Hard Rock/Metal Radio

[Deleted User 4520]

Is there much money to be had in hard rock/metal radio? I just don't hear many stations that are dedicated to this genre...I'm not talking about the Disturbed's, Linkin Park's, Theory of a Deadman's, etc...I'm talking about having bands like W.A.S.P., Exodus, Sepultura, etc on a regular rotation. If lack of money is the reason these types of stations aren't around, how would such a station fare? I would personally love this but it's not up to me. Actually a Hair Nation format would be just peachy.

[k8jd]

JD Opinion Time
Since media is generally aimed at the formats that are predicted to have the most listeners and the max $$$ from advertizments, I expect the extremes of music I.E, hard metal on one end and classical on the other end , of the musical spectrum would not have much chance to be broadcast on commercial stations.
I recall WABX in Detroit, in the 1960's, had adopted an "unformatted" format of some very modern "acid rock" music that was shunned by the top 40 format rockers as too extreme. It did not last long, advertizers with serious funding stayed away in droves and the music went away. Eventually this music creeped into the top 40 playlists and was accepted. Record sales trumped "standards of decency".
TODAY, The government sponsored stations like School owned or NPR and CBC network members do have some edgy and "experimental" music on late at night sometimes. Maybe this is what you wanted ?

[sfpcc]

One of the last times I was in LA there was a station called KNAC that kind of sounds like the station you described. I don't know long that format lasted. This was December of 1988.

[Deleted User 4520]

KNAC.com has a live stream.

[phillyb]

KNAC.com has a live stream.

KNAC lives on only as a website. KNAC-FM, the actual radio station, changed format and probably call letters several years ago.

[Deleted User 10525]

Good Topic, I was listening to old air checks of Z rock the other day. My dream format would be older 80s metal and hard rock with some 90s stuff mixed in. No Vanhalen, Aerosmith, and 80s butt rock at a minimum.

Bands like Iron Maiden, Merciful fate, Tony Martin era Black Sabbath, Pantera, even getting into like STP's Core album or Alice in chains. I know this would probably sell no ad's but its fun to think about.

[Deleted User 4520]

I just feel some genres are under represented on the airwaves. There are always lots of country, classic rock, and pop stations. But really no metal stations. It's pretty much the same for music award shows. Metalheads are just as loyal to their genre as a country and pop is to theirs.

[stopnswop2]

I've actually wondered about the lack of these stations too.
Could it be that metalheads don't seem to listen to mainstream music/radio much?
I know that every metal head I know is that way, so maybe the business noticed this as well?

[windsor]

Im suprised that this type of format hasnt turned up on an HD channel on lets say WOMC as to take listeners back and away from stations like WRIF.But with lack of HD radio exposure maybe its not worth the effort.

There's no bigger hard rock/metal fan then me and to get anything even close to accepable I had to go to SXM.And even theyre not perfect but with stations like Z rock and KNAC long gone you wont hear those formats on FM ever again.

I used to like Wounded Radio on Z Rock on sunday nights with Sharkman they played the heaviest of the heavy at that time.I also listen to my airchecks that I have.

[Deleted User 4520]

I think for the metalheads out there that many have just tuned out of terrestrial radio all together. Can't blame them for feeling alienated. Often I'll just plug in my phone in the car and stream iHeart specialty stations.

[Deleted User 10525]

I don't have XM in the car, the radio is equipped for it but it's not active. I'm too cheap. As far as rock radio, I agree. To me it's bland and boring. Van Halen, Aerosmith, Blue oyster cult, Pearl jam, Metallica( well same old 3 songs and always from the black album), Nirvana, The Who, Pink floyd, Led Zeppelin, etc.... just so burned out. I guess I feel I graduated from that stuff long ago and got into deeper less corporate stuff. Then throw in Nickleback, shinedown, and consider me gone gone gone.

I like 80's metal(and no not LA hairbands) and some 90s stuff, don't care for death metal or the kind that sounds like a growling grizzly bear.

I never hear stuff like Iron Maiden(rarely), King Diamond, Grim Reaper, Kick Axe, Pantera(once in awhile), Megadeth( very little), Non Ozzy Black Sabbath(Martin or even Dio era), and a few others.