In 1972, four students at the University of Washington in Seattle had an idea. The university -- and the city -- needed a radio station where students could learn the art of broadcasting and listeners could discover music. From that idea, KCMU was born. With an initial signal of only 10 watts, the station was small but mighty. With the support of the UW, a roster of DJs and hosts rotated through the station -- some in advance of long careers in journalism and broadcasting -- and the ethos of KCMU began to form. DJs should be in charge of programming their shows according to their idea of what should be on the air, not according to some playlist. Loving music isn’t about narrowing the scope of what you think sounds good, but rather about expanding it, and seeking out new sounds and new musical ideas with intention and purpose. Music is about connection.
Now, 50 years later, our call letters may have changed, and our audience may be a bit larger and more geographically dispersed, but we still hold on to the central truth that music matters. We work every day to build a community of music lovers and music makers, all focused on celebrating and championing the role that music plays in our lives. For over 50 years, we’ve done things our way by elevating artists from all backgrounds, by encouraging DJs to be their true selves, by speaking up when others go quiet, and by making KEXP a place you gather at not just something you listen to. Now we’re a thriving global community of individuals made stronger by our differences. We embrace uniqueness, allow time for discomfort, and constantly challnge our beliefs, all so we continue evolving together. That’s what drives us forward, as individuals, as a station, as a community.
As we celebrate this milestone, we’ll spend some time looking back, but we’ll also be looking forward. It’s going to be a lot of fun! Join us here for updates and new features throughout the year. Thank you for powering KEXP for 50 years.
It's our last month celebrating KEXP’s 50th anniversary. Each week in 2022, KEXP has paid homage to a different year and our writers are commemorating with one song from that year that resonates with them. This week, for our final installment of the series, KEXP's Jasmine Albertson looks back at Di…
KEXP's Janice Headley looks back at Sparks' breakthrough 1974 hit and the power of television to propel a single..
KEXP turned 50 years old this year. Each week, we’ve been celebrating by looking back at a different year over the last 50 years to remember that moment in music. This week, we’re remembering the year 2011. KEXP’s Dusty Henry tells us about the rise, fall, and return of Jai Paul starting with his s…
This week, we’re celebrating the year 1996. KEXP’s Roddy Nikpour tells us how the late and great Coolio was his first exposure to hip-hop … thanks to a theme song he wrote for a show on Nickelodeon.
As KEXP celebrates its 50th anniversary, we're looking back at the last half-century of music. Each week in 2022, KEXP pays homage to a different year and our writers are commemorating with one song from that year that resonates with them. This week, we’re celebrating the year 1999 and Rachel Steve…
The end of 2022 marks the end of KEXP’s 50th anniversary celebration. Each week, we’re looking back at one year over the last 50 years of music. This week, we’re celebrating the year 1990. KEXP’s Dusty Henry pays tribute to the glory of the guitar solo by way of the Jane’s Addiction song, “Three Da…
