In August 1972 WBNQ became an oldies station using the Draper-Blore Olde Golde syndicated format, then changed to the Drake-Chenault Solid Gold format in 1974 and evolved Top 40 using Drake-Chenault's XT-40 format in late spring 1975. In the spring 1976 Arbitron, using Drake-Chenault's XT-40 format, WBNQ attained its highest ever 12+ share of 24.3%, making it one of the highest-rated FM stations in the U.S. at that time.
WBNQ's programming changes from oldies to Top 40 and its subsequent success with Drake-Chenault's XT-40 format led to a significant increase in its audience share, making it one of the top-rated FM stations in the U.S.