KFOG has been an adult-oriented rock station since the early 1980s, so news of its demise — announced by parent company Cumulus late Monday afternoon — is hard to palate for local fans of the genre.
With KFOG going off the air September 6, those who enjoy listening to AOR and adult album alternative are left scrambling to find a replacement. With only one alternative station serving the Bay Area, most will have to turn online to find a station that is somewhat comparable to KFOG.
Here’s a brief list of similar stations for Fogheads in need of consoling:
KITS-FM 105.3 FM San Francisco
Available: Over-the-air, on Radio.com
The station once known as “Live 105” is a shell of its former self, adopting the “Alt” branding of stations owned by its corporate parent following Entercom’s acquisition of CBS Radio several years ago. But for those who insist on finding a station on the dial in lieu of online streaming, it’s the best — and only — option to replace KFOG. The station is also available to stream on Radio.com, which offers the station over-the-internet, on smartphones, tablets and smart speakers like Amazon Echos and Google Homes.
WXPK 107.1 FM White Plains, New York
Available: Online, on TuneIn
WXPK sounds closer to the original KFOG than the one reinvented under Cumulus ownership — with classic tunes from the Strokes and David Bowie interspersed with the latest AAA hits from Hozier and the Lumineers.
KHTP-HD2 103.7 FM Seattle
Available: On Radio.com
KHTP was a popular AOR-format station in Seattle, serving up much of the same playlist as the legacy KFOG. Responding to an ever-shifting radio industry landscape, parent company Entercom flipped KHTP to a contemporary hits format, but offered a modest concession to fans of the original Mountain: It would live on, without DJs, as a hybrid digital station on KHTP-HD2. It remains to be seen if Cumulus will make the same concession to fans of KFOG in San Francisco.
WRNR 103.1 FM Annapolis, Maryland
Available: Online, on TuneIn
WRNR has a prettty eclectic playlist that transcends the adult-oriented rock format and includes a little classic rock mixed in with today’s alternative rock. You’ll hear Carlos Santana one minute, Death Cab for Cutie the next, then a deep cut from David Gray before the station shifts back to a new track from Mumford & Sons — just to give you an example of the range WRNR plays.
KOZT 95.3 FM Fort Bragg, California
Available: Online, on TuneIn
KOZT brags that the station is the most-listened to in California’s Mendocino County and attributes this success to the fact that it does everything in house — no voice tracking or satellite feeds overnight. The occasional community programming may turn some off, but the station’s playlist of classic rock, folk and blues that promises “no repeats” throughout the day is enough to make the curious listener tune in.
The Spectrum (Channel 28)
Available: On SiriusXM Satellite Radio, on SiriusXM Streaming Radio
You’ll have to shell out a few bucks every month to get The Spectrum, but there’s a few perks: No commercials, legendary MTV VJs as hosts, and the ability to tune in to a handful of similar stations.
