A recent article from Radio Insight’s Sean Ross asked the question, Can a country-pop hit radio hybrid station succeed? Does one even exist?
“For decades, programmers have wondered if there would ever be a hybrid Pop/Country format,” writes Ross. “It’s a hole that a few broadcasters have talked about over the years, sometimes when Country radio and music is at its hottest, but not always.”
Popular, or top-40, and country on the same station? As it turns out, Ross reports, WIXX/Green Bay, Wisconsin is already doing just that: playing the two supposedly incompatible genres. But is the idea that pop and country are truly incompatible even true?
I suggest no, the reason being that in many ways today’s country is yesterday’s top-40 … much of country music’s top hits are not that much different from what was once considered “pop” and “rock,” including lyrics that often appeal to a younger generation and instruments that are actually played. I’ve personally wondered if the Nashville music scene is a modern country version of The Wrecking Crew that made so many popular songs in the 1960s and ‘70s.
So why the split? Top-40 radio moved so far away from its roots that it just seems country doesn’t fit. If you flash back to the early days of top-40, though, you could find a little bit of everything … including that rising star named Elvis Presley … who was a country star.
Today, Post Malone sounds as good singing the pop/alternative hit “Chemical” as he does “I Had Some Help.” Both are big hits on the sales and download charts. Rapper Jelly Roll has made a successful crossover hit with “Get By,” and even stars such as Taylor Swift have songs in both genres.
Country hits from Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, and Josh Turner would likewise sound at home on top-40 radio, if top-40 radio truly played the top music of all genres. And in fact, the move is in that direction. The opening up of top-40 playlists to include country, alternative and even a variation of standards — think 2022’s surprise hit by Steven Sanchez “Until I Found You” — is one of the reasons I believe KIIS-FM (102.7) and many other hit music stations across the country are earning higher ratings than in years.
Ross writes that country plays a large part at WIXX, stating for example that “in the course of most daytime hours on September 17 WIXX typically played three songs that were Country or CHR chart collaborations with Country artists, such as MGK & Jelly Roll’s ‘Lonely Road.’ In a few hours, there was only one. In the 9 p.m. hour, it was as many as five. Country songs were typically 15-20 minutes apart.”
So yes, country and pop can live together quite peacefully. And it could just be the next new thing.
The Rabbitt on KZLA
Jimmy Rabbitt worked at numerous radio stations throughout Southern California, including KCBQ/San Diego, KRLA (now KWVE, 1110 AM), KLAC (570 AM), KMET (now KTWV, 94.7 FM) and more … including a three-day stint on KHJ (930 AM). Prior to his death in 2020, he was heard on low-powered KOCI (101.5 FM) out of Costa Mesa.
Even though he was known as a “country outlaw” and credited with bringing outlaw country music to Los Angeles, it seems that recordings of him on country-formatted KZLA (now KLLI, 93.9 FM) are few and far between.
Luckily, YouTube user TucumcariTimmy has come to the rescue. Recently uploaded at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICvUaV6ZQkU is a recording of The Rabbit from 1984, with a musical selection and understated wit that is all his own. As traditional country music fan and column reader/contributor Douglas Brown commented, “This is what made Rabbitt Rabbitt … Elvis, Amazing Rhythm Aces, Hoyt Axton, Jackson Browne, Little Feat, Kris Kristofferson, George Jones, Sonny James, Flying Burrito Bros. and Johnny Cash LP cuts along with country currents.”
“Also, notice NO commercials on this Saturday night,” Brown concluded.
It actually is a nice mix of music and a total blast from the past. Rabbitt always came off as cool, even when he was on KHJ playing a format he hated. I still wonder why he took that job.
Teenage Radio
I was speaking with a colleague of mine recently regarding radio when a teenager overheard us and gave his opinion of the state of the industry.
The topic of conversation was music, and how so much emphasis is placed on songs of the past … songs popular when I was in high school. Great songs but – do we really expect kids to tune in to hear their parents, or even grandparents, music? Even I don’t want to hear those songs all the time.
I mentioned how new songs used to be the norm on so many stations, be they AM or FM, and how we would get so excited when the latest album would hit the airwaves. The high school student piped up, “I can do that on Spotify.” He then showed me how easy it is to set up a playlist that focuses on whatever genre he wants, including new releases.
“It’s easy … this is what we all do,” he said of his friend group.
Not a news flash, of course, but it does show what radio as an industry is up against, and how stations are dooming themselves if they don’t do something to reverse the trend.
Music is just one aspect. It is what is between the records that counts. Spotify has no soul. As I have said many times before, get out and talk to kids and young adults. Find out what they like music-wise. Find out the topics they want to hear about. We’re not talking rocket science here … this is what station programmers used to do.
Is there a solution? Yes, and it is obvious. Why do so few do it?
Richard Wagoner is a San Pedro freelance columnist covering radio in Southern California. Email [email protected]
