PURE ROCK KNAC
KNAC was the first major-market FM station in the U.S. to dedicate itself entirely tohard rock and heavy metal, long before the genre gained full mainstream acceptance. Unlike sanitized rock stations, KNAC embraced the intensity and edge of the music, with a playlist that featured:
- Glam metal staples like Mötley Crüe, Ratt, and Poison
- Thrash and speed metal from Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax
- Emerging grunge and alt-metal acts like Soundgarden and Alice in Chains
- Deep cuts and fan favorites that other stations ignored
This fearless programming helped launch and sustain careers, giving airtime to artists who were often blacklisted by more conservative corporate outlets.
Recent Posts
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Wings Of Steel
Enter to win a pair of tickets to see Wings of Steel at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, Friday, February 20th! Forged in Los Angeles by vocalist Leo Unnermark and guitarist Parker Halub, Wings…
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playlist 2026.02.11
… and now, “on with the countdown” … HEAVY Def Leppard – Rejoice Deftones – Infinite Source Guns N’ Roses – Nothin’ Megadeth – Let There Be Shred Rob Zombie – (I’m…
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playlist 2026.02.04
Let’s Rock The Supergame Weekend! HEAVY Deftones – Infinite Source Mammoth – The Spell Megadeth – Let There Be Shred Rob Zombie – (I’m a) Rock N Roller Def Leppard – Rejoice…
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KNAC40 Photos
Here’s all the pro pictures from our fearless photog Ellen Zuckerman. https://www.facebook.com/ezsnapsphotos/
Rock Report: Poison
Remember that talk about a Poison 40th Anniversary tour? Yeah. About that … The Rock Report with Mel is the no-holds-barred music news segment airing on Pure Rock KNAC, the station that cranks up the volume…
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playlist 2026.01.28
Here’s what’s on this week … HEAVY Def Leppard – Rejoice ➕ Deftones – Infinite Source Mammoth – The Spell Megadeth – Let There Be Shred Three Days Grace – Kill Me…
SCRAPBOOK
FROM THE VAULTS
A flashback from February 15, 1995.
On KNAC’s final day in 1995, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich dropped by the studio to show their support as theBryan Schock signed off with Metallica’s “Fade To Black.” Then, at 1:59 pm on February 15th, KNAC went off the air with a short farewell message from general managerGary Price: “This is KNAC Long Beach-Los Angeles. KNAC’s Pure Rock is now signing off. Thanks for your support. You have been the greatest.”