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| KMET | |
|---|---|
| Name | KMET |
| City | Los Angeles, California |
| Area | Greater Los Angeles |
| Branding | "The Mighty Met" |
| Airdate | 1966 |
| Last airdate | 1987 |
| Format | Album-oriented rock |
| Owner | Metromedia (final) |
| Frequency | 94.7 FM |
| Callsign meaning | Legacy calls, re-used by other stations |
KMET
KMET was a commercial FM radio station in Los Angeles, California, that achieved prominence as a leading album-oriented rock outlet from the late 1960s through the 1970s and into the mid-1980s. The station became synonymous with the Southern California rock scene, influencing listeners, musicians, and competing broadcasters across the United States. KMET's audience connected the station to concert promoters, record labels, and venue operators, helping shape popular music culture in the region.
KMET began life in the mid-1960s amid the expansion of FM broadcasting in the United States and the rise of album-oriented rock formats pioneered by stations such as KMPX (FM) and KSAN (FM). Under ownership changes that included corporate entities like Metromedia, the station evolved from automated music programming toward a personality-driven approach, mirroring trends at WNEW-FM (FM) and WBCN (FM). KMET's rise coincided with the growth of the Los Angeles music scene, alongside institutions like Sunset Strip clubs and festival promoters, and it participated in the ecosystem that supported acts associated with Warner Bros. Records, Asylum Records, and Capitol Records. By the mid-1970s KMET had established itself as a ratings presence, competing with stations such as KIIS-FM and KLOS.
The station's fortunes shifted during the 1980s as consolidation in the broadcasting industry and changing audience tastes favored different formats exemplified by stations like KMPC and corporate strategies from groups such as Westinghouse Electric Corporation and CBS Radio. In 1987 the station underwent a format and personnel overhaul that ended the KMET era on 94.7 FM; the frequency later became home to other brands and formats, reflecting broader trends set by entities like Infinity Broadcasting and Emmis Communications.
KMET specialized in an album-oriented rock playlist that balanced mainstream acts and deeper album cuts, drawing from catalogs of labels including Atlantic Records, Columbia Records, and Island Records. The station featured long-form tracks from artists such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, The Who, Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, and Neil Young while also supporting contemporary acts from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Stevie Nicks, and The Police. Specialty programs included freeform evenings, live concert broadcasts from venues like The Roxy Theatre (West Hollywood) and The Whiskey a Go Go, and syndicated rock shows comparable to offerings on King Biscuit Flower Hour.
Programming decisions were influenced by promotion teams at major record companies, tour schedules managed by promoters such as Bill Graham and William Morris Agency, and trends in listener demographics tracked by ratings services like Arbitron. KMET also engaged in promotional stunts and listener contests that mirrored practices at contemporary stations such as WNEW (AM).
KMET's on-air personalities and staff became local celebrities and influencers in the music business. DJs and hosts who worked at the station included figures who later moved to other outlets or media, interacting professionally with artists managed by agencies like IMG and touring circuits organized by promoters such as A&M Concerts. Engineers, program directors, and music directors at KMET coordinated with the offices of labels such as RCA Records and Epic Records to curate playlists and secure promotional interviews with artists represented by agencies including CAA.
Several alumni went on to roles in television and film production, advertising, and station management, integrating with industries centered around Hollywood and corporate offices in downtown Los Angeles. The station’s news and traffic reporters established connections with municipal institutions like the Los Angeles Police Department and California Highway Patrol for live updates and public-service segments.
KMET hosted and promoted concerts, charity events, and listener parties that tied into the regional live-music infrastructure centered on venues like Hollywood Palladium and festivals modeled on events such as Woodstock and California Jam. The station collaborated with nonprofit efforts and benefit concerts associated with causes endorsed by musicians and cultural institutions, partnering with local media outlets including Los Angeles Times and Variety for publicity.
Through remote broadcasts, sponsored stages, and tie-ins with record stores such as Tower Records (US) and retail chains influenced by the retail strategies of Record Store Day precursors, KMET helped drive ticket sales and record purchases, contributing to the commercial viability of touring circuits featuring artists from labels like MCA Records and Geffen Records.
Operating on 94.7 MHz FM, KMET transmitted from facilities that provided broad coverage across the Greater Los Angeles area, reaching suburbs and adjacent counties including Orange County, California, Ventura County, California, and parts of San Bernardino County, California. Its effective radiated power and transmitter siting were consistent with regional FM allocations overseen by the Federal Communications Commission, and engineering staff coordinated antenna patterns and tower leases with broadcasters operating in the same market such as KLAC and KROQ-FM successors. Signal propagation studies took into account terrain features like the Santa Monica Mountains and San Gabriel Mountains to optimize metropolitan penetration and highway coverage.
KMET’s branding—epitomized by nicknames like "The Mighty Met"—left a lasting imprint on Southern California popular culture, influencing subsequent formats and inspiring nostalgia-driven reunions, tributes, and documentary projects produced by media companies and independent filmmakers working with archives from entities such as American Public Media and private collectors. Its legacy is reflected in the careers of its alumni, the continued prominence of the 94.7 frequency in the Los Angeles market, and the way modern rock and classic-rock stations reference historic playlists and promotional models established by KMET and peer stations like KLOS (AM).
Category:Radio stations in Los Angeles Category:Album-oriented rock radio stations in the United States