Agreed on the day of the beginning. As a teenager I was glued to 1290 for the (5:30am ??) sign on and what it was, was a battle of song A vs. song B, jingles between everything. Once that was over with, NO oldies were ever played unless it was "XXXX Greatest Hits" album. It was "Stereo 96, WZUU" or "Super Hit Music, on the Super Zoo!" The chart was a Top 29 (as in the never mentioned 1 29 0.)

http://las-solanas.com/surveys/WZUU/WZUU_1973-03-14_1.jpg

They MIGHT have mentioned a #1 or something, but the rotation drove me nuts!!!!!!

Stereo or not, I went back to WOKY. (Every other song was an oldie, Q format coming soon!)
WOKY added TWELVE SONGS to their Top 30 June 26,'72:
http://las-solanas.com/arsa/survey.php?sv=75825

1340-WRIT, now, was an also ran vs "the mighty 92" & "Stereo 96" and would run NBC's News & Information in 1973.

God, do I miss counter programming, and GOOD radio battles!