88.5 WRAS – Album 88

#savewras

SAVE WRAS!!!
It was one of my favorite stations!
I missed the student run radio! What was awesome about this station is the different genres of music being played. Commercial free and VERY laid back.
I don’t live in Atlanta, but from time to time I will stream online. Also my brother DJs so I occasionally listen when he is on the air.
When I heard that Georgia Public Broadcasting was taking over, I was upset. For years I’ve been supporting this place. I had it locked in my radio whenever I come home to visit.
I am kind of in denial right now, however I still have hope that someday we will get the coolest radio station in the world, back!

WRAS used to be a great commercial free radio station that played the best in new music of all kinds. Unfortunately it’s now run by Georgia Public Broadcasting and they just play reruns of NPR.

Student radio is special stuff, and that includes this GSU student radio station. I listened most often in the mid-​1970s, though I may have begun to listen as early as WRAS went on the air, in 1971, because my late dad was an audiophile, who fitted me with stereo headphones…
In a few hours, this business of using their powerful signal to rebroadcast Georgia Public Broadcasting programs — and much already offered by our local NPR affiliate, WABE, much affected by these plans, to whom I listen with pleasure at this moment — will mean students no longer program for the airwaves, but may program some hours on air and others on the web.
Let’s listen —
— and hold GSU’s feet to the fire, in support of better programs, and better support for student-​driven radio.

R.I.P. Album 88 — You were the best station in Atlanta bar none.

Absolutely my favorite station in Atlanta. It’s #1 on my car’s hot buttons. My favorite segments are Subterranean, Soul Kitchen, and Jet Lag.

Best radio station in Atlanta! The variety and diversity in music selection is great for someone who doesn’t know quite what they are in the mood for. I’ve found so many artists that I love by listening to this station.
I LOVE One Step Beyond– how often do you get to listen to great SKA on the radio?

Been listening since the 1980’s in high school. The only place to get real music without the corporate filter. Rock on WRAS!

Good college mix of tunes.

I LOVE WRAS! Thank God we can find NEW music and it DOESN’T SUCK! Syntheside and Dot Dash are my fave shows…

I’m pretty stingy with my 5 stars, but WRAS gets 5 stars for a few good reasons.
I don’t always like what I hear (like video game music?! or Screamo Hardcore?) But I do know that if I tune in again within a few hours, I will hear something that I really might like. and Lets face it, I’m no longer the indie snob I used to be, I listen to top 40 and mainstream rap (Love that shit), but I can’t listen to it all the time. Also my car is old and I’m too lazy to get a hookup for my ipod and too lazy to burn cds (also who burns cds any more. ok ok i did burn the last kanye album. and lady gaga. but I digress…) so the point is that I do listen to the radio a lot.
Also I drive a lot, being that I live in Chatty and I’m from GA and come back nearly every weekend, there is LOT of radio that is played. This time coming back up, I was so happy to discover that WRAS still played at nearly Dalton! This reaches farther than some other radio stations (ehem top 40s people!). It was a hip hop section, not trap music, just some good hip hop. It was good to the point I risked texting and driving to tell my friend «WRAS is really good right now». I need to look that up. sunday nights, 12 – 2 or something.
So also the other thing about this station: the djs. The djs are not screaming into the mic about some new vodka that is sponsoring them. The djs are usually fumbling over their words and kinda weird on the mic like most college djs (well from my experience from those radio snobs at UGA), but I kinda like that. And they just have a few PSA’s, no long annoying ads.
I like that you hear a lot of unknown artists (you better write that shit down too between lights), and you can hear more mainstream, or just whatever. Its like a gigantic salad bowl of music with salad drssing made out of more music.
I feel like its more un-​adulterated and stripped from the hype of regular radio.
I don’t listen to it all the time, but I like what it stands for and the variety.
Also thanks A C. for the streaming to itunes, I just did and its playing on my computer right now!

You can in fact listen to it in itunes, heres how:
1) While in itunes go to the ADVANCE drop down menu and select OPEN STREAM.
2) Paste this URL into the field: pubint. ic. llnwd. net/​stream/​pubint_​wras2
Eliminate the spaces after each period ( Unilocal kept screwing up the url upon posting).
3) Press the play and pause buttons as if it where a song and you’ll hear the station.
FYI: You will see the station listed in the MUSIC LIBRARY folder.
Hope that helps.

«Shhh! Shut up, shut up! I need to hear who this artist is!»
This very line is the reason why I now have 88.5 on speed dial.
WRAS is a great college indie station with various shows covering different genres. Blows Sirius XMU out of the water as far as variety and random/​obscure artists/​songs goes. You rarely hear replays.
On that note…
Once you hear a song you really like, I highly recommend calling it in and asking the info because the chances of you hearing it again is slim to none and the station itself doesn’t have an online playlist (some of the individual shows do though). I *really* wish they would get on that, as well as having an online stream on iTunes.
(The streaming address that Shalom L. provided doesn’t seem to work for me *sad face*)
I have this station to thank for introducing me to Beats Antique, Man Man, Tune Yards, Spiritualized, Gangpol & Mit, and Tough Touch, among many others.
It’s so refreshing to have a station that plays music with limited ads and DJ’s that are all about the tunes, and not putting on a gimmicky personality.

Possibly THE BEST thing about Atlanta.
I miss this damn station SO MUCH. I seriously think about it every time I try to find a decent station.
This station introduced me to SO MANY amazing independent artists that I would have never heard of otherwise.
So much love for Album 88!

A friend of mine put me on to this station awhile ago, but for some reason, I never got around to listening to it.
While out one night and tired of listening to my iPod, I was flipping through stations and came across 88.5. I was instantly hooked! Finally, I didn’t have to hear the same artists and the same songs, which is annoying considering new albums are released on a weekly basis. I was shocked that they were playing Hip-​Hop, which shouldn’t be mistaken with the Strip Club music or Dr. Seuss –For– Adults simpleton lyrics that’s on the main stream stations. I was so enthralled with the music, that I never made it to my destination.
I recently was reintroduced to station. This time they were playing smooth Hip-​Hop Instrumentals that had my head nodding with approval. I later found out that the program I was listening to was Hush Hush, a show that runs every Wednesday from 8pm-​10pm. I was suppose to be doing some last minute Christmas Shopping, but I was really struggling to get out of the car. Every time I try to muster the strength to get out of my car, they kept playing something else good. Eventually, a different DJ came on with a show called Beatscape Lounge. They played Trip-​Hop, Electronica, Hip-​Hop instrumentals, and just over all good music. Eventually, I got out of my car and finished my Christmas shopping.
The one downfall of the station is that they don’t have the ability to listen to the station online. Other than that, I have no complaints.
If you go to their website, you can find a schedule of their programming. In addition, some of the shows also provide a playlist of their most recent shows. Which is helpful for a music head like myself.
The music programming is pretty diverse, including Hip-​Hop, Instrumentals, Jazz, Local artists, Blues, and Reggae, and other music genres.

Awesome independent college radio station with different programs!

Maybe as a Georgia State Student, I am a bit biased towards this station. But I can’t help it — I really love Album 88. I’ve been turned on to so many good bands and singers upon hearing their music on this station that it’s hard to complain. They have impeccable variety, and that’s just considering their regular rotation — let’s not even get started on the specialty shows. Do you love broadway tunes? There’s a show dedicated to them. Can’t get enough reggae? There’s a show for that too. There’s even a show for us gamer nerds completely dedicated to video game music (bitrhythm88, on every Tuesday morning from 12−2AM).
I realise I sound like a commercial, but I seriously can’t even begin to tell you guys how excited I was when my friends turned me onto this station. Definitely give it a listen!

Great shows by fun DJs, but… they don’t have an on-​line stream! Wah!
*sniff*
So I can’t listen to Album 88 most of the time. Sad.

LOVE them. Need a sticker. Best random music ever.

I passed a few cars last week with a 88.5 stick on their car. And I’ve been thinking lately that Atlanta radio stations are lacking. So, I tuned in.
What I was really surprised to here was some electronic music. It reminded me a lot of The Knife, may even have been them as I don’t have more than 5 songs.
My point is — I don’t ever hear electronic on the radio. Especially not followed by a really cool alt rock song.
Basically, I’m in love with this station and yelled at a passenger yesterday for changing the station. Yea, I am that crazy. ;)

This and NPR are staples in the car– they really do a great job. I mean college radio is usually the best place to listen. Who wants to hear the same songs over and over. I know routine is comforting but seriously people, break the cycle, try something new and unique.
I only wish I could listen to them online!