Q104 104.3 FM: Halifax’s Rock of the Atlantic and the Beating Heart of CFRQ-FM
Halifax may be famous for fog and lobster rolls, but for four decades its true pulse has come from CFRQ-FM—better known as Q104, “The Rock of the Atlantic.” Since signing on in November 1983, the 104.3 FM frequency has blasted an unapologetic mix of classic and modern rock across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, forging a loyal following that treats the station less like a playlist and more like a maritime institution. Google “Q104 Halifax live” and you will find thousands of listeners streaming the signal from as far away as Calgary or Cardiff, eager to stay connected to an East Coast soundtrack that never grows old.
Mornings kick off with BJ & The Q Morning Crew, whose razor-sharp banter and Halifax-centric traffic updates turn commutes along the Macdonald Bridge into rolling comedy sets. Mid-day host Anna Zee keeps office cubicles buzzing with deep cuts by Rush, AC/DC, and The Glorious Sons, while afternoon legend Tom Bedell revs up the drive-home with “The Electric Lunch” request hour. Evenings belong to “Route 104,” a showcase for Atlantic Canadian rock that gives emerging Cape Breton guitar heroes coveted airplay beside Sloan and April Wine.
Q104’s impact extends well beyond the studio on Göttingen Street. Annual events like the Q Toy Drive, the Turkey Run, and the iconic Q104 Bike Drop raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for local children’s charities and food banks. The station is also ground zero for Halifax concert culture, partnering with Scotiabank Centre and the Halifax Oval to bring acts like Metallica, The Trews, and Matt Mays to town. When Hurricane Fiona battered the coast in 2022, Q104 flipped instantly into emergency-service mode, providing power-outage updates and shelter information long before official press conferences.
Technologically, CFRQ-FM pairs its 100,000-watt transmitter on Geizers Hill with a low-latency livestream, a dedicated iOS/Android app, and smart-speaker commands such as “Play Q104 Halifax.” SEO-optimized show pages—“CFRQ-FM playlist,” “Halifax classic rock station,” “Q104 contest”—keep the brand front-and-centre on search results, ensuring that new fans find the station as easily as old-school listeners twist the dial.
Whether you are cruising the Bedford Highway, welding on a Dartmouth shipyard, or homesick in Vancouver, Q104 104.3 FM delivers the riffs, local news, and community spirit that define Halifax—rocking the Atlantic one power chord at a time.
