Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?) - Idolator Comments

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

dcSteve — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 22:45:22 EST

Both Active Rock and Modern Rock stations play 99.9% major label rock, right? Do any of these stations play the latest say, Spoon cd, and more importantly would the listeners to a modern rock station change the dial if such a now indie artist came on? From Lee Abrams guidelines for late 70s AOR on through Clear Channel stations and their offshoots today, these stations seem to follow a very narrow formatting model. I am curious, as someone who has detested DC 101 since the '70s, has its percentage of the radio audience declined or increased over the years?

dcSteve

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

DoppleSeth — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 23:43:20 EST

@GovernmentNames: That's what the comment section is for right?!

DoppleSeth

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Al Shipley — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 08:47:05 EST

@So Not J.D.: Gah, you're right. I knew I probably had that wrong and meant to go back and check it but never did, sorry. Thanks for calling me on it.

Al Shipley

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

DoppleSeth — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 15:23:43 EDT

How about some fact checking. While Radio One is the local radio mega owner, they did and do not own what was known as 99.1 WHFS, that's been a CBS radio outfit, then Infinity, for a while. I don't think Radio One ever had their claws in that station whatsoever.

I remember that depressing day clearly. It was eerily foggy that night, I woke up discover that the only near listenable station in the area was gone, and was replaced with music I could not give a damn about.

DoppleSeth

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Al Shipley — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 05:09:43 EDT

@dennisobell: No apology necessary, I hope you took it as the light-hearted jab it was intended as. I might have to pick your brain directly sometime about the secrets behind your chart ninja prowess.

Al Shipley

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Chris Molanphy — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 01:55:59 EDT

Sorry 'bout the thunder-stealing comment. And for taking all day to write in (ugh, long day at work). Nice job as usual, Your Shipleyness.

I also totally, totally agree with you on the inevitable merging of the rock formats. Who are these program directors even kidding anymore?

@Cos: Wow, that...actually sounds like a playlist I'd love. More sensitive-'90s-guy altrock, less bro-rock, plus LCD Soundsystem? Sign me up!

Chris Molanphy

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

BawstonSean — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:26:29 EDT

I blame WFNX for all of my rock-snobbery. That was a seriously great station to grow up on, until they switched to the Kid-Bizkit-Roach-Park axis along the lines of 'BCN and 'AAF. Thit shit bloooooows.

BawstonSean

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

drjimmy11 — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:14:04 EDT

WHFS thrived with the '90s alt-rock explosion, hosting the massive HFStival every year and setting trends nationwide with its playlists.

When I moved to L.A. from Md., I realized to my horror that all the awfulness (bad music played over and over and over, obnoxious DJ's with "funny" names, somehow merging the worst aspects of both PC and frat-boy culture) of WHFS was merely a cheap imitation of the real worst radio station in the world, KROQ.

Hearing about 98 rock brings back some good memories though. Horrifically white-trashy as it may have been (and probably still is), it was the first place i ever heard Led Zeppelin.

drjimmy11

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Cos — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:55:46 EDT

Also, whenever I turn the dial back to KROQ, the playlist still sounds like 1998.

Cos

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Cos — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:54:53 EDT

I thought "alternative gold" better described Indie 103.1 in Los Angeles. It plays a lot of "alternative" stuff from the 80s-90s (Pixies, Pumpkins, Nirvana, no Sublime or RATM though) and some of the hipper, newer stuff that might not be blog-rock, but wouldn't feel out of place (Killers, LCD Soundsystem)

Cos

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Jay — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:34:09 EDT

I own and sometimes still wear that t-shirt. +1 cred for me.

Jay

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

El Zilcho! — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:37:28 EDT

We've had dueling Modern Rock and Active Rock stations up here in the northeast for the past decade or so between WBCN and WAAF. WBCN was the top dog for the longest time, until Opie and Anthony put WAAF on the map. In the late 90s-early 00s I'd say that the harder edged WAAF had the advantage, culminating with their breaking of Godsmack. WBCN seemed to be making a resurgence, but they pretty much do talk-radio on the afternoon drive, so it seems they've pretty much admitted defeat to WAAF, and aren't even trying to compete with them.

No matter. WFNX is by far the superior station in Boston, anyway.

El Zilcho!

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

enriquez the water bottle — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:30:06 EDT

@Audif Jackson Winters III: KROQ's still about the same.

enriquez the water bottle

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Audif Jackson Winters III — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:28:19 EDT

@GovernmentNames: Cool, I think that would be a great column.

Audif Jackson Winters III

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Al Shipley — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:20:02 EDT

@Audif Jackson Winters III: Good question, and one I've been holding off on addressing, probably to make it the focus of a future column. In general it feels like modern rock stations, even ones without the "alternative gold" angle, are leaning more and more on 90s oldies, I think more so than active rock or most non-rock formats, but I'll probably have to put together some solid playlist stats to cement that theory.

Al Shipley

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Audif Jackson Winters III — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:15:46 EDT

I'm not completely current on the state of terrestrial radio, but what's the status of the "alternative gold" format that was kicking around earlier this decade? When I left California about three years about KROQ in LA and FM94.9 in San Diego were both playing a hybrid of "alternative gold" and current alternative tracks, probably at at 75/25 ratio.

Audif Jackson Winters III

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Al Shipley — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:11:14 EDT

Guys, the word "arguably" it traditionally used to preempt the obvious objections to the statement being made.

Al Shipley

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Rob Murphy — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:06:50 EDT

@maura: @dickdogfood: There might be a little regionalism in GovernmentNames' assertion, but I can attest -- I was in DC [still am] during HFS' heyday, and yeah, they were HUGE in breaking new alterna-artists in the late-80's/early-90's. They were also well-known -- and much-appreciated -- for the love they showed to local artists, and not simply whomever the corporate suits were trying to push. And the HFStival was-and-still-is a big-deal music festival -- it's the largest annual music festival on the East Coast. More about the HFStival here:

[en.wikipedia.org]

Rob Murphy

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Diglett — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:58:45 EDT

But what happened after it switched over to Neil Diamond Parking Lot?

Diglett

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Jerkwheat — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:50:45 EDT

I had barely lived in the DC area for a few months when HFS went away - and now that I know who to properly blame...Fuck you DC101 and your "Smell My Face" mouth-breather listeners

Jerkwheat

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Dickdogfood — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:44:51 EDT

Damn, I was just gonna say WDRE/WLIR, too. STRONG ISLAND REPREZENT.

Dickdogfood

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Rob Murphy — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:33:55 EDT

Very well done. And I spat out my coffee when I read the last sentence.

Kudos!

Rob Murphy

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

Maura Johnston — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:33:08 EDT

WHFS, which was arguably the flagship modern-rock station of the East Coast

what about WDRE?

Maura Johnston

Just What Makes Modern Rock "Active"? (Or "Modern," For That Matter?)

bcapirigi — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:31:43 EDT

Here in Providence things went severely downhill about the turn of the millennium, when WBRU went from being the station that had never played Metallica or Creed to the station that suddenly did. And, okay, before that modern rock was also defined as Natalie Imbruglia and Robbie Williams, so it was kind of jarring.

Also, in all their print ads, the station (which is owned by Brown University, but is a commercial station, which led to all kinds of legal hullabaloo a while ago) still advertise themselves as the station to hear 311, Soundgarden, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Sublime. Way to stay modern, modern rock.

bcapirigi