In the 1970s, the station was a Top 40/CHR outlet as WKFM, calling itself "104.7 HitRadio KFM." In 1985, it flipped to Album-Oriented Rock (AOR). In the late 1980s, it switched to classic rock as "104.7 KIX-FM."
The station has been a country music outlet since 1993 and switched its call letters to WBBS-FM shortly after changing the format. B104.7 formerly held an annual summer concert with national recording acts called B-Jam. It later coordinated with "Harborfest" in Oswego.
Until 2007, WBBS competed for country listeners with Sandy Creek-based WSCP and WSCP-FM, before they switched to classic hits. In August 2009, WBBS was challenged by WVOA-FM, which became country music station WOLF-FM, known as "The Wolf." Incidentally, WOLF-FM was WBBS' former sister station and simulcast partner under the call sign WXBB. Some Syracuse-area listeners can also tune to 100,000-watt country station WFRG in Utica.
Personalities
Weekdays on WBBS begin with The Bobby Bones Show based in Nashville. That's followed by Michael J., "Some Guy Named Tias," Shanna, Dusty and syndicated radio program CMT After Midnite with Granger Smith during overnights. Weekend hosts include Tom Owens, Madison, Brooke Taylor, Casey Carter and The iHeart Country House Party. Weather is provided by Dave Longley and news by Christie Casciano from WSYR-TV.
In 2004, B104.7's Ron and Becky received a Country Music Association Award (CMA) for "Personality of the Year" for a US Medium Market. Former morning team hosts Tom Owens and Becky Palmer were nominated for CMA and ACM awards in 2009 and 2010.