THE 2026 INHAILER INDIE 500 COUNTDOWN AIRS THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
- nickinhailer
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Inhailer Radio is excited to announce the airing of the 2026 Indie 500 countdown, happening Memorial Day weekend, from 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM Saturday, May 23rd – Monday May 25th, 2026, on WGUC 90.9 FM HD3 in the Cincinnati area and worldwide on Inhailer.com.
The Indie 500 features the best alternative and indie songs from the 1970s to today, offering the perfect musical backdrop to the holiday weekend. Adding to the excitement, Inhailer is hosting a Final Laps listening party at
Braxton Factory 52 starting at 3:00 PM on Monday, May 25th. Celebrate the “best of the best” alt/indie music and enjoy trivia, contests and more with local Inhailer DJs and fellow music fans.
Following the huge success of the 40th anniversary airing of the 97X Modern Rock 500 in 2023, Inhailer reimagined and rebranded the countdown as the Indie 500 starting in 2024. Record-breaking listenership and positive feedback resulted in Inhailer’s decision to carry on the beloved tradition, bringing back former 97X personalities as hosts along with the Inhailer DJ staff each year and a few extra special guests as well.
To build the 2026 list, Inhailer took the most data driven approach yet; drawing on eight years of NACC (North American College and Community Radio Chart) data spanning 2018 through 2025 — more than 340 weekly charts documenting every record the station championed. That data was combined with a comprehensive vote from Inhailer's DJ roster, in which DJs submitted ranked lists of their personal favorites from across the station's entire catalog. The result is a countdown that reflects not just what the station has played, but what it has believed in — year after year, artist after artist.
The 500 songs span six decades and include artists such as The National, Wet Leg, The Strokes, Big Thief, Vampire Weekend, MJ Lenderman, Alvvays, Dehd, Japanese Breakfast, and Beach House, alongside foundational acts like Joy Division, The Smiths, Talking Heads, The Clash, Pixies, and Radiohead — a lineup that maps the full arc of independent music from its roots to its present. So, join us as the green flag drops on the 2026 Indie 500 and celebrate
independent music May 23 - 25th.