ALTERNATIVE ROCK · INDIE · AMERICANA · NORTHRIDGE · CALIFORNIA · UNITED STATES
The SoCal Sound is the public radio station of California State University, Northridge, bringing alternative rock, Americana and local Southern California artists to listeners in Los Angeles and Orange County, and online worldwide.
📻 History: KCSN 88.5 FM, known as The SoCal Sound, is a non-commercial educational public radio station licensed to Northridge, California, and owned by California State University, Northridge (CSUN). It first went on the air in November 1963 as KEDC-FM and carried that call sign until 1973, when it became KCSN. Beginning in 1987 the station aired an all-country format called "Kissin' Country," a play on how its call letters sound.
It later settled into the Adult Album Alternative (AAA) format that defines it today, mixing alternative rock, Americana and blues with new music, legends and local Los Angeles artists. In 2017 KCSN merged its operation with KSBR, the Saddleback College station in Mission Viejo, and the combined service launched as "The New 88.5 FM" on September 12, simulcasting KCSN's "smart rock" AAA format across Los Angeles and Orange counties. KSBR's jazz programming moved to the HD2 channels and KCSN's Latin Alternative service to HD3.
In March 2018 radio veteran Andy Chanley joined the station for afternoons. On August 19, 2022 the station rebranded as "88.5 The SoCal Sound," and trade reports say Saddleback College has agreed to donate the KSBR license to CSUN, subject to FCC approval, with the format unchanged. Its studios are in the Valley Performing Arts Center on the CSUN campus. Follow the station on Facebook.
📞 (818) 677-3090 · 📍 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, California 91330, United States
