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JOAV-FM
J-WAVE logo (2020 - ).svg
Broadcast area Greater Tokyo Area
Frequency 81.3 MHz
Branding 81.3 J-Wave
Programming
Language(s) Japanese
Format Contemporary hit radio–J-pop–C-pop
Affiliations Japan FM League
Ownership
Owner J-Wave Inc. (owned by Credit Saison, Nippon Broadcasting System, Kyodo News, and other stakeholders)
History
First air date
 August 1, 1988
(37 years ago) (1988-08-01)
Call sign meaning
 J-Wave
Technical information
Power 7,000 watts
ERP 57,000 watts
HAAT 632.2 meters (2,074 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 35°42′35.93″N 139°48′38.35″E / 35.7099806°N 139.8106528°E / 35.7099806; 139.8106528
Repeater(s) Minato 88.3 MHz
Links
Webcast
  • J-Wave on radiko
  • J-Wave on Ustream

J-Wave is a popular radio station in Tokyo, Japan. It broadcasts on 81.3 FM from the famous Tokyo Skytree. This station plays a lot of music, including J-pop (Japanese pop), C-pop (Chinese pop), and Western music.

J-Wave is known for being one of the most listened-to FM radio stations in Tokyo. It even became more popular than some older AM stations in 2008. The station started broadcasting in October 1988. It is part of a group of commercial radio stations called the Japan FM League (JFL).

What Makes J-Wave Special?

J-Wave's main slogan is "The Best Music on the Planet." The people who host the shows, like DJs, are called "navigators" ("navigators" (ナビゲーター, nabigētā)).

The station's music style is similar to what is called Top 40 or CHR in other countries. This means they play the most popular songs right now.

  • J-Wave uses many short musical sounds, called jingles, between programs and commercials.
  • These jingles usually have the same tune and play at the same volume.
  • Since 1994, J-Wave has also broadcast its shows using satellites.
  • Some of its programs are even played on smaller community radio stations across Japan.
  • The American musician Richard Burmer created a special instrumental song called "Across The View" for J-Wave. This song plays when the station finishes broadcasting for the day.

J-Wave's History

J-Wave officially started as a company on December 10, 1987. They began testing their broadcasts on August 1, 1988. On October 1, 1988, at 5 AM, they started broadcasting regularly from Tokyo Tower.

J-Wave was the 27th FM radio station to launch in Japan and the second in Tokyo. The name "J-WAVE" came from a record store called WAVE in Roppongi.

Unlike other radio stations that focused more on talking, J-Wave wanted to play "more music, less talk." This unique style helped them gain many fans. They played music almost non-stop, with only short breaks for news, traffic, and weather.

At that time, Japanese law said that radio programs had to be at least 20% talk and continuity, and no more than 80% music. J-Wave also helped make the term "J-pop" popular. This term describes Japanese pop music and later led to the term "K-pop" for Korean pop music.

Around 1995, J-Wave brought in new hosts to make the station feel fresh and exciting. The term "J-POP" became widely used for popular Japanese music. The station also started airing special programs to attract more listeners.

On October 1, 2003, J-Wave moved its main office to the 33rd floor of the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower in Minato, Tokyo.

On April 23, 2012, J-Wave moved its main broadcasting antenna from Tokyo Tower to the Tokyo Skytree. This change also increased their broadcasting power.

J-Wave Navigators (DJs)

Here are some popular "Navigators" who hosted daily shows on J-Wave between 1988 and 1993:

  • Jon Kabira
  • Carole Hisasue
  • Chris Peppler
  • Cara Jones
  • Barry White
  • Mike Rogers (producer)

Popular Programs

Tokio Hot 100

J-Wave has its own music chart called the Tokyo Hot 100 singles chart. This chart is created using data from Billboard Japan. It includes information like how many times songs are streamed, downloaded, watched as music videos, and sold as CDs. It also counts how many times songs are mentioned on Twitter. This chart is different from other Japanese music charts like Oricon. There is also a TV version of the Tokyo Hot 100 chart shown on MTV Japan.

Other Shows

  • Saude Saudade

Song of the Year (Slam Jam)

J-Wave also had a "Song of the Year" award, sometimes called "Slam Jam." Here are some of the winning songs:

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: J-Wave para niños

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