Additional Notes
CFZM	740 AM	Toronto, Ontario	Believed to be the only remaining adult standards-formatted station in North America broadcasting on a 50,000-watt clear channel signal. Selections are announced on air. Has a strong international following.
CJNU-FM	107.9 FM	Winnipeg, Manitoba
CJWL-FM	98.5 FM	Ottawa, Ontario	The "Jewel"-branded stations have recently moved more toward Soft AC and identify with the moniker "Refreshing Lite Hits." However, traditional Standards are still played at night.
CKDX-FM	88.5 FM	Newmarket, Ontario	The "Jewel"-branded stations have recently moved more toward Soft AC and identify with the moniker "Refreshing Lite Hits." However, traditional Standards are still played at night.
CKHK-FM	107.7 FM	Hawkesbury, Ontario	The "Jewel"-branded stations have recently moved more toward Soft AC and identify with the moniker "Refreshing Lite Hits." However, traditional Standards are still played at night.
CKPC-FM	92.1 FM	Brantford, Ontario	The "Jewel"-branded stations have recently moved more toward Soft AC and identify with the moniker "Refreshing Lite Hits." However, traditional Standards are still played at night.
KDKK	97.5 FM	Park Rapids, Minnesota
KKIN	930 AM	Aitkin, Minnesota	Since August 4, 2014, the station has switched to a sports format with a syndication of NBC Sports Radio. Since August 1, 2017, the station has returned to the adult standards format once again.
KIXI	880 AM	Seattle, Washington	50 kW daytime, 10 kW nights.
KJIM K267CB	1500 AM 101.3 FM	Sherman, Texas	The station is owned by Bob Mark Allen Productions, Inc. and is an affiliate of CBS News Radio, NOAA Weather Radio, Westwood One, and America's Best Music. As of 2021, the station had partially leaned into a formula of Soft AC/Gold-based AC, but still remains its Adult Standards format.
KQLH-LP	92.5 LPFM	Yucaipa, California	KQLH-LP (92.5 FM) is a low-power FM radio station branded as "Studio 92.5 FM". The station is operated by Arrowhead Radio Alliance of the Inland Empire broadcasting an Adult Standards Nostalgia Oldies music format. This station is licensed in Yucaipa, California. It can also be heard on Alex and online at MyKQLH.com
KWXY	1340 AM 92.3FM	Palm Springs, California
KZQX	100.3 FM	Tatum, Texas
WABF	1480 AM	Mobile, Alabama
WBNJ	91.9 FM	Barnegat, New Jersey
WEBR	1440 AM	Niagara Falls, New York	Adopted the format in 2020. A revival of a station with the same call sign and format previously used on what is now WDCZ from 1924 to 1993. Shifted to a more MOR-influenced playlist in 2021 but retains a traditional standards format on weekends.
WJEJ	1240 AM	Hagerstown, Maryland
WJIB	740 AM	Cambridge/Boston, Massachusetts	"The Memories Station", Bob Bittner, Owner
WKHR	91.5 FM	Cleveland, Ohio	Owned by the Kenston Local School District and programmed by both community volunteers and Kenston High School students
WLEC	1450 AM	Sandusky, Ohio	Airs Dial Global Local's The Lounge format
WLHC	103.1 FM	Sanford, North Carolina
WMBS	590 AM	Uniontown, Pennsylvania
WRIV	1390 AM	Riverhead, New York
WTLO	1480 AM	Somerset, Kentucky	Since 1958, WTLO has stood for "We're The Local Ones" and prides itself on a live "Buy/Sell/Trade" show airing Monday through Saturday, and playing Adult Standards throughout the day.

Satellite radio

Moving into the 21st Century, adult standards have been given a lift as a format by new media, such as:

Sirius XM Channel 5, The 50s on 5 , playing some older pre-rock-and-roll-era music along with some newer rock-and-roll hits from the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Sirius XM Radio 70, Siriusly Sinatra (formerly entitled Standard Time before February 2007)
XM Satellite Radio 40s Junction , XM Satellite Radio Channel 73

Related Research Articles

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Oldies is a term for musical genres such as pop music, rock and roll, doo-wop, surf music 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KIXI</span> Adult standards/oldies radio station in Mercer Island/Seattle, Washington

KIXI is a radio station licensed to Mercer Island/Seattle, Washington. It operates 24 hours a day with a daytime power of 50,000 watts and a nighttime power of 10,000 watts from a transmitter in Mercer Slough Nature Park in Bellevue, where studios are also located.

CIDR-FM is a commercial radio station in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, targeting the Detroit–Windsor metropolitan area, with fringe reception into Toledo and Cedar Point/Sandusky in Ohio. It is owned and operated by Bell Media and airs a Top 40/CHR format. The studios and offices are located on Ouellette Avenue in Windsor.

WOKY is a commercial AM radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. It is one of two sports radio stations owned by iHeart in Milwaukee. WRNW 97.3 FM focuses on Wisconsin-based sports shows, while WOKY 920 mostly airs national programs from Fox Sports Radio, including Dan Patrick and Colin Cowherd. WOKY's studios and offices, which became the home of all iHeart Milwaukee stations in 2000 after a building expansion, are on West Howard Avenue in Greenfield.

WLEC – branded as 1450 AM WLEC – is a commercial oldies/full service radio station licensed to Sandusky, Ohio. Owned by Fremont-based BAS Broadcasting, the station serves the Sandusky/Port Clinton/Lake Erie Islands market, including Erie, Ottawa, and Huron counties.

WMTR is an American AM radio station owned by Beasley Broadcast Group. It is licensed to Morristown, New Jersey and serves Morris County and surrounding areas. The station features "The Morning Team" featuring Alan David Stein, Ginny Otte for middays, and Rich DeSisto for afternoon drive. From July through December 2008, WMTR employed a satellite oldies format, playing music from mostly 1964 to 1979. The Classic Oldies format was reinstated after Christmas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WOLS</span> Radio station in Waxhaw–Charlotte, North Carolina

WOLS is a Spanish-language FM radio station broadcasting at a frequency of 106.1 MHz serving the Charlotte, North Carolina market. Its programming consists of music and other material distributed by "La Raza," the Regional Mexican radio network.

WKTZ is an American radio station licensed to serve Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Established in 1958, the station is currently owned and operated by the American Family Association, and is that organization's only station on the AM band.

WXLA is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Dimondale, a suburb of Lansing, Michigan. It is owned by MacDonald Broadcasting and airs a soft adult contemporary radio format. It uses the branding "Easy 93.3". The dial position refers to WXLA's FM translator, W227DO at 93.3 MHz in Lansing.

Timeless was a 24-hour satellite music service of Citadel Media. It has distributed a mix of soft oldies and adult standards to radio stations around the United States. It was a combination of two former formats: gold-based adult contemporary Unforgettable Favorites and adult standards Timeless Classics/Timeless Favorites. Since 2007, it was simply known as "Timeless", still using the "Timeless Favorites" branding sparingly.

America's Best Music is the on-air branding of a soft oldies and adult standards 24-hour radio network, formerly known as AM Only. The service is syndicated by Westwood One, a subsidiary of Cumulus Media. It was one of the original Transtar Radio Networks formats. Despite its old name of AM Only, "America's Best Music" is no longer exclusive to AM stations and is carried on some FM stations.

WNWZ is a radio station broadcasting an urban contemporary format, licensed to Grand Rapids, Michigan.

WEST is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Easton, Pennsylvania, and serving the Lehigh Valley. It airs a rhythmic contemporary format, simulcast with AM 1600 WHOL. Both stations are owned by Lee L'Heureux, Patrick Cerullo, and Andrea Cerullo, through licensee Major Keystone LLC. Studios and offices are on Colorado Street in Allentown.

WIZR is a radio station that broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format. Licensed to Johnstown, New York, United States, the station serves the Mohawk Valley area. The station is owned by the Cranesville Radio Network and features hit songs from the 1990s until today.

KXEZ is a commercial FM radio station broadcasting a Classic Country radio format supplied by satellite service Dial Global. The station is licensed to Farmersville, Texas, and primarily serves suburbs north and east of Dallas. KXEZ's signal is weak to nonexistent in most of the city of Dallas.

WYLF is a commercial AM radio station in Penn Yan, New York, serving the Finger Lakes region of New York and the Rochester metropolitan area. The station airs a soft adult contemporary fed by Local Radio Networks, and airs the syndicated Intelligence For Your Life with John Tesh program at night. The station also features news updates from ABC Radio News.

WTOC is a radio station licensed to Newton, New Jersey. Owned by Centro Biblico of NJ, Inc. with a Spanish-language Christian format. Until August 17, 2011, they aired an oldies music format with songs from the 1960s and 1970s along with a small number of oldies from 1955 to 1964 and a small number of hits from the 1980s, a full-time affiliate of Scott Shannon's True Oldies Channel from ABC Radio. The station was owned by Clear Channel Communications from 2001 until 2011. From the station's 1953 sign-on until July 1, 2008, the radio station was known as WNNJ.

The Lounge was a 24-hour music network produced by Dial Global and distributed under their Dial Global Local brand. The network's tag line was Great Songs and Stars. The format was discontinued on June 17, 2012, as part of a corporate reorganization by Dial Global which resulted in the elimination of the Dial Global Local brand and the absorption of most of the other DG Local formats into the main Dial Global portfolio.

Classic Hits is a 24-hour music format produced by Westwood One. Its playlist is composed of oldies music from the mid-1960s to mid-1980s, from artists such as Billy Joel, The Beatles, The Temptations, Fleetwood Mac, Hall and Oates and dozens more artists mainly targeted at listeners 45–54. It was known as The Oldies Channel until they changed their name to "Kool Gold" to avoid confusion with the ABC Radio/Citadel Media "The True Oldies Channel". It was branded as Kool Gold Timeless Classics as part of Dial Global's revamped satellite format group, but has then reverted to its original Kool Gold ident to avoid confusion with Citadel's former Timeless format, which once used the "Timeless Classics" positioner.

References

1 2 "Radio Station Format Guide". New York Radio Guide. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
↑ Smith, F. Leslie; Ostroff, David H.; Wright, John W. (31 May 2023). Perspectives on Radio and Television: Telecommunication in the United States. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-93880-7 . Retrieved 3 February 2024.
↑ Hendricks, John Allen; Mims, Bruce (2018). The radio station: broadcasting, podcasting, and streaming (10 ed.). New York/London: Routledge. ISBN 9781351816335.

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[nyr-1] 1 2 "Radio Station Format Guide". New York Radio Guide. Retrieved 2024-02-03.

[2] Smith, F. Leslie; Ostroff, David H.; Wright, John W. (31 May 2023). Perspectives on Radio and Television: Telecommunication in the United States. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-93880-7 . Retrieved 3 February 2024.

[3] Hendricks, John Allen; Mims, Bruce (2018). The radio station: broadcasting, podcasting, and streaming (10 ed.). New York/London: Routledge. ISBN 9781351816335.

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