The Rock streams alternative, classic, hard and pop rock live from New Zealand, calling itself the country's number one destination for rock music and backing that claim with the largest TikTok following of any radio brand in the country. Press play on Radio Shuffle and it streams instantly, free, with no account or app download required.
Started in a radio station basement in Hamilton
The Rock first went to air on December 1, 1991 as The Rock 93FM in Hamilton, founded by Joe Dennehy, Grant Hislop, and Martin Dempster, and originally based in the basement of Radio New Zealand's own Hamilton Broadcasting House, according to Wikipedia's history of the station. That modest, borrowed-basement beginning gave little hint of the national footprint the brand would eventually build.
From one city to 26 markets
The Rock moved to Auckland in 1999, and a subsequent merger between RadioWorks and Radio Otago let the brand expand into the South Island for the first time. The station now reaches 26 markets across New Zealand, carried under MediaWorks, a company with its own roots in Taranaki's 1980s-era Energy Enterprises radio group. That growth has turned a single Hamilton FM signal into one of the country's most recognized rock radio brands.
A real audience lead, not just a slogan
The Rock's "number one" branding has data behind it. A 2025 commercial radio audience figure put the station's market share at 8.0 percent, the third largest in New Zealand's commercial radio market behind only Newstalk ZB and The Breeze. The station has also built a social media presence to match, passing one million TikTok followers, more than any other radio brand in the country.
A countdown and a stage for new New Zealand bands
The station runs the Rock 1000, an annual listener-voted countdown that started as the Rock 500 in 1999 before expanding, a long-running tradition that gives the station's audience a direct hand in shaping its biggest on-air event of the year. Alongside the classic and hard rock in regular rotation, The Rock also makes a point of showcasing up-and-coming New Zealand bands, giving local rock acts airtime next to the international names that built the format.
Listen free on Radio Shuffle
The Rock streams New Zealand's rock scene, from Hamilton basement beginnings to a 26-market national network. Stream it free on Radio Shuffle, anywhere, any time, with no sign-up required.