Until a few years ago LA was a one-modern-rock-radio-station town. KROQ 106.7 fm was all we had if you don’t count the short range college stations. Then, just a click up the dial at 107.1, there emmerged Y107. Not necessarily any better than KROQ, but a nice option for when KROQ would have one of their flash-back-more-Depesh-Mode-than-you can-stand weekends.
As of a couple days ago, 107.1 has played nothing but different versions of “Feliz Navidad” nonstop. I haven’t even heard any commercials. I heard a DJ for a couple seconds but he was speaking Spanish.
What’s going on? An evil plot by KROQ? A lame attempt at hip humor on the part of Y107? The tape deck in my car is broken. What do I do during my one hour commute when KROQ plays another tired, old Red Hot Chili Peppers song?
Sorry, I can’t make any suggestions. I listen to classic rock on 93.1 or talk radio (KABC since John & Ken moved there).
You might check US Radio Live and scroll through the list of California stations. They’re all marked with a description of the kind of music they play, so maybe you’ll find one in the catagory you’re looking for.
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to
improve the world.” - Anne Frank
Well, I don’t have answers for the first few quesions, I have a suggestion for the last.
Listen to KCRW. NPR news in the morning and afternoon. Morning Becomes Ecletic after the news.
As far as what happened to Y107. Probably just wasn’t making money, so they decided to make a format change. That usually happens all of a sudden with no warning. Some times, they make the change without putting everything together, which explains the lack of djs.
But what’s the point of playing the same song over and over again? It reminds me of a station down in Florida I once heard about; “All Stairway to Heaven all the time!”
I was wondering about that too! So I guess they’re switching to spanish music.
I remember that when one radio station bit the dust (was it The Edge), for a while the broadcast was a canned recording of someone laughing, the same sound for several hours (if not days.)
Quand les talons claquent, l’esprit se vide.
Maréchal Lyautey
But what’s the point of playing the same song over and over again?
[list=1][li]It helps drive away the old listeners. When you make a major format change, you don’t want the old listeners calling in and complaining.[/li]
It is a low-cost publicity stunt, and an easy way to get people’s attention. (Notice that they got you to post about it on an internet message board). And, especially important if they don’t have the all new staff in place yet, it can be done using a minimum of people.[/list=1]
I seem to remember a similar kind of thing that happened on an LA radio station years and years ago (I think it was KHJ). Some DJ locked himself in the booth and played a Donny Osmond song (Go Away Little Girl? Puppy Love?) over and over again for several hours. Someone eventually called the cops, cause they thought the guy croaked with the song on permanent loop or something.
I don’t recall how this turned out (my brain’s a sieve these days), but I’m SURE it did happen. Anyone know the outcome?