1st Wave: Classic Alternative Rock
Hear the 1st wave of alternative music from the '80s era. From Depeche Mode and the Cure to Blondie and Talking Heads.
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Classic Alternative
Channel 33
Shows & SchedulesHear the first wave of Alternative and New Wave from the late ‘70s through the ‘80s. From early U2 and the Police to Depeche Mode and R.E.M..
Now Playing
Hear the 1st wave of alternative music from the '80s era. From Depeche Mode and the Cure to Blondie and Talking Heads.
Yes, Swedish Egil really is Swedish. He's collected more than 50,000 recordings and is known for his incomparable music knowledge. Hear him spin the first wave of alternative music from the '80s era.
Hear Richard Blade count down the 7 biggest classic alternative songs from a week in 80’s history!
Hear the 1st wave of alternative music from the '80s era. From Depeche Mode and the Cure to Blondie and Talking Heads.
Larry The Duck has been a DJ since alternative rock's 1st wave. He's interviewed Duran Duran, Erasure, The Psychedelic Furs, John Lydon and P.I.L., the Ramones, Patti Smith, Johnny Marr, Siouxsie & The Banshees and Robert Smith. Hear him play these acts and more every morning.
DJ Bueller’s Breakfast Beatmix scrambles up classic alternative music every weekday at 8:50am Eastern
Sluggo, aka The SlugMonstrosity and/or Baron Von Slug, spent the early 80's sitting in front of MTV (just like you), started playing music on the radio in 1984, lost his concert virginity to Adam AND the Ants, did the blue hair, Rocky Horror and tacky buttons thing and finally ended up at KROQ in Los Angeles. Yet he still can't get enough! So, we've invited him to play Classic Alternative at you every day of the week.
This Is The Day
Richard Blade was instrumental in breaking many new wave bands, including Duran Duran, Depeche Mode and Tears For Fears. He still holds out for the impossible: a Smiths reunion. Tune in to hear him spin music by these artists and more.
Richard Blade features new music from a 1st Wave artist during New Sensation Tuesday. Listen in as he presents an older song with a new one from a classic alternative artist!
Icon Billy Idol recalls 80s memories, music he loves and explores music you may have missed back-in-the-day!
“Where Are They Now Wednesday” answers all your questions about the artists you grew up with. Hosted by Richard Blade.
Richard Blade hosts min-themed playlists with songs that share a common theme.
The Pretenders perform stripped-down versions of songs from their 2023 album Relentless, plus a few classics, in front of an audience of SiriusXM Subscribers in our New York studio. Lori Majewski hosts.
Forget Me Not Friday features artists and songs that shouldn’t be forgotten. Join Richard Blade as he takes you on a trip down memory lane remembering a deeper 1st Wave song.
Jump start your weekend with 360 minutes of classic alternative party songs.
Entertainment magazine editor, author and Sirius XM Volume morning host, Lori Majewski, shares her “Lust For Lists” with you! Join Lori as she curates an hour-long playlist highlighting special events or themes in classic alternative music!
Finally, a soundtrack to your Saturday nights! Eight hours of continuous classic alternative dance mixes from artists like Depeche Mode, The Cure, New Order, The Pet Shop Boys, Yaz and more.
Explore the darker side of 1st Wave with three hours of alternative rock from artists like Bauhaus, Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, Public Image Ltd, Depeche Mode and Love and Rockets.
Veteran journalist and former music critic Matt Sebastian launched SlicingUpEyeballs.com in 2009 to celebrate the legacy of ’80s college modern and indie rock—music that paved the way for the alt-rock revolution. Sebastian—who has a collection of thousands of records, CDs, and cassettes—publishes daily news items about new album releases, reissues, box sets, tours, reunions, and other ’80s college rock band-related activities.
Yes, Swedish Egil really is Swedish. He’s collected more than 50,000 recordings and is known for his incomparable music knowledge. In Sweden, he pumped gas, but moved to the US in the ’70s and started his radio career as a booking agent to major nightclubs. His favorite interview? Moby.
As a child, Darrin Smith was interviewing visitors to his house with a toy microphone. Now he’s behind the microphone introducing classic alternative tunes every weekend.
Dave Kendall created, produced, and hosted MTV’s 120 Minutes, helping to bring Midnight Oil, Sinead O’Connor, The Cure, and more to a mainstream audience. He’s hung with Depeche Mode and U2, but his favorite memory is of traipsing around Tijuana with Johnny Rotten, trying on dresses in the pouring rain. Ahh...
Sluggo, aka The SlugMonstrosity and/or Baron Von Slug, spent the early 80’s sitting in front of MTV (just like you); started playing music on the radio in 1984; lost his concert virginity to Adam AND the Ants; did the blue hair, Rocky Horror, and tacky buttons thing; and finally ended up at KROQ in Los Angeles. Yet he still can’t get enough! So, we’ve invited him to play classic alternative every day of the week.
Google Richard Blade, and you’ll find several sites about the best of the ’80s. He was instrumental in breaking many new wave bands, including Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, and Tears For Fears. More recently he co-produced VH1’s Bands Reunited; and he still holds out for the impossible: a Smiths reunion.
Larry The Duck has been a DJ since alternative rock’s first wave. He’s interviewed Duran Duran, Erasure, The Psychedelic Furs, John Lydon and Pil, the Ramones, Patti Smith, Johnny Marr, Siouxsie & The Banshees, and Robert Smith. Hear him play these acts and more every morning.
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