Boston’s Emerson College station combines independent daytime music with four hours of human-hosted R&B, soul, and slow jams every night.
By Carl Hale, The Audio Concierge | Web Radio Info
Some radio stations remain inside one musical lane from morning until night. WERS 88.9 FM changes character as the day unfolds.
During daylight hours, the Boston station concentrates on alternative, independent and adult album alternative music. At 10:00 p.m. Eastern, the guitars give way to R&B, classic soul and slow jams as Howard “D Danubian” Simpson opens The Secret Spot.
That daily transition makes WERS unusually useful for listeners who enjoy musical discovery but do not want an anonymous stream repeating the same narrow playlist around the clock.
WERS is operated from Emerson College near Boston Common. The station describes itself as student-run and professionally managed. Students gain practical broadcasting experience while working alongside professional staff members who provide continuity, training and editorial guidance.
The result sounds more structured than a typical student station but retains the curiosity and variety that make college radio worth exploring.
Alternative and Independent Music During the Day
WERS uses an adult album alternative format through much of the weekday schedule. The station mixes established performers with independent artists, new recordings, local Boston musicians and selections that receive less exposure on commercial radio.
Its daytime sound can move through alternative rock, folk, singer-songwriters and related styles without becoming a conventional Top 40 station. That distinction matters. WERS is built around discovery rather than simply repeating the most familiar current releases.
Student presenters are part of the station’s on-air identity, while professional broadcasters and managers help maintain a consistent service. Listeners hear real people introducing music and developing the skills required for careers in radio and other media.
WERS also presents interviews and live studio performances. Its specialty programming expands further during evenings and weekends, covering more than 20 musical styles along with cultural, spiritual and public-affairs programs.
R&B Takes Over After Dark
At 10:00 p.m. Eastern every night, WERS changes direction for The Secret Spot.
The program runs until 2:00 a.m. and combines smooth R&B, vintage soul and slow jams. Its musical range connects foundational voices such as Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye with D’Angelo, Beyoncé, Janelle Monáe, H.E.R. and other artists who have carried the music forward.
This is not simply a short specialty hour tucked into the weekend schedule. WERS gives the format four hours every night, providing a dependable destination for listeners who want R&B and soul after most daytime programs have ended.
Howard Simpson hosts and programs the show under the name D Danubian. He is an Emerson College graduate who first became involved with radio as a student and later spent 15 years developing his skills in commercial broadcasting. He returned to WERS in 2007 and became the station’s general manager in 2021.
That history gives The Secret Spot an experienced human guide. Simpson understands both the music and the tradition of Black radio in Boston. His selections can place a current R&B recording beside an older soul performance and allow listeners to hear the relationship between them.
For a relaxed evening, begin listening shortly after 10:00 p.m. The early portion can still carry energy from the day before the program settles more deeply into slow jams overnight.
Three Streams and More R&B
The WERS application provides three separate listening choices:
- 88.9 WERS, carrying the main alternative, R&B and specialty schedule
- ERS+, an R&B and hip-hop service identified as Boston’s Black Experience
- Standing Room Only, a dedicated stream for musical theater
ERS+ gives R&B listeners an additional option outside the four-hour Secret Spot schedule. It combines legendary soul voices with contemporary R&B and hip-hop artists, extending that part of WERS’s musical identity into a continuous service.
Standing Room Only is entirely different, but its presence demonstrates the breadth of the station’s digital operation. A single application can move from independent rock to R&B, hip-hop or musical theater.
The free WERS application is available for Apple and Android devices. It supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, allowing listeners to open the station from a compatible vehicle display. The application also includes program schedules, recent playlists and selected archived shows.
Listeners using a computer can hear the streams through the WERS listening page.
Listening Again
WERS maintains an archive of selected specialty programs. Available recordings can include The Secret Spot, Wicked Local Wednesday, Chagigah, The Coffeehouse, The Salt Lick Sessions and Standing Room Only.
The archive should not be interpreted as a complete recording of every hour broadcast on 88.9 FM. Availability can vary by program and date. It still gives listeners a meaningful way to sample recent specialty shows or return to a program they missed.
That distinction is important for the Web Radio Info rating. A station does not need to preserve every minute of its schedule indefinitely to offer useful on-demand listening. WERS provides enough recent specialty programming to make its archive part of the overall service rather than a neglected collection of occasional clips.
Web Radio Info Rating: 5 Stars
WERS earns a 5-star Web Radio Info rating.
The station offers continuous programming, a detailed weekly schedule, individual show descriptions, identifiable human hosts, selected programs on demand and several clearly organized listening routes.
Its combination of student participation and professional management adds another strength. The station is not hiding the people behind its programming. Listeners can identify the presenters, learn about the staff and understand how Emerson students contribute to the broadcasts.
You can read how Web Radio Info evaluates stations on our Station Ratings page.
The Audio Concierge Recommendation
Start with The Secret Spot at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.
The program is the clearest example of what distinguishes WERS from a generic alternative station. Its four-hour nightly schedule allows R&B and soul to become a major part of the station’s identity rather than an occasional specialty.
D Danubian brings experience and musical continuity to the program, while the selections stretch across generations. A listener could encounter Marvin Gaye, D’Angelo and H.E.R. during the same evening and hear how the sound changes without losing its roots.
During the day, return to WERS for independent and alternative discovery. If you want more R&B outside The Secret Spot, move to ERS+ through the station’s website or application.
WERS works especially well for listeners who miss stations with genuine shifts in mood. Daytime alternative music feels different from the late-night R&B service, yet both sides are connected by human presentation and a willingness to explore beyond the most predictable songs.
That combination makes WERS one of the strongest new station recommendations for both alternative-rock and R&B listeners.
Programming and listening information were verified on August 13, 2026. Schedules, hosts and archive availability may change.