Indie-music powerhouse extends its reach into Bay Area

KEXP will begin broadcasting in the region Tuesday

KEXP, the Seattle-based indie-music powerhouse with a worldwide following, is set to launch a Bay Area broadcast.

The nonprofit, known for being one of the early supporters of Pearl Jam, Nirvana and other early '90s Northwest grunge acts, can be found at 92.7 FM on Bay Area radio dials beginning Tuesday. Officials say the move will allow the nonprofit KEXP “to reach a new, diverse audience and extend its physical presence beyond its home base in Seattle,” according to a news release.

“KEXP is grateful to have the opportunity to connect with music lovers everywhere, and we couldn't be more excited to begin this next phase of our evolution with a whole new pool of listeners in a market area with so much rich musical history and character,” says KEXP CEO Ethan Raup. “We're looking forward to learning from our new Bay Area neighbors while we help do our part to grow our community and programming in the market, and ultimately move KEXP's mission forward.”

KEXP's new home on the Bay Area dial — 92.7 FM — has a long history, dating back to the late 1950s. The station began broadcasting Aug. 1, 1959, as KJAZ, with the first artist played being the great Miles Davis.

Most recently, it has been operating as the hip-hop channel known as “92.7 the Hustle.”

KEXP reportedly bought the channel for $3.75 million in a bankruptcy auction in October.

Founded in 1972 (first as student-run KCMU at University of Washington),

KEXP has grown to become a big force in independent music over the decades. It now attracts hundreds of thousands of weekly broadcast and online listeners. Its YouTube channel has some 3.2 million subscribers.

KEXP attracts a huge international following, which is underscored by the fact that some 75% of its 1.7 billion YouTube views come from outside the U.S.

One of the things that has driven the station's popularity is its “Live on KEXP” performance series, which has featured thousands of acts over the years.

“As a listener-supported radio station, KEXP has shared a mix of genres, styles and traditions via a public radio broadcast in Seattle for over 50 years,” according to a news release. “Bay Area listeners can expect KEXP's original programming on 92.7 FM, along with localized features to be added over the coming months and years.”