Recommend college radio stations I can listen to online?

June 2, 2004 11:25 AM

I'm a big fan of college radio and alternative music - even though I live in London I listen to the morning music show on LA's KCRW almost every day. Does anyone know of other such stations who have good, solid, music shows, possibly featuring live sets, and crucially - that broadcast on a broadband stream?
posted by ascullion to Computers & Internet (28 answers total)

I would think that WFMU fits the bill. Also WPRB sometimes.
posted by milovoo at 11:32 AM on June 2, 2004

Seattle's KEXP. When I was listening regularly it tended a bit towards alt.country but their live studio stuff is great. I also like WFMU a bunch.
posted by jessamyn at 11:36 AM on June 2, 2004

WFMU's the next best after KCRW; WOXY is great but I believe is closing down soon. Get iTunes and look in the Eclectic section of its free radio service.
posted by skylar at 11:42 AM on June 2, 2004

Try KXLU.
posted by vignettist at 11:48 AM on June 2, 2004

WFUV in New York has quite a few shows comparable to KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic, although they lean a bit more towards the acoustic & blues end of the spectrum. More "adult" perhaps.
posted by bcwinters at 11:54 AM on June 2, 2004

Sorry. KXLU.
posted by vignettist at 11:55 AM on June 2, 2004

Let me second my radio alma mater, WPRB Princeton.
posted by josh at 11:56 AM on June 2, 2004

KUT's Eklektikos, in the morning CST.
posted by pomegranate at 12:03 PM on June 2, 2004

Seconding KEXP, which is like KCRW used to be before it started sucking.
posted by jjg at 12:10 PM on June 2, 2004

Not college radio, but I'm fond of Radio Paradise. I switch back and forth between KCRW & Radio Paradise as my "main" listening station every other week or so.
posted by Hankins at 12:10 PM on June 2, 2004

Thirding KEXP. I actually gave them a donation recently (and got a cool bumper sticker!).
posted by fletchmuy at 12:19 PM on June 2, 2004

KALX is rad.
posted by cmonkey at 12:26 PM on June 2, 2004

skylar, woxy was bought by another company from the original owners who decided to retire. i believe they are keeping the same alternative format, but i'm not sure how they're handling their internet broadcasts. Matt Sledge, who you may recognize from the station, has a weblog. He's a pretty nice guy.
posted by lotsofno at 12:28 PM on June 2, 2004

Heartily reccomend WXRV, Boston's "Independent Radio" whose broadcast is always reliable and commercial free. Their sei-weekly Live in the River Music Hall specials and annual free Riverfest concerts are always great too!
posted by nelleish at 12:34 PM on June 2, 2004

ugh, that should be "semi-weekly" and I should also note that WXRV is not a college station, just a ClearChannel-free station.
posted by nelleish at 12:35 PM on June 2, 2004

I third KEXP.
posted by stet at 12:52 PM on June 2, 2004

London's own Resonance 104.4 seems to have some pretty cool shows.
posted by scody at 1:04 PM on June 2, 2004

I'm with Hankins. I listen to KCRW for Nic Harcourt's show and Radio Paradise all other times.
posted by Tacodog at 1:17 PM on June 2, 2004

WMSE.
posted by drezdn at 1:20 PM on June 2, 2004

I always seem to be the one plugging Indie 103.1 :-)
No live shows yet but interesting presenters ; Steve Jones; Henry Rollins etc
posted by stuartmm at 1:45 PM on June 2, 2004

In the Bay Area, I love Stanford's KZSU which has outstanding shows across lots of genres from Bollywood soundtrack shows to hip hop to blues to punk and indie rock. Santa Clara University's KSCU is also great if you want more indie and punk. These two stations have kept me almost sane through many years of being stuck in traffic.

Great AskMefi question! I'm looking forward to checking out all these streams. Gotta get a sound card at work.
posted by Voivod at 3:55 PM on June 2, 2004

Sadly, WOXY has in fact, shut down. KEXP seems to be a workable alternative.
posted by damnitkage at 4:37 PM on June 2, 2004

WICB. From 10-2, they have specialty shows, but post 2pm, they play modern rock.
posted by Stynxno at 5:08 PM on June 2, 2004

I'll fifth, or whatever, KEXP, and throw in KDHX, a local St. Louis station. It's not a "college" station, but it has an eclectic mix of stuff - "Community Radio" as it were.
posted by notsnot at 5:26 PM on June 2, 2004

I'll sixth KEXP. I tried out their stream a couple weeks ago and iTunes kept it in my list as it likes to do (which I normally don't like, since I prefer web streams to be temporary). Anyway, the other night it hit the kexp stream in my random mix and I listened for hours happily working away. I download a lot of new music regularly so I figured it was still going through my random music. When I heard a song I loved (after hearing dozens I liked but had never heard before), I realized it was the live music stream and not my collection.

Anyway, here's their live in-studio list, lots of great acts are in studio regularly there.
posted by mathowie at 6:07 PM on June 2, 2004

Response by poster: Thanks for all the great suggestions, much appreciated. I've been enjoying KEXP and I'll enjoy working my way through all the others.
posted by ascullion at 1:20 AM on June 3, 2004

WXPN out of U Penn in Philly.
posted by yoga at 5:06 AM on June 3, 2004

Let's not forget WNUR. Jazz (usually a strong emphasis on the freely improvised) in the am, a shot of world music, then alternative rock in the afternoons/evenings, dance/house etc. later on, followed by weird stuff in the wee hours till it starts all over again.

The weekends have a different mix, including public affairs (This Is Hell! used to be the radio home of Jorn Barger), different music and a regular live show called Airplay.
posted by Quinbus Flestrin at 11:03 AM on June 3, 2004