Detroit's 92.3 FM began with a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) construction permit under the call sign WIPE.

The permit was originally granted in 1960, held by jazz disc jockey Sleepy Stein and Hollywood composer and musician Henry Mancini.

The original schedule consisted of morning host Bill Hennes, a two-hour talk show, afternoon drive with Dave Kelly, and evening DJs Ron Rose and Don Haney.

In 1963, the station relocated its studios to the Lafayette Pavilion Apartments complex in downtown Detroit, and the format became all jazz music.

In 1964, Hy Levinson, owner of successful "good music" outlet WCAR, purchased WLIN and rechristened it WCAR-FM on December 8 of that year.

In February 1977, Levinson agreed to sell WCAR-AM-FM to Gene Autry's Golden West Broadcasters, Inc., but he would stay on as a consultant.

In October of that year, Golden West changed WCAR-FM's MOR format to the syndicated "Great American Country" package from Drake-Chenault.

In late 1981, Tower 92 transitioned from its Hot AC/Oldies hybrid to full-fledged Top 40 under the guidance of programmer Todd Wallace, and saw a slight improvement in the ratings in the Winter 1982 Arbitron report.

The station became WCXI-FM, programming a country music format separate from WCXI, in an effort to forge a two-pronged competition with the successful WWWW-FM.

[5][6][7][8] Since Detroit already had four adult contemporary stations, 92 Music sank to the bottom of the ratings, perhaps due to its lack of live and local air talent.

By 1993, WMXD was showing up regularly in the top 10 of Detroit's Arbitron ratings, and the format has endured since, surviving several ownership changes.

WMXD subsequently brought in a parade of celebrities such as soul singer Kenny Lattimore to host the morning show until a permanent replacement could be found.