FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!

Y100Rocks.com Racking Up Listeners, Ad Dollars

March 23, 2004

After the death of their terrestrial radio home, WPLY (Y100)/Philly staffers set up shop on the Web at Y100Rocks.com with a less restrictive, commercial-free version of the radio station. An online petition was posted, urging the corporate radio gods to heed the call for the return of Modern Rock to the Philadelphia airwaves. Over 60,000 people have signed the petition since February 24. The site has racked up one million page views and over 500,000 unique visits in the same span of time, and local advertisers have taken notice.

Y100, Radio One's most profitable Philadelphia property before its extermination, was a consistent money maker and had spent the better part of 12 years branding itself as Philly's New Rock outlet in admirable fashion. Under the guidance of PD Jim McGuinn, the station had morphed from a Pop/Alternative station to a straight-up Modern Rocker, successfully surfing the ebb and flow of Alternative's most viable musical trends.

With all of that prestige in mind, combined with the massive amount of support and press Y100Rocks.com has generated over the last month, local concert promoters Electric Factory Concerts have lent their ad support on the Web site, and the on-line station has nailed down "presents" on upcoming shows by Sum 41, The Killers and The Mars Volta. Canadian band Hot Hot Heat hosted a takeover of the station the afternoon of their Philadelphia show on March 3, and former Blur guitarist Graham Coxon is set to do the same next Tuesday.

Over $5,000 dollars have been generated in banner ads in mere weeks, and local and national advertisers have begun lining up to hawk their wares. Y100Rocks.com merchandise has also taken off, with over $8,500 in sales.

So where is all this heading? Is the Internet a possible alternative to broadcasting terrestrially in the wake of knee-jerk/gun-shy reactions by corporate radio suits? With poor Arbitron returns and lamenting national press coverage proclaiming the "death of Rock," is such a grassroots Web movement a resonant way to tell The Man to chill out, we're here en mass, and we want our Alt back on the dial? Possibly. Perhaps there's room for both stations to exist simultaneously, each empowering the other.

As for the "death of Rock," we're here to say that's complete overblown nonsense. Music is cyclical, and we're just now entering a huge upswing of releases by major acts that won't be letting up until well into the first quarter of 2006. With any luck, the suits will see the forest for the trees, pay closer attention to more organic and tangible cume figures like that of Y100Rocks.com, and give Modern Rock listeners in a Top Ten market a permanent place on the radio dial.

Breaking News
	eQB NOW
	The Week In Review: 5/13-5/17
	RAB: Radio Revenue Flat In Q1 2013
	Drew & Mike Say Goodbye At WRIF/Detroit
	Jacobs Media Release Techsurvey 9 Data On Christian Radio
	CHR Innovator Paul Drew Passes Away
	In Brief - May 17, 2013
	FMQB FYI... Links You Should Know About
	May 16, 2013
	The CW & Clear Channel Ink Long-Term Programming Agreement
	BMG Boosts Bertelsmann's First Quarter Finances
	Steve Sinicropi Named VP/Market Manager For Entercom-Greenville
	Nick Cannon Ending Syndicated Countdown Show
	Adam Schraf Named PD At CHR WVRT (V97)/Williamsport, PA
	CCM+E Announces Revenue Deal With Zojak World Wide
	Q1 2013 Radio Revenue Roundup
	In Brief - May 16, 2013
	May 15, 2013
	Google Announces Streaming Music Service
	Universal Music Revenue Up 13.5% In Q1
	European Commission Approves WMG Acquisition Of Parlophone
	Shawn "Pecas" Costner Named EVP Of Def Jam Recordings
	Saturday Night Online With Romeo Hits 100 Affiliates
	In Brief - May 15, 2013
	May 14, 2013
	Warner Music Revenue Up 8.3% In Fiscal Q2
	Hedge Fund Manager Loeb Suggests Sony Music Spin Off
	RAB Study: Auto Radio Ads Have Greatest Influence Closest To Purchase
	Rick Thomas Named PD At KRTH & KTWV/Los Angeles
	ThinkSay Records & Wyclef Jean Hosting Fundraiser For Boston Bombing Victim

Music News
	Britney Spears To Hit The Studio Next Week
	The Week In Review: 5/13-5/17
	Quick Hits: American Idol / Candice Glover, Madonna, Emeli Sandé, PSY, Cody Simpson, Nine Inch Nails, Summerfest, The Pogues
	Beck, Frank Ocean Among Nominees For MTV's Eclectic O Awards
	Quick Hits: The Voice, Riot Fest, Drake, One Direction, Franz Ferdinand, Nine Inch Nails, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen & Dropkick Murphys, Slayer, Killswitch Engage, Mayhem Festival
	Lady Antebellum, Great Gatsby Top Sales Chart
	Quick Hits: Drake, Beyoncé, Backstreet Boys, Justin Timberlake, Rock The Bells, The Rolling Stones
	Quick Hits: Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, Justin Bieber, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Alice In Chains, twenty one pilots, FYF Festival
	Cee Lo's Life Coming To TBS
	Quick Hits: Five Finger Death Punch, Backstreet Boys, Grammys, Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys, Rock Allegiance Tour, 2 Chainz, Atoms For Peace, Laneway Festival
	The Week In Review: 5/6-5/10
	Quick Hits: Kris Kross, Randy Jackson / American Idol, Lil Wayne, Slayer, Courtney Love
	John Mayer, Demi Lovato & More To Play Philadelphia's July 4th Celebration
	Jennifer Lopez Signs To RedOne's 2101 Records
	Quick Hits: Adam Levine, Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Kanye West, The Beatles, David Bowie, MTV