Radio

Our attempt to list all the Ohio radio stations that played rock-n-roll, soul music. "Top 40" describes a station that played "chart hit" music, which of course ranged from Elvis to Beatles to Yardbirds to Motown to Frank Sinatra, intended to be a generic description. Of course this list is not complete, additions and suggestions welcome!

Cleveland

  • KYW / WKYC - AM top 40 station
  • WHK - AM top 40 station, 1960s until 1968
  • WIXY - much beloved AM station - check out the 'unofficial' web site www.wixy1260.com
  • WNCR - FM 'underground' station from late 60s until '72 or so. Probably the most eclectic station in town.
  • WMMS - famed FM rock 'powerhouse' started in '69. Legendary for helping 'break' David Bowie, etc.
  • WJMO - AM soul station
  • CKLW - AM top 40 - although CKLW was located in Windsor, Ontario (that's Canada....), it was easily heard in Cleveland and anywhere along Lake Erie. Started in the 1960s and lasted into the mid 1970s

    • Akron/Mid Ohio

  • WAKR - AM top 40 station
  • WHLO - AM top 40 station
  • WKNT - AM station, mixed programming with top 40 and R&B programs mixed with non-rock
  • WWST - AM station, mixed programming with a top 40 program hosted by Gary Rhamy before his Peppermint Productions days. Was a big favorite among the local teens.

    • Youngstown

  • WHOT - AM top 40
  • WNIO - AM top 40

    • Columbus

  • WCOL - AM top 40
  • WNCI - AM top 40, started in the spring of 1970
  • WCOL - FM Was all gospel music in the mid-60's. When the FM revolution started in the bigger cities, WCOL-FM started having a 15 minute (later half hour) segment at something like 8PM, where they played the newer music of bands like Cream, Jimi Hendrix, etc. Don Gorman hosted those short, early forays into FM rock in Columbus. Eventually the format evolved to daytime gospel, and rock all night, and then rock all the time
  • WVKO - AM R&B and soul music dating back to the 1950s

    • Dayton

  • WONE - AM top 40
  • WING - AM top 40

    • Cincinnati

  • WSAI - AM top 40
  • WUBE - AM top 40

    • List of stations compiled by the editors, with help from Sterling Smith