Power 106 in L.A. is now cutting back on Rhythmic Pop to focus on Hip Hop & R&B

[BJordan]

Might need to cool those jets, boys. Playing 2 R&B songs doesn't mean they are tweaking the format. Motivation has been in rotation for a while -- I have tape of them playing it as part of the "New at Two" several months ago. It's never going to get major airplay either. Power is not an Urban station anymore, and hasn't been in years. Look at the airstaff at the station, and that should tell you how interested Emmis is in catering to the Urban audience.

While you guys correctly point out two R&B songs that are in rotation, you erroneously gloss over the fact that LMFAO had the highest spins of the week. Pitbull was #3, Felli Fel's Boomerang was #7, Black Eyed Peas was #18, Dev was #21. Outside of that, David Guetta had many more spins than Frank Ocean, one of the two R&B songs that supposedly signals the coming of the "new
 Power 106". Also, they are spinning Mr. Saxobeat and Afrojack. They "did dance"? I can't name a time I've heard so many songs above a certain BPM since they were LA's Dance Station back in the early 90s.

May I point out that the LMFAO and Pitbull uptempo songs are 1 and 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, respectfully? Sorry, the electro/dance sound has not gone away nor would it be reasonable to predict its demise in the forseeable future.

But they're not spinning Gaga or Katy Perry. I don't expect them to go back to urban just don't play Gaga.

[wdb2003]

Might need to cool those jets, boys. Playing 2 R&B songs doesn't mean they are tweaking the format. Motivation has been in rotation for a while -- I have tape of them playing it as part of the "New at Two" several months ago. It's never going to get major airplay either.

This is what I was trying to point out in my somewhat facetious 'KZZP Novacane & Motivation' comment earlier (KZZP is a top 40 / rhythmic lean top 40).

What's happening now doesn't show that electro dance is in its final days. However, it is evident that hip hop and r&b are improving, and while dance is still holding strong as the overall trend topper at the moment, it is possible that if more quality hip hop and r&b (along with alternative) continues to "rise up", we might have a modernized version of the 90's sound - when we had all types of sounds in chr and many formats doing well independently with their own sound. Remember back when you had hip hop, alternative/rock, r&b, pop, and dance all doing well together (as oppose to one sound mostly dominating a trend) and you also heard it all on your local chr's? With the way things are going now, it could happen again.

As far as motivation not getting major airplay, I'm not exactly sure about that because for some reason, I feel that Kelly Rowland has finally mastered her first successful U.S. hit, and it seems like it has potential to keep growing, possibly at least to the point that Ciara's "oh" did. I was a little skeptical about it at first because not only was it Kelly Rowland, but the song was so slow, and it is a very quality tune, so I automatically assumed it would never catch on. Looks like, though, this song may do some surprising things, or be the song that helps ensure that Kelly's follow up single does even better across the board, due to familiarity.

This is just a hypothesis, but I have a feeling that Kelly Rowland may finally find bigger U.S. success with this album...

Your right her first 2 albums have not been chart toppers. Stole was the first single mainly to CHR then the uptempo Cant Nobody was a good song not sure why people didnt like it. The new album contains the dance single Commander which was suppose to be relased last year but lack of promotion and creative difference with her record label and radio airplay left the song in the dark. KIIS here in Los Angeles played it a few times mostly in a mixshow I heard it New Years Eve last year. When Love Takes Over with David Guetta was probally her biggest solo hit internationally in other markets. AMP here in Los Angeles played it last year just not in rotation. As far as Motivation goes not hooked on it yet but its nice shes getting airplay. Im actually waiting becuase Beyonce new album I aint feeling the singles.

[wdb2003]

But they're not spinning Gaga or Katy Perry. I don't expect them to go back to urban just don't play Gaga.

They actually spun GaGa more than Perry because GaGa was making hits that appeal to latinos which is Powers core listeners. Her new album has no Rhythmic elements compared to the first 2 I agree which is why I dont like it. Her first one was good no doubt because it was something different we haven't heard. Now shes overrated. Since I hardly listen to KPWR I guess its safe to say we dont need every station playing Rolling In The Deep also.

[BJordan]

Might need to cool those jets, boys. Playing 2 R&B songs doesn't mean they are tweaking the format. Motivation has been in rotation for a while -- I have tape of them playing it as part of the "New at Two" several months ago. It's never going to get major airplay either.

This is what I was trying to point out in my somewhat facetious 'KZZP Novacane & Motivation' comment earlier (KZZP is a top 40 / rhythmic lean top 40).

What's happening now doesn't show that electro dance is in its final days. However, it is evident



that hip hop and r&b are improving, and while dance is still holding strong as the overall trend topper at the moment, it is possible that if more quality hip hop and r&b (along with alternative) continues to "rise up", we might have a modernized version of the 90's sound - when we had all types of sounds in chr and many formats doing well independently with their own sound. Remember back when you had hip hop, alternative/rock, r&b, pop, and dance all doing well together (as oppose to one sound mostly dominating a trend) and you also heard it all on your local chr's? With the way things are going now, it could happen again.



As far as motivation not getting major airplay, I'm not exactly sure about that because for some reason, I feel that Kelly Rowland has finally mastered her first successful U.S. hit, and it seems like it has potential to keep growing, possibly at least to the point that Ciara's "oh" did. I was a little skeptical about it at first because not only was it Kelly Rowland, but the song was so slow, and it is
 a very quality tune, so I automatically assumed it would never catch on. Looks like, though, this song may do some surprising things, or be the song that helps ensure that Kelly's follow up single does even better across the board, due to familiarity.

This is just a hypothesis, but I have a feeling that Kelly Rowland may finally find bigger U.S. success with this album...

Your right her first 2 albums have not been chart toppers. Stole was the first single mainly to CHR then the uptempo Cant Nobody was a good song not sure why people didnt like it. The new album contains the dance single Commander which was suppose to be relased last year but lack of promotion and creative difference with her record label and radio airplay left the song in the dark.
KIIS here in Los Angeles played it a few times mostly in a mixshow I heard it New Years Eve last year. When Love Takes Over with David Guetta was probally her biggest solo hit internationally in other markets. AMP here in Los Angeles played it last year just not in rotation.
 As far as Motivation goes not hooked on it yet but its nice shes getting airplay. Im actually waiting becuase Beyonce new album I aint feeling the singles.

They favor Beyoncé over Kelly, Michelle, Letoya, Latavia and Farrah Franklin every girl who was in Destiny's Child. Beyoncé's Best Thing I Never Had actually sounds better than Run The
World(Girls). The only time Kelly Rowland was promoted successfully as a solo artist was on Nelly's Dellimma in 2002 and that's the last time Power 106 ever played a record with Kelly
Rowland singing on the track. Dellimma also did well on the Urban AC charts (according to an all bussiness article from October 2002) because it did tested well with the younger listeners who listen to Urban AC with the help of Hot 92.3 and KJLH in Los Angeles.

[wdb2003]

Actally Power played Like This with Eve for a short time just during a mix show but she hasnt really had a successful solo career. That's Nelly's song not hers. As far as Beyonce goes the video for Run The World(Girls) is hot just the song and beat sucks.

[BJordan]

Actally Power played Like This with Eve for a short time just during a mix show but she hasnt really had a successful solo career. That's Nelly's song not hers. As far as Beyonce goes the video for Run The World(Girls) is hot just the song and beat sucks.

I don't remember KPWR playing Like This with Eve in 2007 . 102.3 KJLH & KRBV V-100 played it with Eve's rap. KDAY did when they were doing currents. That was a hot though. I can't stand Run The World because of the unstable african backing track too much going on in that song.  Sad to see that (not all) the R&B is at a spiraling downfall.

[Wildstyle Kdm]

I find it peculiar that WHTA would have "best thing I never had" in regular rotation. It sounds straight up top 40 or rhythmic material... kind of like TLC's "unpretty"! Even Pitbull ft T-Pain's "hey baby" sounds 'more street' than "best thing I never had".

[ShawtyBlack_ATL]

I find it peculiar that WHTA would have "best thing I never had" in regular rotation. It sounds straight up top 40 or rhythmic material... kind of like TLC's "unpretty"! Even Pitbull ft T-Pain's "hey baby" sounds 'more street' than "best thing I never had".

They gotta keep the females listening too.  HOT has shifted back to a blend of Hip-Hop and R&B which has been a good look ratings wise.

[Martin Mac]

Did someone say Kelly Rowland's song Motivation was not a hit? Maybe not in Los Angeles, but it reached number one on the Urban Mediabase Chart and stayed there for several weeks. It also reached #3 on the Mediabase Rhythmic chart and is still climbing, right under Give Me Everything and Super Bass respectively.  L.A. is the only place that is not really showing Motivation alot of love. This song has also crossed over to the Mediabase Top 50/Pop Chart, something that does not happen alot for Urban R&B songs these days. I guess Motivation is not testing well in Los Angeles, but if it was the most played song on Urban stations in the country, and is currently the 3rd most played song on all Rhythmic stations and is still rising, this is clearly a hit.

[kilamanjero]

Considering the mix and the ineptitude of KPWR, KJLH, and KDAY, I would say LA is a lost market on the rhythmic or urban music tip.