Every year Digital and Radio Facts takes a listen to various stations around the country. We have already picked our mainstream winners for Urban, now here are our urban AC’s.
WHUR – Washington, DC
WHUR’s lineage goes back to experimental FM outlet W3XO in 1939, but it officially became WHUR‑FM in 1971 when Howard University took control and turned it into one of the nation’s only university‑owned commercial stations. The station evolved from a jazz focus into an Urban AC powerhouse best known for originating the Quiet Storm format and for its long tradition of community service and public‑affairs programming in the nation’s capital.
WBLS – New York, NY
WBLS began as WLIB‑FM in 1965 and took on the WBLS calls in 1972 under Inner City Broadcasting, which branded it “The Total Black Experience in Sound.” Guided by legendary programmer Frankie Crocker, the station blended R&B, disco, jazz and pop in a sophisticated style that helped define Urban and Urban AC nationally and became the first Black‑owned station to rank number one in any major U.S. market in 1979.
KOKY – Little Rock, AR
KOKY signed on October 8, 1956 at 1440 AM as Arkansas’s first station specifically targeting Black listeners, staffed by Black talent and promoted as the “Greater Little Rock Ebony Station.” It became a key voice during the Central High desegregation era, later producing notable alumni like Al Bell and eventually relaunching on FM in 1998 as a modern Urban AC outlet that still calls itself “the people’s station.”
WBAV “V 101.9” – Charlotte, NC
The WBAV signal dates to 1947 as WGNC‑FM and went through various incarnations, including beautiful music and soft AC formats, before moving into Black‑targeted programming. In January 1994 it adopted the WBAV‑FM calls and flipped to Urban AC as “V 101.9,” growing into Charlotte’s core adult R&B station and spending time under major group ownership including CBS Radio and later Beasley.
WMPZ “G93” – Chattanooga, TN
WMPZ 93.5 has served Chattanooga’s Black community with several flavors of adult‑leaning formats, including Urban Oldies, Gospel and Smooth Jazz. Branded for years as “Groove 93,” it moved to the updated “G93” name in 2022 while continuing as an Urban AC/Adult R&B outlet built around classic and current R&B plus syndicated personalities like Rickey Smiley in mornings.
WDAS-FM – Philadelphia, PA
WDAS‑FM signed on in 1959 as an FM companion to WDAS‑AM, initially airing jazz and classical before evolving by the early 1970s into a progressive soul station. It became a template for the Urban AC format by blending contemporary R&B with gold titles, heavily supporting Philadelphia International’s “Philly Soul” sound and maintaining a strong civil‑rights and community‑focused identity.
WAGH “Magic 101.3” – Columbus, GA / Phenix City, AL
WAGH’s frequency first signed on in 1998 using the WBFA calls and was part of a 2007 signal and branding shuffle that moved the “Beat” identity elsewhere and left 101.3 operating as WAGH. Today the station runs as “Magic 101.3,” a “grown folks” Urban AC outlet for the Columbus–Phenix City market, mixing classic and current R&B with major syndicated shows such as The Steve Harvey Morning Show.
WSRB 106.3 – Chicago, IL
The 106.3 signal launched in 1961 as WLNR and later was acquired by Johnson Publishing, which turned it into WJPC‑FM and used it to extend the Ebony and Jet brands with a soft Urban/Urban AC format. Now operating as WSRB, the station serves Chicago’s South Side and south suburbs as an Urban AC outlet branded around “Chicago’s R&B,” featuring a mix of classics and currents plus syndicated shows like Rickey Smiley.
KTWV “94.7 The Wave” – Los Angeles, CA
KTWV flipped to “94.7 The Wave” on February 14, 1987, adopting a New Adult Contemporary blend of soft pop, new age and contemporary jazz that effectively launched the Smooth Jazz radio format. Its success inspired similar stations nationwide, and although KTWV has since shifted toward a more rhythmic, Urban AC‑leaning mix, it remains identified with the Wave brand and a relaxed, adult sound.
WAMJ “Majic” – Atlanta, GA
WAMJ 107.5 signed on February 6, 1998 as “Majic 107.5,” the original incarnation of the Majic brand in Atlanta, with an R&B format under the WAMJ calls. After format and call‑letter changes, the station eventually returned to Urban AC as part of the “Majic 107.5/97.5” simulcast, now positioned as “Atlanta’s Best Mix of R&B” with a playlist heavy on 1980s and 1990s R&B and nationally syndicated stars like Steve Harvey.
WWIN-FM “Magic 95.9” – Baltimore, MD
WWIN‑FM began at 95.9 in 1964 as WISZ‑FM, a station that spent years in country and adult‑contemporary formats before eventually adopting the WWIN‑FM calls to align with its AM sister. Today it is “Magic 95.9,” an Urban AC/R&B station owned by Urban One, known for the slogan “The Best Songs and No Rap” and for serving Baltimore’s Black adult audience with a mix of 1960s‑to‑current R&B, heritage personalities and shows like Rickey Smiley and DL Hughley.