Legendary Los Angeles radio station KROQ is effectively done

[Dan Druff]

Do you guys remember when Variety was just a print magazine and was fairly expensive to subscribe to?

In the early 2000s, I started getting issues mailed to my PO Box, addressed to me. I somehow had a subscription for a few years which I never paid for, yet they were acting as if I had. Really weird. Also sent me letters at times indicating how they knew I was an industry insider, and were trying to sell me other services. I did nothing to make this happen. I have no idea where they got my info or why they comped me like 3-4 years of the magazine. Then it stopped and I never heard from them again.

My only theory was that they were short on subscribers for the advertisers, and they got my info somewhere as a potentially interested party, and they just comped me for a few years to boost their circulation numbers.

[David USF]

Now this is the KROQ I knew and loved!!!

https://archive.org/details/cftp-kro...1-a-106-92.wav

[Sidewinder]

A little off-topic but interesting doc none-the-less.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01MSAI6P9?psc=1

The radio stations we grew up with will always have a nostalgia place in our hearts.

In Atlanta it was 96 Rock, whom put up signs all over town that said "Freebird" with a silhouette of Richard Jewell after he was rail-roaded and then exonerated for the Olympic Park Bombings...

[Kalam]

So the previously afternoon DJs, Stryker and Klein, moved into the Kevin and Bean morning slot; and I have to admit I enjoy the show and listen to them a lot in the morning. (FWIW I flip through a lot of local morning shows, but I would stay I spend the most time on Stryker and Klein). Klein is definitely the comedic talent, and Stryker is (was now) more of the company guy who ran the show and set Klein up to do his thing, but I thought they had good chemistry and the show was good.

Anyways, pretty much out of nowhere, Stryker recently announced he was leaving the show and didn't really give much of a reason. Which is weird because he has been grinding the local DJ scene for like 20 years, and he finally gets a coveted morning DJ slot, and everything seems to be going good, and he picks this time to quit?

Makes no sense at all. It definitely seems there is something else going on.

Druff, wanna do some sleuthing and see what's really up?

[Bilbodoggins]

the 4 letter radio code thing is very strange, isn't it? must be a uniquely American thing

It's North American.

Canada and Mexico do it, too.

In the US west of the Mississippi, the station starts with K.

In the US east of the Mississippi, the station starts with W.

In Canada, the station starts with C.

In Mexico, the station starts with X.

There are some stations broadcasting out of northern Mexico with the intended audience of the US market, and are owned by US companies. This is because Mexico didn't have the same power restrictions, and there are some grandfathered Mexican stations with a super-strong signal. These are called "clear channel" stations, where their range is so wide that no other market in a large radius is allowed to have the same frequency.

Some older stations have only 3 letters. WLS out of Chicago for example. Also, US commercial ships use the same 4 letter system for their call signs, except that now there are numbers mixed in with the letters.

[Dan Druff]

BUMP

Kat Corbett and Stryker now gone from KROQ.

https://variety.com/2021/music/news/...an-1235034057/

It's going to be dead soon enough. Good run, but I just don't see them ever coming back. Ship has sailed, and all that.

[Zap_the_Fractions_Giraffe]

relevant

[Kalam]

I actually liked Stryker and Klein more than Kevin and Bean. Thought the show was good. Never did figure out why Stryker left when he did. Really is odd timing if it was actually his decision.

I have kept listening to Ally and Klein, and it is still decent. They are both funny. But it isn't as good without Stryker as the straight man for them to play off of.

Also, I skimmed the Variety article and they brought up Y107. Definitely blast from the past (and also a reminder how old I am, and underscores the point that KROQ is in trouble if dudes in their 40s are the main demographic)

[desertrunner]

Article dated- May 13, 2022

Can Kevin Weatherly Restore The ‘World Famous’ KROQ?

Now the radio and entertainment worlds will be watching to see if Weatherly’s second act as KROQ’s programmer can bring back the beautiful noise. Once among radio’s top 10 billing radio stations with $42 million in revenue in 2011 according to BIA, the KROQ of today is a distant shadow of its once “World Famous” self. KROQ ranked 28th among listeners 6+ with a 1.4 share in Nielsen’s March PPM survey, well behind iHeartMedia’s “Alt 98.7” KYSR which had a 2.2. KROQ is No. 13 in 18-34 and No. 11 in 25-54 in the March survey.

Looking at their current ratings, fail.

[Dan Druff]

They're a non-factor now. They ruined what they had.

This is a lesson. If you have a loyal, middle-aged listener base who sticks by you because of nostalgia for the music and the personalities, you leave everything as-is, and don't get greedy.

KROQ got jealous of other stations attracting a younger and cooler audience, tried to become that, and flopped in all ways.

[David USF]

They're a non-factor now. They ruined what they had.

This is a lesson. If you have a loyal, middle-aged listener base who sticks by you because of nostalgia for the music and the personalities, you leave everything as-is, and don't get greedy.

KROQ got jealous of other stations attracting a younger and cooler audience, tried to become that, and flopped in all ways.

I think they should flip to the Roq of the 80's format they run on their HD2 channel and see if it brings the ratings up. Classic hits works for K-Earth 101.

https://www.audacy.com/stations/roqofthe80s

[desertrunner]

I think they should flip to the Roq of the 80's format they run on their HD2 channel and see if it brings the ratings up. Classic hits works for K-Earth 101.

https://www.audacy.com/stations/roqofthe80s

The problem is Audacy doesn’t advertise and let people know about KROQ2 HD2. Freddy Snakeskin was on that channel live and it was pretty good.

[David USF]

I think they should flip to the Roq of the 80's format they run on their HD2 channel and see if it brings the ratings up. Classic hits works for K-Earth 101.

https://www.audacy.com/stations/roqofthe80s

The problem is Audacy doesn’t advertise and let people know about KROQ2 HD2. Freddy Snakeskin was on that channel live and it was pretty good.

It's still good despite the lack of DJs. I still listen. Classic Rock and new wave are my favorite kind of music.

[Kalam]

Article dated- May 13, 2022

Can Kevin Weatherly Restore The ‘World Famous’ KROQ?

Now the radio and entertainment worlds will be watching to see if Weatherly’s second act as KROQ’s programmer can bring back the beautiful noise. Once among radio’s top 10 billing radio stations with $42 million in revenue in 2011 according to BIA, the KROQ of today is a distant shadow of its once “World Famous” self. KROQ ranked 28th among listeners 6+ with a 1.4 share in Nielsen’s March PPM survey, well behind iHeartMedia’s “Alt 98.7” KYSR which had a 2.2. KROQ is No. 13 in 18-34 and No. 11 in 25-54 in the March survey.

Looking at their current ratings, fail.

I have a pretty long morning commute and listen to the Klein/Ally show in the mornings. Prefer them to the Woody Show (98.7), Big Boy (92.3), Seacreast (102.7) or the Hispanic crew on 105.9 (not sure name of show).

Guess I am the only one. I didn't realize the ratings had dropped that much. I don't care much for the music they play on 106.7 though. Maybe it is just a me getting old thing, but if I am in a mood for music I actually put on the country station. Love me some Morgan Wallen.

[Kalam]

They're a non-factor now. They ruined what they had.

This is a lesson. If you have a loyal, middle-aged listener base who sticks by you because of nostalgia for the music and the personalities, you leave everything as-is, and don't get greedy.

KROQ got jealous of other stations attracting a younger and cooler audience, tried to become that, and flopped in all ways.

Meh. Klein and Stryker, that later became Klein/Ally when Stryker went to 98.7 is basically the same kind of humor as Kevin and Bean. With their choice of replacements I wouldn't say they really tried to appeal to a different demographic. I think they just wanted to go A LOT cheaper with the DJs and hope the audience would stay. I did, but I guess I am the minority.

[BCR]

I have tried multiple times to find something redeeming about Oingo Boingo and it’s just as horrible as I remember when I revisit it.

I understand that’s sacrilege to SoCal kids. I enjoy almost everything.

I can remember playing that Fast Times soundtrack to death at 13 and hating their addition to it. Hating that Weird Science song while loving the movie then.

I recall living in SoCal at 22 and my new friends telling me I needed to listen to this or that to appreciate them, and it was just all horrible to me.


Since this thread popped up, I tried one last time. Bad lyrics. Horrible music. Still don’t get it. Oh well, art is subjective. Just strange. I can usually understand why cult or niche bands are loved. I just can’t with that band.

[Dan Druff]

I have tried multiple times to find something redeeming about Oingo Boingo and it’s just as horrible as I remember when I revisit it.

I understand that’s sacrilege to SoCal kids. I enjoy almost everything.

I can remember playing that Fast Times soundtrack to death at 13 and hating their addition to it. Hating that Weird Science song while loving the movie then.

I recall living in SoCal at 22 and my new friends telling me I needed to listen to this or that to appreciate them, and it was just all horrible to me.


Since this thread popped up, I tried one last time. Bad lyrics. Horrible music. Still don’t get it. Oh well, art is subjective. Just strange. I can usually understand why cult or niche bands are loved. I just can’t with that band.

I'm neutral-positive on Boingo. I sort of like them, but it's not a band I go out of my way to listen to.

I think this was their best song:





I do find it annoying that Danny Elfman has retconned his rebellious weirdness of the early '80s in order to fit in with modern woke Hollywood. He now mostly does soundtracks, so I guess he feels he needs to be liked by that crowd. He's since become a cranky old man with TDS.

Today, he wants us to believe that he wasn't really criticizing liberal soft-on-crime policies when he recorded "Only a Lad", and perhaps more absurdedly, his song "Little Girls" was about his adult girlfriend at the time who was physically petite.

Dude, just own the fact that you were a libertarian eclectic weirdo in the early '80s, and if your politics and social views have changed since then, just say so.

[Dan Druff]

Article dated- May 13, 2022

Can Kevin Weatherly Restore The ‘World Famous’ KROQ?



Looking at their current ratings, fail.

I have a pretty long morning commute and listen to the Klein/Ally show in the mornings. Prefer them to the Woody Show (98.7), Big Boy (92.3), Seacreast (102.7) or the Hispanic crew on 105.9 (not sure name of show).

Guess I am the only one. I didn't realize the ratings had dropped that much. I don't care much for the music they play on 106.7 though. Maybe it is just a me getting old thing, but if I am in a mood for music I actually put on the country station. Love me some Morgan Wallen.

Wow, another LA Jew into country music. Two on one forum? Who knew?

I got into country music in the early '90s when I lived in Riverside, and it was on four radio stations over there. So it dominated the airwaves. At the time, it was a mix of then-current 90s songs and older country hits from the '80s which I was discovering for the first time.

Really got into it, and stayed a big country fan through the early 2000s. Then they kinda lost me as it started to change sound and become more similar to what people refer to as "bro country". I still listen to country sometimes, but most of it is from the 1980-2002 range.

[desertrunner]

I'm neutral-positive on Boingo. I sort of like them, but it's not a band I go out of my way to listen to.

I think this was their best song:



I do find it annoying that Danny Elfman has retconned his rebellious weirdness of the early '80s in order to fit in with modern woke Hollywood. He now mostly does soundtracks, so I guess he feels he needs to be liked by that crowd. He's since become a cranky old man with TDS.

Today, he wants us to believe that he wasn't really criticizing liberal soft-on-crime policies when he recorded "Only a Lad", and perhaps more absurdedly, his song "Little Girls" was about his adult girlfriend at the time who was physically petite.

Dude, just own the fact that you were a libertarian eclectic weirdo in the early '80s, and if your politics and social views have changed since then, just say so.

Seriously, Druff nailed it here on all points. And called Just Another Day correct too.

Nailed it.

[Kalam]

I have a pretty long morning commute and listen to the Klein/Ally show in the mornings. Prefer them to the Woody Show (98.7), Big Boy (92.3), Seacreast (102.7) or the Hispanic crew on 105.9 (not sure name of show).

Guess I am the only one. I didn't realize the ratings had dropped that much. I don't care much for the music they play on 106.7 though. Maybe it is just a me getting old thing, but if I am in a mood for music I actually put on the country station. Love me some Morgan Wallen.

Wow, another LA Jew into country music. Two on one forum? Who knew?

I got into country music in the early '90s when I lived in Riverside, and it was on four radio stations over there. So it dominated the airwaves. At the time, it was a mix of then-current 90s songs and older country hits from the '80s which I was discovering for the first time.

Really got into it, and stayed a big country fan through the early 2000s. Then they kinda lost me as it started to change sound and become more similar to what people refer to as "bro country". I still listen to country sometimes, but most of it is from the 1980-2002 range.

"Into Country music" might be a little bit of a stretch. I just listen in the car when I am not in the mood for talk radio or podcasts, and that is about it. I listen mainly to 95.1, which is one of the Riverside area stations you listened to I am sure. I live in OC now (and probably for good) and the signal reaches here fine.

I mainly listened to hip hop stations in the 90s-2010s. I actually never really was into Kevin and Bean or KROQ. I guess it is my old age and the fact I have kids who are old enough to understand lyrics, but even though I still enjoy the beats the horrible messaging in hip hop, and to a lesser extent, pop music bothers me more than it used to*.

* This is the first stanza of the song playing on the local hip hop station right now (Agora Hills). I actually enjoy the beat to this song, but I am really supposed to listen to this with my daughter in the car?

Hold my hand
You can hit while they watch, boy
Somethin' different about you
Love it when he hit and smack too
Baby, lemme lick on your tattoos
That's true that I like PDA
Take it to a seedy place
Suck a little dick in the bathroom
Who that man with the big strong hands
On her ass in the club with the paps? Baby, that's you