In August 1973, when the transmitter was upgraded to full power at 100,000 watts, a broad-based popular adult music format was launched.

By 1975, the format evolved to adult contemporary music, though WCCO-FM continued to play deeper album tracks than most AC stations.

Personalities included Paul Stagg, Carl Lensgraf, Terri Davis, Tom Ambrose, Curt Lundgren, Johnny Canton, Peter May and Pat O'Neill.

Tim Russell, who went on to be a cast member on NPR's "A Prairie Home Companion," hosted middays and created memorable characters like traffic reporter "Captain Buzz Studley."

The striking FM air staff was temporarily replaced with announcers with little experience, making the station sound unpolished compared to its usual presentation.

The station also began to face formidable competition after a relaunch of KSTP-FM "KS95," with a comparable live AC format.

At the same time as 102.9 gave up the format, the "Lite FM" AC music moved to co-owned KZJK 104.1-HD2, replacing smooth jazz.

WLTE was the last of four CBS Radio stations to drop the adult contemporary format in 2011 after March's flip of WIAD in Washington, D.C. from AC to hot adult contemporary (WWFS in New York City followed suit on October 12) and WCFS-FM in Chicago on August 1 of that year, when that station flipped to all-news to simulcast WBBM.

On November 23, 2018, KMNB began running promos pointing to a change on December 3 at 7 am, under the tagline "the Buzz has worn off."

[13][14] In October 2024, the Twins and Audacy announced an extension of the pact which would keep the team's broadcasts on WCCO 830 and KMNB 102.9 for additional years.