Dance 89.5 Launches in Seattle as C89.5 Rebrands

 A Seattle radio institution just got a new name. Nathan Hale High School’s C89.5 KNHC officially relaunched this morning as Dance 89.5.

What We Know: The station rebranded with a new positioner — “Seattle’s Party Radio.” Leadership says the tagline more clearly reflects the station’s role as the soundtrack to Seattle’s dance music community. The C89.5 brand first debuted in 1983, with the station’s focus on dance music beginning around the same time. The station has served the Seattle community since 1971.

What They Said: General Manager June Fox addressed the change directly. “While our name is changing, our mission remains the same,” she said. “Dance 89.5 reflects who we’ve always been: a station dedicated to dance music, community, and creating memorable experiences for our listeners and students,” Fox added that the rebrand reflects the station’s excitement about bringing people together through music.

What Remains Unclear: The timeline for executing the station’s broader ambitions hasn’t been publicly outlined. Leadership has signaled long-term goals to become a global leader in electronic dance music. How quickly the station plans to scale its live events, artist partnerships, and digital content remains to be seen.

What It Means: Dance 89.5 is planting a bigger flag in the EDM space. The rebrand signals a shift from local institution to global contender. However, the station’s roots still matter here — community connection remains central to its identity. That balance between local mission and global vision will define what comes next.

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David Hill

David Hill serves as a Music Radio Editor, Columnist and Features writer for Barrett Media. A radio lifer with more than 30 years behind the mic, in the control room, and in the program director’s chair, David’s career spans influential stops at brands such as WIYY 98 Rock, WBAL-AM, and 99X. He has worked across multiple formats and ownership groups, including iHeartMedia and Cumulus Media, developing talent, breaking music, and navigating every major industry shift from diary to PPM and terrestrial dominance to streaming disruption. When he’s not writing or analyzing the industry, Dave runs The Tune Farm, a marketing firm built to help artists and brands grow audience the same way great radio always has—by creating connection, not just impressions. He can be reached at David@BarrettMedia.com.