Kalamazoo's WKFR Ranks As Top U.S. Top 40 Station

In a world of streaming playlists, WKFR's latest ratings remind us why we still tune in for that local touch.

Using ratings data from Nielsen, Sean Ross at RadioInsight.com published an article this week that has Kalamazoo beaming with pride. 103.3 KFR pulled in a 14.1 average share with persons 12 and older in the Kalamazoo Metro for the Fall 2025 ratings book. That means WKFR is the number one radio station in Kalamazoo...again. But that's not all. It officially makes WKFR the highest-rated top-40 station in the United States, according to Sean Ross.

WKFR actually bills itself as “The Number One Hit Music Station,” making it the station where that claim is most unquestionably true.

WKFR has been playing contemporary hit music (CHR) since November 1964. That's over 60 years of one radio station never changing its format. Southwest Michigan always knows what to expect from this 50,000-watt powerhouse. I, Dana Marshall, have been on-air and Brand Manager of 103.3 KFR for 12 years. I started my radio career at this amazing radio station as an intern for Dave Benson back in 1991. Fun fact: Dave Benson was our afternoon host for 34 years before leaving KFR in 2021.

Read More: Happy Birthday to Michigan’s Most Prominent Top 40 Radio Station

10 Highest-Rated Top 40 Radio Stations in the United States as of February 20th, 2026

WKFR Kalamazoo, Michigan (Average share for persons 12+: 14.1)
WVAQ Morgantown, West Virginia (Average share for persons 12+: 14.0)
WBDR (The Border) Watertown, New York (Average share for persons 12+: 12.8)
WLBC Muncie, Indiana (Average share for persons 12+: 12.8)
KNEX (Hot 106.1) Laredo, Texas (Average share for persons 12+: 11.5)
WKEE Huntington, West Virginia (Average share for persons 12+:��11.3)
KSYN Joplin, Missouri (Average share for persons 12+: 11.0)
KZBT (The Beat) Midland/Odessa, Texas (Average share for persons 12+: 10.5)
WMGI (100.7 Mix FM) Terre Haute, Indiana (Average share for persons 12+: 10.0)

Get our free mobile app

In a time when radio competes with streaming platforms for attention, people wrongly believe that radio is dead. Meanwhile, WKFR continues to make a large impact in the community with events like Roof Sit to help fight child abuse with the Community Healing Center and Stuff the Bus to collect holiday gifts for local kids with Big Brothers Big Sisters. WKFR is also having huge success helping businesses find their customers both on-air and online, thanks to Influencer Marketing, Industry Aces, and Townsquare Interactive, just to name a few marketing tools.

We are a radio station full of people who live in Southwest Michigan with a passion to entertain and inform our audience while helping local businesses and charities succeed.

Please join me in congratulating my on-air partners in crime, morning show co-host Jessica Poxson, Midday host Deanna, afternoon star Lauren Gordon, PopCrush Nights hosts Donny Meacham and Lauryn Snapp, as well as our weekend DJs Andi Ahne, Sweet Lenny, and DJ Digital.