It seems like every few years, a new format flavor of the year comes rolling along, racking up initially high ratings and often spreading like wildfire from market to market.
This month, it’s Boom, Radio One’s entry in Houston (and now also in Philadelphia) that is making a lot of noise and spawning backchannel conversations and debate throughout the radio business. Now I know about as much as Hip Hop as I do about astrophysics. But as someone who knows the new format startup phenomenon all too well from my experience as a Classic Rock founder nearly three decades ago, these moments in time are of interest to me, as they are to those of you who work in the radio business.
Last week, Sean Ross wrote a thoughtful piece about Boom and the conditions that might make it successful. As always, Sean covered a lot of the key bases well, considering Radio One’s new effort from both a music and a historical standpoint.
You can read his article here, but his main takeaway is that in the same way that Classic Rock obliterated Mainstream Rock’s upper end back in the ‘80s, Boom’s “Classic Hip Hop” format is offering a high level of excitement and has the same opportunity to be a disruptive, long-term radio format.
The real question that radio analysts should be asking is whether the Boom phenomenon is a “Roman candle format” (think Jammin’ Oldies) – a collection of songs that creates a strong initial buzz, but has no sustainability. Or whether like Classic Rock, it represents something that’s bigger and more important than just a music playlist from a particular time period or genre that hasn’t had much exposure in recent years.
And so how do you make that determination? If you think about Classic Rock as the mainstream format that it has become – and why it has achieved long-term success – you can ask some of those same “litmus test” questions for “Classic Hip Hop.” Here are some key tests I would suggest:
1. Has this music been off the radio for a long time?
That was the case with Classic Rock, as most of the Mainstream Rock stations in the early ’80s had been very smitten by the “New Rock” of that period. As a result, the Beatles, Stones, Floyd, and Aerosmith were only receiving very secondary airplay at many Rockers around the country.
2. Is there a societal force that lends itself to the new format’s success?
During the early ’80s, the entire media emphasis for music was about what was NEW. MTV was hitting stride, and between Hot Hits, Modern Rock, and ’80s Rock, all arrows were pointing in a current direction. It was the perfect environment for a nostalgia-based format. Is that the case today in the Hip Hop realm?
3. Is there a technical story?
Today, it’s about streaming music, the cloud, and consumer generated playlists. When Classic Rock exploded, it coincided with the advent of the compact disc. As the format began to take off around the country, CDs became a great giveaway item and many Classic Rock fans started to upgrade their vinyl collections. The revival of this music on the radio had a very interesting connection to the beginning of the digital music revolution.
4. How is the quality of new music in the genre?
In Rock’s case, the answer back in the early ’80s might have been “good, but far from great” to describe the quality of music that was being released at that time. Many Hair bands made their fortunes in the ‘80s, but much of that success came about in spite of little enthusiasm for this genre from dyed-in-the-wool Classic Rock fans who perceived some of this music as cheesy and not worthy.
5. Is the new format “pure?”
Is the total emphasis of the station all about the classic music it plays OR is it diluted with music from the past decade or even new songs? One of the reasons why the Classic Rock format succeeded was that it was true to itself, and only played music (at that time) from the Beatles to the Cars. People “got it” and understood what it was – and what it wasn’t. The fact that Boom is 100% Classic Hip Hop is very likely a plus.
6. Do the demographics work for advertisers?
For Classic Rock, the ad environment couldn’t have been better. At about the same time the format proliferated, the 25-54 demo became what agencies were coveting. During the mid-80s, most Classic Rock fans fell in the 25-34 zone, and as we’ve learned, they have continued to love the music they grew up with as they’ve aged. Is that the case for the audience that embraces the Boom format?
7. Are the artists still viable?
Unlike the Oldies format, most Classic Rock bands and performers were around – or in cold storage – during the ‘80s. And once the music started to be played in force on the radio around the U.S., many careers were reborn. The fact that the Stones, the Who, McCartney, Clapton, Aerosmith, and many others were touring or began to tour again, made the concert scene a very vibrant promotional foundation for the format. As Glenn Frey reminded us in that Showtime documentary, their “Hell Freezes Over Tour” was powered by the fact that while the band had broken up, their music was continually being played in high rotation on Classic Rock stations all over the country. As he noted, “When the band broke up, they kept playing our songs. All the time. It was like we never went away. We were still on the radio.”
8. Is the format initially succeeding beyond its natural boundaries?
People forget that while stalwart rock stations like KMET, WMMS, WBCN, and DC101 were adversely impacted by the debuts of Classic Rock stations in their markets, the collateral damage went well beyond Rock radio. For most of the first generation Classic Rock startups, ratings came from a wide variety of formats, including AC and Country. That’s the sign of a true format phenomenon.
9. Is there a second act?
To avoid being labeled as a “one-year format,” it’s essential that these new stations have a clue about where to go when the rapture and enthusiasm wane – and it will . I vividly remember that feeling with Classic Rock when I sensed that some of the bloom was off the rose. It never truly went away, of course, but we had to come up with a lot of different ideas, marketing positions, and promotions that helped keep the format viable and successful over time. I also had a wonderful network of programmers and managers who supported Classic Rock, producing a reservoir of great ideas that helped keep the format vital. That’s a big part of a format’s sustainability.
10. Does the music matter?
And this is the most important measure of them all. When we launched our first Classic Rock station in the early ’80s, I believed in the power of the music and its historic appeal. I also felt I had the heft of the Baby Boom generation on my side.
But these bands and the songs they made were bigger than that. I now am convinced that people will be listening to Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and the Who 100 years from now. “Music that has stood the test of time” is not just a slogan.
Research told us that the format’s appeal was analogous to a “Mt. Rushmore of Classic Rock.” We learned that every true fan has his or her set of meaningful, core artists that truly have impacted them. It could be Hendrix, Neil Young, John Lennon, or Dylan on that mountain, but the artist driven nature of the format has always been a large part of its appeal.
Luck had something to do with it, too. “The Big Chill’ came out right around the time I was launching and marketing Classic Rock. The spirit, soundtrack, and Baby Boomer appeal of the music was positively shown in a film that had impact on people at that time. In a pop cultural way, it made it easier to explain the phenomenon to owners, managers, and sales people.
So in the discussion about Boom’s ultimate success – and is it really the “next big thing “ – hopefully, these format “litmus tests” can help analysts make the determination about “Classic Hip Hop.”
The true test of a format’s value is ultimately time.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Up here in da Midwest we’ll be havin’ punk polka!
Rick, a format that has clearly stood the test of time!
I like this.
Can we also create a litmus test to determine if we’re playing it far too safe in creating new Radio products?
–jeff
A good question, but usually one that enters into the conversation during “phase 2.” But hey, what do I knows about classic hip hop?
Great stuff as usual. I always say they don’t call it classic rock for nothing, and many of these points explain why.
Bruce, you have a keen appreciation of why it worked out the way it did. Thanks for taking the time to read our blog and comment.
Classic Rap Could work in some markets as Cross-over tunes get mixed in.Just last week after the passing of “Big Mike” from The Sugarhill Gang …I started hearing “Rappers Delight” again. It will be some time before my format of “PUNK COUNTRY” will be recognized. Hasn’t been invented yet…LOL
Scott, you never know!
Great Litmus Test, Fred.
For the sake for those under 40, Fred is being his usual, humble self. He is THE founder of Classic Rock, The inventor. The guy who thought it up. I remember discussing it with him in it’s infant stages when Fred said “The best way I can describe it is Male-AC.” This way before the brilliant format title was created.
My point is, we often go for the Brand Name before we do a litmus test on any new concept, whether it be a format, a promotion or a morning show benchmark. Often if you do the hard work first, the decsriptors will follow.
-Jim Harper
Detroit Morning Man/PD Ret.
Jim, thanks for the kind comments as well as the smart POV. Appreciated.
Fred hope you are good, long time no talk! The format is for real and has been for a long time. To some of us this is nothing new at all.
We’ve had experience with this format since January 2013. Take a listen: https://urbanradio.leanplayer.com/UR08FM
These are titles consumers have a high passion for that they could only get from online radio. Hate to say it, but another case where radio is not giving consumers what they want so they get it online. This happens in all formats as you know.
Our version is called Old School Rap, and since the online launch it has not had a down week or month.
This is not a Roman Candle format. When you launch the PPM numbers are huge and match what we’ve witnessed online. The best part of this, these are mass appeal titles that have a very wide demo appeal to both men and women. Most of these are the Rap songs played at NBA, NFL and college games every day.
Again, radio being radio is slow to know what the consumers really want to hear. If anybody is interested we have a winning version that has worked since January 2013 that has over 123 different countries that check in every day online. Radio or online, it doesn’t matter online is just as hip if not hipper.
Harry Lyles
Lyles Media Group
Harry, so nice to hear from you. And I will check out the format. You are correct, of course, that when you hear the music at mega-events like NFL games, you know you’ve got music that cuts across many lines. Your comment about radio often following consumer tastes (rather than leading them) is spot on. I tell people all the time that Classic Rock would have easily succeeded 3-4 years before I was able to get one off the ground. Thanks so much for weighing in.
Fred,
I was at KLSX in 1986 when classic rock was born in Los Angeles and loved every minute of it. Great format, great demos. I followed the format to “Arrow 93”, KCBS-FM and then on to KLOS–all classic rock station. I now work at 93.5 KDAY which is the first “Back In The Day” station specializing in Hip Hop, R&B, Old School and Funk from the last 3 decades. 25-34 is where we live, a lot like classic rock was. No teens. It’s a perfect middle demo station that gets great direct response for advertisers.
We have been positioning the station as a modern day classic rock but much more diverse. Millennials and Gen Xers love the format. If radio is to survive, it needs new formats like this to keep it exciting!
The sign-on and subsequent success of KLSX is one of my fondest memories from those Classic Rock glory days, Marc. It’s interesting that you’re at KDAY which started all of this. Good luck and thanks for getting in touch and reading our blog.
Fred:
Your keen observations and astute analysis reflect the underpinnings of your salad days instructing young minds full of mush at Michigan State. I’m proud to count myself among those that learned at the foot of the master.
Mike Moody, Telecomm, Class of 1977
Mike, always great to hear from you former “young mush minds.” Those were great days and it’s gratifying to know how many of us have enjoyed careers in radio. Thanks so much.
Thanks!