Radio station 89X switches to country music format

There's a big difference between the chaotic alternative rock of Jane's Addiction and the unadventurous country pop of Florida Georgia Line.

But local radio listeners will have to get used to it with the death of 89X and the birth of Pure Country 89 — Bell Media's total rebranding of Windsor-based CIMX-FM (88.7 FM).

The abrupt change in format took place exactly at noon on Thursday, when broadcast of the Jane's Addiction song Stop! was immediately followed by the Florida Georgia Line song Cruise.

“Windsor, you're in Pure Country now!” a voice exclaimed in an on-air promo.

Stop! — a noisy, scrappy track from the Jane's Addiction album Ritual de lo habitual — was the first song played on 89X when the station's iconic alternative rock format began in May 1991.

A statement posted on the 89X website on Wednesday night warned of the transition.

“It's been one hell of a ride over the past thirty years,” the statement read. “Soon there will be a very new and very different sound on 88.7 FM, and to be honest, if you're a New Rock fan, you're probably not going to like it.”

CIMX-FM wasn't the only Windsor station that suddenly transformed on Thursday: iheartradio Canada also announced the rebranding of CIDR-FM (93.9 FM) from 93.9 The River to 93.9 Virgin Radio. Bell Media owns both CIMX-FM and CIDR-FM.

“With the economic challenges facing local radio stations, we feel these stations can benefit from the stability of national brands with broad listener appeal,” said Bell Media in a email statement.”

Bell Media's statement described Pure Country 89 as offering “today's biggest country music artists” while 93.9 Virgin Radio presents “non-stop hit music from the world's hottest artists.”

Previously, 93.9 The River tended toward smooth rock, classic rock and “adult album alternative.”

Windsor rock musician and former CKUE-FM radio personality Jeff Burrows tweeted his disapproval, offering “RIP” to 89X and 93.9 The River. “Merry F******g Christmas,” Burrows lamented.

Adam Graham, a writer for the Detroit News tweeted that “89X was important.”

“Growing up pre- internet, pre- Spotify, it was where you went to hear new music,” Graham wrote, reminiscing that 89X introduced him to alternative rock artists like Beck and Canada's own Sloan.

“When Kurt Cobain died, I turned on 89X and listened for hours,” he recalled. “Nowhere on the Detroit radio dial was cooler.”

Charles Urquhart — better known as former 89X radio personality Chuck “The Freak” — didn't mince words.

“One thing is for sure. Not everyone in radio knows what they are doing. 30 years and you blow it,” Urquhart tweeted.

From 2001 to 2012, `The Freak' and Dave Hunter entertained 89X listeners with The Morning X.

A radical shift also occurred at WDZH-FM (98.7 FM) in Detroit.

On Thursday, the Entercom-owned station revealed that it has abandoned its easy-listening format as 98.7 The Breeze and rebranded as Alt 98.7 FM — “Detroit's New Alternative.”

Hailing its reinvention, Alt 98.7 FM immediately began a playlist that included songs by Nirvana, Radiohead, Green Day and more.