The Biggest Moments in WMMS History
Ever since noted Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed helped popularize the term “rock and roll in the early 1950s, music, and especially rock, has been associated with Cleveland. This has continued on through the many prominent bands that got their start here – such as Nine Inch Nails, the James Gang, the Moonglows, and Dead Boys – and through the countless shows at hotspots like Blossom Music Center, the House of Blues, the Grog Shop, Beachland Ballroom, and the Agora Theatre.
But perhaps nothing kept the spirit of Alan Freed and rock and roll alive as much as WMMS 100.7 FM, the famed Cleveland radio station whose roots stretch all the way back to 1946. Let’s dig into the history of WMMS and how the station has reinvented itself over the years.
WMMS History: The Early Days
WMMS began as the FM counterpart of AM station WHK, originally appearing under the name W8XUB in 1946 before changing to WHK-FM. The station played adult-oriented popular music of the day, focused on the Top 40 hits. Later, in 1958, both WHK and WHK-FM were sold to the company Metropolitan Broadcasting, later renamed MetroMedia.
Until the 1960s, most AM stations merely duplicated their content on FM station signals, but this was changed in 1966 when the FCC made this practice impermissible so radio could flourish and become more commercially viable. This meant that in many areas “twice” the number of radio stations were suddenly born, giving incredible opportunities for new content.
This was a key turning point in the history of WMMS, as it allowed then then-WHK-FM to branch out and establish its own identity. WMMS was officially born on September 28, 1968 with the adoption of not only new call letters, but a new format, focused on progressive rock. By 1969, however, parent company MetroMedia doubted progressive rock’s viability in the Cleveland market and changed formats multiple times – spanning adult contemporary, big band, and, once again, Top 40 focuses – before finally reverting to the progressive rock format in 1970 when the other options failed to generate interest.
WMMS History: The Buzzard Is Born!
After landing on a new permanent format, the golden era of WMMS had begun. By playing more youth-oriented and experimental music, the station was able to tap into the zeitgeist of the time. Anti-war, anti-establishment, and simply more daring music began to hit the airwaves than what was available to the station during the Top 40 era, making WMMS a force to be reckoned with in the prominent youth market.
During the 1970s and into the 1980s, the station became known for playing more offbeat groups such as the Dolls, Soft Machine, and King Crimson, among many others, as well as giving greater exposure to emerging artists. Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, the Pretenders, Boston, and Rush received significant airplay in their formative musical careers, while David Bowie not only saw airplay and record sales skyrocket in Cleveland, but he also launched his inaugural U.S. tour from the city in a WMMS-sponsored affair that was a major success.
Following its rebranding, WMMS utilized an image of two mushrooms as a logo in a presumed drug culture reference. This logo was eventually changed in 1974 to the now-famous Buzzard, a key moment in WMMS history.
The Buzzard, drawn in a Looney-Tunes-esque style, and featuring a shock of yellow hair, a prominent beak, and a sly grin, became indelibly linked to the station and is still what many people associate with WMMS. The choice of a buzzard as a mascot was something of a joke on the Rust Belt status and economic decline of Cleveland, since buzzards are scavengers of dead prey.
WMMS History: The Heyday of Rock
From the 1970s through the 1980s, the popularity of WMMS seemed to know no bounds. This was likely due to the quality of music being played and the curation by disc jockeys and station management, as well as a somewhat iconoclastic attitude to programming. In the 1970s, a sign hung in the broadcast booth reading, “Never play three electric tunes in a row. Never play three acoustic tunes in a row. Be real. Be good. Have fun. Be tight!” This approach, aimed at keeping things fresh, lively, and engaging, likely went a long way to making WMMS the breakout star it became.
The accolades rolled in, too. By the 1980s, WMMS was one of the highest-rated radio stations in the United States, and from 1979 to 1987 it received the “Radio Station of the Year” award from none other than Rolling Stone.
During this era, many of the on-air personalities and behind-the-scenes staff members remained in their roles, keeping a continuity in programming and quality that allowed WMMS to flourish. WMMS also produced a variety of live concerts in this era with major artists of their day, as well as the famed World Series of Rock.
WMMS History: Ch-Ch-Changes!
By the mid-1980s, more pop-oriented artists began to appear on WMMS due to their popularity, including Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson, and others. These changes, along with corporate restructuring, key personnel leaving, and a ballot-stuffing scandal for the Rolling Stone readers’ poll, started to affect the brand negatively and brought a close to a key period in WMMS history.
Competition from other radio stations, particularly WNCX which hosted the then-exploding Howard Stern Show, brought further troubles. More corporate shakeups led to declining ratings and even the directive to give the WMMS Buzzard a flat-top and mullet. Howard Stern later held a nationwide “funeral” for his rival stations in a live event in downtown Cleveland, with a WMMS engineer actually attempting to sabotage the broadcast by cutting a satellite broadcast wire. Stern, however, was able to continue broadcasting with some help from his team.
WMMS History: The Buzzard Rises from the Ashes
Seeing the changing tides in music, WMMS staff shifted the programming to alternative rock in 1994, with bands such as Nirvana, the Offspring, and Cleveland’s own Nine Inch Nails receiving regular airplay. Younger audiences flocked to the new programming and ratings steadily improved. An active rock format would follow a few years later, as well as a “Death of the Buzzard” promotional stunt to reflect the change.
Other shifts included changes to the morning and evening talk radio programming, with shows Rover’s Morning Glory and the Alan Cox Show being launched. These programs proved to be very popular, and other talk radio shows followed as well as broadcasting for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Cleveland Guardians.
Looking for Merch to Celebrate WMMS History? CLE Clothing Co. Has You Covered!
At CLE Clothing Co., we love all things Cleveland and that includes the Buzzard! With that in mind, we’re proud to have partnered with the radio station to provide a collection of officially licensed WMMS 100.7 FM shirts featuring the beloved mascot.
Check them out on our page to see classic logo options along with throwback styles and Cleveland sports mashups! And if you have any questions for our team, be sure to contact us!
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