Cincinnati rock radio blows ...

[Devils Advocate]

I heard Soundgarden on 92.5 the FOX a few days ago. For those of you that don't know, that's Cincinnati's classic rock station, as in 60's and 70's Rock ... at least it was that way when I was growing up. Some years ago, they began to sprinkle in some 80's rock, as in Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe. Giving 80's hair bands air time on a classic rock station was odd to me but I figured since some classic rock did come outta the early 80's, it wasn't sacrelege to include most of eighties rock at some point. By the time the late eighties and 90's rolled around, classic rock was already defined, therefore limited. In it's broadest definition could it include those hair bands but in no way shape or form should classic rock be able to include Grunge or anything that came beyond '89 unless we're talkin' about Clapton's Unplugged or The Eagles reunion or something similar. These guys will always be classic rock. Soundgarden, Pearl Jam or any band from the 90's are not classic rock.

After nearly 25 years of having The Fox as a staple in my preset stations, usually button number 1, it has been banished, along with WEBN, a station I haven't preset in about 8ish years and rarely listen to.

Where I live, I receive Dayton stations as well. WTUE hasn't been a preset in about 10 years. I could go on and on about either of these stations, but I'll spare everybody those details.

I don't know how long WEBN2 ? has been on the air, however it's the exact same station as 103.9 in Dayton. Same songs being played at the same time with the same DJ's and everything. 103.9 has been around for 20 yrs or so, I've only recently discovered WEBN2. There's 96.5 'New Rock', or whatever they're calling themselves these days, but they've been outta my presets for about 6 months now. The two stations that are actually one station (corporate radio), aired simultaneously in Cincinnati and Dayton, are 'alternative' rock station(s) that refuse to expand its playlist beyond anything mainstream, thus not 'alternative' at all. These six stations are what's offered to the Cincinnati and Dayton area as rock radio and it's all the same crap-cookie-cutter-corporate, mostly produced, overly produced, intentionally produced, bubble gum music, 95% (or more) of which is probably the worst example that artist or that sound can offer.

I have now heard Soundgarden's 'Outshined' on all 6 of these stations within a few days from each other (relatively speaking, because I don't listen to these stations, but the last time I did, I promise I heard Outshined).

For a City with such a rich reputation for local, live music, Cincinnati sure has some of the crappiest rock radio stations they could possibly offer. I mean, how many more times do we need to hear 'Thunderstruck' from any of these stations?

105.9 will save you from crap Rock n Roll radio in Cincinnati.

Many songs they play really aren't my thing, but many are. It's not that I don't like Soundgarden or AC/DC, it's that I've heard the same damn songs for 30 years and now there's no variety because each rock station is playing what the other plays. Except for 105.9 WNKU. Finally a radio station that plays the band Pavement or Tom Waits or the GOAT Grand Master Flash. You don't have to like any of these artists to appreciate this station. I promise they will play at least one song you will love, that you've never heard before. And they play local artists as well. It is by far the very best rock radio anywhere in the area and has a strong signal. I have yet to lose it. It's replaced some all-time staples on my radio and has become the best local station I can remember. I don't work for this station. I'm not even in radio. I'm just trying to get the word out because the mainstream radio sux and 105.9 is public broadcast and need our support, lest I wanna listen to 'Enter Sandman' forever.

[Au165]

I guess it depends on your definition of "Classic Rock". What makes something "Classic Rock"? Is it based on certain eras, or is it Rock that is older than 25 years old? Think about classic cars in Ohio. A car can qualify for classic status if it is 25 years old. It doesn't have to have any special value, or be any specific model just be older than 25 years old (and not used for general transportation).

[RoyleRedlegs]

I hate to break it to you man, but you're getting old.
"Classic rock" isn't classic rock to my dad, it's just rock.

10 came out 25 years ago.
Ultramega OK came out 28 years ago.
Bon Jovi came out 32 years ago.
Too Fast for Love came out 35 years ago.

[XenoMorph]

how can you say it sucks if you havent listened to anything recent in 10 years.... If you want classic rock all the time you need to buy CDs or an Ipod and play it thru your speakers.

you complain about them not playing the classic and then complain you heard them all 30times over lol... you cant have it both ways.

[BengalsRocker]

I usually prefer 60s/70s/80s with anything after that sprinkled in.

However these stations who play just about anything from pop, rock, alternative mixed together(like an eclectic shuffle mode)are much better than those stations that play the same 10 bands of a genre... any day.

By the way... who are the dumb shits who still want "Mandatory Metallica" hour?

[Wes Mantooth]

The first time I heard GnR on 92.5 was one of those moments where I realized I was getting old(er).

Although it's not a "rock station" per-se, 89.7 (WNKU) is a fantastic station.  I've found a number of new things to listen to through them.  Check it now if you have a chance.  They have Friday Nights with Freakbass, which is great.

[Devils Advocate]

(02-12-2016, 09:51 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: The first time I heard GnR on 92.5 was one of those moments where I realized I was getting old(er).

Although it's not a "rock station" per-se, 89.7 (WNKU) is a fantastic station.  I've found a number of new things to listen to through them.  Check it now if you have a chance.  They have Friday Nights with Freakbass, which is great.

Yeah 89.7 is the same as 105.9. It's an excellent station. 

And I too remember the first time I heard GnR on The Fox. I never felt though, the reason for my displeasure was due to the fact that I was getting older, which I'll address within my next post or two. 

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(02-12-2016, 11:10 PM)Devils Advocate Wrote: Yeah 89.7 is the same as 105.9. It's an excellent station. 

And I too remember the first time I heard GnR on The Fox. I never felt though, the reason for my displeasure was due to the fact that I was getting older, which I'll address within my next post or two. 

Love WNKU....pick it up every time as I'm travelling through.  I gotta say though....WTUE is a station I listen to while I'm in the area.  Agreed on WEBN.....it sucks.

[Rotobeast]

I have like ONE reasonable rock station that comes through in my area.
There's about 5 country stations though *ick*.
I live in the great radio void of Ohio.
Consider yourselves lucky.

[SunsetBengal]

Broadcast radio lost it's soul, long ago. Growing up, I was a big fan of radio. Then, when I graduated in Mass Comm, and went to work in radio, my heart was broken. The vast majority of radio stations across the US are corporate owned stations, subscribing to a "jock in the box" service. They have no control over the playlist, the personality of the DJ, etc. At the stations that I worked for, the only "live" stuff was reading the local weather updates, reading the local news report, and advertising remotes.

[Rotobeast]

(02-13-2016, 10:09 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Broadcast radio lost it's soul, long ago.  Growing up, I was a big fan of radio.  Then, when I graduated in Mass Comm, and went to work in radio, my heart was broken.  The vast majority of radio stations across the US are corporate owned stations, subscribing to a "jock in the box" service.  They have no control over the playlist, the personality of the DJ, etc.  At the stations that I worked for, the only "live" stuff was reading the local weather updates, reading the local news report, and advertising remotes.

My wife works for our local radio station (Advertising Sales Rep).
The DJs there get to choose the music they play and still fulfill plenty of requests.
I'm pretty sure there is a pre-approved list to choose from, but the old-style interaction is still there.
The only thing is that they really don't have a format.
From Gospel, to Metal, to Country, and much more.
I guess that's the reason I do not listen to it.

[*jason*]

Radio everywhere blows.  It has for sometime.  Like others have said, 105.9 is great (if nothing else just for the variety).  Up here in Dayton, there is an oldies station 97.3 that plays everything from Jackie Wilson to Black Sabbath.  98.7 plays old R&B, but it can get to disco-ey at times for my taste.  There's a classic country station outta Xenia 100.3.  For the most part I stick to those four stations.  All of them are independent.

Right now listening to the Ramones Leave Home  on vinyl, and watching it snow outside beats all of them.

[*Awful Llama*]

I used to listen to WTUE in Dayton back in the day, but it's a shell of its former self. Pretty much have given up on terrestrial radio, apart from listening to Bengals shows and games. If I want talk or music, I listen to satellite radio.

[Wes Mantooth]

In regards to 92.5, I get that many people identify "classic rock" as primarily mid 60's to late 70's, Led Zeppelin, to Boston to Santana, to Peter Frampton, etc. But for me it only makes sense for them to expand on that as time goes by.

The 96.5 of the world are going to be doing stuff aimed at a younger demographic. They'll mix in some alternative stuff but there's a lot of Five Finger Death Punch and Slipnot and that type of stuff. U2 doesn't exactly fit the bill. Neither does hair metal like Poison and Ratt.

The fact is that marketing demographic of 18-34 year old males is a very real thing. And a lot of guys in that age group don't want to hear stuff that is 25 years old. To them that Pearl Jam song is as ancient as I thought Jim Croce was when I was that age.

So where do you go to listen to that type of stuff? Well, 92.5 seems like the most obvious choice. Why wouldn't they modernize their playlist to attract the same demographic they were after before (35+)?

I would guess a lot of boomers who used to listen to a healthy dose of FM radio do so in very limited amounts now. I would think they would gravitate more towards AM and talk radio. And I think that's why things like Breakfast with the Beatles went away, and you hear less Rod Stewart and more GnR.

Face it, the alternative scene is now every bit as "classic" as the many of the bands in the 70's were in the 90's. And I wouldn't be surprised if many of listeners back then were bemoaning the fact they had to go to the "oldies station" to listen to Led Zeppelin.

Just my 2 cents...

[RoyleRedlegs]

[*michaelsean*]

For me classic rock defines an era, not a certain amount of elapsed time. 92.5 is still the best thing we have going, although I could do without Bob and Tom until 10:00. There are only so many unfunny songs by comedians one can listen to.

[RoyleRedlegs]

(02-15-2016, 11:57 AM)michaelsean Wrote: For me classic rock defines an era, not a certain amount of elapsed time.  92.5 is still the best thing we have going, although I could do without Bob and Tom until 10:00.  There are only so many unfunny songs by comedians one can listen to.

Which is a fair definition but not the one most of the world operates with.

92.5 plays music for the 35-50 ish range. 


In 25 years, they will play Slipknot and Imagine Dragons.