KPOI was first on in Hawaii as KPOI 98 Rock.
KPOI-FM (KPOI 105.9 ) is a classic rock

Classic rock

Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...

 station based in Honolulu, Hawaii

Honolulu, Hawaii

Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...

, USA. The Ohana Broadcasting outlet broadcasts at 105.9 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW. In 2010 the company returned to straight "classic rock". It is also transmitting on Oceanic Time Warner Cable

Time Warner Cable

Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...

 digital channel 857 for the entire state of Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

.

History

105.9 FM, Honolulu was a vision by friends, entertainment entrepreneur Edward "Chip"(Uehara)- Tilton and veteran Hawaii radio personality Jacqueline L. "Skylark" Rossetti, who created Kasa Moku Ka Pawa Broadcasting Inc, a Delaware Corp. At this time, The FCC opened a new Class C license window for Honolulu in early 1987 and KMKP was formed to pursue the opportunity, vying with 13 other original applicants.Under the then FCC policy of integration and diversification of broadcast ownership almost 11 years of documenting, negotiating , slugging and compensating...KMKP's mana and business plan for a Hawaii oriented live music and roving DJ format, prevailed as FCC Broadcast Station Construction Permit was issued Feb 8, 199. Transmitter/antenna Equipment was conceived by engineers Clayton Caughill and son Cris, and constructed by JAMPRO and Broadcast Electronics.Initial tests conducted and documented and finally, License to broadcast for BLH-20000706ADU awarded July 21, 2000. At the same time, KMKP sold the License, but not the business plan, and:
The station signed on the air in 2000 as Active rock

Active rock

Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...

 KAHA, "Lava Rock." That format changed in 2002 when it shifted to classic rock. They would also pick up the KPOI

KHNR-FM

KHNR is a News/Talk radio station serving Honolulu, Hawaii. The Salem Communications outlet broadcasts at 690 kHz with a power level of 10,000 watts.-History:...

 calls in 2004 after that station flipped formats to news

News

News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...

/talk radio

Talk radio

Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...

.

Format and content shift

Around June 2010, KPOI made a shift in format, adding to their playlist more B-side

A-side and B-side

A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...

 tracks, '80s rock, '90s alternative, complete/uncut songs, and metal.

The station played hits by the likes of Metallica

Metallica

Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...

, Nirvana

Nirvana (band)

Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...

, Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...

, and Soundgarden

Soundgarden

Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...

 and rarities from groups like Jethro Tull

Jethro Tull (band)

Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...

, The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

, and Canned Heat

Canned Heat

Canned Heat is a blues-rock/boogie rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965. The group has been noted for its own interpretations of blues material as well as for efforts to promote the interest in this type of music and its original artists...

as well as extended, uncut plays of "Moby Dick" and "Light My Fire" to its listeners.

KPOI 105.9 plays station identification shout-outs using local business owners, musicians, and personalities.