By 1994, the station had become the number one country station in Houston in the coveted 18–34 age group and was the number two station overall in the area. Later that year, they were named the Country Music Radio Station of the Year by Billboard Magazine and Airplay Monitor. In spring 1995, KKBQ pulled ahead of local rival KILT-FM in the Arbitron ratings for the first time. That year, they were again named Country Station of the Year by Billboard Magazine, and their program director Dene Hallam was named program director of the year. The following year, the station was named Major Market Radio Station of the Year by the Country Music Association, beating out KILT. They repeated their win as Best Station of the Year at the Billboard/Airplay Monitor Radio Awards in 1997, again beating local rival KILT.