Indy Radio: WRWM Goes From Worst-to-First In 90-Days

• Classic HipHop with No Jocks

Rap acts that haven't landed on the Billboard charts in years are populating the playlist at Cumulus' Classic HipHop WRWM 93.9 FM The Beat, a station that recently ditched its Top 40 format for "classic hip-hop."

In the most recent three months of PPMs (6+ AQH), The Beat has surged  1.7 - 2.8 - 7.7.

According to the Indianapolis Star, listeners are peppering social media with praise for the change ("93.9 is the best thing to happen to Naptown since daylight savings time," is a common sentiment on Twitter).

Indianapolis resident Melissa Adkins said she's no fan of sex-and-drugs lyrics that permeate modern hip-hop, but the old-school tunes of WRWM have her listening to the radio for the first time in years.

"These are the songs of my childhood," the 29-year-old said. "A lot of it has a different message than rap and hip-hop does today. It's feel good, and some of it is political."

The positive buzz is catching the attention of station management.

"There's this passionate energy in the people who are coming to the radio station," said Jeff Brown, a senior vice president for Cumulus Media, the Atlanta-based company that owns WRWM as well as sister stations WFMS 95.5 FM  and WJJK 104.5 FM. "It's early, but it's hot as it can be."

The throwback story at WRWM began the week before Christmas when "stunt" programming of hip-hop hits from the 1980s and '90s signaled the end of the "i94" Top 40 format. Although Indysi94.com continues to feature the "i94" logo, Brown said "93.9" now serves as shorthand reference for WRMW.

Brown said the format appeals to men, women, black listeners and white listeners. As crossover evidence, he mentions the song "It Takes Two," a Top 40 hit for Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock in 1988.

During a 30-minute block last Monday morning, WRWM played songs by LL Cool J, the Notorious B.I.G., Biz Markie, Doug E. Fresh, Missy Elliott, P.M. Dawn and Eve.

WRWM 93.9 FM (8.4 Kw) Red=60dBu Loval Coverage Area

Chicago-Based Radio consultant Tony Gray said it's too early in the life cycle of classic hip-hop to project long-term viability.

"It's great to come out of the box and crack the top five in important demographics," he said. "But are you going to be able to sustain that long term? That's when you'll know the station is successful."

#939RunsIndyNOW Tweets

For now, WRWM is a station with no on-air staff. Brown declined to speculate on future staffing.

"The content right now is music," Brown said. "The rest is yet to come."

Read More Now

Jay Michaels, Program Director, WRWM-FM & WJJK-FM/Cumulus Indianapolis reports:  The station is #1 in the following demo's: (Mon – Sun 6a – Mid)

• 6+
• P 18-34
• P 18-49
• P 25-54
• W 18-34
• W 18-49
• W 25-54
• M 18-49
• M 25-54

In All Persons demo’s, 93.3 the Beat is #1 in EVERY daypart, except for AM Drive… in W & M 18-49.

To give more insight on how much this format has changed the market:  In October 2014, in Persons 25-54, WRWM was ranked 12th… WHHH was ranked #1. Now-- In Jan 2015, WRWM was ranked #1 and WHHH ranked 11th.