Listened for many years but the other reviews are accurate. They have this massive catalog of music but they play the same songs over and over, especially certain artists. Same 2 Rush songs daily. It's like having a closet full of clothes and picking the same 10 things to wear every day. They do have the top 1043 countdown Thanksgiving weekend which allows you to hear some different stuff. However they now broadcast NY Jets games, which takes priority. Music, including the countdown, gets shuttled to the background. I gave one star for some of the DJs. With fewer people listening to terrestrial radio, one would think they'd do better. Sad! read more

I've never been a fan of FM "classic" radio. In my teens, I became bored with the groups I had grown up listening to-- the Beatles, the Doors, Led Zeppelin, etc. (let me hasten to add that as an adult I've re-evaluated these groups, have "re-discovered" them, and...as a seasoned, hopefully more mature, less dogmatic, and knowledgeable adult...can listen with "new ears" and appreciate them anew)-- and was looking for "something different." I wasn't going to find it on FM radio. At that point, I was basically unaware of college radio, and the FM station-- in those days, it was WNEW-- was frustrating to listen to. "Stairway to Heaven" and "Freebird" were played constantly, almost as if the whole process of listening was a religious ritual and we were expected to bow down before the altar of Zeppelin and Skynyrd. New groups like the Ramones or older groups like the Velvet Underground or the Stooges were never going to be played. Ever. And if you didn't like it? Buy a record player, chump... Which is not to say that FM didn't leave certain impressions that still resonate in my memory. I can remember waking up to face another torturous school day, and hearing Allison Steele aka "the Nightbird" signing off to the background sound of cymbals, flute, kalimba, and God knows what else. I can't remember what pretentiously "witchy" things she used to say to bid "goodnight" to her regular listeners or "good morning" to groggy malcontents like me, but I think Stevie Nicks would have approved. I desperately wanted to hear that band I had read so much about-- the Sex Pistols. Their singles were available nowhere (at least nowhere in my neck of the NJ woods), but...believe it or not...I heard them first on FM radio-- Scott Muni's show, to be exact. His voice dripping with condescension and sarcasm, he said, "Well, you've heard about them, and if you wanna actually hear them, well...here they are..." before playing "God Save The Queen," which made me an immediate entranced fan (although, in my old age, I think my teenage hero John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten has transformed over the decades into a total talentless a**hole). As far as I know, WNEW is long gone, and now we have...Q104.3. I won't say its made me long for the WNEW days, but it does have me quickly grasping for the dial as I do my channel surf in order to change the channel to...well, almost anything else. If you're lucky, you'll hear a song from the past...a "classic"...that actually still retains that status. "Dream On." "Don't Fear the Reaper." "Ziggy Stardust." "Strange Days." Even "Stairway to Heaven" or "Freebird" sound refreshing now, if you happen to catch it. You have to be lucky. Most times, you're going to hear Bon Jovi. Or Lover Boy (Lover Boy!?! Yep.). Aerosmith "hits" put out long after they gave up drugs and sank down into the swamp of puerile mediocrity even as they raked in tons of money. Journey. Eddie Money. Queen (talented but I'm not a fan). No Bob Dylan (I think I'd stroke out if they happened to play "George Jackson"), but you'll hear a lot of Billy Joel. A lot. The "jocks" are relentlessly upbeat and positive (sorta like the "Yelp Elite"). Ian O'Malley sounds like he gargles every morning with small rocks, and has nothing but good things to say about...EVERYBODY! Carol Miller sounds like she has adenoidal issues, talking with rote enthusiasm about the Dep Leppard tickets they're promoting or yet another contest before playing an "oldie but goodie"..."Eye of the Tiger." They'll play the Clash (although it'll be a consumer-friendly hit like "Rock the Casbah"; you're never going to hear "I'm So Bored With the USA"). They do play the Ramones too now. "I Wanna Be Sedated" or...if they're feeling really "wild and crazy"..."Blitzkrieg Bop." (No "Carbona Not Glue") Stooges? Well, you might hear Iggy...solo...doing "China Girl" or "Candy" but don't hold your breath waiting to hear "Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell' or "Death Trip." (And...an aside...I love Iggy, but it's time to put the shirt back on. He looks like a melting candle now.) No Stooges, no Velvets, no Dolls, no MC5. No Mother Love Bone either. Nirvana or maybe Red Hot Chili Peppers...that's about as "outside the box" as it's going to get. If you want "outside the box," tune in to WFMU or WPRB. And God help you if you stumble into a block of their commercials. They run without interruption for nearly a half hour. I will sometimes pause at Q1043 as I channel surf, hoping I might stumble onto one of those old songs that I liked. My hopes are almost never realized. Another Billy Joel song, or another block of commercials, and I move on. There are only so many hours in a lifetime. I can almost hear the spirits of Allison Steele and Scott Muni saying with malicious glee, "Sure, you didn't like us way back when, but how do you like your FM Classic Radio now, punk!? Maybe worshipping before the altar of Jimmy Page or Ronnie Van Zant or Pete Townsend wasn't such a bad thing after all!" read more

A quick 90 minutes of this radio station as I passed through the vicinity of New York broadcasting. Probably too many commercials, but in between they played some very good tunes. Aerosmith, Doors, Autograph, even Tears for Fears. Not the best, but very definitely A-OK. [Review 11523 overall, 1303 of 2019.] read more

Q104.3 WAXQ-FM - NYC's Q104.3 WAXQ-FM - Radio Stations Near Me - New York, New York

Plays the same crappy songs over and over. They managed to take the best era of music and destroyed it. Their song selection is absolutely horrendous. read more

The morning crew are brutal. They try to be funny and they are not. Real difficult to listen to. They should just play songs like they are supposed to do... I end up searching for college stations in my worktruck I only have f m read more

I've been working for the same dental practice for 27 years.When I first started we listened to WDHA which was great - lots of variety. Then they started getting a little too heavy for some of our senior patients, so we switched. This is literally the only other station that comes in. So basically at least 20 years of the same songs over and over and over. Why can't they play any of the deeper cuts? I love most of the artists they play, but THE SAME SONGS EVERY DAY?! When I retire next year I'll be sooooo glad never to hear this station again in my life. read more

Man these guys are bad at their jobs. If I hear another Billy Joel or Bon Jovi song, I swear I'm going to smash my hand through my radio. The DJs play the same rotation of insipid, overplayed soft rock and slick hair metal (think Bob Seger alternating with Whitesnake) without fail. It makes me wonder how a station could claim to rock when they're more likely to play Poison than the Sex Pistols (or hell, even the Kinks!). The lack of variety ultimately makes the good songs tiresome and the bad songs all the more intolerable. Would it kill them to play the occasional deep cut? Seriously? Anything would beat the 5000th rotation of "Cold As Ice" or "Jack & Diane." It's also worth noting that some of the radio hosts are pretty horrible. When the one requirement for a radio host is having a voice that doesn't sound like nails on a chalkboard, its a wonder someone like Shelley Sonstein is allowed to go anywhere near the microphone. The only reason this station is still afloat is the complete lack of interesting rock stations in the tri-state area. These guys need competition badly. Lazy and uninspired programming. read more

I do not like radio...I am sick of the same 5 songs over and over and over and over again. So annoying...but I still love my Q. Gives me my fix of Aerosmith, Stones, Zeppelin, Beatles and Hendrix. I do like that they had added a few newer bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Nirvana. Who doesn't like a Two for Tuesday...or a live at 5 on the ride home? If I am stuck listening to FM radio...Q 104.3 is usually on my dial. read more

Q104.3 WAXQ-FM - Radio Stations Near Me - New York, New York

I agree with most of the other reviewers. Songs and artists on constant repeat - Billy Joel 10 times a day. I get it, he's from here, but come on. There's so much great rock music from the 60's-2000's. Mix it up already. Tragic that this is all New York has in this genre. You get two stars since some grunge stuff is now playing, but it was a stretch. read more

They play the same crap music over & over Dont they know what classic music is ? There's so many great songs but they continue to play the same crap this station sucks should be called 104.3 WCRAP read more

The redundancy is at a record high the last 2 months. Who is happy with hearing the same exact songs day after day and why is it okay with the station? read more

Quite possibly the worst radio station in the world They play the same played songs over and over everyday...thank god for pandora ...the only thing to listen to is get the led out that's it.....program director should fire themselves for playing the same songs everyday over and over....very sad read more

Q104.3 is New York's main classic rock station. It's alright, but I do have some gripes: DJs- Some of them should probably go....especially Jim Kerr (seems a bit out of touch, he's really on the CLASSIC end of classic rock) and Shelli Sonstein (that voice......INCREDIBLY IRRITATING! ). Playlists- A little more variety, please.....you specialize in classic rock artists, some of which are still making music, yet you only play their 2 big popular songs from 1977. Most of these artists have extensive catalogs, yet you'd never know it listening to The Q. The Who- Enough with them, already. Friday Night Rocks with Eddie Trunk- This guy......while I do appreciate that he's the only one playing older hard rock and metal on the radio, and he has some great guests, he is SO ANNOYING!!! His whiny voice is not radio friendly, he is a bit close-minded with who he plays and interviews, and he seems to have a little too much free reign of his show....I don't care if UFO is your favorite band, stop pushing them on me. And enough with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame bashing, everyone (including the artists you're fighting for to get in) has giving up on it. Let it go, man, let it go. The Q has always been one of the preset stations on my car radio, and it's decent, but I wouldn't listen to it for hours on end. read more

The station has good DJ's but the playlist needs to be loosened up. They need to look deeper into the vast catalogs of these artists. Songs like Bohemian Rhapsody and Hotel California get way too much airplay. FM radio has always been based on a large landscape and the Q falls short on this. read more

Classic rock rocks. They're committed. God bless them. Rush, Boston, Billy Joel, Colin Hay / Men at work, Heart ... keep it comin

Oh 104.3, sometimes you hurt so good. I grew up on classic rock and as we all know, this is the last rock station in NYC. Ever since K-Rock went under (remember them?) this is the only reason I even bother with traditional radio anymore. I mainly listen to them on my shower radio while I get ready in the morning, or if I'm in a car and can't hook up a smartphone. While I'm grateful they're still here, they need more variety. If I hear Welcome to the Jungle one more fucking time in my entire life I may just lose it. Other hits you'll never miss if you tune in are Hotel California, Summer of 69, Sister Christian, and Rocket Man. Heavy on the same damn songs we all know from Zeppelin and Billy Joel. It's like Guitar Hero and a Long Island BBQ hosted by your dad teamed up to make a radio station. They have incorporated some newer songs from bands it makes me cringe to think of as old enough to be considered classic: Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and freakin GREEN DAY. They are also hands down the most frequent players of that godawful Kars for Kids commercial. You listen to me 104.3- I TURN YOU OFF WHEN THAT NONSENSE COMES ON. It's torture. And why do kids need cars anyway, they can't even drive, OK? Everyone hates these commercials, and whatever their purpose is I want you to know I will not be donating to their charity on sheer principle. (Edited to add: the charity is actually an Orthodox Jewish organization that has been criticized for inadequate disclosure of its religious mission and sends donors on free vacations that are actually timeshare presentations. El-oh-el) Anyway, like I was saying, so much falls under the classic rock umbrella that it boggles my mind that I very often get sick of listening to this station because they insist on playing the same hits over and over. They do have a segment called Out of the Box that airs on Sundays, where we get to hear newer songs by classic or classic sounding artists. At off peak hours you can get lucky and catch different things. The variety played during these times desperately needs to be incorporated into their regularly scheduled programming. I remember the first time I heard Thin Lizzy's Emerald- it was on 104.3 and it was amazing and it's something they'd never consider playing at 7:30am on a Monday. No, at 7:30am on a Monday everyone clearly needs more Patience. Just trying to get it right.... read more

I'd like to be able to give this station a good review because it is the last Rock Station left in NYC. Unfortunately, whoever does the programming has a very narrow definition of what "rock" is. If your idea of a good station is to hear Billy Joel at least 6 times a day, then this one's for you. If your day isn't complete without hearing Freebird or Hotel California then please tune in to this station. I guarantee you'll hear both of these. Every. Single. Day. And that's the problem. There are songs I used to love but can't stand now. Bohemian Rhapsody anybody? Every day. I don't enjoy being negative, but Rock Radio used to be far more diverse and interesting than this. Q 104.3 needs a re-boot. read more

The first time I EVER got excited about radio. So it's a Friday, and I'm driving while listening to songs on my phone, which is always on shuffle mode. Black by Pearl Jam starts playing and I begin to feel it and all. Then, I think to myself that I'd never heard this on the radio, so I scan through all the channels to see if my luck falls with at least one Pearl Jam song. When I finally came to 104.3, lo and behold, Black was playing. Then came Comfortably Numb, another masterpiece I've never heard playing on the radio (I don't listen to radio at all but the few times I try to, great songs never come up). And there I did it: For the first time ever, I saved a radio station in my vehicle. read more

Great music Somewhat funny banter They just need to lose the zany Z Morning Zoo bs Do we really need to hear a rooster at 6:00 every morning ? Or those lame parodies ! read more

Now that I'm retired I thought I would learn and enjoy he music but I don't. The station is terrible the sane music is played every day. I no longer listen. It's time for Jim Kerr to retire he's too old. read more

Marc Coppola and Jonathan Clark make for great early morning listening. Always a great variety of music take does air as regularly as the " loop" music. I like Jim Kerr, but Shelley gets annoying! And music is very repetitive! I miss the old WNEW change up of rare classic music. Here's an idea for the music program team, play more songs from the 1004 top picks on Thanksgiving weekend! Listeners favirites!! JMR Secaucus NJ read more

I can't say they don't play good songs but play some new ones for crying out loud! There's thousands of other great hits they can play and it like they play the same maybe 100 songs every day just mixed up. I work at a deli 11 hours a day 5 days a week and all we listen to is there station all day. I am not the kinda guy to complain but I do hope one of you there read this. read more

The amount of talk has completely turned me off to this station! I have a 30 minute drive to work from about 6:50 am to 7:20 pm. I am lucky if I hear ONE song. And, if they do finally get around to playing a song, it's one I've hear 1 million times. Talk to commercials to talk...maybe one song...talk, commercials, talk..,. And, In the evening, the lengthy Led Zep stories (that we've all heard a million times), take away from the listening. Since 104.3 is the only classic rock station around, it may be time to re-program, increase the music, stop the endless chatter starting with the morning's "strange news", and add some variety!! read more

Ever since I started driving, Q104.3 WAXQ-FM has been my go to radio station ever since I have been driving. As the New York areas main Rock station (there is also WBAB on Long Island, but it is more limited), I always have it on in my car as it gives me my fix of classic rock, which happens to be my favorite genre of music. The main thing I like about Q104.3 is that they cover all of the bases of rock ranging from the 1960s-1990s. If you like listening to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Elton John, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, The Clash, Aerosmith, The Allman Brothers, Foreigner, The Ramones, and The Eagles, and more artists, this station will keep you rocking on all day! In addition, I also enjoy their on-air personalities, like Maria Molito, Jim Kerr, Shelli Sonstein, and Ken Dashow, who always fill me in with classic rock facts as well as a little bit of the day's news. In addition, I also enjoy their special days, like Two for Tuesday, in which they play two songs from a different artists and I like the many chances to win prizes, like the time I won a $25 John's Pizzeria (NYC) gift card just for submitting a Workforce Block of The Clash. When I am not listening to music on my iPhone or do not have it plugged in by cable to my car's auxiliary port, I can always count on Q104.3 WAXQ-FM to make my ride more enjoyable. Rock on! read more

Lived in NY for 3 weeks doing close to 8 hours of driving a day, and I listened to Q104.3 exclusively during that time. The radio station is mediocre at best. All the DJ's do is worship Billy Joel as if he is their god. You could not go between songs without them talking about him and his concerts. There is a time slot where they supposedly "Get the Led Out" at 8am and 8pm, which means play only 1 Led Zeppelin song instead of a few in a row. In addition to that, they do overplay quite a bit of the same bands. You won't hear too much Boston, Joe Walsh, Styx, Ted Nugent, Neil Young, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Jimi Hendrix, etc. If you're content with a stereotypical big broadcast radio station that overplays music all day, then this is for you. read more