Classic hip hop

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Classic hip hop is a music radio format focusing primarily on hip hop music from the 1980s, 1990s, and the early to mid-2000s.

Contents

Although stations with such a format date back as far as 2004, the format was first popularized in October 2014, after Radio One dropped a poorly performing news radio format from its Houston station KROI in favor of classic hip-hop. After attracting a dramatic increase in ratings, Radio One began to emulate the station's format and branding in other markets. At the same time, other major radio broadcasters began to introduce classic hip-hop stations in selected markets.

Format and targeting

Doug Abernethy, general manager of Radio One's Houston stations, described the classic hip hop format as a parallel to the classic rock and classic country formats: these stations focus primarily on hip hop music from the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, featuring artists such as 2Pac, De La Soul, Mike Jones, LL Cool J, Ludacris, The Notorious B.I.G., Queen Latifah, and Salt-N-Pepa. Some stations may include small amounts of R&B in their playlists as well. [1] [2]

Classic hip-hop stations are aimed primarily at listeners between the ages of 25 and 44; Tommy Boy Records founder Tom Silverman explained that hip hop had "entered the realm of credible nostalgia", going on to say that "I'm sure there are kids now who think 3 Feet High and Rising by De La Soul is a rite of passage, just like Led Zeppelin is". [1] [2] The format also appeals to listeners who may not enjoy contemporary hip-hop: iHeartMedia senior vice president Doc Wynter explained that "hip-hop back then was about telling a story about your struggle and your family's struggle. Now the reigning hip-hop king is a multiracial guy from Toronto who did not struggle." [1] [2]

History

Origins

The classic hip-hop format dates back to 2004, when KZAB, a Spanish-language FM station serving the Los Angeles area, was re-launched as KDAY. The re-launched station served to capitalize on the heritage of the original KDAY on the AM dial (now KBLA), which in the 1980s was the first radio station in the United States to play hip-hop music on a full-time basis. After the station's sale to Fred Sands in 1991, the station dropped hip-hop and switched to business news. The new KDAY originally focused primarily on classic hip-hop music: over the following years, it backtracked on its gold-based format, before reinstating it in 2009. The station's initial success was hampered primarily by its signal, which did not cover all of Greater Los Angeles (a rebroadcaster, KDEY-FM, was also established to improve the station's reach in the Inland Empire), along with the music itself, as hip-hop music from the 1990s was not yet nostalgic to listeners. [3] [4]

However, the new KDAY still enjoyed a cult following: after it was announced that KDAY would be acquired by the Meruelo Group, owners of Spanish-language television station KWHY-TV, it was speculated that the station would drop hip-hop and revert to a Spanish-language format to complement KWHY-TV. Following the establishment of a "Save KDAY" campaign on Facebook led by Dr. Dre (who was among the artists popularized by the original KDAY), the station's new owners confirmed that they would maintain the hip-hop format, citing the "value" of the KDAY brand, along with plans to broaden the station's audience to include Hispanic listeners. [3] [5] [4]

Mainstream adoption

On October 13, 2014, after having dropped a low-rated all-news radio format five days prior in favor of all-Beyoncé music as a stunt, the Houston radio station KROI, owned by the urban-oriented radio group Radio One, launched a classic hip-hop format branded as "Boom 92". Radio One stated that the format was the first of its kind among major-market stations in the United States, and would serve to complement its other urban-oriented music stations in the market. [1] Listenership of the new format saw a dramatic improvement over its previous all-news format: the following month, KROI improved its audience share of 0.9, 26th place among Houston stations, to 3.2, 14th place in the market. [6]

In response to its success, Radio One began to flip further stations to the Boom format and brand, including Philadelphia's WPHI-FM and Dallas' KSOC. At the same time, other station groups, including iHeartMedia, Cumulus Media, Univision Radio, and Cox Media Group, began to slowly introduce classic hip-hop formats of their own. In November 2014, WTZA became the first station in the Atlanta market to adopt classic hip-hop; a few days later, both Cumulus Media's W250BC and Radio One's W275BK flipped as well, with the latter using the Boom branding. [2] [7] [8] Some stations, over the 2014 holiday season, shifted towards classic hip-hop as a temporary format. [2]

Edison Research analyst Sean Ross compared the growth of classic hip-hop to the emergence of classic rock, which came during a similar youth-oriented shift in mainstream rock towards glam metal bands and grunge. [2] [4]

KROI's success was short-lived; by December 2016, it had fallen back towards a 1.4 share. In January 2017, KROI would drop its classic hip-hop format in favor of contemporary hit radio. [9] [10]

List of stations airing the format

Station nameBrandLocationRef
K242CE "Throwback 96.3" New Orleans, Louisiana
KDAY/KDEY-FM "93.5 KDAY" Redondo Beach, California-Ontario, California
KHYL "V101" Sacramento, California
KJMP "Jump 104.5" Pierce, Colorado
K276EX "V103" Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
KNEV "95.5 The Vibe" Reno, Nevada
KWCQ "107.3 The Beat" Kennewick, Washington
KRBQ "102 Jams" San Francisco, California
KSZR "97.5 The Vibe" Tucson, Arizona
KUBT-HD2 "Jamz Hawaii" Honolulu, Hawaii
KVBH "Vibe 107.5" San Antonio, Texas
KVGQ "106.9 Da Bomb" Las Vegas, Nevada
KZFS "Hooptown 101.5" Spokane, Washington
KZCE "101.1 The Bounce" Phoenix, Arizona
WWWQ-HD3 "OG 97.9" Atlanta, Georgia
WBMX "104.3 Jams" Chicago, Illinois
WCHZ-FM ""Hot 95.5/93.1" Augusta, Georgia
WFQY "BDay 99.1" Jackson, Mississippi
WGBL "G96.7" Gulfport, Mississippi
WHBT-FM "92.1 The Beat" Norfolk, Virginia
WHJA "Power 101.1" Hattiesburg, Mississippi
WJNI-HD2 "Old Skool 92.1" Charleston, South Carolina
WKCN-HD3 "Hip Hop 106.5" Columbus, Georgia
WKXD-HD2 "93.3 The Dawg" Monterey, Tennessee
WJMP "Jump 103.7" Plattsburgh, New York
WLLY-HD3 "Yo! 107.1" West Palm Beach, Florida
WMGC-FM "105.1 The Bounce" Detroit, Michigan
WMIB-HD3 "Throwback 105.5" Miami, Florida
W239BT/W240CP "95.9 The Vibe" Glasgow, Kentucky-Bowling Green, Kentucky
WPOW-FM "Power 96" Miami, Florida
WQKI-FM "Jamz 95.7" Orangeburg, South Carolina
WQKS-HD2 "Yo! 100.5" Montgomery, Alabama
WSIM-HD2 "Jamz 107.5" Florence, South Carolina
WUKS "107.7 The Bounce" St. Pauls, North Carolina
WXBK "94.7 The Block" New York, New York
WXGI/WTPS "99.5 & 102.7 The Box" Richmond, Virginia-Petersburg, Virginia
WMMS-HD3 "Throwback 99.1" Cleveland, Ohio
WXKC-HD2 "104.3 The Vibe" Erie, Pennsylvania
WMQZ "ICON 104.1" Colchester, Illinois
WZOE-FM "ICON 98.1" Princeton, Illinois
WRUB "106.5 & 102.9 The Beat" Sarasota, Florida-Tampa, Florida
WJHM "102 JAMZ" Daytona Beach-Greater Orlando-Central Florida

Satellite radio stations

Networks

List of former stations airing the format

Station nameBrandLocationEndedNew genreRef
CFXJ-FM "Flow 93-5" Toronto, Ontario February 2016 Rhythmic AC, then rhythmic CHR
K240EL "Hot 95.9" Austin, Texas May 2024Classic country
K246BR "Hot 97.1" Honolulu, Hawaii August 2016All-80's hits
K223AL "Power 92.5" Reno, Nevada May 2018Country music
K256AS "99.1 Jamz" Honolulu, Hawaii November 2019Asian CHR
K273BH "Hot 102.5" Minneapolis, Minnesota February 2018Urban
K277CX "G103.3" San Antonio, Texas June 2020Rhythmic contemporary
KENZ "94.9 The Vibe" Salt Lake City, Utah January 2017Top 40/CHR
KFVR-FM "94.7 & 93.9 The Beat" Pueblo, Colorado September 2017 Tejano music
KJZN "Rewind 105.5" Fresno, California January 2017 Soft AC
KKRG-FM "Yo! 105.1 FM" Albuquerque, New Mexico October 2017Christmas music
KLIF-FM "Hot 93.3" Dallas, Texas 2014 Urban contemporary, then top 40/CHR (Hot 93.3 aired for the 2014 holiday season)
KMJM-FM "100.3 The Beat" St. Louis, Missouri September 2016Urban contemporary
KMYO "Yo! 95.1" San Antonio, Texas April 2017Previous Spanish top 40/CHR format
KRBQ "Q102" San Francisco, California August 2019Rhythmic oldies
KROI "Boom 92" Houston, Texas January 2017Top 40/CHR
KPPF "Blazin 98.5" Monument, Colorado
KRUZ "106.3 Spin FM" Oxnard, California June 2019Top 40/CHR [11] [12]
KWQW "98.3 The Vibe" Des Moines, Iowa May 2021Top 40/CHR
KSOC "Boom 94.5" Dallas, Texas September 2017Urban AC
W271BN "Power 102.1" Birmingham, Alabama
W272BY "102.3 The Beat" Cincinnati, Ohio March 2016 Mainstream urban
W275BD "Boom 102.9" Indianapolis, Indiana July 2018Defunct; Regional Mexican
W275BK "Boom 102.9" Atlanta, Georgia December 2017Urban oldies
W282CA "G 104.3" Richmond, Virginia May 2021Country
W288CX "Throwback 105.5" Columbia, South Carolina February 2021Black-oriented news
WBMO "Boom 106.3" Columbus, Ohio November 2017Simulcast of sister station WCKX
WCFB "Star 94.5" Daytona Beach, Florida November 2014Previous Urban AC format (Classic hip hop aired for three weeks)
WGHL "G 105.1" Louisville, Kentucky August 2018Modern rock
WGVX "105 The Vibe" Minneapolis, Minnesota November 2018Christmas music, then soft AC
WIVG "Bumpin' 96" (formerly "Boomin' 96") Memphis, Tennessee February 2016 Alternative rock
WJKS "Kiss 104.3" Keeseville, New York June 2020Country
WJMP "Jump 97.1" Knoxville, Tennessee December 2021Urban contemporary
WJXN-FM "G100.9" Jackson, Mississippi February 2021Adult hits
WKEZ "Z98.7" Bluefield, Virginia November 2019Christmas music, then soft AC
WKIM "98.9 The Vibe" Memphis, Tennessee October 2017Christmas music
WNGY "G 102.3" Peoria, Illinois December 2019Rhythmic AC
WPHI-FM "Boom 103.9" Philadelphia, Pennsylvania December 2019Urban contemporary
WPHI-FM "Boom 107.9" Philadelphia, Pennsylvania September 2016Urban contemporary gospel
WQKS-HD3 "Yo! 107.1" Montgomery, Alabama Format revived in 2014 on sister WQKS-HD2
WRNN (AM) "G 105.5" Myrtle Beach, South Carolina May 2018Classic country
WRWM "93.9 The Beat" Indianapolis, Indiana Rhythmic AC, then top 40/CHR
WSOL-FM "V101.5" Jacksonville, Florida December 2019Urban AC
WLOR "98.1 The Beat" Huntsville, Alabama June 2020Urban contemporary
WTMP "AM 1150" Tampa, Florida
WTSL "Hot 97.5" Hanover, New Hampshire July 2022Adult contemporary
WTZA "Old School 99.3" Atlanta, Georgia Went off air due to interference complaints from WCON-FM; later moved to WTBS-LP and flipped to urban oldies
WXYY "G100" Savannah, Georgia February 2023Rhythmic contemporary
WBBF "98.9 The Vibe" Buffalo, New York July 2023Top 40 (CHR)

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Former news station turns to 'classic hip-hop'". Houston Chronicle. 2014-10-13. Retrieved 2014-11-02.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sisario, Ben (16 December 2014). "Classic Hip-Hop Is Spreading on the Radio Dial". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-12-25.
  3. 1 2 "Could Dr. Dre save KDAY?". LA Weekly . Retrieved 2015-01-11.
  4. 1 2 3 Ross, Sean (12 November 2014). "Classic Rock and Classic Rap". Edison Research. Retrieved 2015-01-08.
  5. ↑ "Classic L.A. hip-hop station KDAY sold to Meruelo Media". Los Angeles Times. 2013-12-11. Retrieved 2015-01-11.
  6. ↑ "KROI (92.1 FM) announces format change, lays off 47 workers". Houston Chronicle. 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2014-11-02.
  7. ↑ "Boom! Atlanta Gains Third Classic Hip-Hop Signal". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved 2014-12-26.
  8. ↑ "Classic hip-hop OG 97.9 replaces Q100 at 97.9, then 102.9 went Boom!". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2014-12-25.
  9. ↑ "KROI/Houston Flips To Top 40 'Radio Now 92.1'". All Access. Retrieved 2018-11-20.
  10. ↑ "Boom! Radio Now 92.1 Debuts In Houston". RadioInsight. 2017-01-05. Retrieved 2018-11-20.
  11. ↑ Venta, Lance (2019-06-30). "KVYB Moves To 106.3 (Without Bothering To Tell Anyone); KRUZ Prepares For Rebirth". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  12. ↑ "KVYB (103.3 The Vibe)/Oxnard-Ventura And Santa Barbara Flips To Classic Hits KRUZ 103.3". All Access. All Access Music Group. 2019-07-01. Retrieved 2019-07-02.
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