In 1994, KQRS had the distinction of unseating legendary area broadcaster WCCO (830 AM) as the most-listened-to station in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market (12+), an achievement which WCCO had held unchallenged for decades. "The KQ92 Morning Show" hosted by Tom Barnard was a major element in KQ's ascendance to the top spot, along with shifting market demographics. Barnard and the KQ Morning Show also were successful in holding the top rating spot when Howard Stern made his debut on the Twin Cities airwaves in 1997. Stern lasted only until mid-1999 in Minneapolis as his ratings brought him to the number two position in morning drive time, but the station that carried the show, WRQC, had poor ratings during the rest of the day, leading to the dropping of Stern and a format change.