At 6 pm on February 9, 1996, WYNY switched its stunting to a heartbeat sound effect, promoting the launch of a new format coming the following day at noon. 
At that time, WKTU was relaunched on 103.5 FM with a dance-based CHR format; WKTU's first song was "Gonna Make You Sweat" by C+C Music Factory.
The station went to number one in the Arbitron ratings in their first monthly ratings report with the new format.Drag performer RuPaul co-hosted mornings with Michelle Visage, Lisa Taylor and Freddie Colon around this period, further helping their ratings. 
Sean "Hollywood" Hamilton and Goumba Johnny made their debut at night, and after much success, were moved to mornings in January 1998

WKTU 103.5 NEW YORK  "Sean Hollywood Hamilton & Goumba Johnny"  Septembre 1996

American Top 40 (abbreviated to AT40) is an internationally syndicated, independent song countdown radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds, and Ron Jacobs.
Co-creator Kasem hosted the original American Top 40 from its inauguration on July 4, 1970, until August 6, 1988. Shadoe Stevens took over the program on August 13, 1988, and hosted until January 28, 1995, when the original program came to an end. 
Three years later, Kasem teamed up with Premiere's predecessor, AMFM Radio Networks, to relaunch American Top 40. Kasem, who had spent nine years hosting his own countdown, Casey's Top 40 for Westwood One, returned to hosting his creation on March 28, 1998. 
Seacrest took over American Top 40 on January 10, 2004, following Kasem's retirement from the series.

AMERICAN TOP 40  "Casey Kacem"  May 24 1980

During the latter half of 1986, 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 product. Despite those moves at the time, the station retained a selection of mainstream titles.
In May 1990, the station became known as "The Killer Bee: B96".
 In 1995, the station began to add more R&B and hip hop as the dance scene diminished

WBBM 96.3 CHICAGO   "Brian Middleton"   March 1997

Richard Orlando Biondi (September 13, 1932 – June 26, 2023) was an American Top 40 and oldies disc jockey. Calling himself The Wild I-tralian, he was one of the original "screamers," known for his screaming delivery as well as wild antics on and off the air.
In a 1988 interview, Biondi said he had been fired 23 times, with both fits of temper and jokes gone wrong part of the tally.
Over many years and many frequencies, Dick's closing line was, "God bless, bye, bye, Duke. Thanks a million for dialing our way.
On this recording, Dick celebrates his 30th anniversary in radio.

WJMK 104.3  CHICAGO "Dick Biondi"  May 2nd 1990  Pt 1

WJMK 104.3 CHICAGO "Dick Biondi"  May 2nd 1990  Pt 2

WLS 94.7 CHICAGO  "Susan Platt"  August 18th 1984

WLUP ("The Loop") in Chicago hired him in 1983, where his morning show was broadcast on both the AM and FM stations. He formed and performed concerts with his band, "Johnny and the Leisure Suits". His most memorable songs include "We're All Crazy In Chicago" (a local Top Ten hit), "Hey Der Milwaukee Polka", and "The Moo-Moo Song" (based on an actual event in the 1980s when a local attempted to make love to a cow in the Lincoln Park Zoo).
In 1989, he hosted Friday Night Videos with Phil Collins and starred in the TV-movie "Thanksgiving Day" with Mary Tyler Moore.
In 1990, he hosted two "Jonathon Brandmeier From Chicago" late night specials on NBC.
In the summer of 1991, Viacom syndicated his "Johnny B. on the Loose".
A management change at WLUP in 1997, however, led to the end of Brandmeier's 14-year run on The Loop.
 

WLUP 97.9 CHCAGO  "Jonathon Brandmeier"  September 1995

On November 16, 1990, the station's call sign were changed to WPNT-FM, branded as "100.3 The Point", and it began airing a hot adult contemporary format, playing hits of the 1980s and current product.
The station was initially simulcast on 820 AM (which itself took the WPNT calls), but in early January 1991, its AM sister was taken off the air while its owner sold off that station and its transmitter site was re-located.
In 1994, Steve Cochran began hosting morning drive.
In 1996, Fred Winston replaced Cochran as morning host.

WPNT 100.3 CHICAGO   "Mary Debages"    July 1996

On February 21, 1989, the station's call sign was changed to WTMX, and it became known as "The New Mix 102", airing a mix of adult contemporary and oldies.
By 1992, the station's format had shifted to hot AC.
In the mid 1990s, the station shifted towards a modern AC/modern rock format, and on January 25, 1996, it adopted the slogan "Today's Rock Mix".

WTMX 101.9 CHICAGO   "Skokie"   October 16th 1998

KRZZ has adopted many programming formats since sign on in 1959, as KYA-FM. The station carried a Top 40 format for many years, either in conjunction with, or separate from KYA. 
In December 1979, both stations flipped to an easy album rock format titled "Easy Rock 93 FM".

KYA 93.3 SAN FRANCISCO  "Laura Ashton"  March 13, 1980

In March 1985, KMEL hired John London and Ron Engelman to host a morning zoo program. Mark McKay covered the mid-day slot, while Howard Hoffman took the afternoon drive time shift, Sonny Joe Fox covered evenings, Licia Torres hosted nights, and Mark Todd carried the overnight shift. 
The station's branding as "106 KMEL" remained in place for many years

WKTU 103.5 NEW YORK "Sean Hollywood Hamilton & Goumba Johnny" Septembre 1996

Jean luc

Related tracks