Best College radio stations are one of the last places on earth where advertisers cannot dictate the playlist, where subversive speech is welcomed.
Young people around the nation are bringing back forgotten recordings, presenting the next big thing, and offering a voice to the millennial generation that shakes up the stereotype it has plagued them with.
They have broadcast the next generation’s voice on college radio since the early 1960s when the FCC began granting class D licenses to small, 10-watt radio stations.
This voice is beautiful, and the college radio has been broadcasting it ever since. Students manage entirely several college radio stations.
The institution is responsible for providing a building and a budget; the students are responsible for everything else.
Certain stations function like classrooms and serve as formal training grounds for aspiring DJs and sound engineers.
The one thing that all of these stations have in common, however, is that they air cutting-edge content.
This article will provide you with the best college radio stations in 2024. So Here is a list of the best college radio stations broadcasting at the moment.
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What Are The Best College Radio Stations In The World?
Let’s now venture into detail about the best college radio stations that are making the rounds now:
#1. Drexel University
On our first list of the best college radio stations is Drexel University.
Not only does WKDU, 91.7, Drexel University play a wide variety of incredible tunes, but they also manage to keep up with the entire music scene in Philadelphia, which is not an easy task.
Their website keeps a running list of who is playing where and how old you must be to get in, which is a pressing concern for your average college student.
Because the genre shifts from hour to hour on WKDU, first-time listeners may find adjusting to the station’s format difficult.
But before long, you’ll either figure out that you like funk one hour and punk the next or that you can only listen to the station at particular times of the day.
You should also check the station’s website for impressive recordings of in-studio interviews.
Almost every tour stops in Philadelphia, and many performers appear at WKDU.
Listen Here Online
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#2. Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University’s radio station, WSOU 89.5, first began broadcasting on 89.5 FM on April 14, 1948.
Monsignor Thomas J. Gilhooly, the station’s first faculty director, was the driving force behind the station’s conception and early success.
When it started, I’m sure he had no idea that it would one day grow to become the most popular college radio station in the New York Metropolitan Area or that they would devote entirely to “screamer” bands.
WSOU has been broadcasting various musical genres for the past three decades, including heavy metal, punk, emo, hardcore, and post-hardcore music.
They have a loyal following of listeners from the community, but simultaneously, they are committed to staying true to their academic roots.
On their website, you may find information about every school event, sports scores and other happenings.
In addition, they keep students informed of recent events in the news without appearing boring or coming across as preachy, newsy, or uncool.
This is only feasible when the organization in question is controlled entirely by students, as has been the case with this station for the past 68 years.
It is one of the best college radio stations in the world.
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#3. Appalachian State University
When you visit the website for WASU 90.5 at Appalachian State University, the first thing you will notice is that it was built for the digital age.
It was not designed to be dialed up with an antenna at 90.5 FM in 1986 in your Volkswagen Jetta while you were driving to Dairy Queen.
They make podcasts easily accessible, provide links to social media, offer an iPhone app, and a listen to live button that is significantly larger than their call numbers.
Equally, they are an alternative station that plays indie rock music, and they will never make any effort to attract listeners who are of an age where they would normally listen to music on the radio.
They do a fantastic job of appealing to the student body by, among other things, hosting food events and sports shows.
Despite the size of the town, WASU has a significant presence there. This station also ranks among the top college radio stations.
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#4. DePauw University
This is another one of the top college radio stations that are making its impact all over the world.
When you visit the website for WASU 90.5 at Appalachian State University, the first thing that you will notice is that it was built for the digital age.
It was not designed to be dialed up with an antenna at 90.5 FM in 1986 in your Volkswagen Jetta while you were driving to Dairy Queen.
They provide listeners with easily accessible podcasts, links to social networking, an iPhone app, and a listen to live button that is far larger than their call digits.
Also, they are an alternative station that plays indie rock music, and they will never attempt to attract anyone who is old enough to listen to music on the radio for them to be heard.
They do an excellent job of appealing to the student body by hosting things like food shows and sports shows, among other things.
Despite the town’s relatively small size, the WASU campus is quite visible. DePauw University.
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#5. North Carolina State University
WKNC 88.1 broadcasts from North Carolina State University around the clock, every day of the year.
“Music that doesn’t suck” is played for listeners in the wider Raleigh-Durham market on this station, which is run entirely by students and features no commercials.
The station delivers on its promise by playing a wide variety of music, including underground hip-hop, indie rock, and alternative metal among other genres.
They also promote local bands, local music venues, festivals, and local brewers by spreading the word about upcoming events and praising the businesses that support them.
Simply turning on the radio will tell you everything you need to know about what people consider to be the most fashionable things to do.
It is among the best college radio stations that you can listen to.
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#6. University of Tennessee, Knoxville
The University of Tennessee in Knoxville operates the radio station WUTK 90.3, also referred to as New Rock 90.
They broadcast a powerful signal to be easily picked up for a distance of thirty miles and are the fifth most popular station in the greater Knoxville market.
Equally, they play a variety of music, including up-and-coming bands on the cutting edge of rock and roll, as well as old-school rock and roll classics, techno, rap, electronica, and rock-a-billy.
They cover a wide range of musical styles and decades, making them appealing to many people.
The University of Tennessee is also one of the top college radio stations in 2024.
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#7. University of California Berkeley
KALX 90.7 is a station broadcasting from the University of California.
In the early 1960s, Berkeley was once conceived as a project housed in a cigar box and used actual wires to connect individual dorm rooms.
The university had some reservations about letting students freely communicate on the radio waves at the time.
Therefore, a group of committed students broadcasted using the improvised wiring system for nearly four years until they finally got their hands on a genuine radio station.
Since then, they have become an indispensable part of the Bay area. They can now broadcast to the entire world thanks to living streams and an iPhone app.
As a result of the fact that the Bay region has one of the most progressive music and art scenes in the world, many people tune in to learn about what might be the next great things.
They play a significant role in a very active and exciting scene. It is also one of the best college radio stations in the world.
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#8. Texas State University
Even though Texas State University students operate the radio station KTSW 89.9, the station’s signal can be received from San Marcos to Austin along Interstate 35.
They play a variety of genres, including rock, electronic, hip hop, and independent music.
In addition, they are the official station for Rattler Football, Bobcat Athletics, syndicated shows, and a few news programs.
They are popular among everyone in the student body, including the ones who don’t particularly like music.
The My Radio Festival, also known as MR FEST, is an annual live music festival that takes place over two days and is open to the general public.
They encourage those who are fans of music to attend.
It has developed over the years to the point that it now draws thousands of participants from the community around the station, bringing the station a great deal of favorable attention.
It also makes the list of the best college radio stations in 2024.
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#9. University Of Washington
On our next list of the top college radio stations is KEXP 90.3.
Rock records provided the station’s initial programming in 1972 when KEXP 90.3, the student radio station of the University of Washington, began broadcasting.
However, it is no longer the typical radio station that you would listen to.
Now, instead of referring to themselves as a radio station, they brand themselves as a dynamic arts group.
They host events on the street, play music from independent and alternative rock bands, and video stream performances from famous artists.
The staff consists of forty DJs. They were also the first station to create playlists that were updated in real-time.
They can make innovative stuff like that because they receive funds from the Experience Music Project, which billionaire investor Paul Allen funds.
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#10. WGRE 91.5, Greencastle Indiana
WGRE 91.5 is a student-run radio station that broadcasts from DePauw University and is located in Greencastle, Indiana.
It has been consistently ranked as one of the top college radio stations in the entirety of the United States.
Its slogan is “Your Sound Alternative,” and to give you an idea of how high-quality its programming is, some of the names that appear on the list of November’s “Top 15” are The Growlers, Modern Baseball, Bon Iver, and Tycho.
In addition, organizations have honored with some regional and national honors them such as the Associated Press and the Society of Professional Journalists.
When it comes to radio, if there’s one thing that can be said, it’s that when stations combine quality with taste, the end product is simply outstanding, and WGRE is evidence of this fact.
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#11. WRHU 88.7, Hempstead New York.
The university-owned and student-operated radio station 88.7 WRHU at Hofstra University has a variety of formats and is run by students.
In addition to broadcasting New York Islanders’ games, the station is home to some of the most original and forward-thinking programs in the entire country.
They have been assisting in the preparation of on-air talent for success for more than 50 years, and their programming demonstrates both their care and the assistance they provide.
You’ll be able to choose from a diverse range of musical genres, including hip hop, country, Latin, and even Italian music and rock, alternative, and independent music.
They cover a wide range of music and perform songs you won’t hear performed by anybody else.
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#12. WSOU 89.5 FM Seton Hall University
WSOU, which calls itself one of the top college radio stations in the New York City metropolitan area, has a “loud rock” format and plays heavy metal, hardcore, and post-hardcore music.
They are always pushing the next heavy hitters in the music industry (or screamers).
This has been the case for some time, with WSOU being the station that introduced punk rock to college radio in the 1970s.
They want you to know that even though their music might scare some people, the music played on WSOU is much more family-values friendly than the sexually charged lyrics you’ll hear on a hit radio station.
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#13. WCRD 91.3, Ball State University
The Ball State student organization WCRD, which is the second largest student activity on campus, is responsible for keeping its audience up to date on local developments.
The station has a well-established audience for its coverage of high school sports in the local area, particularly those games that aren’t broadcast on any other stations.
Additionally, the station’s varsity sports coverage is popular among the parents, alumni, and fans of Ball State University.
WCRD is located in the same building as Public Radio Indiana and the College of Communication, Information, and Media Studies.
David Letterman, the college’s founder, and an alumnus provides funding for the organization.
In addition to its coverage of local news, WCRD is well-known for its rock and top 40 music programming.
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#14. WEIU 88.9 Eastern Illinois University
Students at Eastern Illinois University have the opportunity to gain experience broadcasting in the real world thanks to a program that was nominated for a Woodie Award by MTVu.
WEIU is an educational organization that provides opportunities for individuals to gain experience in announcing, operating production equipment, and assisting at station marketing events.
Despite this, the station also provides high-quality coverage of top popular music and sporting events for the local area.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of working at the station is participating in student competitions for the finest radio ads, public service announcements, and newscasts.
#15. WICB 91.7 FM, Ithaca College
On our last list of the top college radio stations is WICB 91.7 FM. Ithaca College Radio’s humble beginnings can be traced back to the dressing rooms of Ithaca’s Little Theatre in 1941.
The hosts did not have very good equipment, but everyone within hearing distance of the public address system speakers in the rooms adjacent to theirs was able to listen in.
WICB broadcasts today to a traditional audience of 250,000 people and an online audience significantly larger than that number.
WICD is a little more mainstream than the other stations on the list, but it still has programming for modern rock, jazz, hip hop, specialty, and even “Hobo’s Lullaby,” which is my favorite.
Conclusion
In recent times, listening to radio stations by people has drastically reduced due to the influence of the internet and social media.
But perhaps, some best college radio stations which have emerged these days have become even more influential than social media.
This is why we highlighted these top college radio stations in this article for you. We hope you grabbed everything embedded in this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are radio stations that provide you with top-notch programs every day!
You can click on the link provided on each station above.
Yes. Most top college radio stations have their apps on Playstore.
References
- greatvaluecollege. com—30 Amazing College Radio Stations
- bestcollegereviews. com—20 Best College Radio Stations
- Cool material. com—The Best College Radio Stations
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