Is London’s Heart 106.2 the world’s most influential radio station?
It was for at least a few days last week.
On Feb. 6, Ratings Expert Chris Huff called my attention to a relaunch of Dublin’s 98FM taking place that weekend. As reported locally, the station had shifted from Hot AC to a ‘90s and ‘00s-based Rhythmic AC, reminiscent of Heart and positioned around “Dublin’s Good Times.”
The next day, I took my First Listen to 98FM. While I was doing so, I got word that AC CHFM Calgary had rebranded as Star 95.9. The revamped station isn’t quite as rhythmic leaning as 98FM and Heart, but it does share a positioner with Heart, “Turn up the feel good.”
I first wrote about Heart FM nearly 20 years ago—then an upset winner in the London market with a more rhythmic AC format than existed anywhere in the U.S. at the time. In the just-released December RAJAR numbers, Heart was up 4.0-4.9, making it the No. 1 commercial music FM in London. Nationally, it had a 5.3 share; 6.4 when you add its side channels (including ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, and dance).
(The U.K.’s No. 1 music station, non-comm BBC Radio 2, is the music leader in London as well, up 11.6-12.6. We recently wrote about Radio 2 and the Canadian stations it influenced. On Feb. 14, CFXJ Toronto became the latest to run a similar talk/AC mix. That article has now been updated as well.)
I started listening to European radio when streaming radio revolutionized my listening habits in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s. That’s the center of 98FM. The Tina Moore song below was the dance mix of a U.S. R&B obscurity that was one of Capital FM London’s biggest songs at the time. It’s the second time Rhythmic AC has been tried in Dublin. Q102 has since evolved to a more mainstream AC; it’s the station using the “feel good” positioner in the market.
98FM’s current promotion is the “Cash Machine” (listen for the amount in the morning; text to win in the afternoon). When I listened, it was also the day that Oscar nominations were announced. Late middayer Barry Dunne and his newsperson were having some fun with the American inability to pronounce Ciarán Hinds’ name. Here’s 98FM at 2:45 p.m. on February 7:
- Post Malone, “Circles”
- Girls Aloud, “Sound of the Underground”
- Armin van Buuren w/Trevor Guthrie, “This Is What It Feels Like”
- Flo Rida f/Sia, “Wild Ones”
- Tina Moore, “Never Gonna Let You Go”
- Gayle, “abcdefu”
- Franky Wah, “Come Together”
- Kanye West, “Gold Digger”
- David Guetta f/Little Mix, “Heartbreak Anthem”
- D-Ream, “Things Can Only Get Better”
- Avicii, “Addicted to You”
- Craig David, “Fill Me In”
- Dermot Kennedy, “Paradise”
- Christina Aguilera, “Candyman”
Heart’s current contest is an “artist of the day” promotion, “Make Me A Millionaire.” Daily winners can take £3,000 or enter in a million-pound drawing. I tuned in at the end of Heart Breakfast just in time to hear the promise “tomorrow, not one but two of the Pussycat Dolls. We’ll get them back together,” before middayer Pandora Christie, who was previously on both Capitol and rival Heart FM. Here’s Heart at 9:55 a.m., February 9:
- Lady Gaga, “Bad Romance”
- Mark Morrison, “Return of the Mack’
- Joel Corry, Raye & David Guetta, “Bed”
- Sweet Female Attitude, “Flowers”
- Anne Marie, “2002”—she had stumbled on stage at the recent Brit awards; that led to the artist’s ankle getting its own Twitter account, Christie noted
- Goo Goo Dolls, “Iris”
- Clean Bandit, “Rather Be”
- LeAnn Rimes, “Can’t Fight the Moonlight”
- Elton John & Dua Lipa, “Cold Heart”
- Sonique, “It Feels So Good”
- Bruno Mars, “The Lazy Song”
- Mary J. Blige, “Family Affair”
- David Guetta w/Mr. Jam & John Newman, “If You Really Love Me (How Will I Know)”—an interpolation of the similarly named Whitney Houston hit
- Jessie J, “Domino”
- Taio Cruz, “Dynamite”
Rogers’ CHFM is the market’s longtime Mainstream AC. That format throughout Canada in general is somewhat newer/more rhythmic than its American counterpart. Rival Bell Media’s AC stations recently rebranded as “Move.” The new Star 95.9 has a revamped lineup including a female morning duo, Billie Jo & Candice. Its hook promos promise “happy songs that everybody knows.” Here’s Star 95.9 on its first day, February 7 at 1 p.m.:
- Britney Spears, “Baby One More Time”
- Loud Luxury f/Brando, “Body” (Canadian)
- Simple Minds, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
- Alessia Cara, “Sweet Dream” (Canadian)
- Calvin Harris f/Rihanna, “This Is What You Came For”
- Kelly Clarkson, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”
- Shania Twain, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” (Canadian)
- Selena Gomez & the Scene, “Love You Like a Love Song”
- The Weeknd f/Daft Punk, “I Feel It Coming” (Canadian)
- The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber, “Stay”
- Felix Cartal f/Sophie Simmons, “Mine” (Canadian)
- Madonna, “Holiday”
- Ellie Goulding, “Love Me Like You Do”
- Jann Arden, “Could I Be Your Girl” (Canadian)
- Walk The Moon, “Shut Up and Dance”