Atlanta during its successful alternative format. Country (1993-present) By the early 1990s, however, country music's popularity increased in Kansas City and throughout the nation, while the Top 40 format was in a state of decline. In addition, rimshot station KXXR flipped to a Top 40/CHR format in 1990, pulling younger listeners away from KBEQ. In the Fall 1992 ratings for the market, KBEQ would sink to 12th place (6+). On February 1, 1993, KBEQ began running a promotion called "20 years in 20 days", playing music that was popular in their Top 40 heyday. At 5 p.m. on February 19, after playing "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men, KBEQ abruptly flipped to country as "Young Country 104." The first song under the new format was "Young Country" by Hank Williams, Jr. This left Kansas City without a full city-grade Top 40 station until the following year, when future-sister station KMXV flipped from adult contemporary to Top 40. In March 1995, EZ Communications, the same company that owned competitor KFKF, bought KBEQ. By July 1996, KBEQ rebranded as "Young Country Q104" as a nod to the station's previous Top 40 legacy. In April 1997, KBEQ was acquired by American Radio Systems. Westinghouse/CBS bought American Radio Systems' stations (including KBEQ) on September 19, 1997. In June 1998, CBS split off the radio division under the revived Infinity Broadcasting name, which would be renamed CBS Radio in December 2005. In 2001, KBEQ dropped the "Young Country" portion of its branding and began simply using the moniker "Q104." The station also changed its logo to mirror its former Top 40 logo. In 2019, KBEQ introduced a new morning show for the first time in over 20 years, launching "The Morning Drive" with Mike Kellar and Jenny Matthews. Kellar was on the previous morning show alongside Zeke Montana and Jillian Gregg, while Matthews joined from sister station KMXV. Since the debut, KBEQ has seen its highest ratings in over 10 years. Wilks and Steel City ownership In November 2006, CBS sold KBEQ to Wilks Broadcasting as part of a nationwide reduction of radio stations by CBS. On June 12, 2014, Wilks announced that they would be selling its Kansas City cluster, including KBEQ, to Pittsburgh-based Steel City Media. The sale was approved on September 26, 2014, and was consummated on September 30. Steel City owns two Kansas City country stations: the younger-appealing KBEQ