Your affable (and somewhat addled) co-hosts Dave and Damian have been trapped inside the Big Bush for many moons (and a few Moonpies) but we broke free to chat with Nils Illokken, Music Director and DJ for Inhailer Radio, about the upcoming Inhailer Indie 500. If you remember the 97X Modern Rock 500, Inhailer’s Indie 500 is an updated version of that annual Memorial Day Weekend countdown.

Back in 2023, Inhailer hosted the 40th anniversary Modern Rock 500, with 97X DJs from throughout the station’s rich history hosting the countdown of the top songs played during the 97X and woxy.com era (1983-2010).

You can listen to the archive of that broadcast here.

Last year, Inhailer launched the Indie 500, which added in songs from 2010 to the present… picking up the torch from 97X and WNKU’s annual “Top 89.”

And this year, the cool kids at Inhailer have added a new twist to put even more great tunes into the mix… and to extend the fun to more than a full week!

We chatted with Nils about the Indie 500, his background in broadcasting, how Inhailer got started, how he finds the artists that Inhailer plays, and much more.

You can read more about Nils on the Inhailer website and in this music director profile from a trade publication.

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