Worst to First: The True Story of Z100 New York

Audience Reviews

View All (6) audience reviews

Bob B This was under produced and yet, overdone/ A lot of stuff said wasn't true and too much emphasis was placed on music, which wasn't really Z100s strength, which was its imaging and morning show. Most would be surprised to learn that WPLJ usually beat Z100 in the music dayparts (10AM- Midnight) and their music was in fact, better. The morning show was fabulous and like nothing NY radio had ever seen. The rest of the day they were a good but not amazing CHR station. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/27/24 Full Review Chris J MOVIE REVIEW Worst to First: The True Story of Z100 New York Genre: Documentary Year Released: 2022 Runtime: 1h 3m Director(s): Mitchell Stuart Cast: Scott Shannon, Elvis Duran, Jon Bon Jovi, Nile Rodgers, Anita Bonita, Ross Brittain, Pete Consenza, Michael Ellis, Cathy Donovan, Gary Fisher, Geraldo Rivera, Taylor Dayne, and more Where To Watch: Available for pre-order now, releasing December 6, 2022, at Kino Lorber RAVING REVIEW: What more can you say beyond the title? There's much more to this story than the meteoric rise of the most successful radio station in history. If you grew up listening to Z100, you'd love seeing this story behind them becoming the giant they are (and have been for some time.) If you have never heard of Z100 (like this critic), you'll still love learning about this unlikely success story. It only took 74 days, but this was one of the biggest flips in radio history. While Z100 didn't pioneer top-40 radio, they took this idea, modernized it, and ran with it. The film features countless iconic members of music royalty, sharing their stories of what this station meant and how it changed radio forever. One of the most intriguing moments was when the first market rankings came in, and Z100 was dead last, so bad that they were outdone by stations that weren't even in their market. I could watch documentaries like this for days, and I love learning about stories you traditionally don't hear about. Hearing about the ins and outs of these little pieces of history that made the pop culture landscape what it is today. Scott Shannon is somewhat of an icon, so much so that even those outside the "know" of New York radio may still recognize the name. Shannon, the first programmer for Z100, grabbed those poor ratings and decided not to look back. My only complaint is that I wanted more to this "historical" story; I wanted to dive deeper into the station and its history. Seeing the process was fun, but when you walk away from a documentary just wanting more, I consider it a success. BONUS FEATURES: – Deleted Scenes – Audio commentary by DJ Scott Shannon and Director Mitchell Stuart – Trailers For more reviews and my YouTube channel, please visit linktr.ee/Overlyhonestmoviereviews Follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Find my social media accounts on most platforms simply by searching Overly Honest Movie Reviews. I'm always happy to hear from my readers; please say hi or send me any questions about movies. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/30/22 Full Review Audience Member The stories, the history... it's legendary! The underdog that becomes the Goliath... not only for radio but for music, for artists, and New York City! xo Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review Audience Member My wife and I watched this together the other night and had a great time. So interesting and entertaining. My wife grew up in NYC in the 80s, so this was so nostalgic for her, and she was practically screaming at the TV. I didn't grow up in New York, but I found the story riveting (and who doesn't like music?!). This is a no brainer. Low investment of time, and high reward. Check it out! Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/18/22 Full Review Audience Member My family and I listen to Z100 often in the car being from the New York Metro Area. It's interesting to hear the inside story of how the station started to become the popular station it is today. We are very excited to watch this documentary by Mitchell Stuart. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Audience Member Very entertaining story with great cast. I love Z100 and never knew the story. It's great to see all the faces behind all the voices then and now. Highly recommend! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Worst to First: The True Story of Z100 New York

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW