Our mid-year AT-ISSUE deals with the ongoing discussion regarding the ebbs and flows of Pop music. The music cycle is less predictable these days then in recent years given the overall dynamics of the influencing factors that sway the trends. DSP’s and social media platforms are more instrumental than ever, and astute programmers are reading analytics derived from audience tendencies with much closer scrutiny. In Programming to Win, Paragon Media’s Mike Henry gives us two recent examples of Triple A stations that expanded their external marketing reach, thought outside the box and saw their ratings grow. Question of the Week asks: What three songs will best define the summer of 2019 for your format? And, FMQB Hot Shots.