KJAQ
Encyclopedia
KJAQ is a commercial radio station
located in Seattle, Washington
. KJAQ airs an adult hits
music format branded as "Jack FM
".
shopping center. From the early 1970s (employing the quadraphonic sound for a short time) until 1977, the station's format R&B as KYAC with the tagline "The Soul of the Sound." In 1977, the call letters switched to KYYX and ran as a Top-40 station until late 1982, when the station shifted to New Wave
and adding an emphasis on newer music. In 1984, the call letters and format changed yet again, this time to enter the popular, yet crowded, soft AC (Adult Contemporary) format as KKMI. The station shifted to "Quality Hits" as KQKT in 1985. Early in 1987, 96.5 flipped to KXRX, a personality-driven album rock station featuring Robin & Maynard in morning drive, Larry Snyder mid-days, Crow & West in afternoon drive, Beau Roberts in evenings, and Scott Vanderpool in overnights. Infinity Broadcasting bought the station in 1994. Much to the upset of KXRX fans, Infinity flipped the station to the popular (at the time) Country
format as "Young Country 96.5" with the call letters KYCW-FM and competed against KMPS
and KCIN
. EZ Communications bought the station in 1996, with KYCW joining KCIN under common ownership, which prompted them to flip KCIN to Rhythmic AC. The station would simulcast on KYCW-AM
1090 for a brief period after this. EZ Communications would be bought out by American Radio Systems in the same year. In 1997, American Radio Systems would be bought out by CBS Radio, with the newly remerged companies being rechristened as Infinity Broadcasting, which effectively returned the station under Infinity ownership.
On December 22, 1999, Infinity flipped KYCW-FM to all-80's hits
known as "96.5 The Point". The call letters became KYPT as well. It gained huge popularity in the market, but slowly slipped in the ratings because the format, which was simply a fad, was starting to fade. In 2001, much of the on-air staff was fired, leading to rumors of a format change to adult contemporary. However, the station continued with its all-80's format and brought in a new air staff. Despite this, ratings continued to slip.
On December 19, 2003, at 5:00 PM, after playing "Burning Down the House
" by The Talking Heads, KYPT flipped to Classic Alternative Rock as "96-5 K-Rock". The station changed call letters to KRQI on New Year's Day, 2004. The station played songs from classic alternative artists such as Foo Fighters
, Kid Rock
, Iggy Pop
, Red Hot Chili Peppers
, and Jerry Cantrell
, as well as capitalizing on Seattle grunge acts such as Nirvana
, Pearl Jam
and Soundgarden
, and even playing The Black Eyed Peas
. It competed with KNDD
, which changed 29 hours earlier to a gold-based Alternative format. It also competed with, to a lesser extent, KFNK (now KSGX). The station brought in former KNDD personalities Andy Savage and Bill Reid for morning and afternoon drive. Despite the hype that it would defeat The End, K-Rock consistently ranked low in the Seattle Arbitron ratings.
On April 22, 2005, at 10:00 AM, after playing "Black" by Pearl Jam
, KRQI flipped to its current Adult Hits
format as "96-5 Jack FM". The call letters were changed to KJAQ on May 7, 2005. Since its debut, the station has never featured any on-air personalities.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
located in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. KJAQ airs an adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
music format branded as "Jack FM
Jack FM
JACK FM is the alternative name and on-air brand of 60 radio stations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. Jack's slogan "playing what we want" can also be...
".
History
What is now KJAQ signed on the air in 1959 as KLSN, an instrumental music station broadcasting from the University VillageUniversity Village, Seattle, Washington
University Village is an upscale shopping center in Seattle, Washington, built at the south corner of Ravenna neighborhood. The 24 acre shopping center was built in 1956 across NE 45th Street on an earlier part of the Montlake Landfill University Village is an upscale shopping center in Seattle,...
shopping center. From the early 1970s (employing the quadraphonic sound for a short time) until 1977, the station's format R&B as KYAC with the tagline "The Soul of the Sound." In 1977, the call letters switched to KYYX and ran as a Top-40 station until late 1982, when the station shifted to New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
and adding an emphasis on newer music. In 1984, the call letters and format changed yet again, this time to enter the popular, yet crowded, soft AC (Adult Contemporary) format as KKMI. The station shifted to "Quality Hits" as KQKT in 1985. Early in 1987, 96.5 flipped to KXRX, a personality-driven album rock station featuring Robin & Maynard in morning drive, Larry Snyder mid-days, Crow & West in afternoon drive, Beau Roberts in evenings, and Scott Vanderpool in overnights. Infinity Broadcasting bought the station in 1994. Much to the upset of KXRX fans, Infinity flipped the station to the popular (at the time) Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format as "Young Country 96.5" with the call letters KYCW-FM and competed against KMPS
KMPS
KMPS-FM is a country music station based in Seattle, Washington. The CBS Radio outlet broadcasts at 94.1 MHz with its main transmitter operating at 69 kW effective radiated power and its three auxiliary transmitters operating at 57 kW, 55 kW and 53 kW ERP. All four of its transmitters are located...
and KCIN
KBKS-FM
KBKS-FM , better known as "106.1 KISS FM", is a radio station in the Seattle, Washington area that plays current popular music. The Clear Channel outlet broadcasts at 106.1 MHz with an ERP of 68 kW and is licensed to Tacoma, Washington.-History:KBKS signed on the air in 1959 as KLAY-FM,...
. EZ Communications bought the station in 1996, with KYCW joining KCIN under common ownership, which prompted them to flip KCIN to Rhythmic AC. The station would simulcast on KYCW-AM
KPTK
KPTK is a Progressive talk radio station based in Seattle, Washington, broadcasting at 1090 kHz.Billing itself as "Seattle's Progressive Talk," KPTK broadcasts syndicated progressive/liberal talk programs hosted by personalities such as Ed Schultz, Mike Malloy, Randi Rhodes, Thom Hartmann, Rachel...
1090 for a brief period after this. EZ Communications would be bought out by American Radio Systems in the same year. In 1997, American Radio Systems would be bought out by CBS Radio, with the newly remerged companies being rechristened as Infinity Broadcasting, which effectively returned the station under Infinity ownership.
On December 22, 1999, Infinity flipped KYCW-FM to all-80's hits
1980s in music
For music from a year in the 1980s, go to 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89For a history of music in all times, see Timeline of musical events....
known as "96.5 The Point". The call letters became KYPT as well. It gained huge popularity in the market, but slowly slipped in the ratings because the format, which was simply a fad, was starting to fade. In 2001, much of the on-air staff was fired, leading to rumors of a format change to adult contemporary. However, the station continued with its all-80's format and brought in a new air staff. Despite this, ratings continued to slip.
On December 19, 2003, at 5:00 PM, after playing "Burning Down the House
Burning Down the House
"Burning Down the House" is a song by New Wave band Talking Heads, released as the first single from their fifth studio album Speaking in Tongues.-Background:...
" by The Talking Heads, KYPT flipped to Classic Alternative Rock as "96-5 K-Rock". The station changed call letters to KRQI on New Year's Day, 2004. The station played songs from classic alternative artists such as Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
, Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
, Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
, and Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with the grunge/metal band Alice in Chains, as lead guitarist, backing and co-lead vocalist, and co-lyricist. He performs lead vocals on his solo projects, and is part of Alice in Chains' harmonizing...
, as well as capitalizing on Seattle grunge acts such as Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
and Soundgarden
Soundgarden
Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
, and even playing The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
. It competed with KNDD
KNDD
KNDD , also known as "107.7 The End", is an alternative rock radio station in Seattle, Washington. It is operated by Entercom Communications Its studios are located in the Metropolitan Park West tower between Downtown and South Lake Union in Seattle...
, which changed 29 hours earlier to a gold-based Alternative format. It also competed with, to a lesser extent, KFNK (now KSGX). The station brought in former KNDD personalities Andy Savage and Bill Reid for morning and afternoon drive. Despite the hype that it would defeat The End, K-Rock consistently ranked low in the Seattle Arbitron ratings.
On April 22, 2005, at 10:00 AM, after playing "Black" by Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
, KRQI flipped to its current Adult Hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
format as "96-5 Jack FM". The call letters were changed to KJAQ on May 7, 2005. Since its debut, the station has never featured any on-air personalities.