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November 22, 2006

The songs on the radio still suck, I'm afraid

($1 to Bill Mallonee for the post title.)

If his blogspace still existed, I would link to one of my quiz-game mates' laments on the demise of 96rock, the legendary Atlanta rock radio station, in favor of a ClearChannel monstrosity called "Project 9-6-1", which has a playlist that concentrates on current rock but pulls the odd AC/DC or Led Zepplin or Aerosmith track out of its hind end occasionally.

Looking at the Atlanta radio ratings, it's not entirely clear why ClearChannel made this move on first glance. WKLS was (as of this summer) the best-performing ClearChannel station of the lot, trailing WSRV (97.1, The River) which really is more of an oldies station than a classic-rock station, but outperforming the other over-programmed radio project of the day, WZGC (92.9, davefm), and outstripping the modern rock options WBZY (105.3 The Blitz) and WNNX (99X) by significant and substantial margins, respectively.

It didn't make sense until yesterday evening (after a particularly bummer day at school), driving home and doing my standard flipping. The flip to 105.3 I didn't think much of until I heard the words "Project 9-6-1" muttered over the radio.

105.3 is also ClearChannel owned, I remember.

Oh crap.

I bounced to 96.1. Commercial. I waited out the commercial (checking news and other radio all the while), until I heard a song on 96.1 - Stone Sour's "Through Glass", a good cut, by the way. (Memo to pastors who like YouTube: The video to that song does not suck.)

After a few seconds, I flipped to 105.3. The SAME EXACT SONG.

And yes, as I do the research now, it is in fact true: 105.3 is simulcasting the new Project 9-6-1.

So, you have two radio stations that ClearChannel owns whose personalities are being folded into one, attempting to be all things to all listeners and pleasing them even less of the time than before. It might well help them in the ratings. Every other way conceivable, it's a raw deal.

Satellite radio sounds better to me all the dang time.

Posted by Chuck at November 22, 2006 08:15 PM

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