WSQR (1180 AM) is a

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...

broadcasting a classic hits format. Licensed to

Sycamore, Illinois Sycamore is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. It has a commercial district based and centered on Illinois Route 64. The population was 18,577 at the 2020 census, up from 17,419 at the 2010 census. Sycamore is the county seat of D ...

, the station is owned by Nelson Multimedia Inc. WSQR also broadcasts on FM translators W225CC 92.9

Sycamore Sycamore is a name which has been applied to several types of trees, but with somewhat similar leaf forms. The name derives from the Ancient Greek () meaning . Species of otherwise unrelated trees known as sycamore: * ''Acer pseudoplatanus'', a ...

, W263BM 100.5 DeKalb, and W273CZ 102.5 Plano.

History

WSQR began broadcasting on June 11, 1981, and was owned by Hometown Communications.Ghrist, John R. (1996). ''Valley Voices: A Radio History''. Crossroads Communications. p. 412-414."Despite snags, WSQR is on the air", ''

Daily Chronicle The ''Daily Chronicle'' was a left-wing British newspaper that was published from 1872 to 1930 when it merged with the '' Daily News'' to become the '' News Chronicle''. Foundation The ''Daily Chronicle'' was developed by Edward Lloyd out of a ...

''. June 12, 1981. p. 2. The station originally broadcast at 1560 kHz, running 250 watts during daytime hours only. The station originally aired a MOR-

adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...

format, with the slogan "Welcome to Our Sunshine". A year later, the station began airing a

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

format.
Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1984
', Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1984. p. B-84. Retrieved July 22, 2018. In spring 1989, the station began airing an

oldies Oldies is a term for musical genres such as pop music, rock and roll, doo-wop, surf music from the second half of the 20th century, specifically from around the mid-1950s to the 1980s, as well as for a radio format playing this music. Since 2 ...

format. In late 1990, the station switched back to a country music format. In 1993, after being silent, the station adopted a

modern rock Modern rock is an umbrella term used to describe rock music that is found on college and commercial rock radio stations. Some radio stations use this term to distinguish themselves from classic rock, which is based in 1960s–1980s rock music. ...

format, while temporarily being run by

Northern Illinois University Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university in DeKalb, Illinois, United States. It was founded as "Northern Illinois State Normal School" in 1895 by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld, initially to provide the state with c ...

students. The station again went silent in January 1994. In 1994, the station was sold to Larry and Pamela Nelson. The station returned to the air at 6 a.m. on December 5, 1994, airing

soft adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...

music from

Jones Radio Networks Jones Radio Networks & Jones Media Group were branches of Jones International before being sold to Triton Media Group. JRN and JMN provide local radio stations with satellite-delivered formats. They also offer other services to local radio su ...

, along with local news and information. The station was branded "The Spirit of DeKalb County". The station added nighttime operations in 1996, running 17 watts. In August 1999, the station's format was changed to

adult standards Adult standards (also sometimes known as the nostalgia or Big Band format) is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations. Adult standards started in the 1950s and is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly tho ...

, carrying

Timeless Favorites Timeless was a 24-hour satellite music service of Cumulus Media Networks, Citadel Media (through Citadel Broadcasting). It has distributed a mix of soft oldies and adult standards to radio stations around the United States. It was a combination ...

programming from

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

. WSQR moved to 1180 kHz in late 2006. WSQR continued carrying Timeless network programming from

Citadel Broadcasting Citadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company founded and developed by Larry Wilson. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the count ...

until the network's shutdown in February 2010 when it adopted a classic hits format
Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010
',

Broadcasting & Cable ''Broadcasting & Cable'' (''B&C'', or ''Broadcasting+Cable'') was a telecommunications industry monthly trade magazine and, later, news website published by Future US. Founded in 1931 as ''Broadcasting'', subsequent mergers, acquisitions and ...

, 2010. p. D-200. Retrieved August 16, 2018. (from Citadel's Classic Hits network). WSQR returned to the adult standards format in late summer of 2011, airing

Dial Global Westwood One, Inc. is an American radio network owned by Cumulus Media. The company syndicates talk, music, and sports programming. The company takes its name from an earlier network also named Westwood One, a company founded in 1976. The c ...

America's Best Music America's Best Music is the on-air branding of a soft oldies and adult standards 24-hour radio network, formerly known as AM Only. The service is syndicated by Westwood One, a subsidiary of Cumulus Media. It was one of the original Transtar Ra ...

, but in November 2012 switched back to classic hits, now airing Dial Global's

Kool Gold Classic Hits (known as Kool Gold until June 17, 2012) is a 24-hour music format produced by Westwood One. Its playlist is composed of oldies music from the mid-1960s to mid-1980s, from artists such as Billy Joel, The Beatles, The Temptations, Flee ...

format. February 2025 - Wsqr studios has moved to the station's owners main station in Plano illinois.

References

External links

* * * * * * {{coord, 42, 00, 24, N, 88, 40, 40, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title Classic hits radio stations in the United States SQR Radio stations established in 1981 1981 establishments in Illinois