Pause that playlist and listen to College Radio

Today, October 6th marks the 13th annual World College Radio Day, and hundreds of college radio stations worldwide are celebrating this unique medium.

Even – or perhaps especially – in a world where algorithms drive music discovery and playlists dominate daily listening – College Radio is an essential part of the music ecosystem.

College and High School Radio supports indie music, nurtures local scenes, and builds community, not to mention that many music industry professionals got their start there.

Describing her station at Goshen College in Indiana, student programmer Amelia Lee called the music they play “culturally progressive.’

When was the last time that phrase described an official Spotify playlist much less your local commercial radio station?

“It’s not like other stations,” Lee wrote on Fred Jacobs’ blog today, “We play artists who may not get a chance on commercial radio, and we let them shine. We give everyone the chance to be on the airwaves (during their first year of college if they want!). In college radio, it doesn’t matter who you are, what you look like, or where you’re from. Your voice matters and it will be welcomed with open arms.”

College Radio Day aims to raise awareness of the many college and high school radio stations that operate around the world by encouraging people who would not normally listen to college radio to do so on this day. 

So pause that playlist and go online or (gasp!) tune your radio dial to the left to listen to your local college radio station or find one from this global list of participating college and high school stations.

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.