Slip-Cue This: ‘Vinylthon’ Returns Saturday!
• Across America and the world, many radio stations will celebrate the unique magic of vinyl records by going vinyl-only on the air for Vinylthon 2021, this Saturday, April 17. Organized by the non-profit College Radio Foundation and open to all radio stations, commercial and non-comm, Vinylthon is the radio industry’s response to the remarkable vinyl renaissance that continues around the world. “This last year has been tough, and we could use some cheering up,” says Vinylthon founder, Rob Quicke, who is also GM of WPSC 88.7 FM at William Paterson University of New Jersey. He added, “This event is a genuinely fun day for both listeners and broadcasters alike. People are still very passionate about the magic and warmth of vinyl. Playing vinyl on the air is an amazing, hands-on experience for many of today’s radio broadcasters, and a trip down memory lane for the listeners.”
Participating stations include WITR-FM at the Rochester Institute of Technology, which will run vinyl-only shows throughout the day on Saturday, as well as special editions of their popular programs Astounding Sounds and Reggae Sounds; KGVM/Bozeman, MT plans to spin vinyl from 2-10pm, showcasing a variety of musical genres; Radio Bux at Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania plans to broadcast 48 straight hours of non-stop vinyl, starting at 9am Saturday; and 90.3 FM WMSC at Montclair State University in New Jersey, will go for an epic 54-hour long “Vinylversary,” celebrating the station’s 54-year history. There also participating radio stations representing Canada, Colombia, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Sweden, The Philippines, and Wales. For a full list of participating stations, visit vinylthon.com/stations.
Vinylthon 2021 will be the sixth such event, and proceeds will go to the College Radio Fund that gives grants to college radio stations to help keep them on the air. Participation in Vinylthon is free for non-comm stations, but there is a small registration fee for commercial radio stations that goes straight to the College Radio Foundation, which organizes the event. Quicke noted, “Commercial radio stations that participate are paying it forward to the next generation of professional broadcasters, who really need the support.”
Participating stations will also be presented with the “Golden Slipmat Award” to recognize their deep passion for vinyl. The award is a pair of golden slipmats made by official sponsor Glowtronics, exclusively for the event.
