Ratings for the station were good, and for a couple of times, WRFM was the top-rated FM station in New York. WRFM competed for Beautiful Music listeners with simulcasters WPAT AM/-FM, with two other easy listening stations, WTFM and WVNJ-FM usually trailing. As the 1980s began, WRFM started mixing in some soft contemporary artist vocals including the Carpenters, Barry Manilow, Kenny Rogers and Dionne Warwick, and it was also used on an electronic program guide in Manhattan throughout the '80s. In 1984, the station increased vocals to six per hour and cut back on adult standards titles, while also adding softer songs by top 40 artists, such as Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Chicago, Elton John, the Beatles and Whitney Houston.