Urban adult contemporary
Urban adult contemporary, often abbreviated as urban AC or UAC, (also known as adult R&B,
Summary
The format usually plays some classic
Many urban AC stations rely heavily on syndicated programming such as The Steve Harvey Morning Show and The D. L. Hughley Show. Cumulus Media Networks also operates a 24/7 urban AC format delivered to affiliated stations via satellite, called "The Touch", which is common on smaller- and medium-market stations featuring the urban AC format.
KJLH in Los Angeles is one urban AC station whose playlist heavily emphasizes current material.
Urban oldies
"Urban oldies" refers to
Before WRKS, many of the stations playing this music were on
In addition to WRBO, urban oldies stations include WATV (AM) in Birmingham, Alabama, and KAJM in Phoenix.[4] Some urban oldies stations refer to this format as "old school,"[5] for example, WOSL in Cincinnati.
Name controversy
There is disagreement in the music industry over the use of the term urban in describing music genres and formats. In June 2020, Republic Records and artist management company Milk & Honey stated that they would drop the use of the word in relation to music of a black origin. These decisions came in the wake of the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police and the subsequent protests.[1][6]
Lance Venta of radio industry publication RadioInsight claimed that the term urban is outdated in that R&B and hip hop music have gained massive popularity outside the inner cities and the descriptor should not serve as a euphemism for "black music". He recommended substituting the terms adult R&B for the urban adult contemporary format and hip hop for
Myron Fears, operations manager and program director of the black owned Carter Broadcast Group in Kansas City, defended the use of the urban tag. Responding to Republic's elimination of the term, he expressed concern that the action diminishes the status of black music executives within record companies and the industry as a whole:
I do not think it’s a great idea because it nullifies all the hard work that past African American music executives built. This potentially leads to the dissolving of people and positions within the Urban music division. Hip Hop and R&B is leading the way for the surge in music sales and usage of streaming. Are the other positions, titles and departments within a record company going to change or dissolve? ... Do they realize the cultural power of Urban Music?
— Myron Fears, Carter Broadcast Group operations manager/program director[7]
See also
- Urban contemporary
- Contemporary R&B
- Rhythm and blues
- Soul music
- Classic soul
- Adult R&B Songs
- Adult contemporary music
References
- ^ a b c Venta, Lance (June 5, 2020). "Republic Records Eliminates Usage Of "Urban"; Urges Rest Of Industry To Follow Suit". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- ^ Carrie Borzillo AM Gives R&B rhythm blues Oldies a New Lease on Life Billboard, 3/26/94,
- ^ Sean Ross, R&B rhythm blues Oldies Format On The RiseBillboard, 03/06/99, p. 28.
- ^ Mediaguide.com, archive of 2008/12/25.
- ^ Search results for "old school" on Radioinsight.com. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
- ^ Savage, Mark (June 8, 2020). "Drake and Ariana Grande's record label drops the term 'urban'". BBC News. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
- ^ "Republic Records Stops Using The Term 'Urban' For Music, Execs & Department -- Other Labels And Radio Programmers Weigh In". All Access. All Access Music Group. June 8, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.