Smooth jazz was born on the radio stations in Chicago and Seattle in the 1980s. Initially, the format was called “new age jazz,” and the call letters of many of these stations emulated that of WNUA, the Chicago station, and KNUA, the Seattle radio station. There were two Smooth Jazz radio stations in Chicago from 1987-1988, the first one, WTWV-FM, was licensed to the suburb of Des Plaines. Its current call letter is WPPN. WWT Radio has over 10k radio stations to listen to. Make sure you listen to our large selection of radio stations today.
Music played on stations playing smooth jazz
Smooth jazz radio format was popular in the late eighties and early nineties and has continued to thrive for over three decades. It was first broadcast over the air and is now available online and on streaming services such as Music Choice and HD Radio. Today, stations playing this music format include WNUA in Chicago and KNUA in Seattle. In Chicago, two stations played this music format in the mid-to-late eighties. Both were licensed to suburban Des Plaines and later became WPPN.
In recent years, however, the popularity of smooth jazz radio has been declining for several reasons. The format has become less original, relying more on instrumental covers of pop songs, and there has been a drop in listenership. According to Arbitron’s PPM reports, smooth jazz stations are now achieving lower ratings than they were before the recession hit the music industry. This has made the format less viable for stations and diminished their revenue.
The format has found a new home on AM dials. Reno, Nevada’s WQCD, Phoenix, Arizona’s KWBR, and Atlanta’s WCRX-LP are among the few AM stations to play smooth jazz. Stations in the Midwest are also resurgent. In Seattle, WA, KZIZ 1560 AM plays smooth jazz while WBWH-LP in Connecticut airs the program during the evening and overnight hours.
There are many different Smooth Jazz radio channels. Some of the most popular ones include Art Good’s Jazztrax and Mindi Abair’s “Chill” radio show. Other stations that play this genre include Ramsey Lewis’ “Legends of Jazz” and the Dave Koz Radio Show. Moreover, the Czech Radio Jazz also has a Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown with Allen Kepler, which airs in over twenty radio stations worldwide.
Tune In is a great way to listen to Smooth Jazz on your Smart Speaker. A few taps on your Smart Speaker’s speakers and your PC can play the radio station. A free Tune In app allows you to listen to smooth jazz radio on all platforms. Alternatively, you can listen to smooth jazz on Tune In or BSJ Chrome Extension. Aside from tuning in to Tune In, you can also find the BSJ podcast in most podcast directories.
Markets that have played smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is an easy-listening genre of music that originated in the 1970s. In the early 1980s, a marketing research team targeted a demographic by conducting focus groups and using the results to create a smooth jazz radio format. After the format gained popularity, smooth jazz stations were quickly added to the radio dials in most radio markets in the United States and internationally. Despite its success, some listeners remain skeptical about smooth jazz.
While the format declined significantly on commercial radio, the format found a new home on AM and FM dials. In Reno, Nevada, smooth jazz was briefly heard on KZIZ 1560 AM. In Phoenix, Arizona, KJZS simulcasts WISX 106.1 FM HD2. In Columbus, Ohio, WCRX plays smooth jazz, and in Seattle, Washington, WFSK airs the format. In Nashville, WBWH-LP features smooth jazz on Sunday nights and has been converting it to a primary format.
Though the genre has been criticized and ignored for its unsuitability for commercial broadcasting, it has a rich history. Smooth jazz originated in the radio and evolved into a new genre, but its history was not as dark as it seems. Estelle Caswell explores the rise and fall of the genre and asks whether it’s worth reconsidering. This is a must-read book for anyone who loves jazz, and will leave you awestruck by its evolution.
If you’ve ever listened to smooth jazz radio, you probably heard a few original instrumentals on the top of the chart. Today, the top-selling smooth jazz tracks get only half the spins they did a few years ago, and the bottom half of the chart doesn’t receive a whole lot of airplay. That’s a problem for a new smooth jazz song, because it’s not played enough to get heard.
Despite its reputation for being an “easy listening” genre of music, Smooth Jazz is growing in popularity in markets throughout the world. Today’s top artists include George Benson, Spyra Gyra, Mindi Abair, Bob James, David Benoit, Eric Marienthal, Chris Botti, and Larry Carlton. And as the genre grows, artists are constantly reinventing themselves. For example, trumpeter Rick Braun is now crooning standards and embracing rock-style guitar. Boney James has branched out into R&B-styled music.
Artists that have played on stations playing smooth jazz
Smooth jazz stations are popular on the radio. Its popularity has grown dramatically since it began, and some have even rebranded themselves as New Age stations. Artists that have played on Smooth Jazz stations include Kenny G, Luther Vandross, Sade, Robin Thicke, Basia, Dave Koz, Chuck Mangion, and more. This list of smooth jazz artists demonstrates the popularity of this radio format.
Smooth jazz stations have adapted the radio format to appeal to a wide range of listeners. One New York City station calls itself CD 101 and promises to be the smoothest place on earth. In fact, the station is being sold for $160 million to a radio conglomerate. However, some critics have questioned the authenticity of these claims. However, smooth jazz radio stations continue to grow. The genre is an important part of music listening, and the format is one of the fastest-growing segments of the radio industry.
Although Smooth Jazz continues to decline on commercial radio airwaves, its popularity has continued to grow in noncommercial radio stations. Several noncommercial stations began playing smooth jazz, including KJZT-LP in Tulsa, Oklahoma; KRWV-LP in Gold Canyon, Arizona; WNOZ-LP in New Orleans; and WCRX-LP in Columbus, Ohio. WFSK plays smooth jazz in Nashville, while WBWH-LP in Boston began playing it as a Sunday-night show in October 2011.
Smooth jazz radio stations were once a staple of the radio landscape. When the format was dropped by Jones Radio Networks, they lost many of their affiliates. The format is now available on the Internet, through music choice and on HD Radio. There are more stations than ever playing smooth jazz on the Internet. Some of the best-known stations include WJCD in Destin, Florida, WLFM-LP in Northampton, Massachusetts, and WQJZ in Ocean Pines, Maryland.
Smooth jazz radio stations originated as “beautiful music” radio stations. They tended to play instrumentals for fifteen minutes. The stations themselves were the first to introduce the genre, and they were mostly instrumentals. Eventually, some commercial stations bought them and marketed it as a mainstream format. In Chicago, there were two Smooth Jazz stations. WTWV-FM was licensed to the suburban city of Des Plaines. Today, it is known as WPPN.
Stations that have played smooth jazz
The radio format Smooth Jazz has enjoyed a rise and fall, with both sides of the fence criticizing the current state of the genre. The genre’s decline can be attributed in part to the lack of compelling new music and the over-reliance on instrumental cover versions of pop songs. Additionally, the format has lost some of its financial viability in today’s tough economy, as Arbitron’s PPM reports indicate a sharp decline in airplay across the country.
In the past decade, three stations have switched their format. Those stations that used to play smooth jazz have disappeared from the commercial radio dial in most major and medium markets in the United States and Canada. Their format was not as popular as it was during its peak, so it is not surprising that they have been forced to change to other formats. Smooth jazz was not as popular as it was once, but as the genre’s popularity declined, so did its frequency.
Various former smooth jazz stations have shifted to Rhythmic Oldies. Some have remained on their former call letters. In Las Vegas, KOAS-FM made the switch to an older format, albeit with a more conservative audience. KYOT-FM in Phoenix experimented with the old school format, but changed back to its original format. And despite these challenges, the format is alive and well in the United States.
Those who listen to the genre may be surprised to learn that the top 10 Smooth Jazz chart features original instrumentals. The chart’s highest-ranked songs are played half as much as those in the bottom half. That means that if a new song only gets played twice a day during drive time, it is unlikely to catch listener’s attention. If a station plays smooth jazz twice daily, it’s not likely to make an impression on listeners, so listeners are better off tuning in regularly.
Smooth Jazz Radio is available on many different platforms. Its 20+ channels are perfect for working, relaxing, and even driving. The program includes local jazz concerts and recordings of local performances. Smooth Jazz Radio is available on all major podcast platforms. Its popular format includes a variety of genres and is often broadcast internationally. There are many smooth jazz radio stations across the country. One of the most popular is Art Good’s Jazztrax, which is broadcast on several stations. Its weekly Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown is broadcast on more than 20 stations.
