The Lite WLIT

[ksradiogeek]

Delilah might be in for some problems as formerly soft AC stations pick up the tempo.  If you're playing Nickelback and Rihanna, having Delilah break in between songs to chat with a weepy middle aged woman from Kansas whose cat just died may not work.

I'm not much of a Delilah fan but I think she's better than simply running automated at night, which I fear is what many AC stations will do if they drop her, rather than replacing her with a live local DJ.

I've asked this question before on the AC board, but I don't understand this generation of radio listeners having no interest in any sort of soft music.  Obviously Easy Listening is gone.  Commercial Classical stations are no longer around and many markets don't have an NPR Classical station... although Chicago is lucky to still have WFMT.  Now Smooth Jazz also has died in most markets.  And even at Soft AC stations, such as WLIT, they keep increasing the tempo of their songs.  In many markets today, there are simply NO stations playing any soft music.

I do like the comment about the woman from Kansas. I live in Kansas, and I wholeheartedly agree with you. Those are the type of callers she gets on her show.
As for Lite changing their logo and playlist, its good that they are. I think Soft AC is like Easy Listening: on the way out and dead and gone. When I become an office worker around 27, I don't want to turn on Barbra Streisand or Carpenters. Heck, I don't even want to listen to Journey.

[andrewduong77]

As for Lite changing their logo and playlist, its good that they are.

Umm... It looks like Lite FM just recently changed their logo, BUT their playlist have been like that for a while already. Their playlist was like that when I looked at their playlist back in the summer of 2011.

[crguy]

As for Lite changing their logo and playlist, its good that they are.

Umm... It looks like Lite FM just recently changed their logo, BUT their playlist have been like that for a while already. Their playlist was like that when I looked at their playlist back in the summer of 2011.

Lite cleaned up their sound when they and 100.3 were fighting for the old Fresh listeners last summer.  And wow Clear Channel score as the winner because 100.3 was busy pounding the same crossover CHR artists that Mix was already late on.  Nice move.

[andrewduong77]

As for Lite changing their logo and playlist, its good that they are.

Umm... It looks like Lite FM just recently changed their logo, BUT their playlist have been like that for a while already. Their playlist was like that when I looked at their playlist back in the summer of 2011.

Lite cleaned up their sound when they and 100.3 were fighting for the old Fresh listeners last summer.  And wow Clear Channel score as the winner because 100.3 was busy pounding the same crossover CHR artists that Mix was already late on.  Nice move.

I discovered WLIT playlist for the first time around the summer or fall of 2011 about one or two months after Fresh flipped to WBBM simulcast and that what it looked like to me. I'm curious, what does WLIT sound like back then? Like WLTW/NY? Like KOST/LA? Were they an aggressive AC back then? When did they last play 70s music?

[ChrisInMI]

Gregg: In addition to WFMT, Smooth 87.7 also exists as an option for AC music fans who prefer their music softer.  It's probably the closest thing to "easy listening" Chicago has.  A lot of smooth jazz purists weren't pleased when they modified the playlist from smooth jazz to smooth AC, but they may be in a position now to grab more former WLIT listeners.

[new_friends_gr]

I've asked this question before on the AC board, but I don't understand this generation of radio listeners having no interest in any sort of soft music.  Obviously Easy Listening is gone.  Commercial Classical stations are no longer around and many markets don't have an NPR Classical station... although Chicago is lucky to still have WFMT.  Now Smooth Jazz also has died in most markets.  And even at Soft AC stations, such as WLIT, they keep increasing the tempo of their songs.  In many markets today, there are simply NO stations playing any soft music.

I agree with you completely. It is very sad. There are moods when I want to listen to CHR hits that are dancy and "turbopop", but there are other times when I LOVE to listen to soft music like Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Air Supply, the Carpenters, and so on.

There is a Soft AC station out of Miami that I stream online every day at work: WFEZ/93.1. It is an amazing station and is one of the few stations nationwide that REGULARLY plays music by the artists I mentioned above. When I'm at work I want to listen to this kind of music because it keeps me sane and keeps my stress level down. Some people say this kind of music is "sleepy" but I disagree. It's relaxing and refreshing. Here's their website: http://www.easy93.com/

It does bother me a lot that so many AC stations feel the need to keep increasing the tempo. I think part of it has to do with the way our culture is programmed these days. Technology is everywhere - smartphones, texting, etc. Everyone needs stuff NOW and doesn't have tolerance for slower music.

Regarding smooth jazz, I live in Michigan and was devastated when Smooth Jazz V98.7 (WVMV) ceased to exist. I enjoyed that station a lot. I don't make it to Chicago often, but when I do, I love being able to listen to 87.7 and am happy that they stream on their website.

It's a sad state of affairs.