WPLJ New York, one of the Hot AC format's first modern-day success stories, has been dealing with a shifting landscape and a lot of new competition in recent years. Rhythmic WKTU, the increasingly adult-friendly WHTZ (Z100) and its Elvis Duran Morning Show, the new WWFS (Fresh 102.7), and a more '80s/tempo-based WLTW (Lite FM) have all picked away at different pieces of WPLJ's original franchise in recent years. The station's answer had been to make sure it was acknowledging the Ushers and Katy Perrys and rebrand itself as "Today's Best Music."

Over the past few months, it's been possible to hear older titles filtering back on to the station. Then in May, the station began talking about the "new WPLJ music mix" on the air. One liner refers to songs from the '80s while another promises "all the smash hits from today and the smash hits you grew up on." There's more gold, but there's still rhythmic pop hits from Rihanna, Taio Cruz, Usher, etc. It's a little reminiscent of the mid-'00s when many Hot ACs (including WPLJ) opened up their library in response to the rise of "Bob-" and "Jack-FM," and enjoyable for the same reasons.

At a time when some are calling for AC and Hot AC to choose between yesterday and today, WPLJ's move is a little contrarian. Then again, this is a station whose success in its barnstorming early '90s days was based on the '80s, so they're entitled. Without having been in any way involved, it's not hard to imagine the research presentation where somebody, or everybody, said, "I guess we can't get away from the '80s." And some segues here that may look provocative in print, e.g., "La Isla Bonita" into "Sex On Fire" sounded fine on the radio (particularly since the latter fades in).

Here's WPLJ on Friday, June 3 at 2 p.m.:

My Chemical Romance, "Sing"
No Doubt, "It's My Life"
Cheap Trick, "I Want You To Want Me"
Usher, "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love"
Collective Soul, "Shine"
The Script, "For The First Time"
Go-Go's, "Our Lips Are Sealed"
Plain White T's, "Rhythm Of Love"
Lady Gaga, "Poker Face"
Gavin Rossdale, "Love Remains The Same"
Madonna, "La Isla Bonita"
Kings Of Leon, "Sex On Fire"
Adele, "Rolling In The Deep"
Taio Cruz, "Break Your Heart"
Train, "Hey Soul Sister"
Alanis Morissette, "You Oughta Know"
Pink, "F**king Perfect"
Journey, "Don't Stop Believin'"
Gnarls Barkley, "Crazy"
Andy Grammar, "Keep Your Head Up"
Janet Jackson, "What Have You Done For Me Lately"
Neon Trees, "Animal"
Daughtry, "September"
Berlin, "No More Words"