Modern CHR is a derivative of the Top 40 radio format that dominated the radio landscape in its heyday, the 1960s. A pure CHR format will play songs from a number of music genres including Pop, Rock, Urban and even Country. A CHR station picks the highest chart performing songs for its playlist and rotates, or repeats, the tunes in a very tight turnover that will often repeat the hottest songs every hour or two.
The Early History of the CHR Format
Early Top 40 radio, the precursor to today’s CHR format, found its foothold as TV began to dominate the media landscape and radio stations turned away from radio theater programs toward recorded music formats. Top 40 is exactly as it says it is – the top 40 hit songs of the day, targeted to a local audience. Top 40 also heralded the era of the Disk Jockey, and the local radio personality became the star along with the tight rotation of popular music. Early programming pioneers of Top 40 include Gordon McLendon, Rick Sklar and Todd Storz. The first Top 40 radio stations included, KOWH-Omaha, WABC-New York, KLIF-Dallas and KHJ-Los Angeles.
Top 40 Becomes CHR
The radio trade publication Radio and Records was first to coin the CHR moniker back in the ‘80s. This hybrid Top 40 format evolved from its roots to become more inclusive in its musical selection, drawing on hit music from multiple formats. Mike Joseph with his “Hot Hits” format at WTIC, Hartford was one of the first programmers to test the CHR waters. His formula included all current song titles, no oldies, and hard-hitting, fast-talking jingles and jocks. Other notable CHR stations to first take the plunge included, WFBL-Syracuse, WCAU-Philadelphia, WBBM-Chicago and KITS-San Francisco.
CHR Evolves from its Roots
Today, CHR retains much of its Top 40 heritage: tight music rotation of only the hottest chart topping songs of the day. Yet over the years, more and more older and re-current hits (songs from the last year or so in rotation with current hits) have crept into the format. Modern CHR adds in oldies and re-currents, and has divided itself into a number of sub-formats, which target demographics, music styles and ethnic groups.
CHR Radio Format Hybrids
The “pure” CHR format of the ‘80s has evolved into a number of sub-formats over the years including CHR-Pop, CHR-Dance, CHR-Rhythmic and ethnic formats such as CHR-Espanola. The influence of CHR, with its tight rotation of popular music has had a profound effect on other radio formats, including Rock, Adult Contemporary and even Talk Radio. Contemporary Hit Radio, with its history and foundation of high repetition of the most popular and tested songs and lightning-fast approach to music and entertainment, continues to be a formula for mainstream success, especially with younger music consumers.
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