What stations in the Portland area did a top 40 format. We know that Z100 is the lastest and KISN 910 was the earliest of TOP 40 in Portland could somebody give me a list of TOP 40 stations in the past and list the dates from what year it began to what year it died. ie KISN 91 1964 to 1976. Z100 1984-present. Also who replace KISN 91 format when KISN 91 went off the air in 1976? Thanks.

Magic 107 (106.7 FM) was a popular top 40 station in the late 1970s and early 1980s until Z100's arrival in 1984. Don't forget KGW-AM and KYTE-AM!

There was Q105 for a while that never really made a dent in Z100's numbers. That was around 87 to 89, right? I think I'm off on those years.

I remember Q105 switched from Chr to a station that played 70's and 80's back in 1991. I was so pissed, so i started listening to Z100!

KXL played top 40 music from 1955/1956. Bob Liddle was afternoon DJ. Bob McCarl did mornings.
KPOJ was also playing the same music at that era. Dick Novak was broadcasting the Rhythm Room nightly from Amatos Supper Club while Tom Murphy was still in grade school. Dick Novak WAS the president of the Bill Haley fan club during those days.....Bill Haley was playing R&R before Elvis came on the scene. The kids listened to Dick Novak for the "request" line before KISN started. Also on KPOJ at the time was Larry Caramella who later went to KXL and on to KATU (along with Dick Novak). KPOJ and KXL were playing R&R for several years before KISN started.

KVAN 910, KKEY, KGAR, KEX, KVAN 1480, KUIK, KRDR, KPAM 1410, KPFM, KAAR, KQFM, KSKD, KINK it's endless!

On the pre-KISN list, you can add KGW and KEX. The problem with all of these stations was that they weren't willing to commit to the format during all hours and most retained an MOR approch. KXL was a daytimer and that held them back. They were a sister station with KJR Seattle so if they hadn't been limited to daylight hours, they may have been a long term factor. As far as serious competitors, KISN led the market in the 60s and it was KGW in the 70s-early 80s. After a brief loss of the format where KGON scored double digits, KMJK was on top until Z100 came along.

Wasn't the KARO phase of 1480 top 40?

KYTE-FM.

KLLB (KB101) was something resembling "Rock-40" during their "Rock Deluxe" phase around '80, and they were playing a lot of new wave leaning rock hits just before the flip to KRCK.

Randy: KARO, KLLB Yes! Its endless.....KWAY....

Semoochie,
Yes, being a daytimer was the kiss of doom for a station to make inroads as a leader. That plus a commitment to public service programming that took most of Sunday.
KKEY played R&R for a while in those days but when nightime came, they had to sign off. Some today may find it hard to believe but KPDQ played the same music for awhile in that era when their studios were on NE Sandy in the Hollywood district. They also signed off at dusk.
KGW's problem in the 50's was that they were part of NBC radio network and hence carried some of their programs, interrupting local music. Monitor took up most of the weekend programming. I remember Wes Lynch playing music for a half hour on Saturdays and then babysitting Monitor the rest of his DJ shift.
When KISN started, it was the first station to devote 24 hours to the same format, including KEX.....even though it was "all night Al" Priddy on KEX that was fired for playing the Elvis Christmas song in the mid-fifties.

KXL was a market leader while still a daytimer as a Beautiful Music station before FM became popular. They were neck and neck with KYXI as late as the 1970s! That certainly wouldn't work with Top 40 though, especially when most of the audience was still in school.

Craig, you mentioned KINK as a station that was Top 40 at one time. I have heard that there were some Top 40 songs included at the beginning. I listened faithfully for the first 4 months and it certainly didn't sound anything like KISN or KPAM. I heard things like "The Motorcycle Song" and "Small Circle of Friends".

Semoochie: When I mentioned KINK, I was thinking 1969. I have old Kink music surveys and they list only top 40 hits with album tracks at the bottom.

That's the same time frame I'm talking about. I remember those surveys and they certainly played some hits but I'm pretty sure they were limited to Rock, Folk, Blues and Jazz. That is, I never heard any bubblegum or other nonconforming music.

KINK started life with automation. I remember the first days and heard lots of dead air when it wouldn't work right and the song I remember hearing over and over when it got stuck was "Crimson and Clover". It seemed to go forever and ever and ever.

It's funny you should mention "Crimson & Clover" because I was thinking that Tommy James & the Shondells seems like a nonconfoming group but at the time, it really wasn't. It was one of(as KPAM used to say)"the longer versions of all of your favorites". Maybe, we can get Jeff Douglas on the River.

Semoochie on Kink: "I never heard any bubblegum or other nonconforming music." When you think of Kink in 1969, do you think of Tommy Roe? Well you should. "Week of April 28" SINGLES: 19. Dizzy. Other stand outs on this Survey: 14. Galveston by Glen Campbell, 18. Love (Can Make You Happy) by Mercy, 20. Don't Give In to Him by Gary Pucket & The Union Gap.

1. The Boxer, Simon & Garfunkel
2. Atlantis, Donovan

I stand corrected. The album cuts must have been getting in the way of rational thought on my part. Any 1910 Fruitgum Company songs?

No Semoochie, Just "The Ohio Express".....Just Kidding!!

I can't believe nobody has mentioned KYMN.
My husband grew up listening to it. The first Top 40 station he remembers hearing. Wasn't it based in Oregon City?

Yes Radiogirl. Have you checked the KYMN history on this site. See Oregon City's KGON To KKSN.

There is some KYMN audio posted on the History page of this site. http://www.pdxradio.com/pdxhist.htm

Hi, I`m new here, Sorry for the "reply" instead of creating a new topic (still trying to figure that part out)....

Anyway, Are there any "62-KGW" round orange stickers hiding in someones closet or desk drawer somewhere? I would really really like to have one of those for History`s sake.

I don't think you can start a topic in this section. These are usually taken from Craig Adams posts plus replies in the main section. In the main section and also Politics, scan down to the bottom of the page and click on "create new conversation". I don't remember KGW stickers being orange. Red with white writing was the usual winner sticker and before that was a purple one that looked like the billboards.