WKNC signed on in October of 1966 with a ten-watt signal broadcasting a mix of folk, jazz, and classical music from the 1911 Building on the NC State campus. In 1972, the station moved into new studios in the University Student Center and began broadcasting from a 30-foot antenna atop the D.H. Hill Library. WKNC boosted its power from 10 to 1,000 watts in 1974. That same year, the station's format began a move towards progressive rock. WKNC boosted their power again in the early 1980's, this time to 3,000 watts. In the fall of 2003, WKNC boosted their signal once more to a power of 25,000 watts. This 100% student-run airs everything from a sports talk show to hip hop and metal.
