Last week, seven of our staff members took a trip to the city of brotherly love (a.k.a Philadephia) for CBI’s National Student Media Convention. This convention brought together over 500 students and advisors from around the country who work in college media.

Over the course of four days students attended sessions that covered a variety of topics such as leadership, content creation and management, public relations and brand imaging,  how to get new students involved, and how to make sure your station stays relevant. There were also several professional development sessions that focused on learning about various on and off air jobs, how to land a job in journalism, and how to build a resume reel.

In addition to attending sessions we also got to explore Philadelphia! Sophia and Max went on a group tour organized by CBI of the CBS 3 Philadelphia studio.  We also did some exploring together as a station- visiting places such as Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Reading Terminal Market, Boathouse Row, and of course the famous Rocky steps outside the Philadelphia Museum of art (Click here to watch our version of the iconic Rocky scene!)

At the end of the conference there was the National Student Media Production Awards Ceremony, where WLOY took home two awards! We won third place for Best Social Media Presence and Max (a.k.a DJ Bravo) won second place for Best DJ!

We had a great time at the convention and hope to attend to next year’s convention in Ohio!

The post WLOY’s trip to CBI NSMC in Philadelphia! first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

October 22, 1881- The Boston Symphony Orchestra had its first concert at the Old Boston Music Hall, conducted by Georg Henschel.

October 22, 1883- The original New York Metropolitan Opera house opened with a performance of Charles Gounod’s Faust. It was located on 39th and Broadway in Manhattan. The opera moved to its current home in Lincoln Center in September 1966.

October 22, 1987- The 1987 Broadway revival of the musical Cabaret opened at the Imperial Theater and ran for 262 performances. This revival saw Joel Grey return to his role as Emcee and the replacement of the song “Sitting Pretty” with the “Money, Money” song that was originally written for the 1972 film adaptation.

The post Throwback Thursday: October 22nd first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

The post CBI NSMC Overcoming the Rocky Steps first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

Time for another Throwback Thursday! Let’s see what happened on this day in music history…

October 15, 1955- The country music show Grand Ole Opry had its first TV broadcast in an hour-long live show by NBC.

October 15, 1973- Country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton released her single “Jolene.” It topped the country charts in both the US and Canada.

October 15,  1977- The band Earth, Wind & Fire released their single “Serpentine Fire” which became the Billboard Song of the Year in 1978.

The post Throwback Thursday: October 15th first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

October 8, 1948- Songwriter and guitarist Johnny Ramone was born on Long Island, New York. He was a founding member of the band the Ramones, which helped pioneer the punk movement and is considered to be one of the first punk rock bands.

October 8, 1985- The English-language production of the musical Les Misérables premiered in London at the Barbican Center. The show has been running for over 40 years in London and is the longest-running musical in West End history.

October 8, 1988- American jazz guitarist Oscar Moore died at age 64 of a heart attack. He was best known for his work as a member of the Nat King Cole Trio.

The post Throwback Thursday: October 8 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

AOTW:

Reviewed by: Mia Ciccarelle ’29

Release Date: September 4, 2026

Rating: 7/10

RIYL: Charli xcx

Review: 

The post AOTW: “Prima” by ADELA 100126 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

Let’s look and see what happened on October 1 in music history….

October 1, 1941- The musical Best Foot Forward premiers at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City. It had choreography by Gene Kelly and ran for 326 performances.

October 1, 1962- Singer Barbra Streisand signs her first recording contract.

October 1, 1967- English psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd arrives in New York ahead of their first US tour. The tour had to be canceled midway through due to co-founder Syd Barrett’s increasingly bizarre behavior.

The post Throwback Thursday: October 1 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

SOTW:

Reviewed by: Marley Lehmann ‘28

Release Date: May 1, 2026

Rating: 8.5/10

RIYL: MUNA, Paramore, Chappell Roan

Review:

The post SOTW: “Should’ve Known Better” by The Beaches first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

AOTW:

Reviewed by: Fiona Galang ‘27

Release Date: September 18, 2026

Rating: 7.5/10

RIYL: Paramore, Wolf Alice, Pinegrove

Review: 

The post AOTW: “Pylon” by beabadoobee 092426 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

Time for another Throwback Thursday!

Let’s travel back in music history and see what happened on September 24th….

September 24, 1957- “Elvis Presley released his single “Jailhouse Rock.” This song by the “King of Rock and Roll” would become the Billboard Song of the Year for 1957.

September 24, 1984- Paul McCartney released his single “No More Lonely Nights.”

September  24, 1991- Nirvana released their second studio album Nevermind. The album would reach the number one spot of US Billboard 200 in January 1992 and the lead single “Smells Like Teen Spirit” went on to be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

The post Throwback Thursday: September 24th first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

SOTW: “Romance is a Desert” by Nieve Ella

 Reviewed by: Sylvia J. Gredzinski ‘27

 Release Date: August 28, 2026

Rating: 7.5/10

RIYL: Lizzie McAlpine, Devon Gabriella, Lola Young

Review:

Nieve Ella is a 23 year old artist from England. She began making music when she found her late fathers guitar and learned to play by studying tabs online.

Her music is described as indie-pop, taking inspiration from artists like Billie Eilish and Sam Fender. She is part of the
group Loud LDN, a collective of women and gender-expansive artists based in London.

She has released many songs over the years like “Bite Back” and “Standing On A Pane Of Glass.”Her newest album How Long Will It Take? is being released on October 16, 2026.

Funnily enough I found this song scrolling Instagram reels and it immediately caught my attention. With its upbeat tune, and catchy lyrics, I clicked on the “add to playlist” button quite fast. According to Nieve Ella the song “Romance Is A Desert” was designed to be a song people could “dance and feel good to”. It did what it was intended to do. To me this song feels like driving down the highway with the windows down. It explores the feeling of being so in love that
everything else doesn’t matter, being so carefree and not worried about the consequences.

The sound is loose and liberating, meant to help you forget about everything but the present. This is a song you could play around others, and everyone would enjoy it. It’s a simple song but one that works, it’s not meant to be serious, just meant for people to listen and vibe to. Definitely worth the listen.

The post SOTW: “Romace is a Desert” by Nieve Ella first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

We are bringing back our Throwback Thursday posts this year! Each Thursday we will take a look back in time to see what important events in music history happened on that day.

To start us off, let’s look and see what happened on September 17th in music history…

September 17, 1934- RCA Victor (now RCA Records) releases the first 33 1/3 rpm recording.  It was of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra under conductor Leopold Stokowski.

September 17, 1982- “Bad to the Bone” by George Thorogood and The Destroyers is released. This song would go on to become their signature song as they performed it at every concert.

September 17, 2012- Adele’s single “Someone Like You”  goes #1 in the US. It also topped charts in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Finland, France, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, and the UK.

The post Throwback Thursday: September 17th first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

It’s that time of year again!  Nic brings you 4 hours of celebration and fireworks for the Moldie Oldies 4th of July Special.  Celebrate 250 years of oldies (no, it really just seems like it) with Nic as he throws his annual bash on Saturday night!  Fire up the barbecue and crank up WLOY.  From 7-11pm on Saturday night Nic will provide the soundtrack to your local fireworks show and party. 

Watch those temperatures if you’re on the East Coast!  Hydrate, have fun and celebrate with WLOY and the Moldie Oldies Show! 

Happy Birthday America!

The post 4th of July with Moldie Oldies first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

Throughout the year, WLOY hosted and participated in a variety of events including Open Mic Nights, Gong Karaoke, Vinylthon, and College Radio Day tabling. WLOY also brought live music to campus through performances from student artists and bands at Songwriter Skirmish and The Last Arrival concert leading up to Loyolapalooza. Beyond campus, the station participated in community events such as the Mayor’s Christmas Parade and Healthcare for the Homeless, connecting with the broader Baltimore community.

On the air, WLOY produced a wide range of student programming throughout the year, including The Mid-Morning Morning Show and After the Whistle, along with announcements from the Student Health Advisory Committee and Skyhounds. Various DJ shows aired throughout the year, highlighting student voices, music, and interests.

Across social media, WLOY shared content through series like Sound of the Hounds, Song and Album of the Week, Staff and DJ Spotlights, and Explore Baltimore. From campus interviews to music reviews and local features, WLOY continued connecting students with music across the Loyola community.

Thank you to everyone who listened, participated, and supported WLOY throughout the 25–26 academic year. To watch the full recap video, check out our Instagram.

The post WLOY 25-26 Year Recap first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

Crown Me King blends covers and original work, performing songs like “Kilby Girl” by the Backseat Lovers and their own music, including “Girl I Don’t Know.”

The band features Ben Ostrowski (guitar), Chris Martin (keys, vocals), Ed McGillicuddy (bass), Jacob White (drums), Kevin Lankford (guitar) and Zach Russell (lead vocals). Ostrowski is also a WLOY alum who served as Production Manager and hosted The Power Hour during his time at the station.

We’re always excited to highlight our amazing WLOY alumni! Be sure to check Crown Me King this Saturday and support local music.

The post Crown Me King Live at Zen West first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

SOTW: 

Reviewed by: Ciara McKeon ‘28

Release date: May 1st, 2026

Rating: 7/10

RIYL: Olivia Dean, Ravyn Lenae, RAYE

Review:

The post SOTW: “Material Lover” by Sienna Spiro 050626 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

  AOTW:

Reviewed by: Mia Ciccarelle ‘29

Release Date: January 16, 2026

Rating: 7/10

RIYL: Tate McRae, Billie Eilish

Review: 

Madison Beer, is a young American singer-songwriter who has been making music since the age of 13. She was first discovered on Youtube by Justin Bieber, and his recognition led to a large amount of public attention to Madison’s music, and also earned her a contract with Island Records. Madison has had the struggle of having to prove herself in the music industry to be more than just an internet personality. Her career and its virality, have at times overshadowed people’s seriousness towards her. In 2021, she independently released her debut album “Life Support”, followed by “Silence Between Songs” in 2023. Now, after a few years of quiet, she has released “Locket”, an album of moody pop music.

Locket is an album of emotional confessions and storytelling. It tackles stories of both heartbreak and personal growth. The production is very dramatic and intentional, with beautiful harmonies and vocal layering. The album begins with “locket theme”, an introductory instrumental song that sets the reflective tone of the rest of the songs. The lyrics of songs like “you’re still everything”, are very vulnerable and honest. This album is overall a great listen, especially for studying and rainy days.

The post AOTW: “Locket” by Madison Beer 043026 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

Review by: Yukesh Aryal (’28)

Loyolapalooza 2026 ended with a total banger this year, and it was all thanks to Ravyn Lenae. She gave her absolute all on that stage, bringing her signature “celestial” presence to our university. As a fan since 2018, this was a peak experience for me, and I honestly don’t think any other concert will ever match. 

The vibe was high from the start. She opened the set with “Sticky,” which was the perfect choice to get everyone’s energy up. From there, she took us on a journey through her whole career, playing everything from her number one hit, “Love Me Not,” all the way back to her 2015 roots with tracks from “Moon Shoes EP.” Seeing the crowd lose it to “Skin Tight” was also a highlight; the atmosphere was so unexpected, and everyone was just vibing and dancing. 

The moment that really got to me, though, was when she started talking about “One Wish.” I’ve always loved that song but hearing her explain the meaning behind it in person about her on-and-off relationship with her dad and how it felt when he missed her 10th birthday made it hit so much harder. You could see the raw emotion on her face, and listening to it live made me so emotional. It felt like she was sharing a real piece of her soul with us. 

She also kept us on our toes by mentioning her new track “Reputation” with Dominic Fike, which I’m already obsessed with. But the real treat was when she performed a completely unreleased song. The beat, the lyrics, the tone; everything about it was perfect. My friends and I were on our feet the entire time, just swaying and soaking it all in. 

Ravyn is such an amazing artist. Her setlist captured everyone’s attention and brought a vibe to the campus that I’ll never forget. If you weren’t there, you truly missed out on something special. 

The post Loyolapalooza Headliner: Ravyn Lenae first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

SOTW: 

Reviewed by:  Marley Lehmann ‘28

Release date: February 20th, 2026

Rating: 8/10

RIYL:  The Japanese House, Clairo, Faye Webster, Gracie Abrams

Review:

The post SOTW: “Nowhere Alone” by Lia Juno 042926 first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.

This week, we visited HeARTwares, a Hampden storefront created by Art with a Heart, a nonprofit that has been serving Baltimore for over 25 years through visual art. The shop has been open in Hampden for two years and offers a space where the art of students and community members can be showcased and sold. 

Art with a Heart’s mission is to “enhance the lives of people in need through visual art.” The organization works with children, youth and adults across Baltimore, offering classes and creative programming in schools, hospitals, nursing homes and other community spaces. Each year, they provide 16,000 art classes, install around 40 public art pieces and engage more than 3,000 volunteers. 

HeARTwares extends that mission into a retail space, giving young artists a platform to share and sell their work while connecting with the Baltimore community. Featured in the shop are crochet pieces, ceramics, postcards, painting and more, each reflecting the uniqueness and creativity of the maker. The space also helps ensure proceeds go back to the artists themselves. 

We spoke with Anna Gallahan, Director of Partnerships, who shared how meaningful it is to work in Hampden. She highlighted the neighborhood’s diversity and the opportunity it provides to meet and connect with new people every day. 

Art with a Heart is always looking for volunteers and also offers internship opportunities for high school and college student interested in getting involved. Learn more at https://www.artwithaheart.net/getinvolved/volunteer/. 

The post Explore Baltimore: HeARTwares by Art with a Heart first appeared on WLOY Loyola Radio.