Travel Back in Time With These 13 USA Oldies Radio Stations
Senior Editor and Researcher
No matter how often I listen to classic rock and R&B—”Sweet Caroline,” “Here Comes the Sun,” “Can’t Help But Falling In Love”—I never get bored.
They’re raw, catchy, and filled with soul; it’s almost impossible not to sing along to them!
It isn’t a surprise that music fans gravitate towards older material than the stuff of today.
I’m not one to trash-talk modern music because it does have its merits, but the fact is undeniable: everybody loves a good oldie.
In the spirit of preserving and cherishing the classics, I’ve listed some of the best USA oldies radio stations you can tune into today.
The stations below play ’50s, ’60, ’70s, and ’80s music of varying genres, from classic rock to soul and traditional country.
1. WLGZ-FM
● Available: Online or 102.7 MHz (HD Radio)
WLGZ-FM, also known as Legends 102.7, is a commercial FM radio station dedicated to classic oldies hits.
It broadcasts music from the ’50s through the ’80s and regularly pays homage to artists like Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Dean Martin.
WLGZ-FM has been around since 1991, serving the Rochester metropolitan area. DJRO Broadcasting LLC purchased it in 2010, where it transitioned from adult standards titles to straightforward oldies.
The format change brought massive success to the channel, attracting millions of monthly listeners.
2. WCBS-FM
● Available: Online or 101.1 MHz (HD Radio)
From old-school soul to classic rock, WCBS-FM has your back.
Owned and operated by Audacy Inc., WCBS-FM is one of the first full-time radio stations in the US to broadcast oldies music.
It’s also one of the oldest radio stations in the US; it’s been around since 1941 and hasn’t gone offline since.
Branded as New York’s Greatest Hits, you can listen to WCBS-FM on Radio.net, Online Radio Box, and RadioStations USA.
WCBS-FM also has a designated app, allowing you to listen to classic hits 24/7 with minimal interruption.
3. KQIE
● Available: Online or 104.7 FM
Want to listen to rhythmic oldies? Check out the KQIE commercial radio station.
KQIE serves the Inland Empire area and is licensed to Redlands, California.
It airs rhythmic oldies and old-school jams that’ll have you drowning in nostalgia. The channel flipped to rhythmic blues in February 2015 and has stayed true to the brand since.
Apart from rhythmic blues, KQIE broadcasts an array of shows, including Top 10 Now & Then for up-to-date news about the music scene, The Art Laboe Love Zone with one-hour playlists devoted to popular oldies singers, and The Baka Boyz, which mixes things up with Top 40 classic hip-hop.
4. WTIX-FM
● Available: Online or 94.3 MHz
WTIX-FM is an oldies station serving the New Orleans area. The channel is owned by Micheal Costello, who’s committed to preserving the legacy of classic artists and keeping the oldie’s spirit alive.
Apart from oldies, the station hosts a daily segment of The News You Need Now. This tongue-in-cheek mock news report discusses policies, celebrity drama, and topical new stories in a humorous fashion.
Saturday nights bring classic rock-and-rolls from bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd.
Sunday nights won’t leave you hanging, as it’s when WTIX-FM hosts its original Sunday Night Oldies Show live from the Treasure Chest Casino.
5. KISD
● Available: Online or 98.7 FM
KISD is one of the most well-loved oldies stations on this list, broadcasting to over a million people monthly.
Serving Pipestone and Worthington, KISD is one of the few stations in the area with an oldies format.
It’s licensed by Christensen Broadcasting, LLC. and owned by Collin and Carmen Christensen, who are big-time oldies lovers themselves.
KISD’s weekly programs are dedicated to various genres, from rock and roll to classic pop to 1960s to 1980s R&B.
If you live outside the frequency range, don’t worry; you’ll find the station live on KISDradio.com 24 hours a day.
6. KRCD
● Available: Online or 103.9 MHz
In the mood for early oldies from the 1980s up to 2010? Tune in to KRCD.
This station broadcasts Spanish and English classic hits, focusing on Californian soft regional, pop, and ballads from the early ’80s and ’90s.
It covers the eastern San Gabriel Valley and provides radio in a freeform format, meaning you get a selection of music, cultural shows, and entertainment.
KFCD is a great resource for those who grew up listening to Spanish oldies and those simply wanting to listen to some great oldies tunes.
7. KZEZ
● Available: Online or 102.7 MHz
Unlike most long-hair outlets in Utah, KZEZ is entirely family-owned (and hence subject to periodic advertising, sponsorships, and pledge drives).
Don’t let that deter you from tuning into the station; KZEZ knows how to service its listeners. It wouldn’t be one of the Top 5 radio stations in Washington County for no reason!
Instead of one genre, it plays a mix of all music types from the ’50s and beyond. You’ll hear music from artists like The Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Natalie Cole, and more modern artists like Adele and Lady Gaga.
Modern hits are few and far between, but the channel occasionally broadcasts Top 100 Hits of the 2010s to fit everyone’s fancy.
KZEZ also hosts professionals to discuss public affairs in investment, public health, and more.
8. KRVR
● Available: Online or 105.5 FM
KRVR, branded as The River 105.5, serves the Modesto and Stockton radio markets and airs a classic hits radio format.
It was the first radio station licensed to Calaveras County, where it first aired in 1995.
KRVR went from jazz to classic hits of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s in March 2012.
In 2018, the station added a syndicated program called The Beatle Years on Sunday afternoons from 4 to 5 p.m., which specifically aired 1990s music.
Outside The Beatle Years, the station played songs from the ’60s to ’80s to keep the channel’s original spirit alive.
KRVR starts the day from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. with Top 100 Classic Hits and the latest traffic, weather, family secrets, and listener contests.
After 9 a.m., the channel plays a non-stop mix of classic hits without interruption.
On Sundays, the station broadcasts an endless flow of world music, new age, acoustic instruments, and chill music—commercial-free!
9. WBFX
● Available: Online or 101.3 FM
WBFX is the go-to oldies radio station for folks in the Grand Rapids, Michigan market.
It has been around for over six decades, and though it has changed its musical style multiple times, all remained loosely in the classic rock genre.
In the 2010s, WBFX rebranded as The Next Generation of Classic Rock, with a strong emphasis on 1980s and 1990s rock music.
The station occasionally airs decade-special classics from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, featuring artists like Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent, The Rolling Stones, and Black Sabbath.
But apart from rock, WBT is home to many programs, including Rover’s Morning Glory, a radio talk show for morning drives.
10. KJOI-LP
● Available: Online or 104.3 FM
KJOI-LP is a non-profit, non-commercial radio station that broadcasts family-friendly radio programs without interruptions.
The station features more than 100 hit artists and over 2,000 hit songs spanning four decades.
The program is occasionally interrupted by public service announcements, sponsored greetings, and community-supported pledge drives.
KJOI-LP is owned and operated by Western Educational Alliance, Inc. (WEA), a non-profit organization committed to helping underprivileged students in Western California.
Listener donations support the cause and the station’s ad-free format.
11. KBGO
● Available: Online or 95.7 MHz (HD Radio)
KBGO, branded as Big 95, is a classic hits radio station licensed to Waco, Texas, and serving the Waco area. Like KJOI-LP, it’s owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.
The station offers exclusive podcasts about the story of classic titles and the artists behind them.
It also features programming from Premiere Radio Networks, but it stays within its classic hits format.
KBGO also reports on new album releases, the history of classic bands, and where the members are today.
12. WMJI
● Available: Online or 105.7 FM
WMJI is another property of iHeartMedia, this time serving Greater Cleveland and most of Northeast Ohio.
Like the previous two stations, it features a classic hits format called Majic 105.7, which plays ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s music.
WMJI adjusted its format to oldies in September 1990, re-establishing itself as an oldies station. It regularly airs America’s Top 40 Classics and hosts programs like The Martha Quinn Show, the Big 95 Morning Show, and more.
The station is available on the iHeartRadio app, Radio.net, and Tunein.
13. WDIG
● Available: Online or 1450 MHz
You won’t find a better oldies radio channel in Dothan than WDIG 1450 AM.
It offers some of the widest varieties of old-school and classic music in an ad-free format, only interrupted by local programming and ABC Radio News.
The channel also features exciting talk shows that offer a seemingly never-ending stream of prizes, which ranges from concert tickets to all-inclusive travel packages.
So if you want to try your luck, you should check out the station in your free time and listen to classic tunes while you’re at it.
Choosing the Best Oldies Radio Station in the United States
With modern pop and rock dominating the music industry, there’s little appreciation for the oldies.
Despite that, people’s connections with the classics are far from old and gray—in fact, millions of people regularly tune in to oldies-format radio stations every day.
The above radio stations’ continuous popularity proves that oldies music is far from a dying trend.
Whether you’re in the mood for the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, or ’80s music, the radio stations on this list will surely satisfy your craving for nostalgia.
You may even discover a song or music style you’ve never heard.
The stations on this list can be accessed online, with some available outside the US.
