Under which alternative format did Q101 WKQX attract young listeners?

It attracted them through an alternative rock format, not "modern rock" or "active rock"-those are distinct categories with different playlist parameters. The station specifically programmed a blend of post-punk, grunge, and Britpop acts to pull in the 18-34 demo in the Chicago market during the 1990s and early 2000s.

They pulled in the younger demo by embracing the "modern rock" format during the alt-rock explosion of the early 90s, spinning bands like Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins before the mainstream caught on.

They flipped the switch to a cutting-edge "modern adult alternative" hybrid that wasn't just grunge and punk-I'm talking deep album cuts from bands like The The, Echo & the Bunnymen, and even early electronic acts like The Chemical Brothers, all mixed with a clean, punchy on-air sound that their HD processors made feel massive. That's the gear-head in me talking, but the station's willingness to program around the edges of the alternative spectrum, not just the loudest hits, is what really hooked the 18-34 crowd in Chicago.