Wiki: Adult hits - upcScavenger

Adult hits (sometimes also called variety hits) is a radio format drawing from popular music from the late 1960s to the present. The format typically focuses on classic hits, but blended with adult contemporary, pop music, and mainstream rock hits from the 1970s through at least the 2000s, and is synonymous with Franchising brands such as Jack FM and Bob FM.

History

Forerunners of the adult hits format appeared on radio during the 1970s. At the time, enough of a backlog of popular music from the rock and roll era had developed to support a format based on them; oldies stations, however, were still very rare, and instead, stations that did not want to bind themselves to the current top 40 playlist would mix in current hits with the hits of the past two decades. This hybrid format began to fall out of favor in the 1980s as self-contained oldies stations rose to prominence. The Adult Hits format dates back to 1990 when 98.9 WMMO was launched in Orlando, Florida. Another predecessor was the short-lived "rhythm and rock" format run by KYOT in Phoenix, Arizona in the early 1990s. Adult hits stations target adults 25–54, and more specifically at 35- to 44-year-olds. Freeform could also be seen as another forerunner due to the freedom of music choice the DJ's had, very similar to what makes up the core basis of the adult hits format.

A large number of adult hits stations utilize male names as their branding. The practice was popularized by the franchised Jack FM and Bob FM brands, and has been widely imitated with other common male names.

Related formats

"Traditional country" is a format of country music that focuses primarily on neotraditional, country pop, and country rock hits from the 1980s through the 2000s, as well as contemporary songs that fit within these styles (including newer songs by artists who were prominent during that era). The format generally avoids Bluegrass music, as well as more youthful bro-country songs.
A Spanish language-language variation of the format, "Jose FM", is syndicated by Entravision.

Formatting

The adult hits format draws from a wide playlist of broad appeal, consisting primarily of adult contemporary, pop music, and rock music hits from the late 1960s through at least the 1990s—including but not limited to classic rock (including pop rock and hair metal), power ballads, Dance-pop, and new wave among others. The size of their music library and their focus on older music provide a contrast to other stations, which may heavily play certain popular songs throughout the day.

Due to its broad nature, the adult hits format can be easily automated. This means that the station can be run with little to no on-air personalities (a trait that, in some cases, may be openly promoted by the station), leaving only staff involved in station operations, advertising sales, and promotional presences. However, some adult hits stations may still maintain a full airstaff.

Radio stations

Canada

Bell Media and Rogers Media operate chains of adult hits stations under the Bounce Radio and Jack FM brands respectively.

"95-5 Hits FM"
"Bounce Radio 103.7"
"Jack 96.9"
"Cool FM"
"92.5 The Chuck"
"Moose FM"
"Jack 92.9"
"Bounce Radio 91.9"
"Juice FM"
"Jack 102.3"
Stratford, Ontario	CJCS-FM	107.1 FM	"107.1 Juice FM"
"Mike FM"
"Moose FM"
"Moose FM"
"Q99"
"100.7 Cruz FM"
"Jack 94.5"
"96.3 Cruz FM"
"Jack 92.3"
"Coast 101.1"
"Rewind 103.9
"Moose FM"
"Jack 96.9"
"CJVD 100,1"
"Jack 103.1"
"Wayne FM"
"Bounce Radio 99.9"

CKDG: Adult hits only during drive times. All other times station serves as a multicultural station.

United States

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	Abilene, Texas	"The Raider"
	Albuquerque, New Mexico	"Ed FM"
	Altoona, Pennsylvania	"Jack FM"
	Anchorage, Alaska	"BOB FM"
	Appleton, Wisconsin	"Jack FM"
	Auburn, Alabama	"Kate FM"
	Austin, Texas	"Bob FM"
	Bad Axe, Michigan	"Cruise 102.1"
	Bakersfield	"Big FM"
	Baltimore	"Jack FM"
	Bloomington-Normal, Illinois	"Bob FM"
	Boise, Idaho	"Bob FM"
	Bonham, Texas	"Rewind 103.9"
	Boston, Massachusetts	"Big 103"
	Bowling Green, Kentucky	"Sam FM"
	Buffalo, New York	"Jack FM"
	Calabash, North Carolina	"Bob FM"
	Cambria, California	"Bob FM"
	Cape Cod	"Frank FM"
	Casper, Wyoming	"Jack FM"
	Charleston, South Carolina	"Chuck FM"
	Charlotte, North Carolina	"The Lake"
	Chico, California	"Bob FM"
	Cleveland	"The Lake"
	Clinton, Iowa	"Mac FM"
	Columbia, Missouri	"Jack FM"
	Columbia, South Carolina	"Steve FM"
	Columbus, Ohio	"The Bus"
	Dallas	"Jack FM"
	Dayton, Ohio	"Jack FM"
	Decatur, Illinois	"Jack FM"
	Des Moines, Iowa	"The Bus"
	Dyersburg, Tennessee	"Jack FM"
	Edwards, California	"Bob FM"
	Emporia, Kansas	"Bob FM"
	Elko, Nevada	"Jack FM"
	Erie, Pennsylvania	"Bob FM"
	Eugene, Oregon	"Bob FM"
	Fairbanks, Alaska	"Ted FM"
	Fargo, North Dakota	"Jack FM"
	Fayetteville, North Carolina	"Bob FM"
	Fort Myers, Florida	"Bob FM"
	Fort Wayne, Indiana	"Wayne FM"
	Grand Forks, North Dakota	"The Forks"
	Greensboro, North Carolina	"98.7 Simon"
	Hampton Roads-Norfolk, Virginia	"Bob FM"
	Hartford, Connecticut	"The River"
	Hendersonville, North Carolina	"The Lake"
	Houston	"The Spot"
	Hudson, Wyoming	"Jack FM"
	Jackson, Tennessee	"Kool Mix 103.1"
	Johnstown, Pennsylvania	"Jack FM"
	Jonesboro, Arkansas	92.7 FM "Jack FM"
	Joplin, Missouri	"Mike FM"
	Kalamazoo, Michigan	"Jack FM"
	Kansas City, Missouri	"Bob FM"
	Knoxville, Tennessee	"Jack FM"
	Lafayette, Indiana	"Bob FM"
	Lansing, Michigan	"Mike FM"
	Lakeland, Florida	"Max FM"
	Las Vegas, Nevada	"The Mountain"
	Lexington, Kentucky	"Jack FM"
	Little Rock, Arkansas	"Jack FM"
	Lompoc, California	"Pirate Radio"
	Los Angeles	"Jack FM"
	Loudonville, New York	"The Saint"
	Louisa, Virginia	"Sam FM"
	Madison, Wisconsin	"Rewind 92.1"
	Milwaukee	"BIG FM"
	Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota	"Jack FM"
	Missoula, Montana	"Jack FM"
	Morgantown, West Virginia	"Jack FM"
	Muncie, Indiana		WERK	104.9 FM	"WERK-FM"
	Myrtle Beach, South Carolina	"Bob FM"
	Nashville, Tennessee	"Jack FM"
	Norwalk/Sandusky/Port Clinton, Ohio	"95-3 WLKR"
	Ottawa, Illinois	"Jack FM"
	Owensboro, Kentucky	"Jack FM"
	Panama City, Florida	"Bob FM"
	Pearl, Mississippi	"Power 104.3 The Pirate"
	Philadelphia	"Ben FM"
	Phoenix, Arizona	"The Mountain"
	Pittsburgh	"Bob FM"
	Portland, Oregon	"Charlie FM"
	Pueblo, Colorado	"Rev89"
	Rainier, Oregon	"The Peak"
	Raleigh, North Carolina	"Radio 96.1"
	Redding, California	"Bob FM"
	Redwood Falls, Minnesota	"Jack FM"
	Rhinelander, Wisconsin	"Jack FM"
	Rochester, New York	"Fickle 93.3"
	Rock Springs, Wyoming	"Jack FM"
	Rolla, Missouri	"Sam 103.1 (FM)"
	Russellville, Arkansas	"Bob FM"
	Saginaw, Michigan	"Joe FM"
	Sag Harbor, New York	"92.1 WLNG"
	San Antonio	"Jack FM"
	San Diego	"Big FM"
	Seattle	"Jack FM"
	Sedalia, Missouri	"Bob FM"
	Sisseton, South Dakota	"Jack FM"
	Smyrna, Delaware	"Tom-FM"
	Spokane, Washington	"Bob FM"
	Springfield, Illinois	"Bob FM"
	Springfield, Missouri	"Bob FM"
	St. Louis, Missouri	"The Arch"
	Sterling, Colorado	"Bob FM"
	Susanville, California	"Jack FM"
	Topeka, Kansas	"Jack FM"
	Traverse City, Michigan	"Bob FM"
	Twin Falls, Idaho	"Bob FM"
	Tyler, Texas	"Jack FM"
	Vero Beach, Florida	"Jack FM"
	Victoria, Texas	"Jack FM"
	Watertown, New York	"Tunes 92.5"
	Wausau, Wisconsin	"Jack FM"
	West Plains, Missouri	"Jack FM"
	Wichita, Kansas	"Bob FM"
	Wichita Falls, Texas	"Jack FM"
	Williston, North Dakota	"Jack FM"
	Winfield, Kansas	"Bob FM"