WBCN-FM first airs as a rock music station.

Operated by Ray Riepen, the former classical station is located on the fifth floor of 171 Newbury Street. It initiates a late-night rock format by playing Cream’s “I Feel Free.” The station begins playing rock 24 hours a day on May 20, 1968 [5/17]. Disc jockeys include Charles Laquidara, Oedipus, Mark Parenteau, Ken Shelton, and Peter Wolf. They introduce new groups including The Cars, Til Tuesday, and U2. The station moves briefly to 53 Berkeley Street, then to 312 Stuart Street in 1968, to the top of the Prudential Center in 1973, and, after an employees’ strike in 1979,* to 1265 Boylston Street in 1980. WBCN turns to alternative music and modern rock in the 1990s, then off the air to Pink Floyd’s “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” on August 12, 2009.