WMKE (102.1 FM) launched in September 1960, broadcasting from studios located on North Avenue in Milwaukee with a format consisting primarily of Broadway show tunes.[3] The owners boasted that they were the nation's first "all-tape radio station", meaning that all programming would originate from reel-to-reel tape or other tape formats, rather than phonograph records, as they believed tape delivered higher quality.[3]
Gospel/R&B (1964-1979)
The station was later sold and became WAWA-FM in 1964. The new format featured black gospel music and also simulcast the rhythm and blues format of the then-sister station WAWA (1590 AM) throughout the 1960s and most of the 1970s.[4]
Disco (1979-1982)
Former Packer legend Willie Davis purchased and split the programming of the two stations on February 14, 1979, switching WAWA-FM to WLUM (short for We Love YoUMilwaukee!), and giving 102.1 FM its own distinct format focusing on disco music.[5][6] At the time that WAWA-FM became WLUM, they also became the second station in Milwaukee to adopt the Disco format, as WNUW had already beat them to it in October 1978, even though their success would be short lived by August 1979; by this point, WLUM would shift to a rhythmic contemporary direction.
The daytime-only 1590 AM, still WAWA, later picked up the WLUM call letters. The AM station was long hampered by a weak signal, and when All Pro Broadcasting purchased stronger station WMVP (1290 AM), the format and programming moved there. As a result, 1590 AM went dark in 1988, and its broadcast license was turned in to the FCC.
Rhythmic (1982–1991)
In 1982, WLUM began adding more urban music. By the summer of 1983, the station's format morphed into a Rhythmic Contemporary Hits presentation with the brandings "WLUM FM 102", "WLUM 102 Milwaukee's Hot FM", "Club 102 WLUM", "Power 102 WLUM", "WLUM 102 FM". It settled on "Hot 102 WLUM", and aired a mix of dance music (including freestyle, house and club imports) and Top 40 hits (including rock and modern/alternative tracks).
By 1989, WLUM was featuring shows like "Casey's Top 40" and "American Dance Traxx" as it began to shift further towards a dance-leaning direction that was loosely patterned after Power 106 in Los Angeles. Veteran Rhythmic program director and future consultant Rick Thomas was in charge, before moving on to launch XHITZSan Diego's rhythmic format in April 1990. Also during this period, noted radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge briefly did an air shift at Hot 102.
Top 40 (1991–1994)
By late 1991, WLUM evolved into a straightforward Top 40/CHR presentation. More hip-hop was added to the playlist by the following year, to better compete with upstart rival WKKV-FM for the urban audience.
By late 1993, WLUM began shifting back to a dance-leaning direction, and used the moniker "Hot 102 WLUM, Milwaukee's Party Station". This lasted until the Summer of 1994, when it shifted back to mainstream Top 40.
Alternative (1994–1998)
By 1994, WLUM began tweaking their on-air presentation. Hip-hop was slowly being phased out and more modern rock was added to the playlist, due to Davis' desire to distance his station from the violent image of most rap and hip-hop music, after finding out that the station had begun to carry a nightly hour of uncensored music after the FCC's "safe harbor" regulations were not in effect (a record homicide count in Milwaukee and several area violent crimes also played into the re-shift).[7] This began to occur in earnest on December 1, 1993, when Wauwatosa West High School assistant principal Dale Breitlow was murdered by a former student, and the station immediately pulled Dr. Dre's "Dre Day" and Eazy-E's "Real Compton City G's" in reaction, dropping their usual music and allowing those affected to call-in about how the shooting affected them.[8] The modern rock music was well received by listeners, and in October of that year, the station adopted modern rock full-time, as "New Rock 102ONE", leaving the Milwaukee market without a Top 40 station until the launch of WXSS-FM in 1998.[9][10][11][12]
The move was unsuccessful, so in December 1998, WLUM switched to hard rock with the syndicatedMancow Muller in the morning.[15] They initially avoided much of the then-popular nu metal music that WLZR played, but added a great deal to the playlist by 2001. Nonetheless, they were consistently a distant second to market leader WLZR.
As a straight-ahead rock station, WLUM experienced some of its lowest ratings levels ever, with the bottom coming after the September 11 attacks, which caused many rock stations to shift quickly from hard rock tracks inappropriate for play in the aftermath and change away from aggressive formats.
Alternative (2002-present)
In March 2002, WLUM began making more changes. Mancow's morning show was dropped,[16] along with most of the hard rock music on the playlist, and modern rock music returned to the playlist. By September, the station was once again a full-time reporter to alternative rock airplay charts for radio industry trade magazines. The station still experienced low ratings, as it worked to shake its male-oriented hard rock image. The station made heavy use of consultants who crafted a rather tight playlist. In March 2003, the Indianapolis-based Bob and Tom was added in the morning drive to compete against Bob & Brian up the dial on WLZR, but its older target audience (where it was often programmed on classic rock stations) proved wildly incompatible for the rest of WLUM's younger-skewing broadcast day.[17]
The Bob and Tom agreement ran out in 2005, and a locally oriented morning show, "Kramp and Adler", debuted on St. Patrick's Day. This was a sign of more changes to come.[18] On July 10, 2006, WLUM began stunting as "Quick 102" and started playing five-second song clips back-to-back. At the same time, via on-air promos, they poked fun at themselves and their many failed on-air tweaks and changes over the years. At 5:00 p.m. the next day, the modern rock format was relaunched with a new programming and on-air staff in place. The station admitted past mistakes, then announced their "independence", stating they were now free from corporate practices and radio consultants and pledged a stronger dedication to their listeners and the local community. As part of the new direction, Program Director Jacent Jackson rolled out a modified alternative rock format with a more diverse playlist, featuring, among other things, more indie rock. The first song after the relaunch was "Guerrilla Radio" by Rage Against the Machine. Jackson also added new DJs to the airstaff such as Michelle Rutkowski from WKQX in Chicago, and changed the name of the station to "FM 102.1" with the slogan, 'Independent. Alternative. Radio.' The station also removed their last remaining syndicated show, Loveline, vowing to be 100% local in their on-air presentation.[19]
Later, the station sponsored a contest to name a new alternative rock festival on the Summerfest grounds that took place in June 2010, which became known as the "Verge Music Festival". During this time, the station also adjusted their positioning statement from 'Independent. Alternative. Radio' to 'Sounds Different.'
In 2014, Program Director Jacent Jackson departed WLUM to program KITS in San Francisco and Michelle Rutkowski took over as PD. In August 2024, afternoon host and assistant program director Ian McCain passed away after a brief illness.[20]
Specialty shows consist of "FM 102/1 Retro Brunch" on Sunday mornings from 7-10 am, "Indie Soundcheck" (Sunday nights 8-11 pm) with Ryan Miller, and "Neighborhood Watch", which features an hour of local Milwaukee music Sunday nights at 11 pm. The current full-time line-up includes Adler (6-10 am), Michelle Rutkowski (10 am-2 pm), TBD (2-7 pm), and Schroeder (7 pm-midnight) with the current part-timers Ryan Miller and Alyssa.
Big Snow Show 13 — Thursday, November 27, 2018 — Eagles Ballroom — Bastille, Young The Giant, Bishop Briggs, grandson / Thursday, November 29, 2018 — The Rave — Elle King, Flora Cash / Saturday, December 1, 2018 — Eagles Ballroom — Death Cab For Cutie, Jungle, Albert Hammond Jr., Barns Courtney
Big Snow Show 16 - Saturday, December 10, 2022 - Eagles Ballroom - The 1975 (At Their Very Best), black star kids
Big Snow Show 17 - Wednesday, December 6, 2023 - Eagles Ballroom - The Black Keys, Colony House / Thursday, December 7, 2023 - Lovejoy, The Beaches, Little Image
