I used to listen to 94.5 FM KWSS from the bay area in the heart of the 80s which is now nolonger around. The station first aired in 1983, and was bought out by KFOX in 1988, now KBAY.
I listened to KWSS from 1984-1988. Good 80s music back then. Though I'm not in the area anymore, I have good 80s memories of music at least.

I listened to Z107 FM...it was a local station in a now defunct mall. They used to have dance parties in the center court of the mall, and lip sync contests. It was really cool. Every Friday night us kids would call into the station and dedicate songs to our current crush. Those were the days! ;)

KWSS was pre-corporate! and they used to play a lot of rare remixes, extended versions of songs, etc. I remember hearing for instance, an extended version of Invisible Touch, that was 11 minutes long. I must have heard all the versions of "Shout" from Tears for Fears, it was great.

KROQ -- 106.7

KROQ -- 106.7

Wow, Kryllith... were you living in the Los Angeles area back then? That station is still on the air out here. 8) I never listened to it during the 80's (those were my childhood days), but I did start listening to it in the late 90's; even then I was listening to the "Flashback" shows, which played all the cool stuff from the 80's.

To answer the question, I don't remember listening to any specific stations in the 80's; those were the days I was in the single digits. I got my first radio in 1987, at age 7, and I just listened to whatever I felt like. However, in mid-1989, I do remember listening to "oldies" stations, which at the time played 50's/60's pop.

Edit: Oh wait, I didn't see the full title; I just saw "What radio station did you listen to in the 80's?" Still, since I was in the single digits throughout the decade, I cannot say that I listened to any "80's" radio stations. A lot of the music that came out then was "new" to me from the mid-90's through today.

Wow, Kryllith... were you living in the Los Angeles area back then? That station is still on the air out here. 8) I never listened to it during the 80's (those were my childhood days), but I did start listening to it in the late 90's; even then I was listening to the "Flashback" shows, which played all the cool stuff from the 80's.

Grew up in Ventura (about 16 years worth) from the late 70s to the early 90s, so we'd would catch KROQ when we could. The single could get a bit weak at times thanks to the foothills, but my brother eventually got a more power radio wire-antenna that worked much better than standard antennas. Course, we'd always listen to it if were were driving through L.A. proper. On top of that, one of my step-sisters worked in the restaurant at the bottom of the same building as the radio station. :)

Grew up in Ventura (about 16 years worth) from the late 70s to the early 90s, so we'd would catch KROQ when we could. The signal could get a bit weak at times thanks to the foothills, but my brother eventually got a more power radio wire-antenna that worked much better than standard antennas. Course, we'd always listen to it if were were driving through L.A. proper. On top of that, one of my step-sisters worked in the restaurant at the bottom of the same building as the radio station. :)

Awesome!! :D O0 I currently live near Ventura, and can pick up the station somewhat. Maybe because the signal isn't as strong as that of other L.A.-based stations.

I lived on the road, most of my life- happens when your Mom is the top Dolly Parton Look-alike entertainer in the world!

1980-82- Lived in Sierra Vista/Phoenix, AZ. I think the station there was KXQZ, or something.

1982-87- Lived in Elko, NV. The station there was KELK. Every Friday night, the '80s were pouring out, and I always listened to it, until "Friday Night Videos" came out.

1987-89- Lived in Salt Lake City, UT. My station of choice: KRSP, 103.5 FM. The Dawn Patrol- John Carter & Dan Baumis- absoflippinlutely hugh-larry-ass! :o (Did I just say that???)

Now- My station is 101.5 FM. Present location: Oroville, CA. Times I listen: "Saturday Night '80s", hosted by Todd Baker.

During the last ten years, L.A. radio station Star 98.7 (KYSR) had a "totally 80's" program on Friday nights from mid-1996 through the end of 2001 (from 7 PM to 2 AM). In 2002-03, they moved it to Sunday nights from 9 PM to midnight, so I couldn't really listen to it very much. The beginning of 2004, they moved it to Saturday nights and attracted a throng of listeners with host Richard Blade (a British-born DJ who had worked at KROQ for nearly 20 years). Lately, however, they don't seem to be doing it anymore. :-\\

In the '80s, the '80s station was the Top 40  ;D

I listened to a local AM station 1380 CKLC.  The odd time, I also listened to an FM station 960 CFFX / CFOX (which used to be known as CKWS 960)

CKLC is now an oldies station that plays wartime hits of the 30's - 50's
CFOX is now GTO (Good Time Oldies) 960, and plays hits of the 60's and 70's

When I was a kid in Detroit I listened to WRIF (BABY!) which is still on the air from my understanding. When I moved to Santa Barbara back in '82 there wasn't anything locally I liked but I was able to pull in KROQ and and another which in my old age I can't recall the call letters (I think it was KLOS) , is not on the air anymore and played some of the best metal and hard rock out there at the time. I think they also co-sponsored the US Festival with Apple computers.

I used to listen to 94.5 FM KWSS from the bay area in the heart of the 80s which is now nolonger around. The station first aired in 1983, and was bought out by KFOX in 1988, now KBAY.
I listened to KWSS from 1984-1988. Good 80s music back then. Though I'm not in the area anymore, I have good 80s memories of music at least.


That is the same station I listened during that same time period.  I grew up in San Jose and my friends and I use to drive by the KWSS station in Los Gatos all the time.  Kelly and Kline in the morning. . . .  I remember them well.  They even DJ'd some of our school dances.  I loved that station.  What school did you go to?

I grew up near Kenosha, Wisconsin. I used to listen to WRKR. They then changed it to WHBT, The Heartbeat. If anyone is intersted I have an email contact that has old sound checks and on air recordings of old radion stations. The only way you can get the recordings is to trade a current recording of you local radio stations. He will tell you which stations he wants, you record them, send them to him and he will send you what you want. He said he has some recordings of WRKR from the mid 80's. I haven't traded anything yet. The odd thing is that I do not have a tape cassette recorder.

In the '80s, the '80s station was the Top 40  ;D

Well, yes, Top 40, but there was also "hard rock," "adult contemporary, and rising out of New Wave and Punk with less commercial potential, a new genre called "alternative."

Boston region stations:

TOP 40--
WHTT
WROR

ROCK--
WBCN
WAAF

ALTERNATIVE--
WFNX

WFNX started broadcasting in 1983 and played superb alternative playlists with a decline in 1987, a further decline in 1988, and a precipitous drop into commercial swill in 1989!

Then there were "college radio" stations were I frist heard bands such as Front 242, Ministry, Chris & Cosey, Legendary Pink Dots, Coil, Einsturzende Neaubauten, Cocteau Twins, Minimal Compact and so forth:

WZBC (Boston College)
WERS (Emerson College)
WJUL (UMass Lowell)
WMBR (M.I.T.)

We listened to 99.7fm (KFRC), and 102.5fm, which played popular hits, but now plays mainly rap. There were soft rock stations we listened to as well.

I lived in Vegas in 1984 and listened to my all time favorite station, FM, AM or any format:  the college station which played new wave, early rap (mostly humorous or political), dance, with lots of extended versions, alternate versions, and stuff from Europe I never heard again anywhere.  I'm trying to find some of those songs with only lyric fragments to work from -- and a few I just can't find.  Can anyone suggest how best to continue my search?  Also any more info on that great station would be appreciated.  (P.S. Just registered on this site today so if I'm accidentally breaching protocol or procedures, or if this site has an a better place to ask these questions, please let me know.) ???

<agenda> All of my favorite radio stations that I listened to growing up were bought out by Clear Channel and play nothing but (C)rap. I gave up on FM a long time ago and either go with the iPod for travel or Shoutcast internet radio (977 80's) when I'm at home. Video didn't kill the radio star, capitolism did. </agena>

Well, yes, Top 40, but there was also "hard rock," "adult contemporary," and rising out of New Wave and Punk with less commercial potential, a new genre called "alternative."


That's right...the "alternative" branch of rock was born around that time. REM was one of the first bands to be classified under that category.

Awesome!! :D O0 I currently live near Ventura, and can pick up the station somewhat. Maybe because the signal isn't as strong as that of other L.A.-based stations.

Yeah, that's the problem we had too. I could pick up KISS FM without any problems, but KROQ was pretty hit and miss for a while. Hopefully I'll be able to hear it again soon, although with Richard Blade gone a lot of my music left too. :(