 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(November 2024) |
Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada. [1]
| | This article needs additional citations for verification .(November 2024) |
Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada. [1]
Mainstream rock stations represent a cross between classic rock, active rock and alternative rock on the programming spectrum, in that they play more classic rock songs from the 1970s and 1980s and fewer songs from emerging acts than active rock and alternative rock stations, and only rarely play songs on the softer edge of the classic rock format or the harder edge of the active rock format. They program a balanced airplay of tracks found on active rock, alternative rock and classic rock playlists, but the music playlist tends to focus on charting hard rock music from the 1970s through the 2000s.
Mainstream rock is the true successor to the widespread album-oriented rock (AOR) format created in the 1970s. However, mainstream rock can be used as a modernized update of classic rock if any radio station playlist has to cut back on some active rock artists and songs due to ratings and popularity demand, which is an absolute variable in each local market by each state and each franchised or locally owned radio company operation. To this day, there are a select few mainstream rock programmed stations that will purposely play any new rock artist while keeping the classics involved, which sits on a borderline scale being influenced by active rock strongly. Meanwhile, some stations consist of playing all 40 years worth of rock hits, ranging from classic hard rock and hair metal artists all the way to 2000s hard rock and metal artists, the format is an open variable. Acts that receive heavy airplay on classic rock stations, including The Beatles, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Eagles, or Supertramp receive some airplay on mainstream rock stations, albeit less frequently than acts like Green Day, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, or Alice in Chains. Classic hard rock artists of the mid to late 1970s to the late 1980s as well as all of the 1990s alternative and grunge artists completely highlight what mainstream rock is. It is less common to hear many newer rock artists.
Mainstream rock has evolved into a sequel for the classic rock radio format. It has begun to remove hard rock and metal artists that are from the early 2000's as well as the 2010's on some rock radio stations, to avoid overlapping into the Active Rock format. This is a following trend since almost all classic rock stations rarely play harder songs and artists within their format.
Outside the United States and Canada, mainstream rock refers generally to rock music deemed "radio friendly". It very rarely is referred to as a specific radio format.
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.
Classic rock is a radio format that developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, it comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid-1990s, primarily focusing on commercially successful blues rock and hard rock popularized in the 1970s AOR format. The radio format became increasingly popular with the baby boomer demographic by the end of the 1990s.
College rock is rock music that played on student-run university and college campus radio stations located in the United States and Canada in the 1980s and 1990s. The stations' playlists were often created by students who avoided the mainstream rock played on commercial radio stations.
Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, hip hop, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of Black genres such as R&B, pop-rap, quiet storm, urban adult contemporary, hip hop, Latin music such as Latin pop, Chicano R&B and Chicano rap, and Caribbean music such as reggae and soca. Urban contemporary was developed through the characteristics of genres such as R&B and soul.
Modern rock is an umbrella term used to describe rock music that is found on college and commercial rock radio stations. Some radio stations use this term to distinguish themselves from classic rock, which is based in 1960s–1980s rock music.
Album-oriented rock is an FM radio format created in the United States in the late 1960s that focuses on the full repertoire of rock albums and is currently associated with classic rock.
Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country and western music hits from past decades.
WAXQ is a commercial radio station licensed to New York, New York. It airs a classic rock format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. WAXQ's studios are at 125 West 55th Street in Midtown Manhattan. DJs heard on WAXQ include radio veterans Carol Miller and Jim Kerr. The station's transmitter is located at the Empire State Building.
WDVD is a hot adult contemporary radio station in Detroit, Michigan. Owned and operated by Cumulus Media, WDVD's studios and offices are located in the Fisher Building in Detroit's New Center district near downtown, while its transmitter is located in Royal Oak Township at 8 Mile Road and Wyoming Avenue.
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock stations play a balance of new hard rock songs with valued classic rock favorites, normally with an emphasis on the harder edge of mainstream rock and album-oriented rock.
KJKJ is an American commercial active rock radio station serving Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States. It first began broadcasting in 1985. The station is currently owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and the station's broadcast license is held by iHM Licenses, LLC. KJKJ primarily competes with Leighton Broadcasting's classic rock 1590 KGFK/95.7 K239BG/97.5 K248DH "Rock 95".
WPBZ-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Rensselaer, New York, and serving the Capital District, including the Albany-Schenectady-Troy radio market. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and airs a hot adult contemporary radio format. The studios and offices are on Kings Road in Schenectady.
KTDD is an FM radio station licensed to Eatonville, Washington, and serving the southern Puget Sound region including Tacoma. KTDD is owned by 247 Media and carries a Contemporary Worship radio format. The station holds periodic fundraisers to support the on-air ministry.
WOZZ is a mainstream rock radio station licensed to Mosinee, Wisconsin, serving the Wausau, Wisconsin, market. The station is owned and operated by Duke Wright's Midwest Communications and operates at an ERP of 50,000 watts. The station simulcasts on translator W275AC, licensed to Wausau.
KTEG is a radio station broadcasting an alternative rock format. Licensed to Santa Fe, New Mexico, it serves the Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.. Its studios are located in Northeast Albuquerque and the transmitter tower is located west of Los Alamos, New Mexico.
WGIR-FM is a commercial radio station in Manchester, New Hampshire, airing a mainstream rock radio format, branded as Rock 101. The station serves the Merrimack Valley area and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., America's largest owner of radio stations. Weekdays begin with the comedy radio show Greg and the Morning Buzz, hosted by Greg Kretschmar. It is shared with co-owned WHEB in Portsmouth, and also heard on WLKZ in Wolfeboro. The rest of the day, local DJs are heard. On Sunday nights, WGIR-FM carries the syndicated radio show The House of Hair with Dee Snider.
WBFX is a radio station broadcasting an oldies format, serving the Grand Rapids, Michigan market and owned and operated by iHeartMedia. The studios and offices are located at 77 Monroe Center in Downtown Grand Rapids while its transmitter is located near 5 Mile Rd and Lincoln Lake Ave northeast of Grand Rapids.
Adult album alternative is a radio format. Its roots trace to both the "classic album stations of the ’70s as well as the alternative rock format that developed in the ’80s." The format is typically heard on non-commercial educational stations.
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.
Christian adult contemporary, also known as Christian AC or CAC, is a form of radio-played contemporary Christian music, ranging from 1960s Jesus music and 1970s Christian soft rock music to predominately worship-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, CCM, gospel, Christian R&B, quiet storm and Christian rock influence. Primarily in the United States and Canada, Christian adult contemporary radio stations cater to a mostly adult audience and are similar to mainstream adult contemporary stations in that they play hits often and for long periods of time. Christian adult contemporary is generally a continuation of the easy listening and soft rock style Jesus music that became popular in the 1960s and 1970s with some adjustments that reflect the evolution of Christian pop/rock music.
| Components | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genres by decade of origin (sub-subgenres not included) | |||||||||||||
| Regional scenes |
| ||||||||||||
| Radio formats | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| Related | |||||||||||||
