Classic Rock Stations That Have Added 90s Bands

[formulanone]

and Jack FM replaced it...

I confess that I don't enjoy radio much, but when I do, I generally enjoy Jack FM when on the road.

It's the trail mix of radio stations, with a few rusted hex nuts thrown in.

[agentsteel53]

a few rusted hex nuts thrown in.

yes, commercials and self-promotion jingles.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

This actually happened very recently (about a few weeks ago) with San Jose-based KUFX (branded as "KFOX") 98.5, which let go of longtime morning host/80s musician Greg Kihn....

So Greg finally lost at Jeopardy?

[OracleUsr]

WKRR, a Triad (NC) area station, which has always been a hotbed for classic rock in the area, has recently started playing Metallica, and even Finger Eleven and some Green Day.  Not sure I would say that's classic rock at all (okay, I'll just be blunt...IT ISN'T), but it's not a bad change.

[agentsteel53]

I have never heard of Finger Eleven.

I distinctly remember it being 1998 when classic rock station WZLX (100.7, Boston) played Ozzy's "Over the Mountain" (1981).  One of my first times driving.  I was on I-95.  I damn near ran off the road.

[NYYPhil777]

I have never heard of Finger Eleven.

I distinctly remember it being 1998 when classic rock station WZLX (100.7, Boston) played Ozzy's "Over the Mountain" (1981).  One of my first times driving.  I was on I-95.  I damn near ran off the road.

Finger Eleven is known for "Paralyzer" (Them vs. You vs. Me, 2007) and their most recent album, Life Turns Electric, released in 2010. Yeah, it's alternative rock.

[agentsteel53]

Finger Eleven is known for "Paralyzer" (Them vs. You vs. Me, 2007) and their most recent album, Life Turns Electric, released in 2010. Yeah, it's alternative rock.

more pertinently, it is five years old.  Green Day I can understand being played as classic rock.  I think bands like them and Soundgarden and Nirvana and what have you are getting a bit grey-bearded... but music that came out five years ago??

[NYYPhil777]

Finger Eleven is known for "Paralyzer" (Them vs. You vs. Me, 2007) and their most recent album, Life Turns Electric, released in 2010. Yeah, it's alternative rock.

more pertinently, it is five years old.  Green Day I can understand being played as classic rock.  I think bands like them and Soundgarden and Nirvana and what have you are getting a bit grey-bearded... but music that came out five years ago??

Finger Eleven was formed in 1989, and their first two albums were released in the '90s. Yes, Paralyzer was released five years ago, but that's the one song I think of when I hear about Finger Eleven.

[Scott5114]

and Jack FM replaced it...

I confess that I don't enjoy radio much, but when I do, I generally enjoy Jack FM when on the road.

It's the trail mix of radio stations, with a few rusted hex nuts thrown in.

We had Jack FM here for a while. I liked it and usually left the radio tuned to it.

Then they did a format switch to country. Bleeeeeeeech. Finding a good radio station in Oklahoma is basically playing "dodge the country stations". The Oklahoma City dial is composed of like 20 country stations, 10 gospel stations, 2 or 3 pop stations, two 80s/90s hits, 3 classic rock, and NPR. No round-the-clock jazz, though NPR does play it late at night.

[signalman]

and Jack FM replaced it...

I confess that I don't enjoy radio much, but when I do, I generally enjoy Jack FM when on the road.

It's the trail mix of radio stations, with a few rusted hex nuts thrown in.

Oh, I never said I didn't enjoy the station.  Infact, I did like it.  I was only explaining to roadman65 what happened to NY's oldies station temporarily.

[formulanone]

I could see why people don't like it...they find some rather unpopular and geeky stuff. But I hop about the dial, usually between the local NPR station, a classic rock station, and something else when neither interest me.

[agentsteel53]

I could see why people don't like it...they find some rather unpopular and geeky stuff. But I hop about the dial, usually between the local NPR station, a classic rock station, and something else when neither interest me.

what is "geeky"?  I've never heard Jack FM play stuff like They Might Be Giants or Weird Al.

I have heard "Video Killed the Radio Star" which I suppose is a bit geeky, but I always thought it was generally popular in that retro sense.  it's no more, or less, popular, in my perception than other 80s stuff which are less slightly-out-there-geeky, like the Cars or whatnot.

[jwolfer]

its sad to realize the music you listened to in high school is on the "Oldies" station

[golden eagle]

The classic rock station in Jackson, Z106.7, plays quite a bit of 90s rock, most notably, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots and Ozzy Osbourne. But take into consideration that this is a Clear Channel station (the same company that owns Q104 in New York) and CC has watered down just about every radio station they own. But with Z, it's almost no choice, as we have no other rock station in town.

In re: Jack FM, we got Jack back here over the summer. He had been here on another frequency (94.7) until it was changed to K-Love in January. The Jack we have now is a satellited version in which smaller markets have to use. The one we had before was a locally programmed station that was grandfathered. The old Jack's sister station was sold to the same company that owns K-Love and was changed to Air1, a more top-40 version of contemporary Christian music. I liked the old Jack better because it was, again, locally programmed, thus, the music catered to what people liked, rather than being forced-fed by a satellite.

[DandyDan]

I personally think the best strategy anyone did was done at Z-92 (92.3 FM) in Omaha.  I think they just called themselves "The Rock Station", without any modifiers like classic or alternative or who knows what else.  They play a lot of stuff that is classic rock, but then they also new stuff.

As for the actual classic rock station in Omaha, 105.9 FM, it's been forever since I listened to it for very long, but the last I knew, they didn't play anything after the 80's.

[on_wisconsin]

WKRR, a Triad (NC) area station, which has always been a hotbed for classic rock in the area, has recently started playing Metallica, and even Finger Eleven and some Green Day.  Not sure I would say that's classic rock at all (okay, I'll just be blunt...IT ISN'T), but it's not a bad change.

Once a song is over 20 y.o. it should safely be called "classic", over 35 and its to the oldies bin. IMHO

[TheHighwayMan3561]

KQDS 94.9 in Duluth has added 90s and even a few 2000s bands to their list - I remember being distinctly upset at hearing a Nickelback cut being played while I was on a trip a few months back.

[DTComposer]

This actually happened very recently (about a few weeks ago) with San Jose-based KUFX (branded as "KFOX") 98.5, which let go of longtime morning host/80s musician Greg Kihn and has started adding stuff like mid-90s No Doubt to their playlist.

Growing up, 98.5 was KOME...one of the better rock stations around...complete with the ubiquitous yellow diamond bumper stickers that would show up around the world, and the none-too-subtle play on word promos..."Don't touch that dial, it's got KOME on it."

[bugo]

and Jack FM replaced it...

I confess that I don't enjoy radio much, but when I do, I generally enjoy Jack FM when on the road.

It's the trail mix of radio stations, with a few rusted hex nuts thrown in.

Finding a good radio station in Oklahoma is basically playing "dodge the country stations".

Yup.  It's the same way in Arkansas. 

[hbelkins]

You should try being a fan of talk radio, especially shows broadcast on AM radio. It's almost impossible to hear outside of larger cities. Out in the country or in mountainous terrain, forget it. That's what podcasts are for; you may be listening a day late but at least you get to hear it.

[english si]

Neither a radio station, nor classic rock, but the 80s nightclub opposite my brother's has changed, becoming generic with respect to time. It could have something to do with students now barely remembering the 90s - let alone being born in the 80s (though I remember incredibly little of the 80s, but still knew most of the songs they played in there the night I went), but the posters seem to have made it a more exclusive venue - which rules out targeting students.

[huskeroadgeek]

(once they go to 24 Hours of all-Xmas Music around Thanksgiving, your favorite station is effectively dead).

I couldn't let this go by without commenting. I would consider myself a lover of Christmas music, but the "all Christmas music all the time" format from Thanksgiving to Christmas(and on some stations even from the beginning of November) has really started to annoy me. And invariably such stations tend to be the ones I listen to the most, even while traveling. So during that period, I actually have to try and limit the amount of time I listen to the radio(generally only while I'm in the car) or else by Christmas Day I will be sick of Christmas music. I actually kind of look forward to midnight on December 26 when I finally get regular music back.

[triplemultiplex]

I've actually noticed that stations calling themselves "classic rock" have simply dropped the "classic" from their self identity in recent years.  So when they expand their playlist to include songs that are less old, there's no quibble about whether or not it's "classic".  I'm having difficulty remembering the last time the words "classic rock" came from my radio.  It's just "Rock <whatever>" or "<something> Rock".

[DTComposer]

(once they go to 24 Hours of all-Xmas Music around Thanksgiving, your favorite station is effectively dead).

I couldn't let this go by without commenting. I would consider myself a lover of Christmas music, but the "all Christmas music all the time" format from Thanksgiving to Christmas(and on some stations even from the beginning of November) has really started to annoy me. And invariably such stations tend to be the ones I listen to the most, even while traveling. So during that period, I actually have to try and limit the amount of time I listen to the radio(generally only while I'm in the car) or else by Christmas Day I will be sick of Christmas music. I actually kind of look forward to midnight on December 26 when I finally get regular music back.

I do love Christmas music (in fact, I make a good deal of my living working with Christmas music) and like the fact that there are a couple of all-Christmas stations, so if I'm in the mood, I can flip over for a couple of tunes, then listen to something else. Fortunately for me, that station is easy listening the rest of the year, so I don't miss it.

[hm insulators]

For those of you who listen to the radio on your computer and who are sick and tired of radio stations that play the same song over and over again, try www.kcdx.com. This is an oddball little station that broadcasts from Florence, Arizona, about halfway between Phoenix and Tucson. They frequently play "deep cuts" and other strange stuff you just don't hear anywhere else. It's a mish-mash of mostly '60s and '70s classic rock and oldies, but I've heard everything from Little Richard rock-'n'-rollers from the 1950s all the way up to early '90s songs from the likes of U2. And sometimes, they'll throw in the damndest segues: It'll play a mellow Chicago ballad one minute and AC/DC the next. Once I heard Blondie's "Rapture," immediately followed by a Foghat song--not "Slow Ride," "Fool For the City" or even "Drivin' Wheel" but perhaps the most obscure song in their catalog: "Chateau La Fitte '59 Boogie" from their Rock 'n' Roll Outlaws album! (Raise your hand and yell if you heard that one on the radio recently!) Oh, and best of all: NO COMMERCIALS!  (But don't expect the deejay to back announce; it's an "automatic" station owned by some fellow with a lot of money and time on his hands, I guess.)