College radio stations are notorious for playing the same pop tracks over and over again, but 88.9 FM WRDL was one of the few colleges to mix it up last weekend.

Vinylthon is an event that Ashland University’s radio station has taken part in for four years now after past success. The event requires that the station be manned for 24 hours straight in order to run smoothly.

College Radio Foundation is one of the background supporters of the event. They take donations and give grants to several college stations across the country.

This is the opportunity for small-town colleges to shine as they put time and commitment into this day by collecting records and creating playlists that will last 24 hours.

Only 12 other college radio stations around the country have followed through with the concept- making it an annual tradition.

Music ranged anywhere from Buddy Holly to jazz tunes brought in by Journalism and Digital Media’s very own Department Chair, Dave McCoy.

“I believe that it [vinylthon] is important for not only WRDL but for the entire journalism and digital media program”, said McCoy.

The records have to be cleaned and put back in the sleeve without so much as a scratch, so the process of playing records is more than simply placing the needle down on the surface of the vinyl. There are always at least two people in the radio station ensuring everything runs smoothly.

McCoy refers to this as a “pressure situation” because it requires much preparation and patience.

12 DJs participated in this event, all contributing their time and their voice for several hours at a time. Each DJ chose a certain decade and prepared subjects to talk about in their allotted time.

To many, the vinylthon marks their favorite day on campus, with endless music played from an era that appeals to many students. These records are a taste of the past, which college radio has not been able to introduce as much in the last few years.