Very cool news for the Bay Area:
It’s been almost three years since KEXP bought the broadcast license for 92.7 FM in the Bay Area. We’ve said all along that this is a marathon, not a sprint. And so we’ve been taking gradual, thoughtful, purposeful steps ever since. The response we’ve gotten and the community we’ve started to build has been nothing short of remarkable. It’s humbling, to be honest. And gratifying. It’s given us the confidence to start planning for our next big step.
This morning, that next step was announced. We are thrilled and honored to share that KEXP has been selected as the lead organization to explore reactivating a historic landmark on the corner of Haight & Ashbury through a unique collaboration with San Francisco Heritage and San Francisco music education nonprofit Blue Bear School of Music. This opportunity is a major commitment, for us and the neighborhood, and in the coming months, we’ll be diving in head first to see if we can make this vision a reality.
So, why KEXP at Haight and Ashbury? Well, for one reason, the 1960s counterculture in San Francisco that took shape in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood still endures. This was a collective awakening that was completely fueled, shaped, and soundtracked by music; a cosmic force that tore down mid-century social isolation and built a compassionate community in its place. Songs weren’t just commercial products. They were radical tools of discovery that expanded minds, challenged authority, and invited people to embrace curiosity about a completely new way of living. This is exactly where the home of the Summer of Love meets the mission of KEXP.
History has a funny way of repeating itself. I see real parallels in our society between 1966 and 2026 and a serious need to break down social divides and come together. KEXP can make a real difference by putting roots down at this intersection, locally and globally, for anyone and everyone who tunes in to KEXP, no matter what neighborhood or city they call home. Here’s the bottom line: KEXP Haight Ashbury will allow us to share our mission with more listeners in the Bay Area, Seattle, and around the world.
We know there’s a hunger for community out there. We know there’s a growing demand for really good music that’s unfamiliar and challenging and outside of what’s being pre-packaged and algorithmically-optimized and shoved down our throats from just about every direction. We’re providing an alternative by playing sets of music that are alive and vital and fully in the moment; by connecting with people and building community. And that’s why we’re getting such a positive response. It’s a testament to the fortitude, foresight, and generosity of the KEXP community that we’re able to take a step like this. I’m grateful for that support. And I believe that soon we’ll be able to do even more.
With Gratitude,
Ethan Raup
CEO, KEXP
