What were the radio stations of your youth that helped you on your music/audio journey?


I am older so my radio stations of influence were in their prime during the British invasion and many, many American singers and groups.  
The stations I listen to the most were WLS out of Chicago, KIOA out of Des Moines, KAAY out of Little Rock, Arkansas and KOMA  out of Oklahama.  When I was in the Air Froce I had a few stations near the main base I was stationed at outside of Rapid City, S.D.  
Of course systems and better and better systems and FM became the dominate source for broadcast/online music.  I did learn much of what I liked and eventually purchased through early radio listening.
I still listen to radio mainly for Jazz stations and NPR news. 

jusam
- CFTR AM station in Toronto when I was under 13 (the hits)
- Q107 FM station in Toronto after 13 (rock statio)
- CFNY FM (I should have listened to this station instead of the POS Q107, new wave)

- KCRW FM today out of Santa Monica, CA. The very best station I have ever heard. I bought a Magnum Dynalab 108T last month just to hear this station. Last week I also bought a Accuphase T-101 for my headphone system. Tomorrow I get a Sansui 9900 tuner for my living room system. I like hearing great music from all over the world that I have never heard before.
Growing up in the lower eastern shore of MD (Del-Mar-Va Peninsula) was somewhat isolated, especially for R&R music in the 50's & 60's. Any radio station which changed its genre to R&R usually lasted no more than 6 mos. if that. yes, we got some top 40 which was a mixed bag with some "softer rock" which didn't disturb the cattle or the chickens  and the older citizens (advertisers) the good stuff usually came by word of mouth. Because the AM signal can carry 1000 miles under the right weather conditions, we could often get WLS or WKBW at night. And  having my 1st car at 16 I spent many miles listening to WKBW at night since it seemed to come in more than others
http://wkbwradio.com/
WXRT In Chicago, Still going today. And I still listen most days.WKQX in Chicago.WLS Chicago, Larry Lujack.
WCFL Chicago. Larry worked there too.
The Loop FM 98 Chicago Steve Dahl. (Disco Sucks!)


WMCA - the Good Guys, WNEW - Make Believe Ballroom and WABC FM, which morphed into WPLJ.
All in L.A.
KFAC 1330 AM Classical. Later they simulcast on FM, but they still sometimes had commercials in between symphony movements.  KFWB AM. "Channel 98" -- Where I'd listen for hours for The Beatles and other British Invasion bands. While waiting for the Brit tunes, I got to appreciate a whole cornucopia of rock/pop/soul/country music -- from the Beach Boys to the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, the Byrds, the Stones, Them, Roger Miller and the Bobby Fuller Four. It truly turned this classical kid's head upside down.  In time, KFWB went to M.O.R and then all news. G'bye!  There was also KNOB, the "Jazz Knob," both on AM and FM. KROQ (called KCBA the early days?) opened my ears more than a tad, too. Velvet Underground. Lou Reed.

Grew up in Queens, NYC. Mostly listened to WLIR, WNEW, and to a lesser extent WPLJ. Listened to thousands of hours of Jazz on WRVR in NYC, until it mysteriously disappeared one day...poof! Listened to a lot of Classical music while driving in the car with my father on WQXR. In college was a DJ at WPBX at Southampton College. I would sometimes do 8hr overnight shifts just cranking tunes all night long. Moved to San Francisco and did shows as a DJ at KSFS SF State University Radio. Radio certainly played a huge role in my lifetime musical education/passion 
WSL - Top 40 - Chicago, IL - 1960s
WCFL - Top 40 - Chicago, IL - 1960s
WXRT - Underground - Head Music - Chicago, IL - 1970s
WFMT - Classical - Chicago,IL - 1980s & 90s
Radio Luxembourg (208?) on an old transistor radio pressed against my ear in bed when I was a kid. Loved it as it opened up a whole world out there.