The rock lean on WLS-FM was a result of a couple things

The original WLS leaned Rock in the 80s

The Loop was sold to EMF.

Wade Linder was the PD for The Loop. They sent him over to WLS-FM after The Loop went off. They tried to keep as many of The Loop's audience as possible with a rock lean.

Wade is now in Minneapolis and is the VP of Classic Rock for the company. WLS still has a rock lean, but Todd is putting his own spin on it from what I'm able to tell.