For much of the ’80s and ’90s, Los Angeles’ alternative FM radio station, KROQ set the tone for the rest of the nation in regards to “college” music.
The station, which was based in nearby Pasadena, was one of the first to introduce US audiences to bands like Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, and Jane’s Addiction thanks to the radio programs of influential DJs like Rodney Bingenheimer and Richard Blade.
As MTV began to take off, KROQ was frequently poached to program the music TV channel. Personalities like Jimmy Kimmel, Adam Carolla, and Dr. Drew all got their big breaks at KROQ, which, sadly, no longer has the mojo it once possessed.
But in its heyday they could do little wrong. One of their innovations was their all-star concerts in the summer and winter. When it was warm, the KROQ Weenie Roast compiled many of the hottest acts, and in the winter the Almost Acoustic Christmas did the same but in an indoor venue.
read more at: Setlist.fm
