Radio News• WDSY/Pittsburgh has shifted to music-only in nights after running a mixture of part-timers and board ops in the slot since the October departure of Mike Tyler for WPKX/Springfield, MA. A final decision on the night airshift is still pending.• Former WKMK/Monmouth-Ocean, NJ APD/MD Lee Ann Taylor has launched www.CountryRadioPrep.com, a subscription site for personalities. She is offering a one-week trial by request and hopes to include tour info and artist interviews.
Who’s Your (Musical) Daddy? Perhaps more precisely, who are your core artists? Which artists dominate your airwaves? And, how does your core compare to others in your market size or region? As we always do when musical questions arise, we cranked up the ol’ Mediabase 24/7 website to grab an overview of Country stations around the USA. (The number of plays per week is in parentheses.) For comparison, Mediabase’s Top 10 most-played Country artists nationally: Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Carrie Underwood and Montgomery Gentry. This is based on last week’s airplay; we’ll do a year-to-date analysis when we get a few more weeks of airplay under radio’s belt.
East WKLB/Boston’s trio of most-played artists are Chesney (98), Keith (87) and Jackson (79). There is one female in ‘KLB’s Top 10 – Martina McBride at No. 6 (70). The most surprising name in the Top 10: Garth Brooks at No. 8 (69). (Surprising only in the sense that the G-Man doesn’t have current music.)
(continued on page 4)
How did CRS change your life? Did a contact lead to a job? A spouse? Immortalization in the minds of Bridge Bar attendees? Was it a slow educational process that shaped every fiber of your professional being, or a quick flash of inspiration and opportunity that marked a significant turning point? We want to know. Drop us a line at [email protected]. Country Aircheck will be closed Monday, Jan. 19 in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. All Country Aircheck Mediabase monitored reporters can submit station adds any time from this Thursday (1/15) until 3pm ET/Noon PT on Tuesday, Jan. 20. Country Aircheck non-monitored Activator reporters may submit their full reports any time during that same time frame. The Country Aircheck Weekly will be delivered Tuesday evening, Jan. 20.
Industry News The T.J. Martell Foundation is moving Country In The Rockies to Nashville Jan. 22 in celebration of the 15th Anniversary. Nashville’s Loveless Barn will be transformed into a ski lodge for the reunion. Among those scheduled to attend are Blue County, Billy Dean, Tim Nichols, Lee Roy Parnell and several special guests. Individual tickets (dinner included) are $100 with tables of ten at $1,500 and can be purchased at 615-
256-2002 or www.tjmartellfoundation.org. BMI/Nashville Asst./Media Relations Elisabeth Dawson has been upped to Assoc. Dir./Editorial Services after nearly three years with the company. She now reports to Sr. Dir./Editorial Services Howard Levitt in New York.
Artist News The musical 9 to 5, written by Dolly Parton, will open April 7 on Broadway at New York’s Marriot Marquis Theatre. In case you’ve been living under a rock, the musical is a recreation of the 1980 film of the same name in which Parton starred. “I wanted it to be what the story called for,” says Parton. “I wanted each song to fit each character perfectly and fit the storyline, as well and to have the songs to be sing-able and memorable.” The next set of country standards to be transformed into Hushabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions are that of Willie Nelson. “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain,” “Whiskey River” and “On The Road Again,” are among the songs included on the Jan. 27 release. Stephen Cochran will present an iBOT wheelchair to a soldier injured in Iraq during a performance in Tampa Jan. 23. Cochran, who just returned from a visit to Iraq, will also auction an American flag flown over the country to raise funds for another iBOT wheelchair.
Chronicle Our condolences to the friends and family of former SESAC/Nashville Pres. W. Robert “Bob” Thompson, who died last
Elizabeth Dawson
MY TuneS: MuSiC THaT SHaped MY life WKIS/Miami PD Ken Boesen discusses his most important songs, artists or concerts:1. James Taylor, JT: Has been a favorite album of mine forever.2. U2, Joshua Tree Tour, Denver, 1987: Getting 50 tickets for my college fraternity by calling the promoter “on behalf” of KFRX/Lincoln, where I worked at the time, nearly got me fired. I “may” have misrepresented
myself. I used to be bad. Thanks to PD JJ Cook for not showing me the door. 3. Stevie Wonder/Sir Duke: That’s just a cool song.4. Waylon & Willie/Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys: It came up every 3.5 hours after Loretta Lynn and before John Denver on the automated station we listened to in Nebraska.5. Boston/More Than A Feeling: Part of growing up in the late 70s. Like most folks, my older brother played it over and over. He also played the Bee-Gees’ Saturday Night Fever. Strangely, I never developed any love for that music.• An “important” piece of music you just don’t get: Garth’s “Ain’t Goin’ Down Til The Sun Comes Up.” It was a hit. It still tests. We still get requests. I still just don’t hear it. And Bob Dylan, The Basement Tapes.• An album you played or listened to incessantly: Keith Urban’s Golden Road. I was the guy singing along to “Jeans On” in the car next to you at the stop light.
Ken Boesen
Wednesday (1/7) afer a two-year illness. He was 77. Memorial services will be held Jan. 16 at Middle Tennessee Veterans Cemetery at 2pm.
The Week’s Top Stories Full coverage of the week’s news is available in the archives at www.countryaircheck.com.• Citadel/Nashville Market Manager Dave Kelly added OM/PD duties for Country WKDF as current OM/PD Larry Stone shifted focus to Titans Radio. (CAT 1/5)• Broken Bow hired Carson James as SVP/Promotion. EVP Jim Yerger is relocating to Nashville. Lee Adams remains VP/Promotion
Sunday (1/18) – Mark Collie, Bobby Goldsboro, Travis Hensley, Dene Hallam ([email protected]), Bob Mitchell ([email protected]), Bill Moore
Monday (1/19) – Phil Everly, Dolly Parton, Bill Carter, Cooper Samuels ([email protected])
Tuesday (1/20) – John Michael Montgomery, Slim Whitman, Stephen Giuttari ([email protected])
BiRTHdaYS
WFMS/Indianapolis posts Jackson (102), Strait (96) and McGraw (94) as its top trio. There are no women in the top 10.
and the rest of the staff is unchanged. (Breaking News 1/5)• Former Epic promotion vet Jen Dalton joined CO5/Nashville, replacing South/Midwest regional Darlene Starr. Dalton can be reached at 503-320-0599 or [email protected]. Starr can be reached at 214-906-8514 (cell), 512-291-0009 (office) or [email protected].• Pop promotion vet Tim Burruss was named VP/Promotion for 1720 Entertainment, replacing the exiting Bill Macky, who can be reached at 615-202-8135 or [email protected]. (CAT 1/8)• Former KZLA/Los Angeles morning co-host Ashley Paige reunited with Shawn Parr on the KKGO/Los Angeles morning show. (CAT 1/8)
Who’s Your (Musical) Daddy (continued from page 1)WWYZ/Hartford’s Top 3 are Chesney (101), Keith (92) and Jackson (88). Its lone Top 10 female is Swift at No. 10 (57). WWYZ’s Top 10 sports three acts not in WKLB’s list: Blake Shelton at No. 7 (62), Dierks Bentley at No. 9 (57) and Swift in tenth. WCTO/Allentown sports a completely different Top 3 than it’s eastern counterparts – although perhaps it’s more mideast than truly east. Anyway, Montgomery Gentry (71) leads WCTO’s top 10, followed by Tim McGraw (69) and Sugarland (64). There are no solo women in the top 10.
Midwest WUSN/Chicago’s top 3 are Paisley (98), Rascal Flatts (96) and Sugarland (95). The only female is Swift, tied (with Chesney) at No. 4 (91).
WFYR/Peoria, IL has Chesney (106), Keith (103) and Jackson (96) as its big 3. No women in the top 10; Garth Brooks (66) is ranked tenth.
Southeast WKHX/Atlanta boasts Chesney (107), Keith (106) and McGraw (100) at the top. Swift (66) is the lone female. WQYK/Tampa has Rascal Flatts (92) as the leader, followed by Chesney (90) and Keith (81). Swift (62) is tenth. WKXC/Augusta places Chesney (122) and McGraw (122) in first, with Keith in third with 111. No females in the top 10. Garth Brooks (66) is No. 9.
Southwest Dallas: KPLX leads with Strait (149 spins from a total of 42 different titles!), followed by Chesney (135) and McGraw (113). KSCS has Chesney on top (108), followed by Strait (92 plays from 24 titles) and Rascal Flatts (92). Neither station has a female in the top 10. Appearing in KPLX’s top 10 but not KSCS’: Montgomery Gentry (No. 5) and Jackson (No. 8). Appearing in KSCS’ top 10 but not KPLX’s: Rascal Flatts (No. 3) and Pat Green (No. 6). Houston: KILT has Strait (135), Chesney (109) and Rascal Flatts (107) top 3. KKBQ places Chesney (137), Keith (129) and Strait (124) in its top trio. KILT plays 42 Strait titles; KKBQ 26. KILT has Swift (99) as its lone female at No. 4. KKBQ also has Swift (107) at No. 4 and Lee Ann Womack (63) at No. 9, largely on the strength of heavy airplay (58 spins) of the current
Tuesday 1/13 - Big & Rich, Between Raising Hell & Amazing Grace (re-air) (GAC).
Wednesday 1/14 - Randy Rogers Band, Late Show with David Letterman (CBS); Patty Loveless, Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC).
Thursday 1/15 - Jewel, Riders In The Sky, Bill Anderson, Crook & Chase (RFD-TV).
Friday 1/16 - Trace Adkins, X (Ten) Days (GAC).
Saturday 1/17 - Jason Aldean, Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Jewel, Craig Morgan, Opry Live (GAC).
Sunday 1/18 - George Strait, Superstar Sessions (GAC).
Monday 1/19 - Various Artists, The 43rd Annual ACM Awards (re-air) (GAC).
single, “Last Call.” Eight of the ten most-played artists are the same on the two stations. KKBQ counts Womack and Darius Rucker (again, on the strength of 58 spins for the current single) in its top 10; KILT has Brooks & Dunn and Billy Currington in its top10. KTST/Oklahoma has Jackson (104), Chesney (101) and Keith (91) on top. Underwood (47) is at No. 10. KRST/Albuquerque’s top 10 shows Keith (108), Strait (105) and Paisley (90) leading the way. No women in the top 10.
West KKGO/Los Angeles leads off with Chesney (99), followed by Keith (98) and McGraw (89). Swift (59) is the lone female at No. 10. KYGO/Denver shows Keith (126), the Flatts (104) one-two, with Strait and Chesney next at 102. No women in the top 10. It breaks from the national top 10 with Rodney Atkins (73) at No. 7 and Bentley (56) at No. 10. KUPL/Portland leads with Cheseny (94), Jackson (88) and Swift (85).
Here’s the first batch of Fall 2008 Arbitron Country station ratings. As part of our weekly market-by-market offerings, with a few exceptions, only stations achieving at least a 1.0 share are included. Legend: A “+” indicates a Classic Country outlet, a “^” designates Country stations in the same market owned by a single operator and an “t” indicates a tie. A “NA” indicates a subscriber-only market, where rankings are not available.
S t a t i o n s 4 7 4 7 4 4 4 4U p 1 5 1 5 2 0 2 0D o w n 2 9 2 9 1 7 1 7F l a t 3 3 7 7 D e b u t - - - - - - - -D r o p - - - - - - - -N o. 1 n a n a 6 6
Each week we’ll have a running tally of the Fall 2008 Arbitron ratings and rankings for all Country stations printed on this page in Country Aircheck Weekly. The ratings/rankings in these box scores are only those from the station’s home market. (The 12+ and Rankings totals differ because non-subscriber markets yield 12+ share figures, but not ranks.)
CounTRY RaTingS SpRing Box SCoRe
12+ 12+ Rankings TW Total TW Total
WCTO/Allentown 10.9 12.1 1 1WPUR/Atlantic City 6.1 5.6 5 4tWWWW/Ann Arbor, MI 6.3 5.2 2t 4WYCD/Detroit 2.7 1.5 8 21 ( A n n A r b o r A r b i t r o n )KUZZ/Bakersfield^ 7.8 7.9 2 2KCWR/Bakersfield^+ 1.3 2.1 21 18WNWN/Kalamzoo, MI 20.6 18.2 1 1 ( B a t t l e C r e e k A r b i t r o n )WBCT/Grand Rapids 2.9 2.1 6t 9 ( B a t t l e C r e e k A r b i t r o n )
WBCK/Battle Creek, MI 1.5 1.4 10t 10WBWN/Bloomington, IL 12.2 10.3 1 2WYST/Bloomington, IL 3.7 5.1 7t 5WKLB/Boston 4.0 4.0 8 9WDZQ/Decatur, IL 9.9 9.5 2t 1tWZUS/Decatur, IL 3.0 2.9 9t 9WFMB/Springfield, IL 2.0 1.9 12 10t ( D e c a t u r, I L A r b i t r o n )WFBE/Flint, MI 5.7 4.3 5 7tWKCQ/Saginaw, MI 3.9 3.7 9t 9 ( F l i n t , M I A r b i t r o n )
WRBT/Harrisburg, PA 7.0 6.9 2t 3WCAT/Harrisburg, PA 2.2 2.6 10t 11tWIOV/Lancaster, PA 9.5 6.5 1 4
WMIL/Milwaukee 5.4 6.6 na naWKMK/Monmouth-Ocean, NJ 2.3 1.7 15 16tKTOM/Monterey 2.2 2.5 15 14KKHK/Monterey .9 1.3 27t 23KHAY/Oxnard-Ventura, CA 6.0 5.1 2 4KPLM/Palm Springs, CA 4.6 3.4 6 9tWXCL/Peoria, IL^ 5.1 9.4 5 1WFYR/Peoria, IL 6.1 6.1 4 5tWIRL-AM/Peoria, IL^+ 2.6 2.2 12 12tWBWN/Bloomington, IL .8 1.1 19t 15t ( Pe o r i a , I L A r b i t r o n )
WRWD/Poughkeepsie, NY 7.2 4.9 1 4WKXP/Poughkeepsie, NY 1.3 1.5 18t 16tWLLR/Quad Cities, IA-IL 18.8 15.9 1 1WXXQ/Rockford, IL 11.7 11.7 2 2WJVL/Janesville, WI .8 1.1 18t 18 ( R o c k f o r d , I L A r b i t r o n )
KNCI/Sacramento 4.8 3.7 na naKNTY/Sacramento 2.9 1.9 na naWKCQ/Saginaw, MI 7.7 7.9 5t 3tWCEN/Saginaw, MI 8.3 6.5 2 5WDGN/Saginaw, MI 2.4 1.8 10 13tKSON/San Diego 3.9 4.6 6 4KUSS/San Diego 2.3 2.0 15 18t
WBYT/South Bend, IN 12.1 8.5 1 4WHFB/South Bend, IN 2.4 1.9 13 11WTHI/Terre Haute, IN 23.7 24.2 1 1WINH/Terre Haute, IN 6.2 4.3 4 4tWSDM/Terre Haute, IN 2.6 1.9 10 9tWGGY & WGGI/ Wilkes Barre-Scranton 7.3 6.7 4 3WSJR/WB-Scranton 1.9 3.1 12t 8WCTO/Allentown 2.4 1.6 8 13t ( W B - S c r a n t o n A r b i t r o n )
WILQ/Williamsport, PA 19.9 17.7 1 1WBYL/Williamsport, PA 5.1 4.6 6 7WXCY/Wilmington, DE 4.3 3.7 5 5 WXTU/Philadelphia 2.2 2.3 12 11 ( Wi l m i n g t o n , D E A r b i t r o n )WDSD/Wilmington, DE 1.6 2.2 16t 12tWGTY/York, PA 10.6 10.2 1 1WAYZ/Hagerstown 1.3 1.5 20t 14t ( Yo r k A r b i t r o n )WRBT/Harrisburg 2.4 1.2 10t 18t ( Yo r k A r b i t r o n )WIOV/Lancaster, PA 2.3 1.3 12t 17 ( Yo r k A r b i t r o n )WPOC/Baltimore 1.1 1.2 23t 18t ( Yo r k A r b i t r o n )
CMT eMeRSOn DRive/Belongs To You (Midas/Valory)JAMie O’neAL/Like A Woman (1720)The RACOnTeURS f/AShLeY MOnROe & RiCKY SKAGGS/Old Enough (Third Man/WB)
CMT PUReBRiTTini BLACK/Good Happens (Slugfest)JAMie O’neAL/Like A Woman (1720)
GACNo Adds This Week
Video addS
Aircheck Top Point GainersBLAKE SHELTON/She Wouldn't Be Gone (Warner Bros.) 1356 4BRAD PAISLEY & KEITH uRBAN/Start A Band (Arista) 1315 4DARIuS RuCKER/It Won't Be Like This For Long (Capitol) 1074 4TAYLOR SWIFT/White Horse (Big Machine) 1042 4BILLY CuRRINGTON/Don't (Mercury) 833 4TOBY KEITH/God Love Her (Show Dog) 751TIM MCGRAW/Nothin' To Die For (Curb) 717KEITH uRBAN/Sweet Thing (Capitol) 710KENNY CHESNEY f/MAC MCANALLY/Down The... (Blue Chair/BNA) 698RODNEY ATKINS/It's America (Curb) 652
Aircheck Top Spin GainersBRAD PAISLEY & KEITH uRBAN/Start A Band (Arista) 426BLAKE SHELTON/She Wouldn't Be Gone (Warner Bros. ) 392TAYLOR SWIFT/White Horse (Big Machine) 334DARIuS RuCKER/It Won't Be Like This For Long (Capitol ) 286BILLY CuRRINGTON/Don't (Mercury) 246TIM MCGRAW/Nothin' To Die For (Curb) 233TOBY KEITH/God Love Her (Show Dog) 229KENNY CHESNEY f/MAC MCANALLY/Down The... (Blue Chair/BNA) 226KEITH uRBAN/Sweet Thing (Capitol) 214RODNEY ATKINS/It's America (Curb) 197
Activator Top Point GainersBLAKE SHELTON/She Wouldn't Be Gone (Warner Bros.) 389 4TIM MCGRAW/Nothin' To Die For (Curb) 341 4KENNY CHESNEY f/M. MCANALLY/Down The... (Blue Chair/BNA) 305 4DARIuS RuCKER/It Won't Be Like This For Long (Capitol) 298 4BILLY CuRRINGTON/Don't (Mercury) 264 4GEORGE STRAIT/River Of Love (MCA) 245
TAYLOR SWIFT/White Horse (Big Machine) 240
TRACE ADKINS/Marry For Money (Capitol) 226
BRAD PAISLEY & KEITH uRBAN/Start A Band (Arista) 217
KEITH uRBAN/Sweet Thing (Capitol) 205
Activator Top Spin GainersTIM MCGRAW/Nothin' To Die For (Curb) 218
BLAKE SHELTON/She Wouldn't Be Gone (Warner Bros.) 216
DARIuS RuCKER/It Won't Be Like This For Long (Capitol) 158
BILLY CuRRINGTON/Don't (Mercury) 141
TAYLOR SWIFT/White Horse (Big Machine) 140
GEORGE STRAIT/River Of Love (MCA) 130
TRACE ADKINS/Marry For Money (Capitol) 129
MIRANDA LAMBERT/More Like Her (Columbia) 127
KEITH uRBAN/Sweet Thing (Capitol) 119
Aircheck Add LeadersTIM MCGRAW/Nothin' To Die For (Curb) 37TRACE ADKINS/Marry For Money (Capitol) 30JASON ALDEAN/She's Country (BBR) 11JASON MICHAEL CARROLL/Where I'm From (Arista) 11JOSH GRACIN/Telluride (Lyric Street) 10KELLIE PICKLER/Best Days Of Your Life (19/BNA) 9RODNEY ATKINS/It's America (Curb) 9JOHN RICH/Another You (Warner Bros.) 8CRAIG MORGAN/God Must Really Love Me (BNA) 6HEIDI NEWFIELD/Cry Cry ('Til The Sun Shines) (Curb) 6KEITH ANDERSON/She Could've Been Mine (Columbia) 6
January 12, 2009 Country Aircheck Chart Info Chart Page 3
MELISSA LAWSON/What If It All Goes Right (Warner Bros.) 342 points, 57 spins; 0 ADDS
JANUARY 20 KEITH ANDERSON/She Could’ve Been Mine (Columbia)STEVE HOLY/Might Have Been (Curb)CRAIG MORGAN/God Must Really Love Me (BNA)DANIELLE PECK/Can’t Behave (Big Machine)
JANUARY 26KATIE ARMIGER/Trail Of Lies (Cold River)JEFF BATES/One Thing (Black River)JuLIA BuRTON/What A Woman Wants (Emerald River/Spinville)WHITNEY DuNCAN/The Bed You Made (Warner Bros.) KID ROCK/Blue Jeans And A Rosary (Atlantic Records/CO5)LADY ANTEBELLuM/I Run To You (Capitol)BRYNN MARIE/Lifted (Rhythm House)CHuCK WICKS/Man Of The House (RCA)HOLLY WILLIAMS/Keep The Change (Mercury) DARRYL WORLEY/Sounds Like Life To Me (Stroudavarious)
FEBRUARY 2BLuEFIELD/Ready To Love You Now (Country Thunder)BILLY RAY CYRuS/Back To Tennesse (Walt Disney/Lyric Street)JuSTIN MOORE/Small Town USA (Valory)DAVID NAIL/Red Light (MCA)TRAILER CHOIR/What Would You Say (Show Dog)TRENT TOMLINSON/That’s How It Still Oughta Be (Carolwood)CARRIE uNDERWOOD/I Told You So (Arista)
add daTeS
Aircheck Top RecurrentsMONTGOMERY GENTRY/Roll With Me (Columbia) 3709ZAC BROWN BAND/Chicken Fried (Atlantic/HomeGrown/BPP) 3523LADY ANTEBELLuM/Lookin' For A Good Time (Capitol) 2607DARIuS RuCKER/Don't Think I Don't Think...(Capitol) 2115TIM MCGRAW/Let It Go (Curb) 1995CARRIE uNDERWOOD/Just A Dream (19/Arista) 1991TAYLOR SWIFT/Love Story (Big Machine/Uni Republic) 1870JAMES OTTO/Just Got Started Lovin' You (Warner Bros.) 1631KID ROCK/All Summer Long (Top Dog/Atlantic) 1629JIMMY WAYNE/Do You Believe Me Now (Valory) 1628
Aircheck Activity includes the top 15 songs that rank 45-50 on this week’s chart or are those that are not charted and have a minimum of 300 airplay points and have shown growth in two of the past three weeks. (* indicates auto adds)
January 12, 2009 Country Aircheck Chart Info Chart Page 4
