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40-455: WCIG 107.1 was an urban adult contemporary and gospel station in Mullins, South Carolina prior to 1995. The station increased from 3,000 to 50,000 watts and moved to Myrtle Beach with the new name WWSK "107.1 The Shark" and the format "Mega Hits" (actually hot adult contemporary ). John Boy and Billy were on in the morning from 1995 to December 18, 1998. Losing John Boy and Billy resulted in

80-603: A chart that had been dominated by "legacy acts". Quiet storm Quiet storm is a radio format and genre of R&B , performed in a smooth, romantic, jazz -influenced style. It was named after the title song on Smokey Robinson 's 1975 album A Quiet Storm . The radio format was pioneered in 1976 by Melvin Lindsey , while he was an intern at the Washington, D.C. radio station WHUR-FM . It eventually became regarded as an identifiable subgenre of R&B. Quiet storm

120-406: A flute of Veuve Clicquot champagne." For some, the conception of quiet storm represented a shift in the gendered and sexualized musical landscapes of R&B and soul. Music journalist Eric Harvey said that within the quiet storm genre, artists such as Luther Vandross were able to push the boundaries of gender normativity in both their sound and lyricism.   Author Jason King said that through

160-609: A great impact in this format. Disc jockeys use a more relaxed sound than their younger counterparts. News and current events have a major impact on the older audience. Around the evening, urban AC stations play smooth jazz during the Quiet Storm program. Many of the urban AC radio stations implement slogans such as "Classic Soul & Today's R&B", "(City/Region)'s Old School and R&B Station", "The Best Mix of R&B", and "(City/Region)'s R&B Leader." Some popular nicknames for urban oldies stations include "Magic" (borrowed from

200-515: A mainstream rock format as "Rock 107". The call sign was changed to WRXZ with the format change. Also Mad Max did mornings; he was last seen on NextMedia's WKZQ . On May 15, 2014 Qantum Communications announced that it would sell its 29 stations, including WRXZ, to Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia), in a transaction connected to Clear Channel's sale of WALK AM - FM in Patchogue, New York to Connoisseur Media via Qantum. The transaction

240-619: A similar format in 1972, where Tony Brown hosted “The Extrasensory Connection.” That program was renamed to “The Quiet Storm” in 1976, and is still on the air. In the San Francisco Bay Area, KBLX-FM expanded the night-time concept into a 24-hour quiet storm format in 1979. In the New York tri-state late night market, Vaughn Harper deejayed the quiet storm graveyard program for WBLS-FM which he developed with co-host Champaine in mid-1983. In 1993, Harper took ill and Champaine continued

280-403: A trademark for "entertainment services, namely, a continuing series of radio programs featuring music". Hughes later built on the success of WHUR's quiet storm format to found Radio One , a broadcasting company aimed at African Americans. Quiet storm was most popular as a programming niche with listeners from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s. During this era, it promoted a noticeable shift in

320-460: A weekly, two-hour "Quiet Storm" program since 1998—a 50-50 mix of smooth jazz and soft R&B, presented in "Triple-A" (Album Adult Alternative) style, with a strong emphasis on "B" and "C" album tracks that most commercial stations often ignore. In 2007, Premiere Radio Networks launched a nationally syndicated nightly radio program based upon the quiet storm format, known as The Keith Sweat Hotel . That program, in edited form, broadcasts under

360-471: Is disagreement in the music industry over the use of the term urban in describing music genres and formats. In June 2020, Republic Records and artist management company Milk & Honey stated that they would drop the use of the word in relation to music of a black origin. These decisions came in the wake of the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police and the subsequent protests . Lance Venta of radio industry publication RadioInsight claimed that

400-578: Is one of the most important and overlooked aspects of the Quiet Storm format, and something that Vandross did so well: embrace a male form of domestic sensuality, a musical ideal previously exclusive to women." Quiet Storm emerged at a time when the US Black middle-class population was growing and the divide between the Black rich and poor was widening. "The black suburban population doubled between 1970 and 1986, and

440-405: Is one urban AC station whose playlist heavily emphasizes current material. While artists were once reluctant to be on urban AC because it made them look "old", by 2024, young people had become a major part of the format. With mainstream urban becoming more of a hip-hop format, R&B was less of a factor there. Urban AC played more of a role in introducing records and artists than it had been. It

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480-416: Is seductive R&B, marked by jazz flourishes, 'smooth grooves,' and tasteful lyrics about intimate subjects. As disco gave way to the 'urban contemporary' format at the outset of the 1980s, quiet storm expanded beyond radio to emerge as a broad catchall super-genre." Ben Fong-Torres of Rolling Stone called quiet storm a "blend of pop, jazz fusion, and R&B ballads—all elegant and easy-flowing, like

520-551: The Satellite Music Network format Urban Gold, which had 27 stations six months after starting October 1, 1993. Steve Harris, the SMN manager for urban radio, said no black radio stations had targeted adults over 35. Consultant Tony Gray said older adults did not like contemporary music, which had few tunes that had proved they could stand the test of time. And hip hop was becoming a bigger part of contemporary radio. Another factor

560-587: The Southwest United States ). One of the first stations to play this type of music was WRKS-FM (98.7 Kiss FM). In December 1994, Emmis Broadcasting transformed Kiss FM into the first station to play urban oldies music on a regular basis. The format was an instant hit with black and white listeners around the Greater New York area , reaching to number two on the Arbitron ratings. Before WRKS, many of

600-600: The adult contemporary format), "Mix" and "Star" (both borrowed from the Hot AC format), and " KISS-FM " (borrowed from top 40/CHR ). WBLS in New York City, which is the flagship station of the urban contemporary format, was one of the first stations to introduce the urban AC format in 1994. WRKS-FM (also in New York City) introduced the first 24-hour classic soul radio station in the country. Urban AC stations usually target

640-465: The 18-49 and 25-54 age groups. Many urban AC stations rely heavily on syndicated programming such as The Steve Harvey Morning Show and The D. L. Hughley Show . Cumulus Media Networks also operates a 24/7 urban AC format delivered to affiliated stations via satellite, called " The Touch ", which is common on smaller- and medium-market stations featuring the urban AC format. KJLH in Los Angeles

680-643: The 35% of the playlists that were rap/hip-hop at the time, while playing 65% non-rap urban currents, to wide acclaim. WJMO in Cleveland and WVOL in Nashville were some of the early converts. KHYS in Houston switched to the format in 1999. KCJZ in San Antonio followed suit 7 months later. Early in 1994, M Street Journal reported 33 radio stations in the format, compared to 14 a year earlier. Many of these were affiliates of

720-551: The Urban music division. Hip Hop and R&B is leading the way for the surge in music sales and usage of streaming. Are the other positions, titles and departments within a record company going to change or dissolve? ... Do they realize the cultural power of Urban Music? In 2024, Billboard quoted P Music Group founder Michael Paran, who said of the magazine's Adult R&B chart, "the chart is named wrong ... Let's call it what it is: It's just R&B." More younger people were showing up on

760-418: The first song " Magical Mystery Tour " by The Beatles . For several years prior to 2007, WQSD The Sound was a classic hits station which told listeners, "It's all about the music". Then the station switched to Variety Hits , with the slogan "We play it all" and "The Grand Strand's Largest Music Library". On February 18, 2008 WQSD flipped to urban adult contemporary . Earlier in the month, Qantum announced

800-479: The genre and his music more generally, "Vandross toys with dominant conventions of male sexuality without engaging in androgyny or any explicit forms of traditionally feminine embodiment." Given the sensuality and "domesticity" that the genre became recognized for, artists, particularly men, seemed to be awarded much more freedom in regards to expression of gender and sexuality, as opposed to what were viewed as more "masculine" genres. Harvey went on to say: "This

840-411: The latter). Urban adult contemporary playlists generally consist of many different genres that originated amongst Black Americans including R&B , soul , funk , disco , jazz , pop , hip-hop , electro , quiet storm , gospel , new jack swing , and hip-hop soul . The format usually plays some classic R&B hits, as well as hits that are ten years old or more. Classic dance music also has

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880-604: The morning; Mixin' Dixon had a midday show that included "Liquid Lunch", former morning host Michael Parnell did afternoons, and Leanne had the night shift. Lex and Terry were later replaced by Bob and Tom . In a deal announced in February 1997, Root Communications Ltd. announced plans to buy eight radio stations owned by Florence, South Carolina -based Atlantic Broadcasting, including WWSK. Qantum Communications Inc. purchased Myrtle Beach's Root Communications Group LP stations in 2003. On September 18, 2003 The Fox became The Sound, with

920-614: The music selections were initially old, slow romantic songs from black artists of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, a form of easy listening which Lindsey called "beautiful black music" for African Americans. The response from listeners was positive, and WHUR station manager Cathy Hughes soon gave Lindsey and Shuler their own show. The name of the show came from the Smokey Robinson song "Quiet Storm", from his 1975 album A Quiet Storm . The song developed into Lindsey's theme music which introduced his time slot every night. "The Quiet Storm"

960-710: The number of blacks attending college increased 500 percent between 1960 and 1977." Quiet Storm was an escape from politics and friction; it reassured Black communities with the feeling of stability and normalcy. In the 1990s, Canadian adult contemporary station CFQR-FM in Montreal aired a Quiet Storm program featuring new-age music . At least two non-commercial FM stations, the community-based WGDR in Plainfield, Vermont , and its sister station, WGDH in Hardwick, Vermont (both owned by Goddard College ), have been broadcasting

1000-492: The popularity of his show, Lindsey saw his annual salary increase from $ 12,000 in 1977 to more than $ 100,000 in 1985 (equivalent to $ 283,292 in 2023). After signing a million-dollar, five-year contract with rival Washington DC station WKYS , he left WHUR at the end of August 1985, continuing the quiet storm format on WKYS for five years starting in November with a show called "Melvin's Melodies". Part of Lindsey's original style

1040-461: The program as Quiet Storm II. Following in the footsteps of KBLX, Lawrence Tanter of KUTE in Greater Los Angeles changed his station to an all-day quiet storm format from January 1984 until September 1987, playing "a hybrid that incorporates pop, jazz, fusion, international, and urban music". Addressing the misconception that quiet storm was only for blacks, Tanter said his listenership

1080-443: The purchase of variety hits WYNA "104.9 BOB-FM ", which did much better in the ratings then 107.1 The Sound had. The station went by the name "Q107.1" and its slogan was "Today's R&B and Old School." Q107.1 aired "The Steve Harvey Morning Show", "The Ride with Doug and DeDe" afternoons and " Keith Sweat Hotel" for nights. On March 3, 2009 107.1 FM dropped the urban adult contemporary format at 10:00 a.m. and switched to

1120-421: The sound of R&B of the time. Quiet storm songs were in most cases devoid of any significant political commentary and maintained a strict aesthetic and narrative distance from issues relating to black urban life. Quiet storm appropriates R&B and soul " slow jams " and recontextualizes them into rotations with their peers and predecessors. Music journalist Jason King wrote, "Sensuous and pensive, quiet storm

1160-425: The station's losing half its audience, and nearly two-thirds of its morning audience. The Shark's music changed several times. First it switched to modern rock in November 1996. Then it became "107.1 The Fox", playing rock oldies . In 2000 "The Fox" played "Classic Rock That Really Rocks", with artists such as The Rolling Stones , Pink Floyd and Janis Joplin . Also, Lex and Terry replaced John Boy and Billy in

1200-595: The stations playing this music were on AM radio . Primary artists included The Isley Brothers , McFadden & Whitehead , Aretha Franklin , Marvin Gaye , and The Temptations . One of the first stations to try the format was WSID in Baltimore in the late 1950s/1960s/1970s. WDGS in the Louisville market had a full-range urban AC format, with no rap music, as early as 1985. WDGS neatly substituted jazz, blues and urban/soul gold for

1240-499: The term urban is outdated in that R&B and hip hop music have gained massive popularity outside the inner cities and the descriptor should not serve as a euphemism for "black music". He recommended substituting the terms adult R&B for the urban adult contemporary format and hip hop for urban contemporary . Myron Fears, operations manager and program director of the black owned Carter Broadcast Group in Kansas City, defended

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1280-412: The use of the urban tag. Responding to Republic's elimination of the term, he expressed concern that the action diminishes the status of black music executives within record companies and the industry as a whole: I do not think it’s a great idea because it nullifies all the hard work that past African American music executives built. This potentially leads to the dissolving of people and positions within

1320-1066: The years 1967 to 1978, but also played songs from as far back as 1963 and as recent as the early 1980s. Included were both ballads and uptempo songs. WGCI even played songs from the 1950s, including Unforgettable by Nat King Cole , though Ross said even teenagers liked the station because they had learned about older songs from their parents, and because newer versions of old songs were being recorded. Other stations included WRBO 103.5 in Memphis, WNPL in Nashville, KMEZ in New Orleans and WPLZ in Richmond . In addition to WRBO, urban oldies stations include WATV (AM) in Birmingham, Alabama , and KAJM in Phoenix. Some urban oldies stations refer to this format as "old school," for example, WOSL in Cincinnati. There

1360-503: Was 40% black, 40% white, and 20% other races. WLNR-FM in Chicago also changed in August 1985 to a 24-hour quiet storm program called "The Soft Touch", featuring more instrumental music and even straight-ahead jazz, a mix which sales manager Gregory Brown described as "not so laid-back" as other quiet storm shows. A notable feature of WLNR was that the four regular deejays were women. Because of

1400-497: Was also more popular than mainstream urban. "Urban oldies" refers to R&B music dating back to the late 1950s/early 1960s through the early 1990s. Although African Americans are the primary audience, radio stations playing this type of music often attract White listeners because R&B is one of the roots of rock and roll . A more mass-appeal version of the format is rhythmic oldies , which attracts both white and black listeners, as well as Latino listeners (particularly in

1440-487: Was consummated on September 9, 2014. Urban adult contemporary Urban adult contemporary , often abbreviated as urban AC or UAC , (also known as adult R&B , ) is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have hip hop music on their playlists, and generally include some mix of contemporary R&B and traditional R&B (while urban oldies stations emphasize only

1480-424: Was four hours of melodically soulful music that provided an intimate, laid-back mood for late-night listening, and that was the key to its tremendous appeal among adult audiences. The format was an immediate success, becoming so popular that within a few years, virtually every station in the U.S. with a core black, urban listenership adopted a similar format for its graveyard slot . Philadelphia’s WDAS-FM had begun

1520-459: Was marketed to primarily upscale mature African-American audiences. It peaked in popularity during the 1980s, but fell out of favor with young listeners in the golden age of hip hop . Melvin Lindsey , a student at Howard University , with his classmate Jack Shuler, began as disc jockeys for WHUR in June 1976, performing as stand-ins for an absentee employee. Lindsey's on-air voice was silky smooth, and

1560-495: Was the availability of older records in remastered form. Hurricane Dave Smith of WJJJ in Pittsburgh, which had switched from smooth jazz , doubted the format would succeed on FM radio , but he believed listeners who enjoyed older songs were used to AM. Sean Ross of WGCI in Chicago believed the format could work either place, but stations that selected it would be those desiring something different. The satellite format focused on

1600-531: Was to mix different decades of music together, for instance playing a Sarah Vaughan ballad in between more modern numbers. Lindsey died of AIDS in 1992 at the age of 36, but the quiet storm format he originated remains a staple in American radio programming. WHUR radio still has a quiet storm show, and many urban, black radio stations still reserve their late-night programming slots for quiet storm music. WHUR operator Howard University has registered "Quiet Storm" as

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