98.5 Atlanta: Your Guide to B98.5 FM and Adult Contemporary Radio in Atlanta

If you searched for “98.5 Atlanta,” you’re almost certainly looking for information about B98.5 (WSB-FM), one of Atlanta’s longest-running and most recognizable radio stations. This station is known for adult contemporary music, a mix of current hits and favorites from past decades, plus local personalities and community-focused content.

Whether you live in Atlanta, commute through the metro area, or are visiting and looking for something familiar on the dial, here’s how 98.5 FM in Atlanta fits into the city’s media and entertainment landscape.

What Is 98.5 in Atlanta?

On the Atlanta radio dial, 98.5 FM is B98.5, a commercial FM station licensed to serve the Atlanta, Georgia area.

In everyday terms, that means:

• It’s a mainstream music station, not talk radio.
• The format is often described as “adult contemporary” or “AC”.
• Programming is aimed primarily at adult listeners, typically those who like a mix of newer pop and familiar older hits.
• The station’s signal is designed to cover Metro Atlanta, including the City of Atlanta and many surrounding suburbs.

If you’re driving around Atlanta and want a reliable, easy-listening pop/soft rock playlist, 98.5 FM is one of the most common presets people use.

Where 98.5 Reaches in Atlanta

Because of its broadcast power and tower location, 98.5 FM reaches most of the greater Atlanta area, including:

• City of Atlanta (Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, Westside, Eastside)
• DeKalb County communities (Decatur, Tucker, Dunwoody area)
• Cobb County (Marietta, Smyrna, Vinings)
• Gwinnett County (Norcross, Duluth, Lawrenceville area)
• Portions of Clayton, Fulton, and other nearby counties

Reception can vary a bit based on terrain, buildings, and where you are inside the perimeter (I‑285) or outside it, but for most Atlanta commuters, 98.5 comes in clearly along the city’s major highways, including:

• I‑75 / I‑85 (Downtown Connector)
• I‑285
• GA‑400
• I‑20

If you spend a lot of time in the car around Atlanta, this makes 98.5 an easy “set it and forget it” option when you don’t want to fuss with playlists or streaming.

What Kind of Music Does 98.5 Atlanta Play?

B98.5 focuses on a blend of contemporary and recent past hits, usually in the pop and soft rock space. While the exact playlist shifts over time, you can typically expect:

• Current popular adult hits (radio-friendly pop songs charting now)
• 2000s and 2010s favorites
• Select ’80s and ’90s tracks that are still widely popular

The overall feel is usually:

• Upbeat but not too loud or heavy
• Workday-friendly (often clean, mainstream songs)
• Broadly appealing to a wide age range of adults

This makes 98.5 a common background station for:

• Atlanta offices and workplaces
• Restaurants and shops around the metro area
• Home listening while cooking, cleaning, or relaxing
• Family car rides where you want something everyone can tolerate

Typical Programming and Features on 98.5 Atlanta

While specific hosts and segments may change, most adult contemporary stations like B98.5 in Atlanta tend to offer:

Morning and Afternoon Drive Shows

During commuter hours, you’ll often hear:

• On-air hosts with light conversation
• Traffic updates relevant to major Atlanta interstates
• Weather checks, especially helpful on stormy summer afternoons or icy winter mornings
• Occasional call-in segments or fun listener interactions

For Atlantans dealing with rush-hour traffic on GA‑400, I‑75, or the Downtown Connector, having live hosts and traffic cut-ins on 98.5 can be especially useful.

Workday and Midday Music Blocks

During the workday, the station usually leans more heavily on music with shorter breaks, which makes it popular as a background station in offices and local businesses.

You may hear:

• “No-repeat workdays” or similar music-heavy blocks
• Light lifestyle chatter between songs (events, holidays, local mentions)

Evening and Weekend Programming

Evenings and weekends can include:

• More relaxed playlists
• Special theme hours or countdowns (depending on current programming)
• Occasional special features tied to holidays or local events, such as:
  • Holiday music around Thanksgiving and December
  • Tie-ins with Atlanta events, festivals, or charity drives

Why 98.5 Matters in Atlanta’s Media Mix

Atlanta has a crowded radio market, with stations covering hip-hop, country, rock, talk, and gospel, among others. 98.5 fills a specific niche:

• It’s less intense than rock or hip-hop stations.
• It’s more music-focused than talk or news stations.
• It tends to aim for a “safe choice” sound that works in many settings.

For local residents, that makes 98.5:

• A go-to background station at work or home
• A neutral option when riding with coworkers or family
• A quick way to get music plus local weather and traffic without switching between apps

For visitors to Atlanta, 98.5 is:

• A simple way to get a feel for local radio flavor without jumping genres
• A consistent, recognizable type of station if you’re used to adult contemporary stations in other cities

How to Listen to 98.5 in and Around Atlanta

Here are the main ways people in the Atlanta area typically tune into B98.5:

1. Traditional FM Radio

• Car radios: Just set your dial to 98.5 FM.
• Home stereos or tabletop radios: Also tune to 98.5 FM.
• Works best in and around metro Atlanta; reception can weaken the farther you are from the city.

2. At Work in Metro Atlanta

Many Atlanta offices and workplaces:

• Keep 98.5 on in common areas, break rooms, or lobbies.
• Choose it because the music is broadly acceptable and not too distracting.

If you’re managing a workplace in Atlanta and need a simple audio choice, 98.5 is one of the local defaults many offices rely on.

98.5 Atlanta and Local Traffic, Weather, and Events

While 98.5 is primarily a music station, listeners in Atlanta often pay attention to it for:

Quick Traffic Mentions

During drive times, you may hear updates that touch on:

• I‑75 / I‑85 (Downtown Connector) slowdowns
• I‑285 perimeter backups
• GA‑400 congestion near Sandy Springs and North Fulton
• Wrecks or lane closures that affect regular commuters

For more in-depth, continuous traffic coverage, Atlantans often use dedicated news/talk or traffic stations, but 98.5 can give you heads-up snippets while you listen to music.

Weather Check-Ins

Expect occasional short updates on:

• Thunderstorms and severe weather
• Heat advisories in peak summer
• Winter weather that may affect roads, like black ice or freezing rain

This can be useful if you’re moving around the city and want a quick heads-up without switching to a full news station.

Simple Snapshot: 98.5 Atlanta (B98.5 FM)

How 98.5 Fits Into Daily Life in Atlanta

For many Atlantans, 98.5 is less about being a “destination” station and more about being a comfortable, consistent backdrop to daily life:

• Morning commute: Light chatter, some laughs, and updates while you battle Peachtree Street or GA‑400 traffic.
• Workday: Continuous, predictable music that doesn’t interfere with concentration.
• School pickup and errands: Family-friendly songs that won’t shock younger ears.
• Evening wind-down: Familiar tracks while you cook, clean, or relax at home.

If you’re new to Atlanta or just passing through and want a low-stress music station that feels like what you might find in other major cities, tuning to 98.5 FM is a straightforward choice.