Glory days of radio

Back in our school days, FM radio was a huge part of our lives. Having a small, battery-operated radio felt like owning something really special. We’d even make handmade cards and take them to the radio station, hoping they’d play our song requests and dedications for our friends and family. The thrill of hearing our names on air was priceless, and our redial buttons were worn out from trying to connect with our favorite RJs!

Radio wasn’t just about music; it introduced us to a whole new world of sound. It introduced many of us to Western music for the first time, sparking a love for artists like Michael Learns to Rock, Nirvana, Metallica, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Spice Girls, Boyzone, Backstreet Boys, and the Eagles, among others. We loved them so much that we had posters of them on our bedroom walls. We’d buy cassettes and songbooks and spending hours memorizing the words to our favorite songs. 

FM radios played crucial role in shaping the music tastes of our generation.

Television was a luxury back then, and access to MTV that played music videos was limited. Affording to buy cassettes and bringing MTV to their home was out of reach for many. In contrast, radio was widely accessible and reliable, playing an essential role in shaping the music tastes of our generation.

I think the late 1990s and early 2000s were the golden years of radio in Nepal. There weren’t many FM stations, but the ones we had were super popular. You had to wait for a specific show to hear your favorite bands and artists, which made it all the more exciting. But things have changed with the internet. Now we can listen to any song, any time, without waiting for a radio program. I’m not even sure if radio is still a big deal. I don’t hear kids talking about rock bands like we used to. Maybe there aren’t many new rock bands, or maybe today’s music just feels different.

A couple of months ago, I bought a basic keypad phone with a built-in wireless FM radio. It had been years since I’d listened to any of those old channels. To my surprise, there are scores of FM stations in Kathmandu now, and some of the ones from our school days are still around. But I didn’t recognize any of the RJs’ voices. And honestly, the phone conversations on air don’t sound as good as they used to. It’s strange – I feel like a stranger to the radio world that used to mean so much to me.