In a conversation with Yoxford Boy about a song he was looking for, I stumbled upon this site with the full listener voted charts for each of the years listed above.

http://www.spiritofradio.ca/Charts.asp

Most things like this are really subjective so no need to discuss the merits of of the contents, but it was fun looking back and being reminded of some alternative records that had slipped from memory.

Hopefully others enjoy some of these.

[Forgot to mention, CFNY (102.1 FM) was the local alternative station in Toronto. Now called 102.1 The Edge. Hardly really alternative anymore but better than most other options]

I think they only used my old record collection to pick their worst lists from

I used to be able to pick up CFNY late at night in Wellsville sometimes. They would play a lot of great tunes. I miss that station. :(

Fun reading, great link! Looks like they went pop in 1989 just to get back to alternative in '90. Sometimes, though, people are being so concerned about being different that they become the same.

It was a great station, especially in late 70s to mid 80s. The man that changed the format to alternative was Dave Marsden, one of the more interesting Canadian radio personalities. He does a show these days only Thursday and Friday at 9pm on 94.9FM The Rock in Oshawa just east of Toronto. Interesting choice as the station is pretty much hard rock the rest of the week. He still plays some of the most eclectic selections I have ever heard. But great music.

You can listent to it online at http://www.therock.fm/ if anyone is interested.

Didn't one of the DJs who used to do an 80s club thing on what became The Edge? It seemed like someone from CFNY died of a heart attack or something recently.

Martin Streek died in early July. He was a fixture at the station until earlier this year. Did most of the weekend live-to-air club broadcasts since the mid-80s (from The Phoenix, Velvet Underground, etc.) and the Thursday 30 if I recall. Great DJ.

I forgot about that. I remember occasionally hearing him when I first moved here to Buffalo and I could get CFNY more often since it came in better here than in my hometown. :lol:

Getting into this post a little late ....

CFNY was the Cornerstone of new music in Toronto. I went to Sheridan College in Brampton in the 80's and CFNY had their famous "Video Road Shows".

Guys like Pete & Geets, Marsden and others made this station fantastic.

The only station in Toronto at the time to get you New Wave music.


C80's