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Any stations doing a Classic Alternative format?

R

radiookc

I have been doing some looking around to see, and I have not run across a FM station doing a
Classic Alternative/80's college rock formatted station, other than some specialty shows on
some local PBS stations and KROQ HD2?

Chris
www.radiookc.com
 
Houston briefly had KHPT "The Zone" playing 90s alternative with some 80s and early to mid 00's, but those a holes at Cox blew it up to simulcast a "classic hits" (really classic rock).
 
There were several stations that tried this over the years but it never took off, most notably KCNL/San Jose in the early 2000's. 80's-based alternative is very niched, and many of the bigger hits & artists have been scooped up by other formats (primarily Adult Hits at this point.) There just isn't a big enough audience of people who want to hear that music. Even Music Choice tweaked their classic alternative music stream to add more 90's to the mix. Luckily there are other internet streams out there filling that need. I have a fairly extensive collection of this music on my iPod, so I listen to that when I'm in the mood for that genre....
 
Clear Channel has a Classic Alternative feed available on iHeartRadio called "Radio Radio." It may be simulcast on several of their HD side channels - I know WMAX 96.1-HD2 in Grand Rapids, MI, had it the last time I checked.

WAPS 91.3 in Akron, OH, also runs a Classic Alternative HD2 channel called "Flashbacks" which is also streamed online.
http://www.913thesummit.com/audio/index.htm#hd2
 
ChrisInMI said:
Clear Channel has a Classic Alternative feed available on iHeartRadio called "Radio Radio." It may be simulcast on several of their HD side channels - I know WMAX 96.1-HD2 in Grand Rapids, MI, had it the last time I checked.

WAPS 91.3 in Akron, OH, also runs a Classic Alternative HD2 channel called "Flashbacks" which is also streamed online.
http://www.913thesummit.com/audio/index.htm#hd2
Click to expand...

CC discontinued "Radio Radio" a few years back (stupid, stupid). They do have the "CBGB" channel, which is close.

In addition to KROQ's HD2, Live 105 in San Francisco also programs a classic HD2 channel. Sounds a bit different than KROQ's, which is a bit poppier. "Classic Live 105" reflects more what they played in the Entercom years. You can hear it on the Radio.com app, if you can get it to work.
 
I love Classic Alternative rock from the 80's. (One of my favorite types of music.) However I don't expect a company to dedicate an entire signal to it.

Sad but true, what sucks is other than Adult Hits no format touches this stuff. Hot AC doesn't play a lot of material over 15 years old anymore. The music we are taking about also didn't have a lot of Top 40 hits. So Classic Hits stations won't play this music either. Nor would a Classic Rock station be caught playing "Radio Free Europe" by REM followed by Echo and The Bunneymen.

Regular Alternative Rock stations will also not play pre-2000's material for the most part. Leaving the music in general confined to the Internet, CD and MP3 Collections.

Sample Hour for Classic Alternative-
Sample Hour for a Classic Alternative Station
Lobotomy- The Ramones
Karma Police- Radiohead
Transmission- Joy Divison
Love my way- The Furs
Whats the Frequency Kenneth- R.E.M
Allison Road- Gin Blossoms
Psycho Killer- Talking Heads
Big Me- Foo Fighters
Master and Servant- Depeche Mode
Charlotte Sometimes- The Cure

Classic Alternative should focus on music from 1976- 2002. With some exceptions for artists such as David Bowie. The genre is loaded with good music. You just have to find it.
 
Since last July, KDGE 102.1 HD2 has been running a Classic Alternative playlist as "Old School Edge". Of course, you would have to travel to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and have an HD Radio receiver to listen to it though. It has a diverse mix of "back in the day" alternative rock songs with deeeper cuts from Alice In Chains, R.E.M., Gin Blossoms, Goldfinger, Sister Hazel, The Cranberries, Pearl Jam, Camper Van Beethoven, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day, Radiohead, and many more.

Though a couple things to note: artists such as Backstreet Boys, Edwin McCain, and Sheryl Crow aren't quite classified as "Alternative Rock". It's been leaning a little more AAA with the additions of "Crazy" by Seal and "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone" by Paula Cole.
 
You sure this is still on? KDGE cancelled the Sunday morning version of the show on their main channel at the end of last year. It's a CC station, and a quick browse of iHeartRadio shows no mention of "Old School Edge" anywhere. They normally will make their HD2 channels available on the platform. There's no link to it on their main website either. I'm wondering if they just have it on random and it's just a placeholder until they decide what they want to do with the HD2.
 
fmradio1 said:
You sure this is still on?  KDGE cancelled the Sunday morning version of the show on their main channel at the end of last year.  It's a CC station, and a quick browse of iHeartRadio shows no mention of "Old School Edge" anywhere.  They normally will make their HD2 channels available on the platform.  There's no link to it on their main website either.  I'm wondering if they just have it on random and it's just a placeholder until they decide what they want to do with the HD2.
Click to expand...

You would think, but KDGE doesn't stream their HD2 subchannel, even when they aired its previous "Cutting Edge" format. That's why I said, you may have to travel to DFW with an HD Radio receiver to listen. And yes, I checked on my HD radio and it's still on the HD2 signal...for now. Though it intermittently goes off the air for 15 to 30 seconds after a certain period of time for some odd reason.
 
I too would love a classic alternative format. For that fix, I find the two best solutions are KROQ HD2 "Roq of the 80s", and Sirius/XM's "First Wave", which is all 80s alternative and new wave. Sirius/XM also has a 90s based alternative channel called "Lithium".
 
BRH said:
and Sirius/XM's "First Wave", which is all 80s alternative and new wave. Sirius/XM also has a 90s based alternative channel called "Lithium".
Click to expand...

If you want something deeper and more indie SXM offers "Classic College Radio" on their 2.0 platform (available on newer radios, online and apps).
 
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