The Top 25 hits on “96 Rock” 31 years ago today
Ask any Atlanta rock fan who’s lived here longer than 30 years what THE rock station in town was, and most likely they’ll tell you, 96 Rock. WKLS was a “pure rock and roll” station from 1974 to 2006. It was known for humorous TV commercials and on-air talent like Bobby Harper, Kaedy Kiely, Willard, and The Regular Guys. During the 80’s and 90’s, it played the hottest rock from Dire Straits to the Police to Stone Temple Pilots. It would move exclusively to classic rock in its later years. In 2006, its owner, Clear Channel (now iHeart Media) rebranded the station “Project 9-6-1” which emphasized newer rock music. Its days as a rock outlet ended six years later when it went Top 40 as Power 96.1. In 2024, the station then swapped positions with sister station WRDG and is now Urban Hip Hop 96.1 The Beat.
96 Rock is currently streaming online.
96 Rock’s TV Commercials
These were the top 25 hits on 96Rock 31 years ago today.
- Shaw-Blades – “My Hallucination”
- Black Crowes – “Wiser Time”
- Live – “Lightning Crashes”
- Collective Soul – “December”
- Dave Matthews Band – “What Would You Say”
- Van Halen – “Can’t Stop Loving You”
- Rolling Stones – “I Go Wild”
- Tom Petty – “It’s Good To Be King”
- Stone Temple Pilots – “Dancing Days”
- R. E. M. – “Strange Currencies”
- Pete Droge – “Northern Bound Train”
- Billy Pilgrim – “Sweet Louisiana”
- Charlie Sexton – “Everyone Will Crawl”
- Papa Chubby – “Sweet Goddess Off…”
- Soul Asylum – “Misery”
- Little Feat – “Shakeytown”
- Freedy Jones Band – “Texas Skies”
- Stone Roses – “Love Spreads”
- Chris Duarte Group – “My Way Down”
- Mad Season – “River Of Deceit”
- Better Than Ezra – “Good”
- Sonny Landreth – “Shookin’ For…”
- Bad Company – “Down And Dirty”
- Goo Goo Dolls – “Only One’“
- Van Halen – “Amsterdam”
Data used in this post is from Radio & Records dated 5/12/1989 from World Radio History.com.
