Community supported online radio, (from their website) Over 30 channels of commercial-free, human-curated radio programming focusing on non-mainstream music.
It's been my go-to for years. Groove Salad is my current and steady jam, but Boot Liquor, Underground 80s, Digitalis, and 7inch Soul all get regular plays.
Boot Liquor was the station that introduced me to groups like The Devil Makes Three. I haven't listened in a few years, but it was an oasis of non-bro country back in the day.
Starting off as the station of RMIT (University) in Melbourne with an Educational licence in 1976, it became closely associated with the Melbourne post punk and new wave subcultures…e.g Nick Cave etc. It's now part of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia and funded by community sponsorships and public subscribers (I am one). It's not just music and there's a lot of variety, with talk/educational shows on subjects ranging from marine biology, gardening, the arts, cooking, philosophy, science and lots in-between.
Here are some specific music shows that might suit this community that you can listen to on demand:
KSPC Claremont strives to be a diverse, collaborative, and educational space in which community members of the Claremont Colleges and beyond can participate in their love of media, music, and radio. Through creative programming, live events, and community engagement, KSPC promotes innovation and discovery by providing a platform for new and underrepresented voices, perspectives, and sounds. We aim to hold all artists played on air to the highest standards of respect and inclusivity.
I can not recommend Hit Parade enough! If you like music and love hearing all kinds of background info and bands, music, trends, producers, all that stuff. Hit Parade is a fave. It's on all the podcast apps and spotify.
"Chris Molanphy, a pop-chart analyst and author of Slate’s “Why Is This Song No. 1?” series, tells tales from a half-century of chart history. Through storytelling, trivia, and song snippets, Chris dissects how that song you love—or hate—dominated the airwaves, made its way to the top of the charts, and shaped your memories forever."
It's not an exclusively Alternative station, but a fairly wide ranging mix of classics, b-sides, world, electronic, etc. All fairly low-key but interesting.
They introduced me to so many bands over the years. And it is rare to not hear something I fall in love with any time I turn them on.
There was a time that I listened to RP now and again. I distinctly remember a barber I used to go to who had it on in his salon all the the time. They were definitley a pioneer of streaming radio and played a good mix. Thanks for the suggestion @CmndrShrm@lemmy.world
Kerrang! Radio is a specialist digital rock music radio station owned and operated by Bauer and forms part of the Kiss Network. It is based in Britain.
Ongoing History of New Music hosted by Alan Cross is an excellent podcast. It's the longest running music history documentary radio program in Canada. The show chronicles the history of alternative rock, from its roots in punk and new wave to the modern day.
MainFM is a little station based in a country town/city called Castlemaine, on the lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung people, in Victoria, Australia.
My favourite/the only show I really listen to on this station is It's a Jangle Out There. Its web page has links to the archive of previous episodes to listen to and playlists of tracks.
The show is hosted by a long time acquaintance of mine who has played in a couple of really good, jangly indie bands. The most notable was The Sugargliders, who put out several releases on the legendary (to some) label, Sarah Records.
I haven't listened to the show One Crowded Hour but it looks like it could be one to try out, as well…and it looks like there are some other shows that would play interesting tunes.
Back in the late 80s and early 90s, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, or ABC, morphed its Sydney based radio station 2JJ into a "national youth broadcaster" called Triple J. In 2002, they started a channel called dig that was announcer-less (I think). This really only existed on digital TV on digital radios and online. I don't imagine many people listened because of access to these modes of listening.
Fast forward to 2014/15, dig morphed into Double J, with a lineup of presenters, both radio DJs and musicians, and a mixture of older and more recent music. As I typed this, they played Wild Nothing, Kojey Radical, Hüsker Dü and Daft Punk on the morning show. This is presented by Karen Leng, who I first encountered on the awesome show she used to have on 3RRR. In many ways, it's quite similar to BBC Radio 6 Music.
Live at the Wireless. It's worth checking this program that has new and old, live recordings from over the years
This won't be new to anyone in the UK but I guess others might not know it. As its name suggests, it all about music. There are lots of really good shows with a fair bit of variety.
The way that the BBC radio DJ system seems to have worked is that the presenters who started off on Radio 1 but who got too old for its prime audience, moved into different slots on R1 but then onto other stations on the BBC network. When DAB (digital) radio and streaming came about, 6 Music was started with lots of DJs who have been around for ages but also presenters like Cerys Matthews from Catatonia, Huey from Fun Lovin' Criminals etc. Others like Jarvis Cocker from Pulp, Guy Garvey from Elbow and Iggy Pop have also had regular shows but are no longer on the schedule.
Kilo has been on the air for 50 years and hasn't sold out to a corporation like iheart or some crap. They've always been an awesome hard rock station. They used to pipe in a morning show which was pretty awesome. They're good for requests. They have a "crank it or cram it" segment at night where the listeners decide if they should keep a song or never play it again. They have always been awesome and they were the only station I would listen to when I would commute to work. Every other station would just play the same 10 songs over and over. I hope they stick around for another 50.
Radio is a Foreign Country, they have their own website, but it has never really worked for me. Music from all around the world.
Also recommend Radio Garden, which lets you listen to radios from all over the world. Sometimes it has featured "posts" with channel recommendations from people, like Brian Eno and such. It's one of the best things on the internet. They have an app as well.
It would be remiss of me to not mention 3PBS, a community station that is "dedicated to nurturing, inspiring and championing Melbourne’s diverse music community". There's dozens of shows covering many types of music.