www.xpn.orgWXPN is the radio station from the University of Pennsylvania and is one of the best radio stations in the world. While it is based in and supported by the University, it is by no means a "college radio" station. It is staffed by consummate professionals who combine a love of music, deep knowledge and an eagerness to share great music old and new alike.
The core of its format may be considered "adult alternative" but they play quality music in a variety of styles. For example, today between 5 and 6 PM they played Hall & Oates, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Ian Hunter, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Bluebells, Tower of Power, Grant Lee Phillps, Los Lobos, and Death Cab for Cutie. I've never heard of three of the artists, but they introduce new music all of the time; it's college radio without the college amateurism.
At the same time, the on air folks are not yuck-it-up Deeee-jays. They are smart and sometimes funny, but not by prefab design. Listening to them is like playing records with your really smart music friends.
Plus, it's affiliated with NPR, so there are no ads, in the traditional sense. There is the occasional public radio sponsor spot, but there are never three minute long commercial barrages. At XPN it's all about the music.
They also have three other streams besides the live station feed. They have a folk oriented station, an alternative rock stream and an amalgam of all of the music played of XPN during the course of a day.
You may have heard of "The World Cafe" if you listen to public radio. The show is produced at XPN's studio and airs on XPN every weekday afternoon. If you like the World Cafe, you certainly will enjoy WXPN.
Being the station does actually belong to the University, it plays U Penn sporting events on occasion and also has an atrocious childrens' show between 6 & 7PM weekdays. The sound quality also could use a bit of a boost, as it broadcasts in 128K mode, but it is certainly good enough to get the right idea about what the music should sound like.
I alternate my at work listening between XPN and Pandora. Lately, XPN has been getting more time as it is not limited and has more of the human touch.
