Continuing on with the WHFS obituaries … Today marks the first full day in over 20 years that FM 99.1 has not carried HFS. It could be argued that the end of WHFS was inevitable. The station began going downhill some time ago — perhaps at the introduction of “Loveline” in the place of the Top 11 at 11, the inexplicable addition of Metallica to the playlist, or the mainstreaming of alternative music in the early 1990s. Still, the loss of HFS marks a sad day for D.C. radio. The station held a special place in the hearts of many locals. HFS introduced us to Nirvana, The Stone Roses, Husker Dü, U2, or The Clash. It was where we heard local music on Sunday nights, the refrain of “if we can make it here, we can make it in Landover” connecting us, however slightly, to the D.C. music scene. Yearly HFStivals gave us the chance to check out bands like Pavement, Rage Against the Machine, and the Violent Femmes all on the same stage. DCist wonders where today’s angsty middle schoolers will turn for real counter-cultural alternative rock, the kind that HFS hasn’t played in many years. There is some hope on the horizon, according to DCRTV:

A well-placed source tells DCRTV that Steve Kingston, head of Empire Broadcasting, is looking to snatch up Mega’s Spanish 94.3 FM, WBPS, in Warrenton and pair it with the 94.3, currently country WINX, in the Annapolis area for a relaunched alternative rock WRNR, now that WHFS has bit the dust. WINX would move to WRNR’s current 103.1 FM Annapolis area frequency….

Though this is a bit of good news, the truth is that the storied history of the call letters HFS may have come to an end. As tribute, DCists offer thoughts and memories of the station. Readers, feel free to leave your own tributes in the comments.

(Photo taken in the former WHFS parking lot on 1/13/05)