. ▁ ▁The ▁popular ity ▁of ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁artists ▁that ▁were ▁played ▁on ▁" New ▁Generation ," ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁MTV , ▁and ▁the ▁dedic ation ▁of ▁record ▁and ▁radio ▁profession als ▁who ▁recognized ▁the ▁value ▁of ▁these ▁new ▁artists , ▁prompt ed ▁W K Z L ▁to ▁open ▁its ▁format ▁a ▁bit ▁and ▁bring ▁new ▁artists ▁such ▁as ▁X , ▁the ▁English ▁Beat , ▁the ▁Psych ed el ic ▁F urs , ▁Berlin , ▁Gary ▁N uman , ▁Wall ▁of ▁V ood oo , ▁Dur an ▁Dur an , ▁U 2 , ▁and ▁R . E . M ., ▁into ▁regular ▁rotation . ▁Because ▁of ▁Thor nt on ' s ▁pers istence , ▁R . E . M .' s ▁song ▁" Radio ▁Free ▁Europe " ▁was ▁allowed ▁into ▁W K Z L ' s ▁play list , ▁making ▁W K Z L ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁major ▁commercial ▁stations ▁to ▁play ▁R . E . M .' s ▁music ▁in ▁high ▁rotation . ▁ ▁W K Z L ▁went ▁through ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁Program ▁Direct ors ▁gra pp ling ▁with ▁the ▁emer gence ▁of ▁pop ▁bands ▁gain ing ▁popular ity ▁through ▁MTV ▁and ▁how ▁to ▁balance ▁these ▁modern ▁bands ▁with ▁the ▁traditional ▁“ class ic ▁rock ” ▁format . ▁By ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁the ▁hard - edge ▁sound ▁gave ▁way ▁to ▁the ▁pop ▁sounds ▁of ▁Prince , ▁Michael ▁Jackson , ▁and ▁other ▁artists ▁who ▁frequ ented ▁Billboard ’ s ▁Top ▁ 4 0 ▁charts . ▁On