Growing up, radio stations have always played a part in the soundtrack that is our lives. While some stations remain intact and go on and on through the ages, some change formats constantly. Perhaps it's because of low ratings, undesirable demographics, or any other reason for those changes. It can be a crushing blow to those who loved what the stations were playing. A prime example of this was WABC-AM, which was the very popular top 40 station that ran from 1961 to 1982. About fifteen years after that station signed off as a music station, and went to a talk format, nostalgic radio listeners started a website remembering the music radio days, and posting airchecks from the legendary jocks like Dan Ingram, Cousin Brucie Morrow, Harry Harrison and many more. To this day, almost forty years after the format switch, many still fondly remember WABC Musicradio 77.
Another station that is remembered via Facebook groups is WNEW-FM. I have frequently blogged about that once-freeform, turned album rock station that broadcast from 1967 to 1999. In particular, deejays such as Pete Fornatale, Alison "The Nightbird" Steele, Scott Muni (who also worked at WABC early on), Dennis Elsas, and many others, were recalled with a passion.
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| Logo and bumper sticker for WHTG-FM, an alternative station that ran from 1984 to 2000. |
Lately, I've been watching another Facebook page remembering WHTG-FM. While not really a household name like 'ABC or "NEW, the station was a great alternative rock station back in the 1980's and 1990's, which coincided with my changing tastes in current music. Being a station at the Jersey Shore, and myself living in northwest Jersey, it posed a bit of a problem....except during the summer months when I joined up with friends in renting a beach house in towns like Manasquan, Sea Girt and Belmar, areas where you could easily listen to WHTG-FM, "FM 106-3" as it was called, broadcasting out of Eatontown.
As you know, this blog focuses mainly on current alternative music and my playlist is dominated by that genre. But, as a fan of both WABC and WNEW in its heyday, it might be hard to fathom how I moved from pop to rock to alternative.
I think many people my age who started listening to WABC's top 40 format started drifting onto something new, some by the late 1960's; others during the 1970's. And while I drifted towards the latter category, I kept an eye towards both of those formats, including competitors like WXLO (99X), and WNBC for top 40, and WPLJ for album rock. And while WNEW evolved from free-form to a more tightly formatted rock station, it still attracted many of my friends and myself as well.
Without a doubt, myself, like my friends, have a good chunk of those essential albums and artists during the seventies decade. I listened to Elton John, Queen, Aerosmith, Yes, Peter Frampton, Fleetwood Mac, Boston, Pink Floyd, The Eagles, ELO and many others, and my vinyl album collections gives proof to that. They were indeed the soundtrack to college and high school.
By the time I graduated, there were other trends happening, though. There was punk rock in the form of The Ramones and Sex Pistols, and New Wave, such as Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, Blondie and many others. However, none of them did well on the charts as fans wanted the tried and true, and perhaps I was guilty of that as anyone.
But by 1979, things started to change. While songs like Blondie's "Heart of Glass", The Police's "Roxanne" and Talking Heads' "Take Me to the River" started making the upper regions of the charts, they were pretty much blocked out by the last wave of disco. But by August of that year, when many of the disco songs out were eclipsed by The Knack's "My Sharona", it signaled a change in the pop landscape as well as perhaps my way to move out of the comfort rock zone and explore.
But, while some artists like The B-52's, Nick Lowe, Ian Gomm and others got some airplay in the latter months of 1979, Top 40 stations started skewing more 'adult', and the next couple of years, artists such as Christopher Cross and Air Supply ruled the top 40 airwaves, and mainstream rockers like Van Halen, Styx, REO Speedwagon and the like were popular, both on album rock stations and some top 40 formats that included harder songs.
However, MTV, which debuted in August 1981 and was essentially an album rock station with videos, changed all that. The station played not just the mainstream rock, but also cutting edge artists. While new wave was a major part of that, the station also played artists that were pretty much unheard of, but gained popularity in the next couple of years. British "new romantic" bands like Culture Club, A Flock of Seagulls, and especially Duran Duran comprised a "second British invasion", and myself, looking for something new, went along for the ride.
But, like many trending things, there was the inevitable backlash. Many rock stations stopped playing that kind of music, which admittedly was more pop than anything else, and moved back toward heavy metal, including the "hair metal" which would define the rest of the 1980's. And, those rock stations increasingly went back to the old stuff; hence the birth of "classic rock" that continues to this day.
So, what's a fan of this new stuff to do? In the mid 1980's, as "underground" college bands like R.E.M. were gaining a following, as well as the burgeoning synth-pop genre (Depeche Mode, New Order, Erasure, etc), alternative stations, or "modern rock", started popping up. Two examples are those that I had listened to: WEQX, based in Manchester VT with a transmitter in Albany NY; and WHTG-FM at the Jersey Shore.
Unfortunately myself, living in North Jersey and not aware of these stations, I was listening to WDHA, based in Morristown. I have nothing against that station, in fact, it was awesome...I pretty much listened to it all the time back then, with a great mix of new and classic rock. And while that station dabbled in the New Romantic era, it pretty much became a rock station with core artists like Rush, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, along with the classic 70's rockers. Another station that I listened to in that decade, the top 40 WPST out of Trenton NJ, played many modern rock leaning artists and had a specialty show called "Modern Rock Dance Party", and in many cases, that's where I got some alternative music from, plus the station played many local artists as well.
There was an alternative station not that far away---WDRE, on Long Island. It had evolved from WLIR, which competed with WNEW in the 1970's but had evolved enough to move to alternative in the late 80's. I had worked in Roseland, where I could pick it up, but would lose the station as I headed west towards home. Bummer.
When Billboard introduced the "Modern Rock Tracks" chart in 1988, I took notice of many of the bands on that listing, I lamented that I couldn't hear much of them, although some mainstream rock stations did play some of it. And then, in 1990, I discovered WHTG-FM.
I had a share in a house that summer, and it was my introduction to that station. I loved it. At the time it was called "Real Rock Radio" and they played everything. By 1990, guitar-driven songs were replacing synth-pop, and bands like The Sidewinders, Rave-ups, Happy Mondays, They Might Be Giants, The Stone Roses, Lightning Seeds and many others were played. It was an awesome experience. But, being a "BENNY", after Labor Day, it was back up north, and I was forced to go mainstream again. Still, the station---which would eventually host a program director in Matt Pinfield, who went on to become the host of MTV's alt-rock show "120 Minutes"---made such an impression on me.
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| New Jersey-band Dramarama was one of the local bands played and supported by radio station WHTG-FM |
In subsequent summers, of course, I tuned to FM 106-3, now "Modern Rock at the Jersey Shore", and caught up on some awesome artists and bands. Dramarama, Catherine Wheel, Material Issue, Fishbone, Cracker, Urge Overkill, the list goes on. Local artists got a great spin as well. The Whirling Dervishes were from New Jersey and got just as much airplay as the heavyweights.
And while grunge--led by Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and the like, moved alternative back to the mainstream (regular album rock stations played them too), there were still enough more obscure artists to listen too, beyond those that became popular.
Fortunately for me, many of my friends who loved that kind of music were in my ski house during the winter, and were able to listen to WEQX, which like WHTG-FM started in the mid 1980's. That was my winter soundtrack.
By the end of 1996, the mainstream pretty much abandoned alternative, so the format could go back to being unique. The problem was, after grunge, what could be new in the format? While Metallica's "Until It Sleeps" from that summer was a great "crossover" song from that metal band, all of a sudden "Nu Metal" and "Rap Rock" bands sabotaged the format. Plus, I didn't do a beach house from 1996 to 1999 so I didn't know what FM 106-3 was playing. A new alternative station, WRRV out of Middletown NY was close enough to listen to (and was my prime station then), it had a more "polished" format than either 'HTG or 'EQX; it was a top 40-type station that played alternative hits instead of pop hits. And New York City actually got an alternative station in WXRK, "K-Rock", but that was so horrible, that it was alternative in name only.
When I returned to the Shore in 2000, FM 106-3 was still with us. They held their ground, playing artists like Caviar, Travis, Peter Searcy, Angie Aparo, Amanda Ghost, and particularly a local band, 7 Minds, with the Jersey-centric "Seaside Tony" a nod to those "guidos" coming down from Bayonne and clubbing along the Shore.
But, shortly after the summer, November 2000 to be exact, the independent station was sold to Press Communications. That almost invariably means a format change. Well, it did...sort of. Actually the station remained alternative, but the presentation was similar to that of WRRV. Called "G 106.3" it still played more mainstream alternative (how's THAT for an oxymoron?!) but did have specialty shows that showcased local and new artists. But for many fans, it just wasn't the same. G-Rock (the new name when it simulcasted with another station, WBBO in Ocean County) finally abandoned alternative in 2009, becoming a Top 40 station briefly before changing to the current "Thunder 106" in 2010. That had a country format.
While I lamented that change, Thunder 106 did have one redeeming factor. Rachel Allyn, a country-rock artist from North Jersey that I featured a lot in my blog's early years---she had four blog #1's in a span of a year and a half---won that station's "House Band" contest, enabling her to open for name country artists touring New Jersey, as well as gigs at the Jersey shore such as Jenks, and Bar A.
While WEQX is still going strong--still independent and staying true to its format for 38 years and counting, and while I rarely go to ski country these days, the station is available via streaming, and its new music playlist remains a main source for my blog chart---WHTG, FM 106-3 is but a memory, but a nice one at that, but the music they played will never be forgotten.
CURRENT ACTION: ScreenAge's "Think Again" sits atop of the SNS 100 playlist for a third week. Making big moves are The Black Keys' "Crawling Kingsnake" (9-2) and Bebe Rexha (8-3), but both are still well behind "Think Again". The Keys' are looking for their seventh #1; the song recently was #1 on the Triple-A chart for three weeks. Ms. Rexha, takes the place of The Weeknd at #3, becoming the second straight pop-oriented artist to grab the Show position. Valerie June inches up to #4, and ScreenAge's other chart topper, "North Star" sits at #5. The rest of the top 10 is rather quiet, although Gia Ness' "Love Song" moves 12-7 unbulleted, becoming the talented Mid-Hudson valley artists' second top 10 song.
TWO QUESTIONS: There is a logjam in the second ten, with seven songs bulleted but only able to move up a couple positions at the most. The Impact award belongs to "Questions" by Middle Kids with a 24-18 jump. Meanwhile, the Mover of the Week is another song with the same title. ScreenAge's "Questions" moves 60-26, in tandem with that band's other song "Going Back" 48-23. Other big movers include Modest Mouse's "We Are Between" (this week's Triple-A number one), Pageants' "Just Tell Me", and Anna Lavigne's "Dare to Dream".
NEW AND NOTEWORTHY: Seven adds this week, with yet another song by Anna Lavigne from her well-rounded Angels in Sandshoes set. As hinted at last week, "Seashore Roses" takes Top Debut honors. I had mentioned it had that "Girl from Ipanema" vibe, and is perfect for the summer season. A bit jazzy with some great harmonizing between Ms. Lavigne and producer Martin Stephenson. Close behind is another from Dua Lipa "Levitating". It is currently #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 after peaking at #2 a couple weeks ago. It has sort of a vibe similar to Miley Cyrus' "Midnight Sky" and Bebe Rexha's "Sacrifice". One to watch in coming weeks.
Leon Bridges has left his retro-soul behind, but succeeds with the current form of that genre with "Motorbike". It has a steady beat and hasn't sold out to all the current pop tricks of the trade. He has definitely held his ground on this one. We last heard from Sleater-Kinney back in 2019 with the #30 "Hurry on Home". The Olympia Washington band is back with "Worry With You", one of three tracks released on the band's new Path of Wellness set. Lead singer Carrie Brownstein's tough vocals with a mid-rock tempo which is accessible enough make this a worthy entry. Recommended.
Speaking of female-led rough rocking bands, Evanescence was a popular band especially in the early 2000's, they were one of the few female-led bands getting alternative airplay during the rap rock and nu metal era. I wondered what ever became of them. Two of their songs reached my blog chart in the early years of it, but nothing since. A glance of the current mainstream rock charts showed they are alive and well. Given alternative's propensity of playing harder songs back then, that is no surprise. But I figured I would take a chance on their latest, "Better Without You". Amy Lee's band has held its ground, with a hard rock presentation that's not too far from the style of their heyday. And the video, with its pulsating strobe reminds me of ScreenAge's current "Questions". Also added this week are Vance Joy's "Missing Place", and Morgan Wallen, still apparently banned on country radio, with "Sand in My Boots".
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
June 13, 2021
|
This Week |
Last
Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks
on List |
|
1 |
1 |
NUMBER ONE:  Album: DNR (3 weeks at #1) |
6 |
|
2 |
9 |
8 |
|
|
3 |
8 |
7 |
|
|
4 |
5 |
13 |
|
|
5 |
2 |
9 |
|
|
6 |
4 |
9 |
|
|
7 |
12 |
13 |
|
|
8 |
3 |
18 |
|
|
9 |
7 |
15 |
|
|
10 |
6 |
14 |
|
|
11 |
11 |
13 |
|
|
12 |
13 |
7 |
|
|
13 |
14 |
11 |
|
|
14 |
17 |
10 |
|
|
15 |
15 |
7 |
|
|
16 |
16 |
7 |
|
|
17 |
10 |
14 |
|
|
18 |
24 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  Album: Today We're The Greatest |
4 |
|
19 |
19 |
6 |
|
|
20 |
21 |
11 |
|
|
21 |
23 |
10 |
|
|
22 |
25 |
9 |
|
|
23 |
48 |
2 |
|
|
24 |
26 |
6 |
|
|
25 |
27 |
6 |
|
|
26 |
60 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: DNR |
2 |
|
27 |
36 |
4 |
|
|
28 |
33 |
5 |
|
|
29 |
34 |
5 |
|
|
30 |
35 |
5 |
|
|
31 |
18 |
11 |
|
|
32 |
54 |
2 |
|
|
33 |
31 |
9 |
|
|
34 |
22 |
15 |
|
|
35 |
28 |
10 |
|
|
36 |
40 |
5 |
|
|
37 |
20 |
Elle King and Miranda Lambert - Drunk (And I Don'tWant to Go
Home) |
11 |
|
38 |
39 |
7 |
|
|
39 |
29 |
7 |
|
|
40 |
53 |
3 |
|
|
41 |
30 |
11 |
|
|
42 |
32 |
13 |
|
|
43 |
46 |
4 |
|
|
44 |
59 |
5 |
|
|
45 |
41 |
8 |
|
|
46 |
70 |
2 |
|
|
47 |
66 |
3 |
|
|
48 |
37 |
12 |
|
|
49 |
38 |
9 |
|
|
50 |
65 |
3 |
|
|
51 |
43 |
16 |
|
|
52 |
52 |
8 |
|
|
53 |
56 |
12 |
|
|
54 |
73 |
2 |
|
|
55 |
42 |
14 |
|
|
56 |
75 |
2 |
|
|
57 |
45 |
23 |
|
|
58 |
50 |
Black Coffee ft. Maxine Ashley and Sun El Musician - You Need Me |
18 |
|
59 |
49 |
23 |
|
|
60 |
44 |
16 |
|
|
61 |
47 |
20 |
|
|
62 |
64 |
6 |
|
|
63 |
51 |
16 |
|
|
64 |
67 |
10 |
|
|
65 |
61 |
6 |
|
|
66 |
55 |
17 |
|
|
67 |
74 |
4 |
|
|
68 |
63 |
29 |
|
|
69 |
69 |
5 |
|
|
70 |
81 |
3 |
|
|
71 |
57 |
15 |
|
|
72 |
79 |
4 |
|
|
73 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  Album: Angels in Sandshoes |
1 |
|
74 |
58 |
10 |
|
|
75 |
82 |
3 |
|
|
76 |
83 |
3 |
|
|
77 |
84 |
2 |
|
|
78 |
85 |
2 |
|
|
79 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
80 |
80 |
5 |
|
|
81 |
68 |
11 |
|
|
82 |
62 |
13 |
|
|
83 |
71 |
23 |
|
|
84 |
86 |
4 |
|
|
85 |
88 |
2 |
|
|
86 |
90 |
3 |
|
|
87 |
92 |
5 |
|
|
88 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
89 |
76 |
12 |
|
|
90 |
--- |
|
|
|
91 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
92 |
--- |
|
|
|
93 |
72 |
17 |
|
|
94 |
77 |
11 |
|
|
95 |
87 |
4 |
|
|
96 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
97 |
78 |
12 |
|
|
98 |
99 |
18 |
|
|
99 |
89 |
20 |
|
|
100 |
91 |
19 |
|
|
Songs with the greatest increase in
favorite points over the prior week. ●
Songs with
25 or more plays on iTunes/iPods ▲ Songs with 50 or more plays.
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