The long rock run has ended for 89X, on a transformative day across the local radio dial.
With the fittingly titled Jane's Addiction song "Stop!" - the same track that launched the Windsor station's rock era in 1990 - CIMX-FM (88.7) officially capped its three-decade legacy of alternative music and active rock.
Just after noon Thursday, a promo segment introduced the station's new identity: Pure Country 89. A voiceover announced a $10,000 cash giveaway and the promise of 10,000 consecutive songs out of the gate, as Florida Georgia Line's "Cruise" kicked off the new format, which looks to be hits-heavy country music.
Up the FM dial at sister station and fellow Bell Media property 93.9, long an adult-alternative station known as the River, another switch went down: Closing the River era with Coldplay's "Clocks," the rebooted format was unveiled as 93.9 Virgin Radio, with Dua Lipa's "Don't Start Now" inaugurating a new contemporary-hits format, followed by the reigning No. 1 song in the U.S.: "Mood" by 24kGoldn featuring Iann Dior.
Meanwhile, Entercom-owned WDZH-FM - known as 98.7 the Breeze since 2018 - dropped its light-adult pop format to become ALT 98.7. An Entercom release said the station will play modern and classic alternative rock, highlighting "artists like the White Stripes, Cage the Elephant, Imagine Dragons and the Black Keys."
ALT 98.7 announced its own 10,000-song, commercial-free rollout.
Tim Roberts, Entercom's vice president of programming for the Detroit region, said the station will ultimately include local on-air staff. And he sounded a note of confidence about the format move, emphasizing the mix of new and older music.
"We're filling a need in the market," said Roberts. "Clearly there's an appetite for this music here."
While declining to provide details about the run-up to the 98.7 switch, Roberts indicated he'd known of 89X's Thursday plans.
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"It certainly created an opportunity," he said.
Pure Country 89 becomes the third major country player serving the Detroit market, joining longtime heavyweight WYCD-FM (99.5) and WDRQ-FM (93.1). It's the latest in a series of Pure Country-branded outlets across Canada.
89X had signaled its looming demise with an online announcement Wednesday, even telling current listeners they probably wouldn't like the yet-undisclosed format change.
89X rode high during the glory days of alternative rock in the 1990s, and transitioned during the 2000s into the heavier-edged format known as active rock.
Once a ubiquitous presence in the Detroit music world - with regular promotional events, venue tie-ins and its own concerts - the station's impact dwindled in recent years, much like active-rock outlets elsewhere. 89X closed its Detroit sales branch in 2017.
Detroit Free Press staff writer Brendel Hightower contributed to this report.

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