The Twelve Best Radio Stations for Music in Denver

Yes, people still listen to music on the radio the old-fashioned way — by using a tuner to dial up a station that broadcasts by way of an antenna. And despite the prevalence of online or satellite services, streaming apps, podcasts and more, the greater Denver area still boasts dozens of outlets that offer tuneage as varied, if not more so, than the stuff floating on the airwaves in the majority of major metros across the country.

Which ones are worth your time? We've assembled a handy starter set of suggestions based on twelve broad musical categories, listed below in alphabetical order. The selections should provide the perfect soundtrack for your next commute, road trip, backyard get-together or solo chill time. Now hear these.
Adult Contemporary
Alice: KALC, 105.9 FM
The radio format known as adult contemporary tends to deliver a mix of popular songs from the present day and the fairly recent past that have wide appeal across most age ranges; more divisive styles are omitted. Alice presents a variation on the approach known as Hot AC — fewer ballads and more up-tempo ditties. That translates to playlists dominated by the likes of Taylor Swift, the Jonas Brothers, Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter and the like, with the occasional 3 Doors Down effort thrown in for nostalgic purposes.

Alternative
Channel 93.3: KTCL, 93.3 FM
The term "alternative" has definitely passed its sell-by date, since acts that once provided an option for music lovers bored by more typical fare were pulled into the mainstream long ago. But KTCL continues to scratch the itch of those who fondly remember the alt-era by way of favorites from the '90s and '00s. Expect to hear artists such as Cage the Elephant, Weezer, Blink-182, Paramore and so on, plus occasional appearances by Noah Kahan and Hozier in a nod to today and tomorrow.

Classical
CPR Classical: KVOD, 88.1 FM
Many big cities no longer have a radio station specializing in classical music. But KVOD remains in place thanks in part to its historical importance: The broadcaster was essentially the starting point for the Colorado Public Radio empire. The current iteration is steady and solid, generally focusing on the grand masters: Shostakovich, Bizet, Rachmaninoff, Brahms, Bach. But the occasional surprise can crop up, be it an Elmer Bernstein chestnut from the To Kill a Mockingbird score or works by younger performers such as Hannah Peel and Erland Cooper.
Classic Rock
The Mountain: KQMT, 99.5 FM
Rock has been declared dead so many times that it puts cats feeling smug about their nine lives to shame. But the genre is very much alive in Denver, where dial surfers may discover the same artist, or even the same song, playing simultaneously on one or more outlets. Like its competitors, the Mountain tends to lean on a relatively narrow roster of luminaries: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Fleetwood Mac. But to their credit, the programmers at the signal have made space for the Beastie Boys, Sublime, Nirvana, Oasis, Offspring, the Ramones and other musicians who were once thought not to fit the definition of "classic," but now most assuredly do.

Country
KYGO, 95.5 FM
The biggest country station in Denver continues to set the standard for all the other pretenders to the throne. KYGO has hovered near or at the top of radio ratings in the Mile High City for generations because the members of its brain trust follow wherever the public's taste leads them rather than resisting change. These days, that translates to appearances by Post Malone (in conjunction with Morgan Wallen) and Chappell Roan (via her country-friendly single, "The Giver"), as well as showcases for rising acts such as Shaboozey alongside more traditional fare from Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker and Luke Bryan.

Eclectic
The Colorado Sound: KJAC, 105.5 FM
The 105.5 FM frequency was once occupied by Jack-FM, which essentially eliminated DJs entirely in favor of witty, deadpan interstitial recordings. The Colorado Sound has taken the opposite approach. The non-commercial station puts the personalities of its staff upfront, resulting in a warm atmosphere that invites the listener to feel part of the club. This crew explores rock in all its facets, from famous bands such as R.E.M. to cult groups like Kula Shaker. But also on hand is reggae (Black Uhuru), trip-hop (Massive Attack), dance (Deee-lite), soul/R&B (Stevie Wonder) and others whose creations wouldn't appear to belong in the same set. But somehow, it all flows together seamlessly.
Hip-Hop
The Drop: KUVO-HD2, 104.7 FM
KS-107.5 is the most prominent purveyor of hip-hop in Denver, and its mix of current hits and throwbacks has much to recommend it. But The Drop, a spin-off of KUVO (more about that station later), has a quirkier and more homespun sensibility that makes it impossible to resist. The station's vision is sweeping enough to encompass works from fresh acts that resist easy categorization (Burna Boy, Teddy Swims), performers who rose to prominence because of their idiosyncratic nature rather than in spite of it (Janelle Monáe, serpentwithfeet), and the smartest and sharpest of the new breed (Doechi, Normani).

Indie Rock
Indie 102.3: KVOQ-FM
The caveats noted above in regard to "alternative" also apply to the "indie" label. But Indie 102.3, yet another branch of the Colorado Public Radio family tree, deploys the format to consistently beguiling effect. The station tends to eschew the noisier practitioners of the class (Dana Meyers's The Punkyard is a notable exception) in favor of brainy, literate singer-songwriters along the lines of Japanese Breakfast and Lucy Dacus. But the impeccable host, Alisha Sweeney, and her peers have license to spotlight outliers from Childish Gambino to A Tribe Called Quest, not to mention rising local artists who more than hold their own against national talent.

Jazz
KUVO, 89.3 FM
As with classical music, jazz has become a rarity on the radio landscape in many corners of the nation. But KUVO proudly carries the flag for this most American of artistic expressions, and after a bumpy couple of years that saw the departures of numerous on-air hosts, the outlet appears to have gotten its groove back. Many playlists remain heavy with jazz legends from the days of yore: James Moody, Roy Haynes, Mose Allison. But there's also a willingness to showcase worthy but more obscure players such as the late Jaimie Branch and rising stars like Lauren Sevian. Moreover, a plethora of specialty shows — All Blues, R&B Jukebox, The Global Soul Lounge, Canción Mexicana — delightfully broaden KUVO's scope.
Pop
Hits 95.7: KDHT-FM
Contemporary Hit Radio, or CHR, was once known as Top 40 radio — an approach designed to air the most ubiquitous pop smashes of the day over and over again. Hits 95.7 sticks to this simple but powerful formula. Want to hear Gracie Abrams's "That's So True," SZA's "Saturn" or Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" every hour on the hour? The station has got you covered. Full of surprises it isn't. But there's no denying that Hits 95.7 gives the people what they want.

Spanish/Latinx
Radio La Suavecita: KJMN, 92.1 FM
Spanish is a language, not a musical classification, and there are just as many types of sounds that fit under its umbrella as in English. That's clear from the programming at Radio La Suavecita, which is anything but one-dimensional. Cumbia, grupero and tejano are just some of the subgenres given a chance to dance. A typical playlist may include Luis Miguel, Christian Nodal, El Chapo de Sinaloa, Calibre 50 and Juan Gabriel, and together, they produce a sound that's vibrant and infectious.

Uncategorizable
Radio 1190: KVCU, 92.9 FM
This University of Colorado Boulder station only recently returned to Denver, and the comeback couldn't be more welcome. The student DJs are given plenty of elbow room when it comes to the music they air, and they take advantage of the opportunity. As such, the station can sound completely different from one hour to the next, and almost always does. Take one recent morning, when a set built on Vampire Weekend, Death Cab for Cutie and Olivia Rodrigo was immediately followed by one that featured Handel's Messiah by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and the rendition of "Caravan" heard on the soundtrack of the movie Whiplash. Predictability be damned.