“Everything that made you reach for the aux cord stays outside the studio.”

XYZ is what happens when conversation, culture and music talk are built for 2026.

Hosted by Erik Zachary (MTV, iHeartRadio, Nickelodeon, The CW) alongside Jordan Foster (Kiss FM Chicago) and Producer Audrey (Gen Z compass), the show blends journalism, sharp commentary and vertical screen fluency. In short – this is not your parents’ radio show (even if Erik’s mom, Virginia, still delivers a weekly Mom’s Hot Take). This is radio that sounds like the people who listen to it.

Welcome to XYZ with Erik Zachary.

“Everything that made you reach for the aux cord stays outside the studio.”

XYZ is what happens when conversation, culture and music talk are built for 2026.

Hosted by Erik Zachary (MTV, iHeartRadio, Nickelodeon, The CW) alongside Jordan Foster (Kiss FM Chicago) and Producer Audrey (Gen Z compass), the show blends journalism, sharp commentary and vertical screen fluency. In short – this is not your parents’ radio show (even if Erik’s mom, Virginia, still delivers a weekly Mom’s Hot Take). This is radio that sounds like the people who listen to it.

Welcome to XYZ with Erik Zachary.

WEEKDAYS & WEEKENDS

DAYPART FLEXIBLE | 5 HOURS

BENCHMARKS

BENCHMARKS

Mom’s Hot Take – Some parents embarrass their kids at family gatherings, but Erik’s mom does it 3x a week on a national broadcast. Although she’s his mother first and foremost, Virginia Zachary is no stranger to entertainment news and even more so, sharing her opinion on it.

Drink & Think Producer Audrey hits the bars and tests real people with real drinks on pop culture trivia. Do they nail it? Rarely. Do they say things with full confidence anyway? Constantly. It’s chaotic, hilarious, and proof that the internet has permanently changed our brains.

Mental Health Moment – Life is a lot. The world is weird. And sometimes your brain decides to do backflips for no reason. Every week, XYZ drops quick tips, quotes, and perspective shifts to help you reset, level up, and pretend you have it together for at least the next 24 hours.

More About Nothing Jordan Foster, self-appointed researcher and social profit, loses sleep digging up random facts, myths, and “wait is that real” internet chaos so you don’t have to. It’s the kind of information you’ll never need, but you’ll absolutely weaponize in group chats.

XYZ Throwback – Three songs. Same year. One question: what year was it? Sounds easy until your brain short circuits over a song you’ve heard a thousand times. Two members of XYZ go head-to-head, but the real winner is you at home screaming the answer like it’s a championship game.

XYZ Fresh Out It’s no secret that every week, an avalanche of new music gets dropped on us. We obviously hear about the bigger artists, but a lot of really good music can get lost in the shuffle. XYZ Fresh Out is a chance to quickly highlight some of the week’s hidden gems.

RECENT INTERVIEWS

Ed Sheeran  |  Macklemore  |  BTS
Shawn Mendes |  Billie Eilish |  The Kid Laroi
Charlie Puth  |  Lizzo  |  Fall Out Boy  |   LANY

ERIK ZACHARY

Erik Zachary is a self-proclaimed Type A Creative, which is a nice way of saying he’s physically incapable of “just keeping it simple.” Director, editor, producer, creative director, he’s done it all with credits across MTV, iHeartRadio, The CW and more. And because he’s also the guy on camera, he knows exactly what it’s like when the red light turns on and your brain forgets your name. Erik lives for that moment, then turns it into something worth replaying.

JORDAN FOSTER

Jordan Foster is a former major market personality and music director, and the kind of right hand best friend who keeps the whole operation standing. He’s silly. He’s cute. He’s allegedly the smartest in the group (says him, loudly). But the real flex is this: Jordan is a walking serotonin boost with timing, charm, and a specialty in turning any moment into something you’ll be laughing about all day.

AUDREY DEHLER

Audrey Dehler is our official Gen Z Ambassador, which means she speaks fluent internet, keeps us culturally hydrated, and roasts us with love when we say something that belongs in 2014. She’s confident, quirky, and yes, she’s from Minnesota, thank you for asking. Audrey’s got the rare talent of making life make sense while actively adding whimsy to the equation, and if you’re wondering why she always has a custom marker set on her, just know this: she stays ready so she never has to get ready.

VIRGINIA ZACHARY

Virginia Zachary doesn’t do fluff. She’s a performer and trained journalist who shows up with real opinions, real timing, and absolutely no interest in protecting Erik’s feelings. She brings a perspective you can’t manufacture, delivers it like she’s been doing this forever (because she has), and then exits, leaving Erik to recover on air.

Interested in learning more?

Fill out the form below and our affiliate sales team will reach out with additional information.