January 11, 200422 yr I just looked through the XRt listener poll results... The results just affirm to me what I already thought. WXRT is the best radio station I've ever heard. When I was out of the Chicago area there were a few things I missed: 1: Italian Beef 2: Chicago Bears Football -- All I got was Vikings and Packers games. 3: WXRT 4: White Sox baseball Take a look at the 2003 WXRT llistener poll results. I can't think of another radio station in the US that would play such wide variety. All you out-of-towner's past your favorite radio station too. Unfortunately you can't stream WXRT over the internet. But for those who can post a link. Here's my favorite internet radio station: Indienow.com radio (webpage) -- Opens in media player???
January 11, 200422 yr No, it's not the all time best. The late 1970s WLUP was. Wide variety? So if a station played Opera to Speed Metal they would be great? BTW, in an interesting bit of trivia, sometime around 1990 one of the rock stations started a slogan "Largest Music Library of any Chicago Station" or something like that. They were sued by WGN and won. Turns out WGN has/had a huge library. The station had to change it's slogan to "Largest On Air Library"
January 11, 200422 yr us99 the past 2 years has been voted the number 1 country station in the country..pretty funny that chicago has the number 1 country station..of course it is the only country station serving a 7 million person listening area..no competition
January 11, 200422 yr Author No, it's not the all time best. The late 1970s WLUP was. you're right the thread title may not be completely accurate.. but I did put ??? it is, however, as I said in my post, the best station I've ever heard... I'm 24 though. Some of the DJ's have been there longer than 24 years. Back in the day I've been told there was some great stations... WLUP, The days of the AM broadcasts that you could get for hundreds of miles. But nothing like that exsists today in a radio market dominated by a few mega-coorporate-conglomerates.
January 11, 200422 yr LUP was not that great not ever my personal preferance would be WLS in the 60s and XRT in the 90s XRT is the best in Chicago now (no doubt) but it used to be better, the play list was ever more adventuresome, in the mid 1990s - they have cut their playlist since they became a pawn of Clear Channel
January 11, 200422 yr Having grown up in the 1960's,i'll take WCFL (before it became "Super 'CFL") and WLS (before the 70's ruined everything).I was also a big fan of Steve Dahl's "Rude Awakening" once it moved to the Loop.I was a member of the "coho breakfast club" in spirit.
January 11, 200422 yr Author XRT is the best in Chicago now (no doubt) but it used to be better, the play list was ever more adventuresome, in the mid 1990s - they have cut their playlist since they became a pawn of Clear Channel I was going to post something about that... I haven't seen/read anything about them benig bought... I heard a rumor.. There webiste was redesigned. But that was about it... I haven't really noticed a condensed playlist, I have, however, noticed them play a single more than once in a day, something they would never do in the past.
January 11, 200422 yr I was going to post something about that... I haven't seen/read anything about them benig bought... I heard a rumor.. There webiste was redesigned. But that was about it... I haven't really noticed a condensed playlist, I have, however, noticed them play a single more than once in a day, something they would never do in the past. I don't have a link but they have been owned by Clear Channel for years now if I recall anything correctly - the playlist got reduced somewhat and there was some outcry and then nothing else happened, because XRT listeners are loyal, the station is profitable, and Clear Channels owns enough other in Chicago to let XRT stay as loose as it it I have been following XRT all of its life - climb up their broadcasting tower (same as SCOREs) and fall of it and you will probably land on the house where I grew up, a home that was in my family from 1954 to 2003. I played on that lot long before the station was originally built there - in fact, I remember when they broadcast from there - there is a .0005% chance that I am wrong on them owned by Clear Channel, maybe another media giant, but that all went down a long time ago, maybe in the late 90s sometime but I could be off of that, but no where near in the recent past
January 11, 200422 yr I remember listening to 1960/70s WCFL and WLS. Yes, they were awesome. I think the first station I listened to on FM was WMET, then WLUP. I had an Insane Coho Lips Membership card, still have WLUP Rocls album and Pet Fishsticks. I wore out at least two Loop black t-shirts. The Dahl, Brandmeier, Mathews era was hilarious. I can still here Gary saying Hi*bachi King Biscuit Flower Hour I'm forgetting the guy that had the syndicated parody show on late at night on Sundays.
January 11, 200422 yr Author I don't have a link but they have been owned by Clear Channel for years now if I recall anything correctly - the playlist got reduced somewhat and there was some outcry and then nothing else happened, because XRT listeners are loyal, the station is profitable, and Clear Channels owns enough other in Chicago to let XRT stay as loose as it it I have been following XRT all of its life - climb up their broadcasting tower (same as SCOREs) and fall of it and you will probably land on the house where I grew up, a home that was in my family from 1954 to 2003. I played on that lot long before the station was originally built there - in fact, I remember when they broadcast from there - there is a .0005% chance that I am wrong on them owned by Clear Channel, maybe another media giant, but that all went down a long time ago, maybe in the late 90s sometime but I could be off of that, but no where near in the recent past I'm not trying to prove you wrong, cuz, i think you're right.. I heard that's who owned them too. But here's a link to Clear Channels site ... type in Chicago to see which stations they own. It says they only have 6 stations (doesn't show XRT). there are certainly smallers cities where they own more. I found this while looking at some other cities.... they listed this note ounder certain stations. Clear Channel possesses certain rights with regards to the station's programming pursuant to a local marketing agreement with the station's licensee. I assume that's what it should say for XRT.
January 11, 200422 yr They are owned by Infinity Broadcasting (VIACOM) the Nickelodian people and assorted aother properties. Same type of situation. Mega nationwide network. Other Chicago properties include Chicago WBBM - AM News WBBM - FM Rhythmic CHR WCKG - FM Talk WJMK - FM Oldies WSCR - AM Sports/Talk WUSN - FM Country WXRT - FM
January 11, 200422 yr I'd give pre-Infinity XRT the nod as one of the best in the nation. I agree with Tex that the Loop was never all that, even though Dahl and Brandmeyer (sp?) were pretty funny in their prime. I got to be friends with Terri Hemeret (sp?) through her hosting of Beatlefest through the years, and she, Marz, Lee, and the rest of the crew just had great personalities, ecclectic musical tastes, and the freedom to play some diverse stuff. They introduced me to the Replacements, Utopia, the Clash, and others at a suitably impressionable age, and I may have been one of the unwashed masses in regards to music consumption if not for them. I got to meet xtc after an in-studio acoustic set they did at XRT, get my copy of Oranges and Lemons signed by all of them and all that, so I'm indebted to XRT for that as well. I really wish they streamed in teh Internet. Does anyone know if they broadcast on XM? If they did it would be worth the price of a subscription just to get them, even if they are not as good as they were through the 80s.
January 12, 200422 yr Author I really wish they streamed in teh Internet. Does anyone know if they broadcast on XM? If they did it would be worth the price of a subscription just to get them, even if they are not as good as they were through the 80s. this is the best I can do for you FLA WXRT Christmas radio
January 12, 200422 yr this is the best I can do for you FLA WXRT Christmas radio Well, heck, you shoulda started this thread a month ago! Thanks, I'll just have to accept the stares at work while I'm listening to Christmas music into February..
January 12, 200422 yr Author Well, heck, you shoulda started this thread a month ago! Thanks, I'll just have to accept the stares at work while I'm listening to Christmas music into February.. Actually I did already post it... It was just in a thread called Christmas tree...sorry you missed it
January 12, 200422 yr I liked XRT back in the day when you'd hear stuff like the Clash, Ramones, Replacements, Husker Du, etc., but now I find it too Dave Matthews/Phish/Blues Traveler for my tastes. The old 95.5 WMET was my favorite old station, and WLS in the mid to late 70s.
January 12, 200422 yr They are owned by Infinity Broadcasting (VIACOM) the Nickelodian people and assorted aother properties. Same type of situation. Mega nationwide network. <clip> WXRT - FM I was out for the past few hours and am just seeing this - I will always try to be the first to acknowledge when I am wrong - so much for .00005% !!!!!!!!! - I am appreciative of the establishment of what is so here - thanks!
January 12, 200422 yr I liked XRT back in the day when you'd hear stuff like the Clash, Ramones, Replacements, Husker Du, etc., but now I find it too Dave Matthews/Phish/Blues Traveler for my tastes. I cannot argue with this!
January 12, 200422 yr I remember listening to 1960/70s WCFL and WLS. Yes, they were awesome. I think the first station I listened to on FM was WMET, then WLUP. I had an Insane Coho Lips Membership card, still have WLUP Rocls album and Pet Fishsticks. I wore out at least two Loop black t-shirts. The Dahl, Brandmeier, Mathews era was hilarious. I can still here Gary saying Hi*bachi King Biscuit Flower Hour I'm forgetting the guy that had the syndicated parody show on late at night on Sundays. Dr. Demento, wasn't it? I was late junior high, early high school during that era. My dad got me listening to Steve and Gary and that led to me listening to Kevin Matthews and Brandmeir. Talk about great radio, I loved it. Dahl's "Antony" was always my favorite...."i was porkin' this bra'd in the front comma pue...see i'm takin' dis puncteation class"--classic
January 12, 200422 yr My favorite Dahl bit occured at 9:55 one day as they were getting ready to close the show. Garry started immitating Steve, talking about the wife, the traffic, etc. It was so funny, Steve started hyperventilating. I was working retail and I had to delay opening the store for a few minutes because A. We had to switch to a station the company advertised on (snore) B. All the employees were laughing so hard we couldn't work.
January 12, 200422 yr This is all wrong... Everyone knows that B96 is the best station ever!! RIP Z-95
January 12, 200422 yr Chicago radio will never recover from Wally Philips retirement. WGN is the difinitive Chicago radio station. I miss Orion Samuelson and the farm market report.
January 12, 200422 yr Chicago radio will never recover from Wally Philips retirement. WGN is the difinitive Chicago radio station. I miss Orion Samuelson and the farm market report. "Oh Wally, well I wanted a dinner for two-o-o, but you sent me a scarf, Oh Wally..."
January 12, 200422 yr "Oh Wally, well I wanted a dinner for two-o-o, but you sent me a scarf, Oh Wally..." LMAO
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.