Mainstream rock
Encyclopedia
Mainstream rock is a radio format
used by many commercial radio station
s in the United States
and Canada
.
and active rock
on the programming spectrum, in that they play more classic rock
than active rock
stations, but play more modern rock
than classic rock
stations. In many ways, mainstream rock is a successor to the widespread album-oriented rock
(AOR) format created in the 1970s.
, some examples of mainstream rock stations in terrestrial radio include: KEGL/Dallas, TX , KRXQ
/Sacramento, CA, WEBN
/Cincinnati, OH, WMMS
/Cleveland, OH, KISS
/San Antonio, TX, KSHE
/St. Louis, MO, KLBJ
/Austin, TX, KDKB
/Phoenix, AZ, KBER
/Salt Lake City, UT, WDVE
/Pittsburgh, PA, WFYV/Jacksonville, FL, WAPL/Appleton, WI, KZRR
/Albuquerque, NM, KEZO/Omaha, NE, WHJY
/Providence, RI, KTUX
/Shreveport, LA, KSQY
/Rapid City, SD, and KZOZ
/San Luis Obispo, CA. Most have a very long heritage that dates back to the 1970s as AOR stations, which is why several trades like Billboard and R&R will refer these stations as "Heritage Rock".
' s Mainstream Rock Tracks
chart. The Rock Airplay chart is exclusive to R&R
, with thirty positions on this chart and it is solely based on radio airplay. Twenty-four rock radio stations are electronically monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems
. Songs are ranked by a calculation of the total number of spins per week with its "audience impression", which is based upon exact times of airplay and each station's Arbitron
listener data.
Songs receiving the greatest growth will receive a "bullet", although there are tracks that will also get bullets if the loss in detections doesn't exceed the percentage of downtime from a monitored station. "Airpower" awards are issued to songs that appear on the top 20 of both the airplay and audience chart for the first time, while the "greatest gainer" award is given to song with the largest increase in detections. A song with six or more spins in its first week is awarded an "airplay add". If a song is tied for the most spins in the same week, the one with the biggest increase that previous week will rank higher, but if both songs show the same amount of spins regardless of detection the song that is being played at more stations is ranked higher. Songs that fall below the top 20 and have been on the chart after 26 weeks are removed and go to recurrent status.
Radio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
used by many commercial radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Format background
Mainstream rock stations are between classic rockClassic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
and active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
on the programming spectrum, in that they play more classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
than active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
stations, but play more modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
than classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
stations. In many ways, mainstream rock is a successor to the widespread album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
(AOR) format created in the 1970s.
, some examples of mainstream rock stations in terrestrial radio include: KEGL/Dallas, TX , KRXQ
KRXQ
KRXQ is a commercial radio station in Sacramento, California, broadcasting on 98.5 FM. The station airs an active rock music format branded as "98 Rock"...
/Sacramento, CA, WEBN
WEBN
WEBN is a commercial radio station serving Greater Cincinnati, airing an album-oriented rock format. The station pioneered the concept of album-oriented rock, and is in fact the longest running AOR-formatted station in the United States, first airing this format in 1967. The station is owned...
/Cincinnati, OH, WMMS
WMMS
WMMS — branded 100.7 WMMS: The Buzzard — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, widely recognized as one of the most influential rock stations in America throughout much of the history of FM broadcasting...
/Cleveland, OH, KISS
KISS-FM
KISS-FM is a radio station broadcasting an active rock format serving the San Antonio, Texas area. The Cox Radio outlet broadcasts at 99.5MHz.- History :...
/San Antonio, TX, KSHE
KSHE
KSHE is a rock & roll radio station licensed to Crestwood, Missouri which serves the Greater St. Louis area. KSHE is located at 94.7 MHz and currently uses the slogan "KSHE 95, Real Rock Radio". The station's studios have been located in the Powerhouse building at St. Louis Union Station since...
/St. Louis, MO, KLBJ
KLBJ-FM
KLBJ-FM is a classic rock music radio station serving the Austin, Texas area, broadcasting at 93.7 MHz from its broadcast tower on Austin's Mount Larson.The station was owned by the Lyndon B...
/Austin, TX, KDKB
KDKB
KDKB is a commercial Rock music formatted radio station located in Phoenix, Arizona. It is owned by Sandusky Radio and licensed to Mesa Radio, Inc...
/Phoenix, AZ, KBER
KBER
-External links:*...
/Salt Lake City, UT, WDVE
WDVE
WDVE is a mainstream rock music formatted radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA at 102.5 MHz. It is often referred to by Pittsburghers as simply "DVE." WDVE's transmitter is located on Pittsburgh's North Side...
/Pittsburgh, PA, WFYV/Jacksonville, FL, WAPL/Appleton, WI, KZRR
KZRR
KZRR is a commercial radio station located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, broadcasting to the Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico, area. KZRR airs a mainstream rock music format.-External links:*...
/Albuquerque, NM, KEZO/Omaha, NE, WHJY
WHJY
WHJY is a commercial radio station in Providence, Rhode Island owned by Clear Channel that broadcasts at 94.1 MHz. .WHJY plays classic and mainstream rock - a radio format known as "active rock", and has been doing so since September 4, 1981...
/Providence, RI, KTUX
KTUX
KTUX is a radio station licensed to Carthage, Texas, and serving the Shreveport area. It plays the album-oriented rock format. The station is currently owned by Townsquare Media....
/Shreveport, LA, KSQY
KSQY
KSQY is a radio station broadcasting a mainstream rock format. The station known as "K-SKY" is licensed to Deadwood, South Dakota and serves the Rapid City listening area...
/Rapid City, SD, and KZOZ
KZOZ
KZOZ is a radio station located in San Luis Obispo, California, broadcasting on 93.3 FM. KZOZ airs a rock music format.The station plays a mixture of classic rock from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, and current top rock hits...
/San Luis Obispo, CA. Most have a very long heritage that dates back to the 1970s as AOR stations, which is why several trades like Billboard and R&R will refer these stations as "Heritage Rock".
Rock Airplay chart
The Rock Airplay chart is a chart that compiles the current hits on rock radio stations and is reflected as a component in BillboardMainstream Rock Tracks
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
chart. The Rock Airplay chart is exclusive to R&R
R&R (magazine)
R&R was a weekly music trade publication that followed the radio industry and tracked the monitoring of current songs by format, station and audience cumes...
, with thirty positions on this chart and it is solely based on radio airplay. Twenty-four rock radio stations are electronically monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems
Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems
Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems, better known as BDS, is a service that tracks monitored radio, television and internet airplay of songs based on the number of spins and detections...
. Songs are ranked by a calculation of the total number of spins per week with its "audience impression", which is based upon exact times of airplay and each station's Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
listener data.
Songs receiving the greatest growth will receive a "bullet", although there are tracks that will also get bullets if the loss in detections doesn't exceed the percentage of downtime from a monitored station. "Airpower" awards are issued to songs that appear on the top 20 of both the airplay and audience chart for the first time, while the "greatest gainer" award is given to song with the largest increase in detections. A song with six or more spins in its first week is awarded an "airplay add". If a song is tied for the most spins in the same week, the one with the biggest increase that previous week will rank higher, but if both songs show the same amount of spins regardless of detection the song that is being played at more stations is ranked higher. Songs that fall below the top 20 and have been on the chart after 26 weeks are removed and go to recurrent status.
See also
- Active rockActive rockActive rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
- like mainstream rock, a mix of classic rock and modern rock, though trending closer to modern rock. - Classic rockClassic rockClassic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
- contributes to mainstream rock format, but more so than modern rock. - Modern rockModern rockModern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
- contributes to mainstream rock format, but less so than classic rock.