A radio station format that plays eclectic rock music, frequently with a wide range of styles, more wide-ranging than Adult Contemporary formats. Tends not to play hard rock music, heavy metal, or rap though. Frequently abbreviated as "AAA" or "Triple A" (for "adult album alternative").

Source: The M Street Radio Directory, 1996 Edition

This radio format, as typified by stations like San Francisco's KFOG and Seattle's KMTT, is aimed at affluent, college educated listeners who grew up in the 1970s listening to rock music. Consequently, the format doesn't try to keep up with pop music, but mixes classic acts (Neil Young, David Bowie) with the blues, americana, and acoustic artists. (While AAA has always included bands like R.E.M. and Talking Heads, recently I've noticed more pop hits of the 1980's creeping into the mix, perhaps due to competition from all-1980s stations). There are maybe 100 stations in the U.S. with this format. Gavin (www.gavin.com) charts the songs from both commercial and noncommercial AAA stations.

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