''Exclaim!'' began as a discussion among campus and community radio programmers at [[Ryerson University|Ryerson]]'s [[CKLN-FM]] in 1991. It was started by then-CKLN programmer Ian Danzig,<ref name=ann>{{Cite web |url=https://nowtoronto.com/music/features/local-heroes-ian-danzig-and-james-keast-of-exclaim/ |title=ArchivedLocal copyheroes: Ian Danzig and James Keast of Exclaim! - NOW Magazine |access-date=2017-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213084907/https://nowtoronto.com/music/features/local-heroes-ian-danzig-and-james-keast-of-exclaim/ |archive-date=2017-12-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref> together with other programmers and Toronto musicians. The goal of the publication was to support great Canadian music that was otherwise going unheralded. The group worked through 1991 to produce their first issue in April 1992, with monthly issues being produced since.<ref name="sad">{{cite news|author1=Sadaf Ahsan|title=Freedom of the press: How Exclaim! became the last Canadian music magazine still standing by giving a voice to the underground|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/arts/music/freedom-of-the-press-how-exclaim-became-the-last-canadian-music-magazine-still-standing-by-giving-a-voice-to-the-underground|access-date=23 February 2017|work=National Post|date=13 January 2017}}</ref>
Ian Danzig has been the publisher of the magazine since its start.<ref name="sad"/> James Keast served as editor in chief until 2020.
