The programmers at classic hits station 97.1/The River have created a classic alternative station available on iPhone and Android called "The Other Side of the River." 

It's also available on the River's HD-2 channel for those with an HD radio. The station is focused on 1990s and 2000s alternative hits heard on 99X, with current rock songs that you might have heard on Dave FM.  This HD-2 channel had been a heavy rock station.

99X and Dave FM went away last fall, leaving fans of that type of music with a void on the FM dial.

Steve Craig, who was was the long-time mid-day host on 99X and briefly hosted mornings on Dave FM, is the voice of the new station. Program director for 97.1/The River David Clapper brought in Craig part time as a programmer and on-air personality because he felt this station was a great way to utilize Craig's deep knowledge base of alternative rock.

"Our attempt is to create a hybrid that encompasses classic alternative with the current feel of not only the alternative format but also the adult alternative sound and vibe," Clapper wrote me via email. He notes that alternative music has struggled since Arbitron began using people meters to measure ratings. Placing the format on an HD-2 channel allows the programmers to "take the risks and challenges and do what our gut feels like we should do to make the station pop for the audience that is seeking out this music," he wrote.

This is another attempt at corralling the Dave FM and 99X fans, many who have wandered off to Pandora, Slacker, Spotify or Sirius/XM, among other options. As I wrote about last week, former Dave FM assistant program director Margot Chobadian (known as Margot Smith on air) has launched her own independent EAV Radio. Steve Barnes, a former morning host at the Morning X and now a social media strategist, last fall began running a 99X-type station called ex99, which he calls "Atlanta's Lost Alternative." You can hear it here.

"The Other Side of The River will be a blend of the classics as well as current music that needs to be heard in Atlanta," Clapper added. “From The Pixies to Muse, from The Ramones to the Avett Brothers, from Paul Westerberg to Amos Lee, The Other Side of the River will truly be Atlanta’s source for Alternative music!!”

The new station will soon be available on I Heart Radio and TuneIn apps.

97.1/The River on the primary signal plays a mix of ,mostly 1970s and 1980s rock from the likes of the Eagles, Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin.

Here's a sampling of what The Other Side of the River played today:

2:40 p.m.  "The Guys That Say Goodbye To You Is Out Of My Mind" Griffin House (2006)

2:46 p.m. "Watching the Detectives" Elvis Costello (1977)

2:50 p.m. "Little Black Submarines" Black Keys (2012)

2:54 p.m. "Times Like These" Foo Fighters (2003)

2:59 p.m. "Invisible Sun" The Police (1981)

3:03 p.m. "Felicia" The Constellations (2010)

3:07 p.m. "Follow You Down" Gin Blossoms (1996)

3:10 p.m. "Close To Me" Cure (1995)

3:14 p.m. "Popular" Nada Surf (1996)

You can listen to The Other Side of the River here.

97.1/The River is operated by Cox Media Group, which includes The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.