New York’s Lite FM Shines Brightest In AC’s Top 10.

When it comes to adult contemporary stations, the heavy is still “Lite.”

According to Inside Radio’s TOP 10 ranking of AC-formatted stations in PPM markets, based on cume delivery of persons 6+ during Nielsen’s fall 2024 and winter 2025 waves, iHeartMedia’s “106.7 Lite FM” WLTW New York leads with a 3.6 million cume. It’s one of four iHeart stations in AC’s top five, and seven in the top 10.

WLTW, which turned on the “Lite” in 1984, has stood as the market’s number one station for 31 consecutive Nielsen surveys, and features 29-year New York veteran Paul “Cubby” Bryant in mornings, partnered with Christine Nagy since 2019.

The dominant AC on the other coast is iHeart’s 103.5 KOST Los Angeles, ranking second with a 2.2 million cume. Ellen K., a morning radio regular in L.A. since 1990, has hosted AM drive on KOST since 2015. Placing third with a 1.9 million cume is the Marconi Award-winning AC Station of the Year for 2023, “Sunny 99.1” KODA Houston, where Dana Tyson has been on wake-up duty since 2000.

Rounding out AC’s top five are iHeart’s “Star 102.1” KDGE Dallas, and Bonneville’s 96.5 KOIT San Francisco, delivering 1.2 million and 1.1 million, respectively.

Audacy’s entry in the top 10 is sixth-ranked “B101” WBEB Philadelphia, a multiple Marconi winner for Major Market Station of the Year, which along with iHeart’s 100.3 WNIC Detroit, at seventh, also hits the million-cume mark.

Coming in eighth is iHeart’s “99.9 KEZ” KESZ Phoenix, which just celebrated its 20th straight Nielsen survey win, powered by 40-year morning host Beth McDonald. iHeart also claims the ninth spot with 97.1 WASH Washington, D.C., while Cox Media Group’s “B98.5” WSB-FM Atlanta lands at 10th.