How to Listen to KEXP Online: Live Stream, Archive, and Podcasts

Updated

You can listen to KEXP online in three ways: the Listen Live stream on kexp.org (choose 64Kbps standard or 160Kbps higher quality), the Streaming Archive for past programming, and the Podcasts section for on-demand episodes like Live on KEXP, El Sonido, and The Runcast. All three are reachable from the site's main navigation, and no account is mentioned as required to start a stream.

Listening live

  1. Go to kexp.org and open the Listen menu (or select Listen Live directly).
  2. Pick your stream quality in the player's Volume Settings:
    • 64Kbps – standard quality, lighter on bandwidth.
    • 160Kbps – higher quality, better if your connection is stable.
  3. Press play. The player shows the current track and a running time indicator (for example, "0:00 / 5 min").

Expected result: audio starts within the embedded player on the page. If the stream stalls, switching from 160Kbps down to 64Kbps is the first thing to try, since the lower bitrate tolerates weaker connections.

Replaying past shows

The Streaming Archive (listed under Listen in the site menu) holds previously aired programming. Use it when you missed a set or want to revisit a specific show rather than catch whatever is on now. Pair it with the Shows, Schedule, and DJs pages to figure out what aired and when — the schedule tells you which program occupies a given time slot, and the DJ pages identify who hosts it.

Podcasts and on-demand series

The Podcasts section collects KEXP's episodic content. Current examples from the site:

Podcast What it covers
Live on KEXP In-studio sessions, e.g. Austin TV live on KEXP
In Our Headphones New music discovery, hosted picks
El Sonido: Cancioneros KEXP's Latin music podcast
The Runcast Running music with host John Richards

Each entry has a Listen Now link, so you can play an episode without hunting through the archive.

Live in-studio sessions and events

Some sessions are open to the public and also streamed or published afterward. Upcoming listings on the site include:

  • Sept. 23 – Iguana Death Cult, LIVE on KEXP (open to the public), KEXP Studio (NW Rooms)
  • Sept. 25 – Hermanos Gutiérrez, LIVE (Gathering Space), KEXP Gathering Space
  • Oct. 13 – Kelsey Lu, LIVE on KEXP (open to the public), KEXP Studio (NW Rooms)
  • Nov. 9 – Genesis Owusu, LIVE on KEXP (open to the public), KEXP Studio (NW Rooms)

If you can't attend, these sessions typically surface through the Live on KEXP podcast or the streaming archive.

Quick answers

Do I need to pay or sign in to listen? The site describes KEXP as listener-powered and nonprofit, with donation prompts ("You Power KEXP! Make a Gift Today"). The available page information does not state that listening requires payment or a login, so treat access as open unless the site tells you otherwise at the player.

Which quality should I choose? Start at 160Kbps; drop to 64Kbps on mobile data, weak Wi-Fi, or if the stream buffers.

Where do I find what's on right now? The Schedule page, plus the live player's track display.