I’m not sure if the station always used the very odd “Rhythm-Driven 106-3″ name – any additional details would be much appreciated.

Special thanks to Dave Dart – who at the time was program director of Rhythmic AC competitor KZRQ “Star 105 FM” – for recording this aircheck and meeting me for lunch when he was visiting Phoenix.

The station now offers a hip-hop-heavy Rhythmic CHR format known as “Power 106″. It is now one of five stations attempting some form of CHR in the market – earlier this week, AC “Lite 95.1″ became “Channel 95.1″.

For a little over two years in the late 90′s, CKDX targeted the Toronto market with a Dance-heavy format, making it at least the 3rd CHR-oriented format in the market.  The quote noted above takes a shot at competitor CIDC, which at the time referred to itself as “Hot 103 Dot 5″.

KMGQ (which referred to itself as both “106.3 KMGQ” and “Magic 106″) offered an upbeat Adult Contemporary format. More information about the history of the station can be found at Wikipedia.

*Note – Logo is from later Smooth Jazz format

WCRX has been the longtime product of Columbia College Chicago.  It was, and still is, one of the most dance music-friendly radio stations in the country. More information can be found at Wikipedia.

Recorded 17 years ago today (Cinco de Mayo 1995) – this is a sample of the Valley’s only CHR in the early to mid-90′s.

In late 1993, despite enjoying great success as a Rhythmic CHR, Power 92 flipped to Modern Rock-heavy Mainstream CHR.  Ratings declined, and the station began to move back towards Rhythmic CHR by the Fall of 1994.  When this aircheck was recorded, the station used a Dance-heavy approach; the sound evolved to one more based on R&B (but remained Dance-friendly) by the Fall of 1995, which led to the station achieving an all-time high 7.0 Arbitron share (12+).

Featuring entertaining sweepers voiced by Marc Driscoll, Power 92 was just a fun station to listen in this era.  Especially now, I appreciate that they always had live legal IDs at this time.  Also, I’ve left intact a couple of commercials that were done by the station’s various personalities.

For a period in the 1990′s, Philadelphia’s Q102 offered a (perhaps surprisingly) dance music-friendly CHR format, making it a favorite among dance radio enthusiasts. However, the station took on a more conventional CHR approach by 1998. This is a sample of the station about 3.5 years after that change.

The station flashed back to its roots over the lunch hour – this aircheck includes samples of the “12 Noon Workout”.

In June 1996, KACD-FM (Santa Monica) and KBCD-FM (Newport Beach) switched from a Mainstream AC format to a Underground Dance format known as “Groove Radio”. While Groove Radio was unique, it was perhaps too unique for conventional radio. It never made any sort of dent in the ratings. During the summer of 1997, Groove Radio creator Swedish Egil was fired. The station remained in the Dance arena, but it became more mainstream (better suited for radio) — but not so mainstream that it could truly be considered “cheesy”. The name also changed to “Groove 103.1″, mainly because Egil owned the rights to the “Groove Radio” name.

Then, on September 18, 1997, the format changed to an ordinary traditional Rhythmic CHR, yet the name remained “Groove 103.1″. The station was flooded with negative feedback. One week later, the format switched back to dance.

This is a montage of the final half-hour of the Rhythmic CHR attempt; it includes a few commercials voiced by the station’s personalities. Visit The Format Change Archive to hear the relaunch of the Dance format.

“Hot 103.9…the other guys are just a beat…OFF”

Hot 103.9 was a Dance-friendly Rhythmic CHR, with a high-energy, “in your face” presentation reminiscent of stations with the same format in the late 80′s and early 90′s — including personalities with…personality!  Definitely one of the personal favorites in my aircheck collection.

106.3 WHTG-FM Eatontown, NJ was one of first Alternative Rock stations in the nation branded as “FM 106.3” from its debut in 1984 until it was sold to Press Communications in 2000. At that time the station was rebranded as “G106.3” as a new staff was brought in and a more mainstream sound. G106.3 would eventually add a simulcast on 98.5 and later 106.5 in Ocean County, NJ rebranding as “G-Rock Radio” in the process. The format would meet its demise in January 2009 for a short lived CHR format as “Hit 106” before finding success following its flip to Country “Thunder 106” in September 2010.

This aircheck features the station’s late-night show in June 2002 hosted by Dave Wetmore. The music mix is fairly broad at this time featuring lighter stuff like John Mayer to harder currents from Papa Roach with lots of 90′s songs and a few 80′s. Wetmore now hosts afternoons at market leading AC “B101” in Philadelphia as Dave Moore.

During the 80′s, KZZP 104.7 FM in Phoenix was one of the most successful Mainstream CHR stations in the country. According to the station’s Wikipedia page, it “produced a long list of future stars in the radio business”, and offered a music mix that was adventurous for a Top 40 station. However, a combination of changes in personalities, management, and overall pop music tastes led to the station’s downfall (in April 1991).

Five years later, owner Nationwide Communications brought KZZP back to the airwaves with a Modern AC format, making an attempt to appeal to the listeners who grew up with the station as a CHR. The station performed well, ranking #1 in key demos by 1998. However, by that point, Jacor (now Clear Channel) had taken ownership of KZZP along with KGLQ (96.9). On Labor Day Weekend 1998, KGLQ inexplicably flipped to Hot AC as “Mix 96.9″, suddenly giving KZZP a direct competitor.

Not surprisingly, KZZP began to lose audience, almost forcing a format change. In February 1999, the station began including pop and rhythmic hits in its playlist, and had evolved to full-fledged Mainstream CHR by April.  This aircheck was recorded in November of the following year.

The new “104-7 ZZP” never really caught on — and so two years later (which, not coincidentally, was 11 years ago this weekend), following a weekend of stunting with the song “Kiss” by Prince, KZZP relaunched as “104-7 Kiss-FM”, with a much more Rhythmic-oriented CHR approach.