In May 1982, WBBM-FM began airing a Top 40/CHR format known as "Hot Hits", which was created by consultant Mike Joseph. Concurrent with the format change was the phase-out of all automation.Hot Hits was a high-energy format, playing only current hits, and featured numerous jingles to reinforce the station's identity. The station was branded B96 the following year.

When late 1986 rolled along, B96's format began to tweak slowly towards a rhythmic top 40 direction, and a couple of years later during the late 1980s began to embrace dance products. Despite those moves at the time, the station retained a selection of mainstream titles during both of their runs.

WBBM 96.3 CHICAGO Julian 'Jumpin' Perez Hotmix 1989

Quiet storm is a radio format and genre of R&B, performed in a smooth, romantic, jazz-influenced style.It was named after the title song on Smokey Robinson's 1975 album A Quiet Storm.
The radio format was pioneered in 1976 by Melvin Lindsey, while he was an intern at the Washington, D.C. radio station WHUR-FM. It eventually became regarded as an identifiable subgenre of R&B.
Quiet storm was marketed to primarily upscale mature African-American audiences. It peaked in popularity during the 1980s, but fell out of favor with young listeners in the golden age of hip hop.

WBLS 107.5 NEW YORK  -The Quiet Storm  Vaughn Harper - September 19th 2008

At midnight on November 15, 1989, "94Q" signed off after 12 years, with the final song being "Imagine" by John Lennon. 
94.1 would then relaunch as "Star 94" with the call letters WSTR. The first song on "Star 94" was "Oh Atlanta" by Little Feat.
The station's format was a hybrid of Hot AC and Top 40, best described as Adult Top 40. The station initially avoided most hip hop and rhythmic-oriented music hitting the Top 40 charts, though it added some rhythmic songs in the mid-1990s. 
Steve McCoy was brought in as morning show host and was paired with Vikki Locke; McCoy and Locke would helm the station's morning drive for the next 17 years.

WSTR 94.1  ATLANTA  "Steve and Vikki"   February 1996

American Top 40 began on the Independence Day weekend in 1970, on seven radio stations. The show began as a three-hour program written and directed by Bustany, counting down the top 40 songs on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. The show quickly gained popularity once it was commissioned, and expanded to a four-hour-program on October 7, 1978, to reflect the increasing average length of singles on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. By the early 1980s, the show could be heard on 520 stations in the United States

American top 40 with Casey Kacem  October 23rd 1982

KXEZ 98.7 LOS ANGELES  PROMO TAPE 1994

WTJM 105.1 NYC  "Carol Ford"    May 30th 2000

KOST 103.5 LOS ANGELES   "Love songs on the coast"    August 21st 1992

The station originated as KYA in 1926, and has had 14 owners and 4 different callsigns in 85 years. KYA was owned by everyone from Hearst Corporation to Avco Broadcasting of California, a subsidiary of the jet and aerospace contractor.
In September 1979, KYA AM & FM flipped to a light album rock format under the title "Easy Rock 93." Within months the AM station would flip again, this time to an oldies format while the FM station would continue the light album rock format as KLHT (K-LITE). Morgan, Mora, Serr and Syracuse would be brought back to revive the station from its heyday. This format would hold until the station was sold in 1983.
KYA's dominance was basically over by the late 1960s when FM stations began playing rock & roll and gained large chunks of the audiences. King Broadcasting took over on November 1, 1977.

KYA 93.3 SAN FRANCISCO  " Rob Conrad"   December 17th 1980

On June 22, 1985, following four days of stunting with all-Brian Eno music, the station became KKCY ("The City"), with an eclectic rock format, partly inspired by another midwestern station, KTCZ in Minneapolis, Minnesota. All of The Quake's on-air staffers left the station, except for Bennett and his morning sidekick, Joe Regelski. Bennett left a short time later when station management insisted he play more music on his show, and later brought his morning show (sans Regelski) to KITS.
The 98.9 frequency then underwent years of turmoil
In late 1986, the station dropped the eclectic freeform rock in favor of Big Band/Adult Standards (shades of the original KMPX); then, on February 1, 1988, they adopted a short-lived CHR format as KHIT.
 Both of these changes elicited a large outcry from the dedicated following KKCY's format had gathered. A group called "Coalition To Save The City" was formed and the group lobbied KHIT's owners to change the format back.
The format lasted for 3 months and 5 days, as on May 6, 1988, after playing "Shakedown" by Bob Seger, the station dropped its short-lived CHR format and immediately began simulcasting KOFY for 8 days. The station was eventually purchased by Bay Area media mogul James Gabbert, who changed the callsign to KOFY-FM on May 14, 1988, matching the calls of sister station KOFY-TV (channel 20) and KOFY radio (1050 AM, now KTCT). Gabbert returned the station to the previous adult album alternative format, which lasted for two years amid much tweaking.

KHIT 98.9 SAN FRANCISCO    May 6th 1988    Pt 1

In 1978, NBC decided to take advantage of improving ratings for FM radio, so programmers were hired to create a new format. They came up with a sound similar to Top 40 but targeting a market they felt was underserved, adults in the 25-34 age range. Years later, this approach would be labeled as "hot adult contemporary". The station became KYUU.
Over time, the station migrated to more of a mainstream Top 40 format as "The Hit Music Station". 
By 1986, with KMEL dominating as the Bay Area's primary Top 40 station, 99.7 migrated back to its Hot AC direction. During much of this time, KYUU's morning host was Don Bleu.

KYUU 99.7 SAN FRANCISCO    August 1988

In 1988, NBC decided to sell all its owned-and-operated radio stations and concentrate on television. KYUU was among the last to be sold when Emmis Communications acquired the radio station. Emmis made many changes, and due to heavy competition, in October 1988, decided to relaunch the station. KYUU rebranded as "X-100", and changed its call letters to KXXX.
It had a dance-leaning CHR approach, mixing Top 40 hits with dance music. Notable personalities included George McFly, Chuck Geiger, Super Snake, Rex McNeil and morning hosts Bill Kelly & Al Kline. 
"X-100" fared poorly, unable to compete with KMEL in the ratings. This led Emmis to sell the station to real estate developer Peter Bedford under his "Coast Broadcasting" division.

KXXX 99.7 SAN FRANCISCO   September 8th 1989   Pt 1

In late 1986, KMEL wanted to explore the mix show format, which Naftaly and Michaels put into place Powermixers DJ Dave Moss and DJ Alex Mejia as interns on a new Saturday night show called "Club 106." 
KMEL re-invented once again by putting Cameron Paul on five nights a week, then doing a live broadcast from San Francisco venue "City Nights". Personalities during this time included John London, Renel Lewis and Brian Cooley on "The Morning Zoo", middays with Leslie Stoval, afternoon drive with Rick Chase, and nights with Evan Luck.
As the 1980s gave way to the 1990s, KMEL became one of the first crossover pop stations in the nation to target young multiracial audiences with not-yet-mainstream hip-hop, dance, freestyle, house, and reggae music. KMEL was the first pop station in the U.S. to play "Wild Thing" by Tone-Loc and "Bust a Move" by Young MC and first of any radio station in the country to play "U Can't Touch This" by Oakland rapper MC Hammer and "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice.
 Bay Area artists Too Short and Digital Underground also got early airtime on KMEL. 

KMEL 106.1  SAN FRANCISCO  "Hot 7 @ 7"  November 6th 1989

KOME 98.5 SAN JOSE  June 8th 1997  Pt 2

KYLD 94.9 SAN FRANCISCO  "DJ Jazzy Jim  1999"

KZZP 104.7 PHOENIX  July 1990  Part 1

1990 – WEDR changed slogans from "Starforce 99" to "99 JAMZ", an Urban Contemporary with a notoriously wide variety playlist that ranged from R&B, Soul, and rap to Reggae on the weekends.
April 21, 1990 – The station's signal was increased from 16 kilowatts at 175 feet to 92 kilowatts at 1,014 feet. 99 Jamz becomes a factor in the West Palm Beach-Boca Raton market. The signal reaches as far as the Caribbean.
1992 – 99 Jamz becomes the top rated station in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale market. 

WEDR 99.1  MIAMI   1992

In 1980, Sunshine Wireless bought AM 560 WQAM. WQAM had been a long-time Top 40 station but Sunshine switched it to country music. Sunshine now had an AM country station, with personality DJs, NBC News and local information, as well as WKQS, an FM country station, with less chatter and more current country hits.
In 1988, WKQS changed call letters to WKIS. Around this time, WQAM would leave the country music format, first playing oldies and then switching to all-sports.
This left WKIS as Miami's only country music outlet

WKIS 99.9 MIAMI   February 15th 1994

WMZQ 98.7 WASHINGTON  October 1996

Following the trend of FM radio stations taking on top 40 formats in the early 1970s, KFMB program director Bobby Rich and station manager Paul Palmer decided to launch a top 40 station on KFMB-FM to challenge market leader KCBQ (1170 AM).
Rich wanted to change the call letters to something with a "Q" in them to become "the FM Q", but the owners refused to break up the KFMB/KFMB-FM/KFMB-TV matched set of call signs.
In March 1975, KFMB-FM became "B-100" with the slogan "Better Boogie"; Southern California radio writer Richard Wagoner described the new station as a "high-energy screamer [that] went straight for the jugular". In the fall 1977 Arbitron ratings, KFMB-FM became the first FM station to be no. 1 in a major media market.
B-100 had major success in the 1980s, reinventing itself as one of the nation's first ever hot adult contemporary (hot AC) stations. It melded top 40 hits (omitting some teen-oriented songs) with an adult delivery by its high-profile air staff. 
The day started with The B-100 Morning Zoo starring Bobby Rich, Scott Kenyon, Pat Gaffey, and Frank Anthony — collectively known as "The Rich Brothers". Other personalities from this era included Gary Kelley, Gene Knight (who moved on to KXSN), Danny Romero (who eventually landed at KABC-TV in Los Angeles), Ellen K. Thomas, and John Fox.

KFMB 100.7  SAN DIEGO  "The Rich Brothers"   October 22nd 1987

In September 1984, the station's call letters were changed to WZOU, and flipped to a Top 40 format to compete against WXKS-FM and WHTT.
In 1986, it became known as Z-94. Program director David Gariano had success with the Top 40 format, which featured original 1984 personalities Mike Morin and Brad Krantz, Jeff Michaels, Steve York, Jim Cutler, Uncle Johnny, Jon "Rock N Roll" Anthony, Marc Mitchell, and Scott Brunner. 
In 1985, Pat McKay and Karen "The Madam" Blake joined the morning team. 
In June 1987, Dan McCoy arrived to do afternoons and eventually moved to mid-days, where he remained until April 1990. 
WZOU was Boston's affiliate for Rick Dees Weekly Top 40.


WZOU 94.5 BOSTON "The incredible Bobby" Sept. 9th 1987  Pt 1

WCBS 101.1 NEW YORK  "Ron Lundy"  April 1991

WHTZ 100.3 NEW YORK   "Skinny bobby"   January 16th 1986

WHTZ 100.3 NEW YORK  "Scott Shannon & The Z morning Zoo"    April 6th 1987   Pt 1

WHTZ 100.3 NEW YORK  "Kid Kelly"  August 2nd 1992  Pt2

WHTZ 100.3 NEW YORK  "Jojo Morales"  February 13th 1995

In the 1980s, the station gradually adopted a more conventional album-oriented rock format, and sometimes seemed stodgy compared to college radio stations playing alternative rock. When long-time competitor WPLJ switched away from rock in 1983, WNEW-FM picked up some of its most popular DJs, such as Carol Miller, and years later, Pat St. John, who would take over the morning show and programming duties.
In 1986, following the sale of WNEW-TV and Metromedia's other television outlets to News Corporation, the company's radio station group was spun off from Metromedia into a new company, Metropolitan Broadcasting. 
Two years later, WNEW-FM was sold to Westinghouse Broadcasting, bringing it into common ownership with all-news outlet WINS. 
WNEW-FM and WINS became CBS-owned stations in 1996, when Westinghouse Broadcasting's corporate parent purchased the network.

WNEW 102.7 NEW YORK   "Carol Miller"   March 1989

In 1985 the easy listening audience was starting to age and was not as attractive to advertisers.
On April 17, 1986, the station switched to a gold-based adult contemporary format with the call letters WNSR, for New York's Soft Rock. WNSR focused on songs from the 1960s and 1970s, with some 1980s titles and a moderate number of current adult contemporary songs as well. 
Initially, the station's ratings were modest. 
However, once AC competitor WYNY went to a country music format WNSR's ratings went up.

WNSR 105.1 'NEW YORK  "Bill Neil" '   August 1991 Pt2

In early 1983, the station began a transition from AOR to contemporary hit radio. With word that a top 40 format was coming to WVNJ-FM (100.3 FM), WPLJ moved further in a CHR direction. Though the station began playing artists like Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson, Larry Berger stated that he did not make the decision to move to a CHR format until the last week of June; WPLJ adopted a rock-leaning CHR format on June 30, 1983. 
At that point, the station played predominantly AOR and new wave rock cuts, and mixed in two or three rhythmic pop cuts like "Flashdance... What a Feeling" by Irene Cara, "Time (Clock of the Heart)" by Culture Club, "She Works Hard for the Money" by Donna Summer, and others. The station maintained its "New York's Best Rock" slogan, even though the station moved away from playing predominantly rock songs. 
Berger discussed the changes on his call-in show in July 1983, to the disapproving reaction from the rock audience. 
Competitor WNBC had been a de facto AM top-40 station while WYNY had been the de facto FM hits station throughout the early 1980s, playing many current songs as part of its hot adult contemporary format. 
WPLJ's airstaff, which stayed on during the early transition months, gradually changed, as WNEW-FM picked up some of the station's best-known disc jockeys such as Carol Miller and Pat St. John. (Jim Kerr and sidekick Shelli Sonstein remained with the station through the end of the decade.) Jimmy Fink, Tony Pigg, and Marc Coppola eventually moved to Infinity Broadcasting's WXRK when it debuted a couple of years later.
In August 1983, at the same time WVNJ had been re-christened as WHTZ ("Z100"), WPLJ became known as "The Home of the Hits", and in October added top 40-style jingles.
 In a way, it was "New York's Hit Music Station" just before WHTZ went on the air. 
The following spring, WPLJ identified itself very briefly as "The New Musicradio PLJ" before segueing to "Hitradio 95" just a short time later. 
In early 1985, the station became known on-air as "Power 95". Ratings went up after switching to CHR, though they were still just behind Z100 most of the time.

WPLJ 95.5 NEW YORK  "Jim Kerr in the morning"  November 29th 1985

WPLJ  95.5 NEW YORK    "Tony Banks"     February 12th 1995     Pt 1

For many years, WRKS was number one in the Arbitron ratings due to its hip hop-influenced format. WRKS was also the first radio station in the United States to embrace dancehall and reggae music by adding Dahved Levy to do a Sunday night reggae show with Sting International. 
The battle between WRKS and WBLS continued into the 1990s, but a major turning point occurred in the spring of 1994, when WQHT changed formats from dance music to primarily hip-hop by luring "Funk Master Flex" away from WRKS, who, at the time, was a fill-in DJ for "DJ Red Alert" when Red Alert was out on tour or making appearances, thus competing directly with WRKS.

WRKS 98.7 NEW YORK  "John Robinson"   December 14th 1990

KACE experimented with a hip-hop format in 1992 as "The People's Station, The New V103.9." Because KACE was powered at only 3,000 watts, it added an Inland Empire simulcast, KAEV, which also broadcast at 103.9 FM . 


V 1039 23 08 1992  PART 1

KACE 103.9 LOS ANGELES    August 23rd 1992    Pt 2

By 1990, KBIG-FM dropped the 1960s songs and began playing more current hits. 
In 1992, KBIG-FM shifted to hot adult contemporary (hot AC). This lasted until 1995, when the station moved back to mainstream AC to again compete with KOST. 
In the 1990s, KBIG-FM aired Disco Saturday Night, a weekly show featuring disco music.
 In late 1996, KBIG-FM once again moved to a hot AC format.
On February 8, 1994, KBIG-FM was sued by singer Barry Manilow, who sought $13 million in damages and $15 million in punitive damages. Maniolow claimed that one of KBIG's advertisements was causing irreparable damage to his professional reputation. The ad, a 30-second spot which began airing on January 31, suggested that people listen to KBIG because it does not play Manilow's music. The lawsuit was filed in Orange County Superior Court by Los Angeles attorney C. Tucker Cheadle.
Two days later, KBIG agreed to drop the commercial poking fun at the singer, but a lawyer representing his business interests stopped short of agreeing to withdraw the $28 million lawsuit.

KBIG  104.3  LOS ANGELES   "Rick Diego"  July 31st 1996

Despite the effort and a promotional campaign (one memorable ad featured a large billboard of a Latina woman dancing placed near a building on Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles), KIBB couldn't make a dent in the ratings. After a little over a year and minor tweaks in its playlist and direction, KIBB's fate was sealed when Chancellor decided to drop the format at 5 p.m. on November 19, 1997 (after a couple of days of teasing a "major event" and playing "I'll Be Missing You" by Puff Daddy as the final song) for yet another short-lived fad: Rhythmic oldies as Mega 100. 
The first song on "Mega" was "The Cisco Kid" by War.
The call letters were changed to KCMG on January 30, 1998. The format, which drew instant ratings success in the market, was replicated on many stations across the country in the late 1990s (however, many of these stations would flip in the early 2000s due to poor ratings and promotion). Chancellor merged with Capstar in 1999, forming AMFM Inc.

KCMG 100.3 LOS ANGELES  "Greg Valentine"  April 25th 2000

KHJ 93.1 LOS ANGELES  "Robert W Morgan"   May 1965

Unable to draw high ratings with adult contemporary, KIIS-FM began to evolve, first to Top 40 in 1976, then dance and disco music in 1978, and back to Top 40 in 1980. 
KIIS (AM) would keep its soft rock/AC format until late 1979. Just prior to this, Gannett Company purchased both the KIIS-AM-FM station pair and Combined Communications. 
In 1981, the format of KIIS (AM) was changed to Christian talk and teaching and the new call sign KPRZ was adopted.
Rick Dees joined the station for mornings in July 1981, after KHJ switched formats to country music. Fill-in personality Dave Sebastian (Williams), working both the AM and FM stations at the time, hosted the vacated FM morning show until the arrival of Dees due to a non-compete clause in his contract. With Dees in mornings, KIIS became a CHR powerhouse in Los Angeles.

KIIS-FM 102.7  LOS ANGELES  "Tim Kelly" April 27th 1984

KIIS 102.7 LOS ANGELES  "Benny Martinez"  June 25th 1987

The success of Dees at their Memphis radio station, combined with his TV appearances and hit music, motivated station owner RKO General to offer Rick the morning radio show in Los Angeles at KHJ (AM). Dees helped their ratings, but AM music radio was rapidly losing ground to FM. When KHJ switched to country music, Dees left KHJ, taking a morning position at KIIS-FM in July 1981. 
In a short time, he turned KIIS-FM into the #1 revenue-generating radio station in America, with an asset value approaching half a billion dollars.

Jean luc

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