Video killed the radio star - but not the good stations!
August 4, 2024 12:33 PM Subscribe
Looking for recommendations and links for independent and/or college radio stations which stream
I love my local, student-run college radio station WVFS Tallahassee. It plays a lot of diverse kinds of music, has several "specialty" shows that are good, and plays a lot of new stuff I've never heard before . While run by students, they either come in with, or learn, an appreciation for all sorts of music - you can hear Black Flag, Dave Brubeck, and Lefty Frizzell all in the same day, sometimes the same hour.
So - on to the reason for my question: please recommend to me, and if possible, provide a streaming link to, _your_ favorite independent and/or college streaming radio station(s). I would prefer, for college stations, that it be student-run with a faculty advisor, rather than run with university employees, but that's a "nice to have" not a "have to have" requirement.
I love my local, student-run college radio station WVFS Tallahassee. It plays a lot of diverse kinds of music, has several "specialty" shows that are good, and plays a lot of new stuff I've never heard before . While run by students, they either come in with, or learn, an appreciation for all sorts of music - you can hear Black Flag, Dave Brubeck, and Lefty Frizzell all in the same day, sometimes the same hour.
So - on to the reason for my question: please recommend to me, and if possible, provide a streaming link to, _your_ favorite independent and/or college streaming radio station(s). I would prefer, for college stations, that it be student-run with a faculty advisor, rather than run with university employees, but that's a "nice to have" not a "have to have" requirement.
I do a weekly freeform college radio show, link is in my profile. (podcast feed or stream on mixcloud)
I can't recommend my current station (it's playlist has been automated and heavily diluted). I've previously been involved at wxdu, wrsu and wprb all of which have excellent freeform programming and specialty shows.
posted by noloveforned at 12:44 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
I can't recommend my current station (it's playlist has been automated and heavily diluted). I've previously been involved at wxdu, wrsu and wprb all of which have excellent freeform programming and specialty shows.
posted by noloveforned at 12:44 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
Since moving to Alberta, CKUA is my favourite independent station. Some programs run a bit country, but for the most part it's pretty great and diverse.
posted by unlapsing at 12:44 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
posted by unlapsing at 12:44 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
WTJU (main page) out of Charlottesville, VA. streaming
Not necessarily associated with a college, but a similar kind of thing, WYCE out of Grand Rapids, MI. streaming
posted by LionIndex at 12:49 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
Not necessarily associated with a college, but a similar kind of thing, WYCE out of Grand Rapids, MI. streaming
posted by LionIndex at 12:49 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
There's always the beloved WFMU out of NJ
posted by greta simone at 1:01 PM on August 4 [2 favorites]
posted by greta simone at 1:01 PM on August 4 [2 favorites]
WPKN in Bridgeport, CT is great, and streams online! It originally started as the University of Bridgeport's college radio station but broke off and has been independent and community sponsored since 1989. Any time you tune in depending on what show is on you'll get an entirely different type of music (or independent news programs etc.) My absolute favorite show on there is Radio Nothing which is hard to describe but always worth a listen.
posted by reptile at 1:03 PM on August 4 [3 favorites]
posted by reptile at 1:03 PM on August 4 [3 favorites]
If you like roots music of any kind (Americana, bluegrass, country, blues, Celtic, etc.), WMOT out of middle Tennessee is fantastic
posted by jilloftrades at 1:05 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
posted by jilloftrades at 1:05 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
KRVM, from the 4J school district in Eugene, Oregon. The kids are on from 8-5 M-F. It's really unique, playing whatever they want from the station library.
Fun Fact, I took Radio my Junior year. For some reason my ratings were RIDICULOUSLY high. Never figured out why.
posted by fiercekitten at 1:09 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
Fun Fact, I took Radio my Junior year. For some reason my ratings were RIDICULOUSLY high. Never figured out why.
posted by fiercekitten at 1:09 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
KEXP started 51 years ago as a University of Washington radio station. It's much bigger than that now, but it's still a fully independent radio station that plays a pretty wide variety of music. Every weeknight, they run a specialty show featuring different world regions/styles of music, as well.
posted by pdb at 1:12 PM on August 4 [11 favorites]
posted by pdb at 1:12 PM on August 4 [11 favorites]
Also KWVA, programmed by the students of the UofO. It's more like an intramural than something organized by faculty. IIRC, there isn't any staff at all.
posted by fiercekitten at 1:13 PM on August 4
posted by fiercekitten at 1:13 PM on August 4
Hi from St. Augustine! Our local school, Flagler College, has a good-to-excellent radio station, WFCF. It's staffed by students and features a wide variety of programming. The current metal show on Tuesday evenings rules (I can't remember its name) and I'm also partial to Music of our Mothers, a show run by a community volunteer for many years that features classical music by female composers.
posted by saladin at 1:21 PM on August 4
posted by saladin at 1:21 PM on August 4
Our local indie station that plays a wide array of music is KZUM.
posted by PussKillian at 1:28 PM on August 4
posted by PussKillian at 1:28 PM on August 4
Two great California college radio stations are KALX out of UCBerkeley and KXLU from Loyola-Marymount (Los Angeles). I also am a big fan of (non-student) SOMA FM. Happy listening!
posted by boomdelala at 1:33 PM on August 4 [4 favorites]
posted by boomdelala at 1:33 PM on August 4 [4 favorites]
Portland’s own Xray.
Saturday afternoon and Sunday have some really good DJs. If X-ray is on, I am almost always discovering something that I enjoy, and want to dig deeper into. Very few weak shows on there. Shows of note: Beaches (loosely defined “beach music” with lots of soul, old r+b, smoother disco and lots of records from under-acknowledged bands in the ‘Chicano soul’ sub genre), Impact sound (reggae, rocksteady, ska and self described “Jamaican oldies,” Radio Bandelero (psych music from around the world. A bit more of a grab bag, but you’ll run into Latvian Cassio-bands, lots of Zambian rock, Brazilian psychedelic samba outfits, and other “world music” that’s all cohesively tied together; this is one of my favorites).
They have some other niche shows on there that are worth exploring.
posted by furnace.heart at 1:48 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
Saturday afternoon and Sunday have some really good DJs. If X-ray is on, I am almost always discovering something that I enjoy, and want to dig deeper into. Very few weak shows on there. Shows of note: Beaches (loosely defined “beach music” with lots of soul, old r+b, smoother disco and lots of records from under-acknowledged bands in the ‘Chicano soul’ sub genre), Impact sound (reggae, rocksteady, ska and self described “Jamaican oldies,” Radio Bandelero (psych music from around the world. A bit more of a grab bag, but you’ll run into Latvian Cassio-bands, lots of Zambian rock, Brazilian psychedelic samba outfits, and other “world music” that’s all cohesively tied together; this is one of my favorites).
They have some other niche shows on there that are worth exploring.
posted by furnace.heart at 1:48 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
WNCW out of Isothermal Community College in western North Carolina for bluegrass, folk, Americana, and that sort of thing.
posted by Daily Alice at 2:05 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
posted by Daily Alice at 2:05 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
abzdefghi
jklmnopq
rstuvwxyc
inspo: t-shirt/bumper sticker from 1997-2001
posted by infinitewindow at 2:56 PM on August 4 [2 favorites]
jklmnopq
rstuvwxyc
inspo: t-shirt/bumper sticker from 1997-2001
posted by infinitewindow at 2:56 PM on August 4 [2 favorites]
My local station is WEFT, "listener-supported, volunteer operated, community radio since 1981" for Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. It's got all the eclectic music, minority programming, and lefty news shows you could ever want. Anyone can get their own show if they take an Airshifter Training class and convince the collective organization that their idea fills a need. Listen online, and you might even hear me and my friends!
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 3:16 PM on August 4 [3 favorites]
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 3:16 PM on August 4 [3 favorites]
You might like The SoCal Sound owned by California State University Northridge.
They are member supported, playing
“AAA” Adult Album Alternative
as well as weekly show such as Bilingual Sounds and Tangled Roots.
posted by calgirl at 3:56 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
They are member supported, playing
“AAA” Adult Album Alternative
as well as weekly show such as Bilingual Sounds and Tangled Roots.
posted by calgirl at 3:56 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
You can do a bunch of exploring on your own via Radio-Locator.com, which will let you search for stations in various formats/locales and with streaming. It's easy to do a search for "college" format stations. 471 results!
This is one of the finest radio resources on the entire Internet (invaluable when traveling for instance) and it's positively criminal it doesn't get more hype.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 4:53 PM on August 4 [4 favorites]
This is one of the finest radio resources on the entire Internet (invaluable when traveling for instance) and it's positively criminal it doesn't get more hype.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 4:53 PM on August 4 [4 favorites]
I have a friend who DJs for CHIRP in Chicago. I've only listened to his show (it's Tony Breed & he's a delight) but I assume everyone else has good taste or is at least fun to listen to.
posted by edencosmic at 5:13 PM on August 4 [2 favorites]
posted by edencosmic at 5:13 PM on August 4 [2 favorites]
It plays a lot of diverse kinds of music, has several "specialty" shows that are good, and plays a lot of new stuff I've never heard before .
KFJC does this for Silicon Valley. The call letters stand for Foothill Jr. College which is now Foothill Community College and my favorite program is the Saturday morning Norman Bates Memorial soundtrack show.
posted by Rash at 6:08 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
KFJC does this for Silicon Valley. The call letters stand for Foothill Jr. College which is now Foothill Community College and my favorite program is the Saturday morning Norman Bates Memorial soundtrack show.
posted by Rash at 6:08 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
Not a college station, but Rhinelander, Wisconsin's WXPR is a delightful station, run mostly by community volunteers. I won't call it super progressive, but the volunteer hosts play a wide variety of music.
posted by sarajane at 6:11 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
posted by sarajane at 6:11 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
Another "not a college station" out of Wisconsin: WORT, listener-sponsored, member-controlled community radio station out of Madison.
And Indie 102.3 , from Colorado Public Radio. I will shed tears if this station ever goes away.
posted by paradeofblimps at 6:36 PM on August 4
And Indie 102.3 , from Colorado Public Radio. I will shed tears if this station ever goes away.
posted by paradeofblimps at 6:36 PM on August 4
I'm shocked that this question has 20 answers so far without KCRW being mentioned. They're affiliated with Santa Monica College and are a huge local NPR affliate in the Los Angeles metro area, but their music programming is acknowledged for its influence on the music industry.
WXPN is affliated with the University of Pennsylvania is also worth listening to.
For those of you in the Bay Area, it's worth noting that KEXP has recently opened their simulcast affliate KEXC in the Bay Area and are currently broadcasting on 92.7FM out of San Francisco.
posted by kdar at 8:09 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
WXPN is affliated with the University of Pennsylvania is also worth listening to.
For those of you in the Bay Area, it's worth noting that KEXP has recently opened their simulcast affliate KEXC in the Bay Area and are currently broadcasting on 92.7FM out of San Francisco.
posted by kdar at 8:09 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]
Seconding CHIRP Radio.
posted by Sparky Buttons at 8:29 PM on August 4
posted by Sparky Buttons at 8:29 PM on August 4
2nd-ing WTJU (Thomas Jefferson University) out of C'ville. I listened to it long long ago, but my oldest who went to UVa a few years ago listened to it. I also have friends who work downtown on the mall for a large music industry firm that still listen.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:09 PM on August 4
posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:09 PM on August 4
Mod note: [btw, this post has been added to the sidebar and Best Of blog!]
posted by taz (staff) at 1:43 AM on August 5 [2 favorites]
posted by taz (staff) at 1:43 AM on August 5 [2 favorites]
WBER in Rochester (actually Penfield, NY) is a mainstay for me. Also I love this one in Japan, Radio Hayama. I use an app on my iPhone called Radio Garden that pulls in EVERYTHING—I can't recommend it enough! (Also, it's free!) Not sure what parts of the world it can be used in.
posted by newdaddy at 2:32 AM on August 5
posted by newdaddy at 2:32 AM on August 5
WAYO is a very eclectic low power fm station that’s also located in Rochester, NY. It streams online and broadcasts the old-fashioned way too. Full disclosure: I do a weekly show (Sunday mornings) that leans heavily into synth-pop and new wave, 70s through today.
posted by chr1sb0y at 4:21 AM on August 5
posted by chr1sb0y at 4:21 AM on August 5
A great new station in Cincinnati area is Blackfork Radio. Eclectic with a lean towards the Whispering Beard festival, but really all genres. I listen via browser at home or on the app in the car.
posted by tizzie at 5:42 AM on August 5
posted by tizzie at 5:42 AM on August 5
I'll plug my old college station WMWC at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. You'll note the call letters - it's the only club on campus that retains the "Mary Washington College" reference since the school's switch to University status about 20 years ago. One caveat: they don't broadcast during the summer, so you'll have to wait a couple more weeks for students to come back on campus. The station is extremely small, has a faculty advisor, and is experience something of a renaissance in the last year or two.
(And for fun, here's the archive/history web site that I run about the station.)
posted by laze at 6:31 AM on August 5
(And for fun, here's the archive/history web site that I run about the station.)
posted by laze at 6:31 AM on August 5
The website CampusFM is a nice way to explore. It preloads the streams so you can switch around with one click.
posted by bitslayer at 6:32 AM on August 5 [1 favorite]
posted by bitslayer at 6:32 AM on August 5 [1 favorite]
I helped found WFVR here in Vermont about 10 years ago and it streams.
Radio.garden is a great site for discovering streaming stations around the world.
posted by terrapin at 7:16 AM on August 5 [1 favorite]
Radio.garden is a great site for discovering streaming stations around the world.
posted by terrapin at 7:16 AM on August 5 [1 favorite]
WTMD in Baltimore (Towson), Maryland fits this ask. Independent station.
posted by maxg94 at 7:30 AM on August 5
posted by maxg94 at 7:30 AM on August 5
Radio K at the University of Minnesota is the only radio preset in my kitchen and my car. There are some special themed shows that vary each school year depending on student DJ interest - my favorites in recent past have been “Ladies’ Night,” “Those Meddling Kids” (when high school kids take over), and “Basement Vinyl” (which plays the disco Sesame Street album in regular rotation, to my family’s delight). But my absolute favorite time to listen is during Thanksgiving weekend when the student DJs bring their parents into the booth as guest DJs - it’s so awkward and endearing and funny.
posted by Maarika at 8:15 AM on August 5
posted by Maarika at 8:15 AM on August 5
Came here to suggest WXRV and WERS, but since they've already been posted, I'll plug two others - first is my favorite radio station I can't receive at home, WEQX out of Manchester, VT.
Second is WCUW from Worcester, MA. (I will admit, I am biased because I'm on the air every other Tuesday 5-7 PM. )
posted by neilbert at 8:20 AM on August 5
Second is WCUW from Worcester, MA. (I will admit, I am biased because I'm on the air every other Tuesday 5-7 PM. )
posted by neilbert at 8:20 AM on August 5
I loved KCMU when I moved to Seattle 25 years ago - the programming was so wild, crossing genres at every needledrop. KEXP rounded off most of those corners, though I love the specialty and veteran DJs who are still spinning beyond what the format can contain.
Moving back to NC, I've been blessed with three great stations in the Triangle:
WXYC: UNC-Chapel Hill - pretty independent and willingness to cross genres and eras; plenty of pop to keep the locals happy too
WXDU: Duke U's station. I think this is mostly student run, but I think some locals have specialty shows; overall, the vibe is ramshackle, the signal is weak, even 4-5 miles from the tower, and there are definitely times when I skip away. still love to start there when I'm in the car - you never know what you're going to get!
WNCU: NCCU's station; technically, it's "professionally run," but it has a real community vibe because of the volunteer DJs, and the music programming is terrific, mostly jazz and blues. the Friday night show is classic party R&B mixed live, and the gospel show on Sunday mornings is really good too.
Also:
Hollow Earth Radio: Seattle's Low Power FM station (KHUH); completely independent programming; style is pretty loose and ramshackle like WXDU, very dependent on individual DJ tastes - I haven't found one yet that nails it for me.
posted by SoundInhabitant at 9:19 AM on August 5 [1 favorite]
Moving back to NC, I've been blessed with three great stations in the Triangle:
WXYC: UNC-Chapel Hill - pretty independent and willingness to cross genres and eras; plenty of pop to keep the locals happy too
WXDU: Duke U's station. I think this is mostly student run, but I think some locals have specialty shows; overall, the vibe is ramshackle, the signal is weak, even 4-5 miles from the tower, and there are definitely times when I skip away. still love to start there when I'm in the car - you never know what you're going to get!
WNCU: NCCU's station; technically, it's "professionally run," but it has a real community vibe because of the volunteer DJs, and the music programming is terrific, mostly jazz and blues. the Friday night show is classic party R&B mixed live, and the gospel show on Sunday mornings is really good too.
Also:
Hollow Earth Radio: Seattle's Low Power FM station (KHUH); completely independent programming; style is pretty loose and ramshackle like WXDU, very dependent on individual DJ tastes - I haven't found one yet that nails it for me.
posted by SoundInhabitant at 9:19 AM on August 5 [1 favorite]
KVRX 91.7 FM: None of the Hits, All of the Time (student-run radio station at UT-Austin)
KOOP 91.7 FM: Austin's Community Radio Station (they split the FM station with KVRX)
KUTX 98.9 FM: The Austin Music Experience
KTRU 96.1 FM: Rice University's student-run radio
KAMP 1570 AM: University of Arizona Student-Run Radio
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:51 AM on August 5 [1 favorite]
KOOP 91.7 FM: Austin's Community Radio Station (they split the FM station with KVRX)
KUTX 98.9 FM: The Austin Music Experience
KTRU 96.1 FM: Rice University's student-run radio
KAMP 1570 AM: University of Arizona Student-Run Radio
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:51 AM on August 5 [1 favorite]
I contribute a monthly show (and a weekly Edinburgh Fringe roundup just for this month) at Radio Six International (its a non-profit, and we're all volunteers). Now sixty years ago, it started as an after-school project by Tony Currie in 1963, and it's been running in some form ever since. Now online, and based out of the Isle of Lismore in Scotland, it plays "an interesting mixture of songs from the world's unsigned and indie artists in their native languages with a leaning towards instrumentals and some jazz plus specialist shows."
posted by ewan at 10:20 AM on August 5
posted by ewan at 10:20 AM on August 5
I've been on WCSB, the student run station of Cleveland State University close to 20 years. Programming is hit or miss, depending on your tastes, but you'll probably be able to find something you enjoy
posted by SystematicAbuse at 3:20 PM on August 5
posted by SystematicAbuse at 3:20 PM on August 5
Many college radio streams are very low audio quality. Is this because of specific limitations on audio streaming or college radio?
posted by rebent at 3:41 PM on August 5
posted by rebent at 3:41 PM on August 5
I like listening to CJSR. They have a good mix of music and audio journalism, some of which has been spun off into podcasts. CJSR is often how I find out about new local bands to check out as I am now an old.
Fun fact, CKUA (mentioned above) used to be the campus radio station of the UofA (hence the call sign) before growing into what they are now (they started from the faculty of extension and broadcasted university lectures, amongst other things). CJSR is the current, largely student run, campus radio station with all that comes with: eclectic musical taste, periodic blocks of dead air when the volunteers don't push the right buttons, and a broadcast area that reaches just to the edge of the city and not much further.
posted by selenized at 4:10 PM on August 5
Fun fact, CKUA (mentioned above) used to be the campus radio station of the UofA (hence the call sign) before growing into what they are now (they started from the faculty of extension and broadcasted university lectures, amongst other things). CJSR is the current, largely student run, campus radio station with all that comes with: eclectic musical taste, periodic blocks of dead air when the volunteers don't push the right buttons, and a broadcast area that reaches just to the edge of the city and not much further.
posted by selenized at 4:10 PM on August 5
I've been quite fond of WRCT out of Carnegie-Mellon since moving to Pittsburgh. I really prefer to listen to a local station, and all other radio in the area is just dreadful. My fave DJ is Zombo who is on Fridays mid-day. (He's also a member of the Polkamaniacs.) I also love Jay Thurber on Saturday afternoons for his 60's style of DJing while I go out to visit yard sales.
Loading the dishwasher, I will listen to WFMU next if WRCT isn't playing something good. But some DJs on WFMU can just yap on and on, so I ask google to stream KXCI as a third choice. KXCI always sounds like Tucson. (A good thing in my opinion.)
posted by Catblack at 8:59 AM on August 6
Loading the dishwasher, I will listen to WFMU next if WRCT isn't playing something good. But some DJs on WFMU can just yap on and on, so I ask google to stream KXCI as a third choice. KXCI always sounds like Tucson. (A good thing in my opinion.)
posted by Catblack at 8:59 AM on August 6
Currently my goto is local station KEXP, mentioned above. But some oldies but goodies I haven't seen mentioned here yet:
WRAS Album 88: GA State's radio station in Atlanta was my musical lifeline in high school/college and beyond - this was in the 80s-early 90s, and they didn't have a stream until fairly recently, so I can't vouch for them now, but back in the day they were the premiere college station, nationally known, the ones who pushed out early REM and the B-52s along with all the other alternative/new wave stuff you could otherwise only find in the remotest corners of MTV. A buddy of mine was a DJ there for a few years and interviewed the Sugarcubes when they blew through town on their American tour - he raved about their unknown singer Bjork and (having missed their Atlanta show) dragged me to Auburn University to see them play in an auditorium w/ maybe a 100 people or so in attendance, me standing 20 ft from the stage. Shoutout also to WREK, Album 88's red-headed step-sibling at GA Tech, a much more eclectic rotation but w/ some great regular shows (again, back in the day).
WMBR (MIT) and WMFO (Tufts) in Cambridge, two solid alternative stations that provided the luxury of being able to switch back and forth if you didn't care for what one of them was playing.
posted by Pedantzilla at 2:03 PM on August 6
WRAS Album 88: GA State's radio station in Atlanta was my musical lifeline in high school/college and beyond - this was in the 80s-early 90s, and they didn't have a stream until fairly recently, so I can't vouch for them now, but back in the day they were the premiere college station, nationally known, the ones who pushed out early REM and the B-52s along with all the other alternative/new wave stuff you could otherwise only find in the remotest corners of MTV. A buddy of mine was a DJ there for a few years and interviewed the Sugarcubes when they blew through town on their American tour - he raved about their unknown singer Bjork and (having missed their Atlanta show) dragged me to Auburn University to see them play in an auditorium w/ maybe a 100 people or so in attendance, me standing 20 ft from the stage. Shoutout also to WREK, Album 88's red-headed step-sibling at GA Tech, a much more eclectic rotation but w/ some great regular shows (again, back in the day).
WMBR (MIT) and WMFO (Tufts) in Cambridge, two solid alternative stations that provided the luxury of being able to switch back and forth if you didn't care for what one of them was playing.
posted by Pedantzilla at 2:03 PM on August 6
Another site that may be helpful if you're looking for a particular style or artist is spinitron.com, which a number of stations use to build playlists from their broadcasts. They allow a free search of the past 24 hours, which can then bring you back to the station site for their stream.
posted by neilbert at 7:56 AM on August 7
posted by neilbert at 7:56 AM on August 7
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by sacrifix at 12:44 PM on August 4 [4 favorites]