KQRS makes lineup changes as classic rock station moves into the '90s
After a short stretch of rolling without DJs to prepare for a revamp, KQRS is back on the air with DJs and a new format.
The station relaunched on Thursday morning at 6 a.m. with an expanded musical focus, new on-air talent, and new shows. The new additions include former Cities 97.1 host Paul Fletcher and former Current music director Jade.
In addition to the rock cornerstones the station has long had in the rotation — Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, et al. — owner Cumulus Media says the station will put a larger focus on '90s rock and Minnesota artists, such as Prince, Soul Asylum, The Replacements, and Bob Dylan.
Tracks played following the relaunch Thursday morning include "Loser" by Beck, "Seven Nation Army" by The White Striples, and "You Get What You Give" by the New Radicals, with
The revamped lineup is anchored by radio personality and founding member of the Black Crowes, Steve Gorman, who will continue to host KQ's morning show after taking over the slot in 2023 following the 2022 departure of Tom Barnard.
Paul Fletcher, who was let go as a Cities 97.1 host in a round of iHeartMedia cuts last summer, is joining Gorman and co-host Ryder on the newly named Gorman in the Morning with Fletcher and Ryder.
It follows the exit of Brian Zepp, who was let go from the KQ Morning Show in a move that provoked fans to start a petition to get him back on the air.
'After a few years living in the Twin Cities, the enormous legacy of 92KQRS couldn't be more clear to me," Gorman said in a statement. "The most respectful way to honor that legacy is to move forward with great energy. Rock music will forever be a cultural force, but only with continued evolution. I'm very excited about where we're going."
Fletcher is also taking over the hosting duties for the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekday slot from Chris Nelson.
Jade, who left The Current in 2023 after more than 15 years at Minnesota Public Radio, will take the air from 3–7 p.m. on weekdays.
"Hello music lovers, I'm back on the airwaves starting tomorrow!!" Jade announced Wednesday. "I can't wait to spend time listening to music with you again."
Jade is taking over the slot previously hosted by Lisa Miller, who will host a new daily segment called Rock Review airing multiple times throughout the day. Miller will also host a weekend show, though details on that program have not been confirmed.
As of Thursday morning, Chris Nelson is now listed as the host of the 7 p.m. to midnight weekday slot previously hosted by Shannon Knight. Cumulus Media says Knight will be staying at the station, but has not confirmed what her new role will be.
A Cumulus spokesperson adds that the weekend crew will remain, and that more additions are forthcoming
'This is a natural and obvious evolution for 92KQRS. An entire generation is no longer underserved in the Twin Cities with our fresh take on rock," says James Kurdziel, Director of Content and Programming for KQRS. "We're fortunate to have Steve Gorman take the lead and with our new talent additions along with our music focus, a statement is made about what we are and who we serve.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
JADE at Mighty Hoopla review: Already the stuff of main pop girl legend
'It's no Saturdays megamix…' quipped Jade Thirlwall onstage at London's Mighty Hoopla yesterday, after an energetic, top-tier Little Mix medley that sent Brockwell Park into meltdown. A stand-up comic couldn't have scripted a better, more perfectly contextualised joke: no shade to the Saturdays, whose back catalogue is near-unsurpassed in quality; it's just the world-conquering, 10-year-spanning oeuvre of Little Mix is simply unparalleled. In less capable hands, this whistle-stop store of the band's best moments – 'Sweet Melody', 'Touch', 'Shout Out To My Ex'; she earlier performers fan favourite 'Wasabi' in its entirety – all reworked so as to sound fresher, but with the lightest of touches so as not to taint their essence, might have overshadowed the rest of the set. A plausible Little Mix reunion certainly would have done. Jade, however, is a straight A student of pop, and intentional in everything she does. Her cowgirl outfit was a nod to the Supremes' Diana Ross, for heaven's sake. Thus, this was a statement of solo star power, and possibly the most exciting moment Hoopla has ever seen. Exhaustive choreo, grand, futuristic production and Adele-level charisma between songs – we could listen to Jade say 'Houplah!' in Geordie twang all day long – this was a big, big swing, and in the end, more than the sum of its parts. It's hard to believe the nine-song set was so short, and that we were in a park in south London. It felt like we were in an arena with the roof blown off. You could almost sense the collective support of girl band members gone solo before her – Destiny's Child, the Spice Girls, the Sugababes – propelling her forward. Although, unlike many of these women, Jade is going decidedly against the grain, and what she has to offer is all the more compelling for it. 'If I don't win, I'm in the bin, you say you never knew me, but when I pop off you sue me,' she sang on chaotic first single 'Angel of My Dreams', with an arch self-awareness suggesting that, actually, if she measures success on her own terms, she can't lose. And so, like that one daring member of many a girl band, she's charting a course that's miles left of centre. This zany, unpredictable set – club-ready visuals Charli XCX would approve of; dancers in tutus regardless of gender; walls of electronic sound flipping to a cappella moments – reflected that choice. For all the bells and whistles, however, it's the technical prowess of Jade's voice – think Disney Princess gone rogue – that impresses most. She flaunts full-throated volume on 'FUFN' but sends an eerie hush across the 60,000-strong crowd with her operatic control on a soaring cover of Madonna's 'Frozen'. (Who else would dare?!) As for that complicated Sandie Shaw 'Puppet on a String' vocal run on 'Angel of My Dreams' – it's even better live. (Again, who else would dare?!) She played one unreleased song, 'Plastic Box', but we were whipped into too much of a frenzy to make mental notes about it, except to say it slams. We really couldn't be more excited for Jade's upcoming album That's Showbiz Baby, for her music has an essentially queer sensibility: rather than trying to appeal to everyone, it appeals to a minority. A cool, intelligent, edgy, kind, ascended minority, if we do say so ourselves. And while the LGBTQ community is not solely that minority, we definitely make up a large swathe of it. We embrace her, she embraces us, and so last night the love-in brought Jade to tears. The energy was off the scale. Her allyship remains unmatched: nothing could have prepared us for the moment when, while leading a chant to introduce the F-bomb-tastic 'FUFN', she called out JK Rowling. It was a rock star moment that made the hair on the back of the arms stand on end. The backbone and the grit of this woman, when so many of us are running scared and feeling the walls closing in on us, when so many of our allies are losing their nerve, is breathtaking. It's superhero stuff in the vein of Judy Garland in the 70s and Madonna in the 80s and 90s, and won't be forgotten. The post JADE at Mighty Hoopla review: Already the stuff of main pop girl legend appeared first on Attitude.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Reviewing Jin's New Album Echo: Podcast
The post Reviewing Jin's New Album Echo: Podcast appeared first on Consequence. Listen via | | | This week, Kayla and Bethany of Stanning BTS deliver their full review of Jin's phenomenal new solo album, Echo, which dropped May 16th. Listen the the episode above or wherever you get your podcasts. Get Jin Tickets Here After a memorable joint first-listening party (complete with watermelon and spontaneous line-dancing!), the hosts go track-by-track, exploring the production, sound, lyrics, and deeper meanings behind each song on Echo. Kayla and Bethany share their emotional reactions and in-depth analysis, declaring the album a 'no skips, 10/10' masterpiece. Highlights include the heart-wrenching title track 'Don't Say You Love Me,' the surprisingly authentic country banger 'Rope It' that had them ready to buy tickets for Jin's solo tour, the alternative punk energy of 'Loser (feat. Yna),' the deeply personal ode to ARMY 'Background,' and the touching, BTS-dedicated 'With The Clouds.' Listen to Echo here. Also, don't forget! The hosts are excited to host their upcoming 'Iconic Hangout' set for Tuesday, May 27th, featuring a specially-condensed 'Jin Jeopardy' to celebrate his new music and dive into all things Seokjin! It's sure to be an experience packed with pure fan joy, deep lyrical breakdowns, and a celebration of Jin's diverse musicality. And yes, the excitement for Jin's solo tour is still palpable; get your tickets for the '#RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR' here. Listen to Kayla and Bethany dive in to the latest Jin release, and be sure to subscribe and review wherever you listen. ARMY faithful can also pick up the Stanning BTS T-shirt, now available in two colors at the Consequence Shop. And as always, check out all the great shows on the Consequence Podcast Network! Are you 18 years of age or older ? Popular Posts Holy Shit, You Have to See Footage from System of a Down's Concert in Brazil Bruce Springsteen Gives Trump the Middle Finger with Another Defiant Concert Guns N' Roses Share Video of Axl Rose Repeatedly Falling Onstage: Watch The 30 Best Action Movie Stars of All Time, Ranked Trump Warns Springsteen: "He Ought to Keep His Mouth Shut Until He's Back Into the Country" Neil Young to Trump: "I'm Not Scared of You. Neither Are the Rest of Us" Subscribe to Consequence's email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.


New York Post
24-05-2025
- New York Post
Clueless dog owners slammed by irate animal rights activists over ‘cruel' new trend: ‘An appalling betrayal'
These influencers should be put in the doghouse. A disturbing new TikTok trend — where clueless owners dump buckets of ice water on their unsuspecting pups — is drawing widespread outrage from animal lovers, who are barking mad over what they call a 'cruel' and 'appalling' stunt. The so-called '#barkyourmindchallenge' is a twisted take on the recently-revived ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that first soaked the internet a decade ago, raising awareness for a neurodegenerative disease. Advertisement But instead of chilling themselves for a good cause, some brain-frozen pet owners are drenching their dogs — all for the sake of a few likes. 'Dousing an unsuspecting dog with water is an appalling betrayal of their trust that undoubtedly leaves them confused and terrified, and it's every bit as egregiously cruel as it would be if it were a child being harassed and antagonised,' Jason Baker of animal rights group Peta told 'Peta encourages animal guardians to use common sense, think about these senseless social media stunts from the animal's perspective, and always put their companion animal's well-being first.' Advertisement 4 Instead of taking the icy hit themselves, some pet owners are soaking their dogs — all to score a few cheap likes. TIkTok/@chrisheern But common sense seems to be on ice. 'This is an upsetting trend where you can see the animals are visibly confused by the human's behaviour in these videos,' Ryan Neile, head of behavior at UK pet charity Blue Cross said in a statement, as per The Independent. 'Pets are not toys to be exploited, humiliated or objectified for our own entertainment.' Advertisement 4 The so-called '#barkyourmindchallenge' is a mangy twist on the once-heroic ALS Ice Bucket Challenge — now drenching dogs instead of raising awareness. TikTok/@maggiemaewaddle The frosty fad comes hot on the heels of another stomach-churning trend previously reported on by The Post, in which pet owners filmed themselves spinning their cats, dogs — even rabbits — by the front legs like rag dolls. 'This puts unnecessary strain on your pet's joints/muscles and can make them feel dizzy and nauseous, all for the sake of a few views,' warned Jade, a registered veterinary nurse and popular TikTokker known as Jade The Vet Nurse last month. 'Let's be responsible pet owners and get rid of this trend.' Jade, who has three dogs and three tortoises of her own, didn't mince words when she saw people hoisting their pets like circus props. Advertisement 4 The frosty fad (above) follows another gut-churning craze The Post covered — where pet owners spun their cats, dogs, even rabbits by the front legs like limp rag dolls. TikTok/@maggiemaewaddle 'You can cause [them] to feel really dizzy and nauseous,' she said. 'I've literally seen people try and do this trend with large dogs, and I have seen people drop their dogs, which can cause injury.' The UK's People's Dispensary for Sick Animals echoed Jade's concerns, warning that the spinning — and likely the ice baths too — could result in lasting damage. 'Limping and stiffness can be caused by several different conditions, the most common being minor injuries and arthritis,' the group said. 4 Animal rights watchdogs like Peta (above) have ripped both trends — whether it's dousing dogs with ice water or spinning them like furry fidget spinners for TikTok clout. PETA 'It is important to take your dog to the vets even if their problem appears minor – some dogs are very good at hiding pain from their owner.' In other words, stop using your pet as clickbait. Because no amount of clout is worth chilling — or spinning — your best friend into a vet visit.