It’s 80s out, 90s in for Magic 89.9’s Friday Madness starting today. (Logo courtesy of Quest Broadcasting Inc.)
A new sound awaits Magic 89.9’s Friday Madness.
Gone is the long-standing tradition of playing songs from the 1970s, 1980s and some of the early 1990s every Fridays. Instead, the music of the 1990s and early 2000s will dominate the playlist of Friday Madness.
This means that Friday Madness will adopt the old format of Saturday Slam, which Magic dropped earlier this year in favor of its regular playlist. More importantly, the station will only have one day dedicated to throwback music instead of two.
The newly-reformatted Friday Madness was one of only several changes instituted by Magic 89.9 as preparation for its upcoming 30th anniversary. Two weeks earlier, their weekday programming was also reformatted; save for ‘Good Times with Mo’ and ‘Boys’ Night Out’, the rest of Magic’s programs were either rebranded or changed DJ schedules.
The change of format for Friday Madness was a result of Magic’s ever-changing demographic. While some older listeners may still be loyal to Magic, the station is also attracting a large amount of younger followers, most of whom grew up in the social media age.
In addition, the continued emergence of Retro 105.9 DCG-FM as the go-to station for 70s and 80s music buffs made it clear that Friday Madness needed a makeover. It also hurts that competitor stations are also dedicating one day for 90s music (e.g. Monster RX 93.1’s Riot Wednesday, Mellow 947’s Decade, 99.5 Play FM’s Playback).
That said, with the station’s listeners getting younger, there’s no point in feeding them songs that are unfamiliar to their ears. For Magic, change was inevitable, and today was it.
It remains to be seen whether or not the new Friday Madness will adopt the regular Monday to Thursday schedules of its DJs (save for ‘Good Times with Mo’ and ‘Boys’ Night Out’). But in any event, people should enjoy the music of not too long ago, now playing on Friday Madness.
From the Tube 
why???????!!!!!!!!
It was their decision. The listeners are getting younger, that’s why Magic had to feed their ears with music that’s familiar to them growing up. It won’t make sense putting 80s songs when your focus now is on the youth.
Top 40 stations are now targeting millenials at may sense naman ang desisyon ng Magic by dropping 70s and 80s hits, as well as some early 90s hits. It’s all about the demographics.
May mga alternatives naman if you want 70s and 80s hits, nandiyan naman ang RJ100, Retro 105.9 DCG-FM at Wish 107.5 to cater the needs of those who grew up in the 70s and 80s. Advertisers are now targeting the younger demographic, as well. These are the things that you need to consider right now.
As for the future of FM radio, dadami pa ang mga Radyo5 at Brigada News FM-like stations sa Pilipinas since we now have access to music streaming sites, music downloading sites, as well as YouTube for our music needs. Radio might not be relevant to the younger folks, but it is essential, especially in times of disasters. Mukhang disaster risk reduction na ang tema ng World Radio Day ngayong Pebrero 13.
In any event, it’s a changing of the guard for Philippine radio. Magiging concerned dito ang mga ‘masa’ stations with the way the other stations have stepped up.
Good move. Di ko na kailangang lumipat sa Play FM kapag biyernes ^__^
But not for any fan of new wave and 80s pop. At least may Retro, Wish at RJ na para doon, not to mention Past Forward sa K-Lite tuwing Miyerkules.
Yeah, marami namang alternatibo kaya mas ok kung magpo-focus ang Magic sa mga kabataan
Like JRDV said, advertisers are now targeting the younger demographic, hence it makes sense for Magic to make changes just to appeal to younger listeners.
They need to change and clean up their radio station. Sa bagay they are 30 years on the air and they need to focus on the next generation of listener.
Exactly. Not to mention keeping up with fellow competitors.
Any reactions on the comeback of Love Notes?
It was still ok. Although, with the reformat of Friday Madness, it remains to be seen whether or not younger people can relate to him.
In Magic’s provincial stations, only 90s & early 2000s are usually played during Friday Madness.
Which Magic’s flagship station followed. In any case, the entire Magic network seems more unified than ever.
IMO, this is a bad move for Magic. They dumped a very vast playlist of great 70s & 80s tracks they once had, in favor of 90s & early 2000s. Such a big loss. Inka once told me that Play is considered as the “younger” Magic. Since TRPI owns both of them, it may not make sense for Magic & Play to cover the same demographics.
But if this is the case, it’s better for management to bring back RT.
There’s already Retro, Wish and RJ to make up for it, not to mention K-Lite’s Past Forward on Wednesdays, so no need.
Anyway, bad move or not, Magic is gearing up for the future. Their new DJs need room to grow, hence the format change. It won’t help them if they were forced to play 80s songs on Fridays. Plus with the aforementioned stations playing throwback music on a daily basis, there’s no need for them to play 80s when the aim is to attract younger listeners.
I think this move was a good and bad one. Good because as one comment said, contemporary hit radio (CHR) has been targeting millennial people. And as Magic evolved from being just a pop station, it’s all about business talks. They have to make a living and still reign atop of the competition.
And bad, cause as a Magic listener for over a decade, I have witnessed them evolve from being an automated-player in the wee hours to a 24/7 music-and-talk. The first thing that caught my ears on WTM was actually their 80s playlist—and that was way back the time I was addicted to GTA Vice City, and we mean 80s music here. So eliminating 70s and 80s music made me less tuned to them. And on a sense of awareness, it deprived the younger classes to hear the madness music the magic way.
Maybe the advent and popularity of Retro DCG FM, as well as RJ, K-Lite, and Wish, caused them to do such move. The only problem they have to adapt right now is PlayFM should appear like that old 89.9 (since they are sister stations anyway). They have to set a distinction even on the same format, just like the case of MBC’s Yes FM and Love Radio. They were both masa stations, but way back then, what set them apart aside from the popularity of the jocks, is the fact that they still offer some kind of music differ to each other.
Well, one thing is for sure, Quest broadcasting still rolls after three decades.
Magic is truly adapting to the times. But you’re right, both Magic and Play need to be different. Although, Play is taking on a ‘less talk, more music’ approach that should make them different from Magic.
I think they (Play FM) are adopting this kind of formula wherein jocks will be allowed to talk for not more than 60 seconds. The time limit was applied to all except for paid advertisements or promotional sponsor announcements); and also AT40 and Big Fish Radio were excluded from such practice. This strategy was made for the station to allow more songs to be played during their broadcast.
Exactly. In short, they focus more on the music, not on the jocks themselves. Other stations do the same approach, especially those who lack on-air staff.
Magic is more of an interactive station, hence their mostly talk-based shows such as Good Times and Boys’ Night Out. Though, they sometimes do less talk and more music on Friday Madness and weekend shows.
I am the big fan of magic since 90’s and appreciate the music of different times and most especially with our time. Since magic focuses more with the millenials as younger listener, I think you also loose the market of the oldies listener, just for a day in a week that they can go back to the best music that they heard before. Magic has very good selection of 80’s and 90’s music unlike other station that they repeatedly play everyday. I miss “disco sa tanghali” with DJ Tina Ryan. You also loose your opportunity to bridge the gap between the millenials and the oldies in terms of appreciating and how to create good quality of music
Magic has its reasons behind the revamp in Friday Madness, and that is the increasingly younger audience. They can’t play 80s on a Friday forever; they need to evolve sooner or later to fit in with a new generation. Which is exactly what happened when Friday Madness became an all-90s playlist. If they still play the 80s today, listeners who grew up in the 90s and early 2000s might not recognize it.
And besides, there’s Retro 105.9, whose format is fit with the oldie generation, so there’s nothing to worry about.
iba p ring ung dating friday madness
Well, change was really for the better, since Magic is focusing on a younger set of listeners. Kung gusto mo ng mala-old Friday Madness na playlist, you can just tune in to either Retro 105.9 every day or 103.5 K-Lite’s Past Forward every Wednesday.