First Listen: WRXP New York
Written Feb. 5, 2008 by Sean Ross in Terrestrial Radio with 21 Comments
The early hours of Emmis' new Triple-A WRXP (101.9 RXP), "New York's Rock Experience," are going to be amply dissected everywhere tonight, but in the absence of a Listen Live link on the station site at this writing, I wanted to pass along a monitor of the station's first two hours for anybody outside their listening area, and some early notes:
Emmis isn't using the words Triple-A to describe the new station. On the press release, it's "new adult rock." On the air it's "where New Music, Classic Rock, and Alternative merge." It resembles a traditional Triple-A in its "Classic Rock through today" approach and in the presence of on-air hosts who serve as tourguides to the music (APD/p.m. driver Brian Schock, in this case). In that regard, it's trying to invoke the legacy of the old WNEW-FM and setting itself apart from the jockless Adult Modern hybrids that are regarded in many quarters of the industry as "the new Triple-A." (And it's ironic that the launch comes four days after heritage Triple-A WBOS Boston moved from the former camp to the latter.)
What WRXP has in common with the new Adult Moderns is a healthy component of Alternative gold and a small but noticeable "indie rock" presence. There were a few stretches where they might have been an Adult Modern for several songs. There was also, in the first two hours anyway, an emphasis on tempo and none of the singer-songwriter balladry -- old or new -- that one would hear on a typical Triple-A. (Newly appointed WNYZ-LP PD Joel Salkowitz has been doing something in the same ballpark on his The Finest Rock webstream for several months.) And WRXP does deserve points for being hip enough to play Iggy Pop and the Flaming Lips and not too hip to play Finger Eleven's "Paralyzer" or Nickelback.
Here are the first two hours of the station:
Velvet Underground, "Rock 'N' Roll (Live)"
R.E.M., "Supernatural, Superserious" (introduced by Michael Stipe as the New York premiere)
Elvis Costello, "Pump It Up"
Tom Petty & Heartbreakers, "Mary Jane's Last Dance"
Blondie, "Call Me"
The Bravery, "Believe"
Bruce Springsteen, "Blinded By The Light"
Flaming Lips, "Do You Realize"
U2, "Angel Of Harlem"
Nickelback, "Rockstar"
Red Hot Chili Peppers, "The Zephyr Song"
Black Crowes, "Hard To Handle"
Killers, "Somebody Told Me"
Lenny Kravitz, "Fly Away"
Silverchair, "Straight Lines"
Iggy Pop, "Lust For Life"
Jet, "Are You Gonna Be My Girl"
Rolling Stones, "Shattered"
Cold War Kids, "Hang Me Out To Dry"
Pretenders, "Mystery Achievement"
Everclear, "Everything To Everyone"
Jimi Hendrix Experience, "Foxey Lady"
Radiohead, "Bodysnatchers"
The Police, "Message In A Bottle"
Reader Comments
Your 2¢, in chronological order — add your comment below.
Any station that plays Nickelback and Lenny Kravitz is posing mightily.
Refreshing. I'm kinda tired of hearing the same songs on Q104.
About time. Hope they give it enuf time to settle in. Other than maybe FUV there is no competition.
With all due respect, Sean, I believe the first song was Lou Reed's version of Rock & Roll, recorded at the Acadamy of Music on 14th Street in NYC!
From the "musical looks" of this, it is a refreshing combination of songs. Most markets in the top 100 could handle something just like WRXP.
Now the question remains, can the station have personality and deliver engaging, compelling content????
I listened for a few hours... YAWN! The smooth jazz format will be missed.
I don't see a market for a station playing Lou Reed/Iggy Pop AND Nickelback. They're worlds apart and not compatible. Radiohead combined with Reed or Iggy works because they're all alternative. Nickelback, however, is just commercial crap in comparison. But let's see what happens at the station over the next few weeks as far as fine-tuning is concerned.
Hopefully, with a new AAA station in NYC, this marks the end of "The Peak" 107.1, the AAA station in Westchester with the most boring, monotonous DJs in radio history. I hope they go back to country
At first listen it sounds like just another classic rock station with an occasional alternative or newer songs sprinkled in once in a while.
I was hoping for a commercial version of WFUV or WXPN with perhaps a bit more of an edge.
Very disappointing so far.
Sean, I listened and think that you will hear of another format change at 101.9 within 12 months. Now any broadcaster in the market that currently resides below the top 15 line may want to jump on the WJJZ band wagon immediately by grabbing that committed audience and its advertisers before CD101.9 reverts back.
I discovered the station by accident, flipping the dial riding NJ Transit last Saturday, and I must say, so far so good. Up until now I have had to go online for my AAA radio, so it's good to see you all on the regular radio dial. Usually stations I like wind up changing formats after a while, lets hope this is not the case with you guys.
Lots of luck.
Dee
I remember the good old radio stations of WNEW 102.7 FM & WAPP 103.5 FM (for those who really love good old fashion rock music) but this new station of WRXP 101.9, Let me hear alot of the best rock music at it's finest & if somebody collects old vinyl of Rush or Styx, please put the songs on the record player (no CD's).
A little of everthing, can't hurt. Found the station by accident on a small am/fm mono radio working the other nite in the south Bronx. My work location limits radio reception, so the new fomat was a real cool.
Anyplace you can hear Led Zep and The Chemical Brothers is great.
I like this station a lot. Last weekend I really thought they were pulling the song selections right out of my head - didn't have one "swoosh". The mix of music is wonderful...from the great classics to some really great indie music I would usually only hear on WXPN but not having to suffer through a ton of singer songwriter selections. Hope the playlist doesn't change too much.
Hi there. I too was disappointed to learn of the changeover. Sounds like we jazz die-hards will have to switch over to the HD station. I was listening to the new RXP station this morning (Friday 02/22/08) and I liked a song that was played between 8:30am and 9:30am but I didn't get the name. Does anybody have a list or even possibly a partial playlist for this morning?
The last thing we need in New York is a rock station that plays the same crap as Old Fogie Q104.3. They gotta lose Bruce, CCR, Dylan, Beatles and the like. But keep the Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Aerosmith (except the hits)and doesn't anybody play the NY Dolls or Ramones(except IWB Sedated). Come on this is New York. WBAB & Q104 suck.K-Rock is getting better. Somebody please play a b-side and stop playing "Dream On" and "Born to be Wild". Leave that to CBS-FM.
I'm glad this station is around i like the mixture of rock styles..mabe you can throw in a couple of songs by muse..Thanks
I found out about this station from an ad displayed on one of the nyc buses. So far, I'm pretty impressed since it has an eclectic mix of rock(something that NYC was missing for such a long time). Please, play more of the b-sides and indie. The classic rock should also stay. Glad I have found another great station along with The Peak, WFUV, Q104.3, WFMU, as well as WXPN from Philly.
Best of luck for this station to remain on the airwaves for a long period of time.
WOW!!!
BY ACCIDENT COMING BACK FROMA TRIP TO PHILLY AS I LIVE ON LI, JUST CAME UPON THIS AMZING STATION---YOURS!! FOR S MANY YEARS I MISSED WNEW AND OF COURSE WLIR AND ALL IT'S CHANGES. NOW I HAVE BEEN SO HOPING FOR A STATION TO COMBINE ALL OF THE ELEMENTS YOU ARE USING. THE ONLY OTHER STATION WORTH LISTENING TO IS A HAMPTINS STATION WHOSE SIGNAL DOES NOT GO PAST EXIT 52 ON THE LIE---WEHM.
NEW YORK IS THE GREATEST CITY IN THE WORLD AND TO BE SUBJECTED TO CANNED MUSIC REALLY IS A DISGRACE. YOU GUYS ARE GREAT AND I HOPE THE SIGNAL GETS A BIT STRONGER AS I LOSE IT AT EXIT 64 ON THE LIE. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO GET BETTER RECEPTION?
I LISTENED TODAY FOR OVER 3 HRS AND IT WAS SPOT ON FABULOUS!!! DON'T CHANGE A THING!!
So glad that I get to listen to a innovative, creative popular rock mix. Still trying to figure out why it went away. I think WXRP should get there shot at doing this. I love the mix of classic rock, Indie and modern rock. It is fresh air from just listening to old rock only. The album oriented rock format is the right format. Besides Disco has there own yesterday and today station.