Just three years after rebranding as SONiC Radio, 104.9 FM in Vancouver has changed again.
And it's a throwback in more than one way.
Where once there were alternative and modern rock songs, there are now pop throwbacks, as Rogers Radio launched KiSS Throwback in Vancouver on June 19, 2025. Prior to broadcasting as Sonic, 104.9 FM in Vancouver was the home pop station KiSS Radio.
The new brand has started playing songs like the Corrs' "Breathless," "Say You'll Be There" by the Spice Girls, and Shawn Desman's "Night Like This."
"Listen to KiSS Throwbacks for all the hits of the '90s and 2000s," reads a Sonic social media post..
The post notes that if people are fans of Sonic they can stream the broadcast out of Edmonton.
The change came with little fanfare, especially when compared to Sonic's launch in 2022. The change hadn't been announced on air in advance, and there are only a couple of posts about it on social media.
The new 104.9 music station
On its own social media pages, KiSS Throwback has announced a new slate of broadcasters, including former MuchMusic VJ Rick Campanelli as the morning show host.
Also listed are Jonny Staub (who was a local radio DJ and TV host before becoming a firefighter with the City of Surrey, according to his LinkedIn), Juliette Nunes, Bri Cook, and Greg Burns.
It appears the KiSS Throwbacks station in Vancouver is the first of its kind for Rogers Radio. Rogers also owns Jack FM, 107.1 FM Country, and Sportsnet locally. Across Canada, KiSS is one of its major brands, playing contemporary pop from Lethbridge to Ottawa.
KiSS Throwbacks has also taken over 107.5 FM in Chilliwack and 92.5 FM in Abbotsford.
KiSS has also created a KiSS Throwbacks playlist on its Spotify account.
Sonic launched with international attention
While it only lasted three years (launching on June 30, 2022), Sonic launched after pulling a stunt where the station played Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name" for 24 hours straight.
The stunt got international attention, with media outlets like Rolling Stone magazine and London's The Guardian covering the story. Many on social media speculated that after the on-air staff from KiSS 104.9 FM were let go on June 28 a staff member had taken over the station.
Pioneering AI
Sonic was also one of the first radio stations in Canada to use AI on air.
"Where it makes sense, we have the AI voice identify themselves as AI to our listeners," stated a spokesperson in a previous email to V.I.A. "The introduction of testing AI components on some of our radio stations is additive to and augments around our existing on-air radio talent."
