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If you’re a Husker seeking out the latest in new music, the best place to go looking might seem a little retro — 90.3 KRNU, Nebraska’s college radio station for over 50 years.
As music director for KRNU, which is part of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications' Experience Lab, senior Dalton Dailey found an outlet for his deep passion for music while also growing his professional skillset.
“There’s so much amazing music out there that doesn’t get the attention it deserves,” Dailey said. “The thing radio has over streaming services is that you could be discovering some really cool stuff that apps won't recommend to you — your algorithm might just keep showing you the same type of music you already listen to.”
Dailey is in charge of curating the music that plays on KRNU. It's a tricky balance that involves synthesizing his own array of tastes, what’s trending in the world of music and what promoters are encouraging him to check out.
“Every week, I have to rank and chart 10 new albums, which involves a lot of communicating with promoters to stay up to date on what they’re sending, then filling in the gaps with things I find on my own,” he said.
Dailey has always been a music obsessive (he keeps a spreadsheet of every album he’s listened to since high school), but he credits participating in the Experience Lab as the reason he’s been able to leverage his passions into a role that supports the broader KRNU team.
“Before joining the Experience Lab, I was a lot quieter and had a harder time talking to people,” he said. “It’s really given me a sense of community and helped me be better at being part of a team. There are so many opportunities to try whatever you want and be creative as a group.”
Dailey's eye-catching, energetic videos on KRNU’s social media are evidence that the experience has brought him out of his shell and allowed him to express his creativity. Engagement with the videos, which often recommend new music, also helps him gauge his success.
“When people save my videos so they can go back and find the music, that’s how I know what’s working,” Dailey said. “Being people’s gateway to new music and having them respond to it is, for me, the best feeling.”
