New York’s ‘Power 105.1’ Tops Urban Contemporary’s Top 10.
- Inside Audio Marketing
- 8 minutes ago
- 2 min read
iHeartMedia’s “Power 105.1” WWPR-FM New York takes the prize in Inside Radio’s TOP 10 ranking of urban contemporary formatted stations in PPM markets, based on cume delivery of persons 6+ during Nielsen’s summer and fall 2024 waves. The station is one of four in Nielsen’s top five, and six in the top 10, for iHeart.
“Power 105.1,” the only station listed to hit the million-cume mark at 1.2 million, has been in the format since 2002. It’s been home to “The Breakfast Club,” hosted by Radio Hall of Fame inductees DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God, since its start in 2010, and syndicated by Premiere Networks since 2013. The show is also heard on iHeart’s “93.7 The Beat” KQBT Houston, which ranks third in the top 10.
iHeart claims all of the top three urban contemporary stations, with its “Real 92.3” KRRL Los Angeles placing second. L.A. morning radio veteran, two-time Marconi Award winner, and National Radio Hall of Fame inductee Kurt “Big Boy” Alexander has hosted “Big Boy’s Neighborhood” on Real since 2015.
Coming in fourth is Audacy’s “V-103” WVEE Atlanta, an urban contemporary station since 1976, featuring “The Big Tigger Morning Show” since 2009. iHeart’s WGCI (107.5) Chicago, which began its format in 1980 and is known for its annual “Big Jam” concert, ranks fifth.
Service Broadcasting Corp.’s “K104” KKDA-FM Dallas, going strong in the format for four decades, places sixth. Since 2008, DeDe McGuire has hosted “DeDe in the Morning,” which has been syndicated by Compass Media Networks since 2018.
iHeart’s other two urban contemporary outlets in the top 10 are seventh-ranked KMEL (106.1) San Francisco, home to the annual “Summer Jam” concert, and ninth-place “Power 99” WUSL Philadelphia, which stages the “Powerhouse” show annually. The two stations have served up R&B hits since 1992 and 1982, respectively.
Atlanta is the only market with two urban contemporary stations in the top 10, with Audacy’s “V-103” and Urban One’s “Hot 107.9” WHTA, the latter ranking eighth. In the format since 1995, “Hot 107.9” is the flagship for “The Morning Hustle,” syndicated by Urban One’s Reach Media and hosted by Kyle Santillian and Monica “Lore’l” Torres.
While Cox Media Group’s “99 Jamz” WEDR Miami, a “Morning Hustle” affiliate, finishes 10th in urban contemporary’s top 10, it’s number-one in longevity, having switched to R&B in 1970.