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September 11,
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WQHT 103.5/97.1 "Hot 103.5", "Hot
103" "Hot 97"
FIRST ON AIR: August 16, 1986
TRANSMITTER SITE: World Trade Center 1986-September 1988,
Empire State Building September 1988-present
FORMATS: Top 40/dance/R&B hybrid known as
"crossover" 1986-1993, urban contemporary 1994-present
NOTABLE PERSONALITIES: Freddie Colon, Al Bandiero,
John Montell, Greg Thunder, Tim Byrd, Yo Sunny Joe Stevens, Broadway Bill Lee,
Gary Spears, Stevens & Grdnic, Sue O'Neil, Paco, Howard Hoffman, Mary
Thomas, Ed Lover & Dr. Dre, Funkmaster Flex.
A BIT ABOUT HOT 103/HOT 97: The ink was barely dry on
those DISCO SUCKS bumper stickers in the summer of 1986.
But in August of that year, WQHT took the bold step of bringing dance music
back to the airwaves. WQHT took over fledging top 40-ish WAPP ("The
Apple") and began playing a unique mix of top 40, dance and R&B music
after a couple of days of "stunting." At the time, WHTZ
("Z-100") and WWPR/WPLJ ("Power 95") were battling for the
top 40 audience.
WQHT was nicknamed "Hot 103.5" and shortly thereafter just "Hot 103."
The station began its sound by simply playing extended versions of already
familiar hits. It was a bit risqué since the "long version" of
these songs were heard only at dance clubs or purchased on less-than-mainstream
12" singles. Hence, they were fairly unknown to the general
public. "I Wonder If I Take You Home" by Lisa Lisa & Cult
Jam, "True Blue" by Madonna, "Word Up" by Cameo, The Timex
Social Club's "Rumors" and "Venus" by Bananarama were some
early staples at Hot 103.
It wasn't long before Hot 103 established a unique and quite appealing
format. It wasn't unusual to hear "Bizarre Love Triangle" by
New Order played after "Come Go With Me" by Expose. Hot 103 can
even take most of the credit for breaking new dance artists like TKA, Company
B, Sinitta Debbie Gibson, Stevie B and Expose.
Hot 103 quickly became one of the top radio stations in New York in the late
1980s. It did so by combining mass appeal with a New York radio audience
that was starved for dance music. It's major competitors, the aforementioned
WHTZ and WWPR/WPLJ as well as WBLS and WRKS responded by adding more dance
music than usual to their playlists.
In September of 1988, a sale of the station induced a frequency "swap" with sister station WYNY 97.1. Ennis Broadcasting owned both stations. The 97.1 frequency better reached the city; the 103.5 signal was more suited to the suburbs. Hence, the switch made sense since WYNY had been playing country music for just over year.
An almost simultaneous swap occurred on the AM dial when WFAN 1050 moved to
WNBC 660, spelling the demise of New York's last AM contemporary music station.
From September of 1988 to the present, WQHT kept its calls but became known as
Hot 97.
Long versions of current hits and dance music not heard elsewhere were the
order of choice for Hot 103/Hot 97 until about 1993, when the station began
leaning more towards rap and hip-hop music.
In 1993, Hot 103 began slowly abandoning the format and audience that gave it
life by mixing in rap songs. By 1994, it was a full-fledged urban
contemporary format. Today, it is a favorite amongst the black and
Hispanic audience in the New York area.
Click here to visit Rick Allen’s website. Rick Allen’s work can still be heard today
in New York; he produces the sweepers on WWPR 105.1 (“Power 105.1”)
Listen to the “ttttop
of the World Trade Center” circa 1987
Listen to the “ttttop of
the Empire State Building” circa 1989
EACH ITEM UNDERLINED IS A SOUNDFILE. CLICK IT!!!!.
1986
Hot 103/HOT 103!
A station ID that helps segue two distinctly different songs. "Le
Freak" by Chic and "Native Love" are bridged with this very
unique sounding ID from the station's early days
The world's hottest city just got hotter. HOT 103! is heard bridging "Secret" by Orchestral Maneuvers In the Dark and Cameo's "Word Up"
1987
Al
"Nouveaux" Bandiero --From 1987, a sonovox voice that identified
disc jockeys. Bandiero has been many radio stations in New York including
WXLO, WPLJ, WKTU (old and new), WBGX ("Big 105") and WTJM
("Jammin' 105")
Here's a shotgun ID.
"Boy Toy" by Tia segues into "When Doves Cry" by Prince
"Hot 103, WQHT,
H-O-T" played between "Venus" by Bananarama and what sounds
like "Love Letters" by Giggles.
The all new hot, hot, hot, hot, HOT 103! between "Did It Feel Like Love?" by Genuine Parts and Kim Wilde's "You Keep Me Hangin' On".
Special Hot 103 mix.
From January of 1987, Tia's "Boy Toy", an early Hot 103 favorite is
changed to help promote the station.
Al Bandiero
announcing "Secret" by Orchestral Manoevres in the Dark
Legal ID:
WQHT Lake Success-New York City. The station was actually licensed to
Lake Success, NY on Long Island.
John Montell and Al Bandiero chatting it up about the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles between Herbie Hancock's "Rocket" and "Funkytown" by Psuedo Echo, at that time a new song in the spring of 1987.
1988
HOT 103
Bango "Bango" by the Todd Terry Project in the
background is a station ID.
Hot town, summer in
the city. Hot 103 sweeper from the summer of '88.
George Michael's "Father Figure" is talked over by the
sweeper question What radio
station are you listening to right now? in 1988.
"S'Xpress"
followed by a Hot 103 shotgun.
Hot 103, ccccrank it
up and write it down
Debra Wrath
introduces "Boy I've Been Told" by Sa-Fire while identifying WQHT as
"Hot 97". From fall of 1988.
More music, less
repetition is the claim between "Beat Dis" by Bomb the Bass and
Nia Peeples' "Trouble"
In the summer of 1988, Hot 103 advised you to "check the box and write
it down, Hot 103!". The word "animal" repeated is also
part of the sweeper between "Change on Me" by Cynthia and
"Arabian Nights" by The Latin Rascals.
Another animal-like shotgun over "Prove Your Love" by Taylor Dayne. Animal was the name of a disc jockey who would frequently be heard on the Saturday Night Dance Party.
Hot 103
Saturday Night Dance Party Hot 103 would run live broadcasts
from a local dance club, including The Tunnel, The Underground and Studio
54. This is an ID from The Underground
Here are several more IDs from Hot 103's Saturday Night Dance parties. Note the one from Studio 54.
Emerald City Glenn Frisha CPI in the Hamptons
Sweeper proclaiming Hot 103
"New York's Original Weekend Party Station" coupled with a promo
for Saturday Night Dance Party at the Underground. The Jets "Rocket
2 U" is in the background.
A shotgun stating
"non-stop MMMMMusic. Hot 103!"
Here's a frequently used top of the hour ID bridging LL Cool J and Rick Astley. You know the one--"from the tttttttttttttttttop of the World Trade Center 103.5 WQHT, New York HOT 103!" It also cleverly identifies WQHT's broadcast location, which was from the World Trade Center at the time. When the station flip-flopped its frequency to become Hot 97, the same sweeper was used with the words "from thtop of the Empire State Building".
Here’s a cleaner copy of the same ID: From the tttttttop of the World Trade Center
1989
The Hot 97
Saturday Night Dance Party Live From PPPPPaladium
A Stevens & Grdnic (male-female team who did AM drive time) promo from 1989. Identifies WQHT as "Hot 97." Songs are "Get On The Dance Floor" by Rob Base and "Chains of Love" by Erasure.
Broadway Bill
Lee announcing over a JAM Creative Productions talkover bed telling
listners about the guarantee of "50 minutes of music every hour" as
well as Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam and Rick Astley coming up. (Thanks to Jonathan
Wolfert of JAM Creative Productions).
Greg Thunder talks
over the same bed and segues into "Baby Don't Forget My Number"
by Milli Vanilli (Thanks to Jonathan Wolfert of JAM Creative Productions).
***AIRCHECKS: Below are
"air checks," actual recordings of the way WQHT sounded as it was
broadcasting. The air checks are "telescoped," that is, with
the music cut out so you can hear the DJs, jingles, and sweepers.
Hot 103.5 First Day (August 16, 1986)
This is an unbelievably rare check of Hot 103's very first
day! During the early hours of August 16, 1986, Hot 103 was stunting by
playing a classic rock format. Sometime that afternoon, the crossover
format moved in.
The aircheck here was recorded at about 3PM on Hot 103's
birthday. The station is jockless; listen to how it experiments with a
variety of dance-flavored music. The aircheck begins with a dance mix of
"Something About You" by Level 42, a hit from earlier that
year. From there, some very unusual songs are heard: "One Way
Love" by TKA, most likely the first time the song is heard in the New York
area. It is followed by two current hits "Can't Wait Another
Minute" by Five Star and "Earth Angel" by New Edition.
"So Fine" by The Egyptian Lover mixes directly to "If You Want
My Love, Say It" and "Nothing Going On But The Rent"--two
eventual big dance hits in New York are heard. It is all followed by The
Jets' "Private Number". The aircheck concludes with
"Rumors" by The Timex Social Club. Between every song is a
sweeper; note how the station is being known as "Hot 103.5."
The "point five" portion of the moniker was dropped a short
time later.
Among the many sweepers contained here is one advertising
"home of the 103 minute hot streak".
A very very special thanks to my good friend Paul Richards at Central Jersey Airchecks
Fast Freddie Colon December 1986
Here’s Fast Freddie Colon in December of 1986, still fairly early in the radio station’s history. The songs are Jill’s “Match Made Up in Heaven,” “Restless” by Starpoint, Jessie Johnson and Sly Stone’s “Crazy for You.” Note Freddie Colon’s joke in a less politically correct time. The same comment may someone fired today. There’s a break in the aircheck for unheard commercials; Freddie Colon picks up with “Human” by the Human League and Trans Dance’s “Do the Dance.” Another commercial break moves into a non-stop music set and “The Rain” by Oran “Juice” Jones. A caller talks about how he switched from Z-100 to WQHT, something the new station was glad to publicize since the station was still a newcomer. “Shine On” breaks into “Two of Hearts” by Stacey Q; an early version of the famous “From the Top of the World Trade Center” sweeper ends the aircheck.
Broadway Bill Lee January 1987
The is one of Broadway Bill Lee's first-ever shows with Hot
103. The aircheck starts off with "Sign 'O The Times by Prince with
a sweeper moving it to "Control" by Janet Jackson. Suray
announces "Last Chance"; Lee comes in after the song closing up ten
songs in a row. There's a break in the aircheck with commercials.
Lee advertises the Cloud 9 nightclub in Elizabeth, NJ over "Lean On
Me" by Club Nouveaux. A sweeper brings in "Did It Feel Like
Love" by Genuine Parts; listen to how Lee ends his shift
The aircheck breaks again for commercials. Lee has a
playful time with Fast Freddie Colon as they move into "Victory" by
Kool & The Gang. Lee closes his show with his trademark "stay
calm, kiss your mom, ban the bomb, do the best you can, remember God loves you
man". Lee and Colon talk over "Save The Best For Me" by
Bunny DeBarge. (Courtesy Central
Jersey Airchecks)
Broadway Bill Lee September 29, 1987 (See Below)
This is a complete aircheck broken up so you don't sit there waiting forever for the file to upload. (Thanks to Paul Richards at Central Jersey Airchecks)
Part one: With his infectious personality and radio professionalism, Broadway Bill Lee shines on the night of September 29, 1987. The aircheck opens with "I Knew You Were Waiting For Me" by Aretha Franklin and George Michael. Lee has fun with a caller who impersonates C-Bank, a group had an earlier hit in the year "I Won't Stop Loving You". "Fake" by Alexander O' Neil is bridged with a sweeper and then the song "Sugar Free" by Wa Wa Nee followed by a remix of Michael Jackson's "Bad". (The sweeper states "a better variety of music and less repetition, Hot 103!")
Part two: Hot 103 was proud of its "fresh new music first" policy. The station ran frequent spots revealing the week's adds to the playlist. On this particular bumper, Hot 103 introduces "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson, "Please Don't Go" by Nayobe and The Jets' "I Do You"
Part three: The aircheck concludes with "Shake Your Love" by Debbie Gibson and a corny but trademark Broadway Bill Lee joke followed by the weather. A commercial load not heard here is broadcast; Lee picks the music back up with "Lost In Emotion" by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, talks to a winner of a Hot 103 contest, and moves into Company B's "Full Circle".
Part
four: After a set of commercials and a legal ID, Lee brings on
another 40 minutes of commercial free music This aircheck picks up
with "Arabian Nights" by The Latin Rascals and proceeds to
"The Midas Touch", "Misfit" by Curosity Killed the Cat,
Will To Power's "Dreamin'",
Part
five: "Dreamin" moves to Max Headroom--remember
him? Max Headroom was Coca-Cola's computer generated character/voice that
later became a television series and marketing icon. Max Headroom moves
to "Higher Love" by Steve Winwood, "Catch Me I'm Falling"
by Pretty Poison, a "more music less talk" sweeper, and "I Think
We're Alone Now" by Tiffany one of the top songs of the week at the
time. Note Lee's reference to Jessica Hahn.
Big John talks over "You Got It All" by The Jets, promoting
Hot 103's ten in a row policy. A sweeper bridges The Jets with "Did
It Feel Like Love" by Genuine Parts
Al
Bandiero takes New York through a nasty winter PM drive in January of 1987.
"Love Spy" moves to a mix of "Point of No Return" by Expose
then talks through to "You Keep Me Hanging On" by Kim Wilde.
There's a break in the air check; an exclusive mix of Madonna's "True
Blue" is played at the end of Bandiero's shift. A sweeper stating
"The world's hottest city just got hotter, HOT 103!" bridges "True
Blue" into "Fascinated" by Company B. With the exception
of the Madonna song, Hot 103 was instrumental in breaking each of these records
mentioned. This air check is a great indication of the way the early days
of Hot 103 sounded and what a positive effect it was beginning to have on dance
music.
Listen to how Bandiero cautions drivers, talks about a
current Hot 103 contest and speaks of "C'est La Vie" by Robbie Nevill
as "today's hot song". Also catch Sinitta's "Feels Like
The First Time"
Here's air check from the spring of 1988 with Broadway
Bill Lee. You'll be introduced to the voice of Lee and a sample of some
of the kind of music that made Hot 103 so great. You'll hear "I Should
Be So Lucky" by Kylie Minogue, "Wishing Well" by Terence Trent
D'Arby, Dazz' "Simon", "Pump Up The Volume" by M/A/R/R/S
and "Always On My Mind" by The Pet Shop Boys. There's also
mention of how Hot 103 "guarantees at least 50 minutes of music every hour".
Enjoy!
This is an absolutely wonderful air check from early in the
summer of 1988. Broadway Bill Lee is at his best with his ad-lib rhyming
and infectious on-air personality. The sequence and selection of music
gives you a true idea just how upbeat and fresh Hot 103 was. The
music for the most part is telescoped, but there's more of the songs left than
usual so you can really appreciate the feeling one got when listening to Hot
103 in the summer of 1988. The music includes "Love &
Devotion" by Michael Boze, "Naughty Girls Need Love, Too" by
Samantha Fox, "Dancing Under A Latin Moon" by Candi ("we will be
lovers, imagine..."), a HHHHOT mix of Noel's "Silent Morning"
and "Pink Cadillac" by Natalie Cole. The station IDs here are
great, and indicative of how upbeat and cocky Hot 103 was during its heydey as
the leader in New York. Listen to how in-your-face the station gets: One
ID goes "Shut up--everybody knows who plays New York's new music
first. Hot 103!" Another ID bills "New York's most
imitated radio station--Hot 103". Note Broadway Bill Lee
talking about Michael Jackson's and George Michael's concerts as well as Don
Mattingly and Ricky Henderson (Yankees and Mets players, respectively).
Both New York teams were having excellent seasons in the summer of 1988, and
Hot 103 was sure to salute the home teams.
The way Lee talks up "Pink Cadillac" is a perfect
example of his talent as a radio professional.
The file is a long one and takes a few minutes to down
load, but it's worth it!
You won't be disappointed...
Here's a very short air check with Al Bandiro from early in the fall of
1988. "So Many Men So Little Time" is segued by Al Bandiro into
Will to Power's "Say It's Gonna Rain". A Hot 103 sweeper helps
move the high-NRG "Say It's Gonna Rain" into the ballad "Make It
Real" by The Jets smoothly.
Broadway Bill Lee (Part
1)
Studio 54
Commercial B'Way Bill Lee (Part 2)
From April of 1988. This
air check is broken up as it represents about 45 minutes of Hot 103. It's
Broadway Bill Lee playing "No More Words" by Berlin, "Naughty
Girls Need Love, Too" by Samantha Fox, George Michael's "Father
Figure", and "Tell It To My Heart" by Taylor Dayne.
There's a promo for the Hot 103 Scavenger Hunt contest, and finishes with
Terence Trent D'Arby's "Wishing Well"
The check then breaks into a Studio 54 commercial...more
commercials (not heard here) follow
The air check resumes with Lee introducing "Move
Out" by Nancy Martinez; followed by a sweeper and "Push It" by
Salt-N-Peppa. Note Lee making reference to the previous night's
presidential primaries.
"Fast" Freddie Colon Spring 1989
Freddie Colon is on duty during a warm early spring day. The aircheck begins with "Baby Talk" by Alisha followed by a sweeper and "Heaven Help Me" by Deon Estus and George Michael. A promo for the Saturday Night Dance Party at Paladium is ommitted here; the check picks up again. "Girlfriend" by Pebbles is played, and Colon talks up the record and remarks on the unseasonably warm weather. A commercial load (not heard here) plays; the aircheck picks up again with Noel's "Change". Hot 97 frequntly ran clips of artists promoting their music and the station, heard here. The check finishes with "You've Got It (The Right Stuff)" by New Kids on the Block--the day's Hot Song. (Courtesy Central Jersey Airchecks)
Broadway Bill Lee takes New York home through the PM drive with "I Wanna
Have Some Fun" by Samantha Fox as the first song of the check.
Another artist talk-up (similar to the previous aircheck) slides in to
"Chains of Love" by Erasure. A commercial load (not heard here)
follows. Just before 5PM, Lee launches into another commercial free hot
streak, starting it with "24/7" by Dino. A promo for the
Stevens & Grdnic morning show is over "The Lover In My" by Karen
White. Lee talks about Hot 97's Robojock/Diamond giveaway (listeners are
awaiting "Lost In Your Eyes" by Debbie Gibson). The next song
is "Give Me Back My Heart" by Corina, followed by a famous "from
the tttttttttttttttttttttttttop of the Empire State Building! 97.1 WQHT,
New York, Hot 97!" sweeper. (Courtesy Central Jersey Airchecks)
Another Broadway Bill Lee aircheck from the spring of 1989. The check opens up with Corina’s “Give Me
Back My Heart.” A commercial break is
deleted from the aircheck; Lee announces the upcoming songs on a talkover bed
and breaks into “Roni” by Bobby Brown.
A caller wins tickets to “Hot Night IV,” the station’s promotional
concert. The next song is “Send me an
Angel” by Real Life, bridged over to “Diamonds” by Herb Alpert with a famous “from
the ttttop” sweeper. Lee gives a time
check into drive time and chides about current events over the opening notes of
“Like a Prayer” by Madonna. The Madonna
song goes into Karyn White’s “Secret Rendezvous,” as Lee back announces the
song and once again talks about the current news. Kon Kan’s “I Beg Your Pardon” is the next song, followed by a
sweeper and Alta Justin’s “One Man Woman.” A promo for Hot Night IV is played, followed by the “Hot Song” by
Samantha Fox – “I Wanna Have Some Fun.”
The 45-minutes aircheck culminates with Lee giving the tickets away
before Stevie B’s “I Wanna be the One.” (Courtesy Central Jersey Airchecks)
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