About a decade ago, WKTU New York steered away from Top 40 sister WHTZ (Z100) by playing fewer dance currents and more of the dance classics that had once been the station’s calling card. That left Long Island’s WPTY (Party 105.3) to carry the torch for current dance music as it went through its various ups-and-downs throughout the last decade.

Now, pop music is dance music again and WKTU has been New York’s leading CHR in recent months. And earlier this week, Party 105.3 segued to a gold-based format, effectively becoming what WKTU was a decade ago. Party 105.3’s format has been characterized elsewhere as Rhythmic Hot AC, but there’s also an ’80s pop component. I’d put it with WREW (Rewind 94.9) Cincinnati and the other tempo/variety formats that are launching these days, somewhere between Oldies and Hot AC.

WPTY has always had a history of quirkiness. It was one of the first stations to briefly try running sponsorships, not spots, during which it went Mainstream Top 40 for a few months. Add the unusual musical history of Long Island and it seemed safe that this would be a unique take on Adult Hits or Rhythmic Hot AC. So we took a First Listen.

Here’s WPTY at 7 a.m. on October 19:

Warren G & Nate Dogg, “Regulate”
Earth Wind & Fire, “Let’s Groove”
George Clinton, “Atomic Dog”
Beyoncé, “Crazy In Love”
Ace Of Base, “All That She Wants”
Donna Summer, “I Feel Lover” (with a ’70s stager)
Irene Cara, “Fame”
Stevie B., “Spring Love”
Soul For Real, “Every Little Thing I Do”
Edward Maya, “Stereo Love”
Four Seasons, “December 1963 (Oh What A Night)” (playing what Shazam eventually identified for me as the European mix, but I initially thought it was the “Jersey Boys” cast)
Rick Springfield, “Jessie’s Girl”
Gigi D’Agostino, “I’ll Fly With You”
Sheila E, “The Glamorous Life”