WMEX broadcasts an oldies format of hits from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, as well as full service features including local DJs, news, traffic and weather.

[4] The station was silent from late June 2017 to November 7, 2019, when it returned to the air with new ownership, a new city of license of Quincy, and a reduction in power from the previous output of 50,000 watts directional day and night.

One early WMEX star was future Fenway Park and Boston Garden organist John Kiley, who in 1941 broadcast three daily programs.

[10] In the early 1950s, Nat Hentoff announced many live jazz radio broadcasts over WMEX from the Storyville nightclub at the Hotel Buckminster.

Many audio recordings from these sessions are still available, including those by Billie Holiday, Dave Brubeck, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, Charles Mingus, Charlie Parker, and Sarah Vaughan.

Max Richmond was reportedly a challenge to work for, with his alleged micromanaging and abrasive personality, yet none can deny his uncanny ability to spot DJ talent, and to keep his station—despite a poor nighttime signal in many suburban locations—a major player and innovator for many years.

[23][24][25] Among Max Richmond's innovations was the hiring of Jerry Williams in 1957 to conduct a nighttime telephone talk show, with the caller's voice heard on the air, a revolutionary concept in the late 1950s.

With the weekday-only Williams show beginning at 10:00 pm (after much of the young rock-and-roll audience was in bed), Richmond was able to expand the appeal of his station to the adult community in the late-night hours.

Larry's show steered clear of controversy and was more focused on "having a good time" while taping into Boston's well-known humor side.

By the late 1960s, WMEX was facing tough competition in the top-40 format from WRKO, which featured a tight playlist, a more "suburban oriented" sound, and a 50,000 watt day and night signal which was heard clearly in all suburbs.

However, under the programming of Dick Summer and later, John Garabedian, WMEX countered with an expanded playlist featuring some "progressive rock" album cuts.

WMEX shot back up in the ratings and actually beat WRKO in a few demographics and time periods, but it was a temporary and final victory for the station.

Prior to the station's sale, WWZN started to rely on time-brokered infomercials in addition to programming from Sporting News Radio.

On May 31, 2007, Blackstrap Broadcasting completed its purchase of both this station and WSNR in the New York City area (licensed to Newark, New Jersey).

A Saturday-night oldies show debuted on March 28, 2015, hosted by Jim Callahan and Chris Porter, which was followed by Classic Rewind with Jimmy Jay.

On June 23, 2015, WMEX announced that Daly XXL Communications would be purchasing the station from Blackstrap for $175,000, pending FCC approval, which was granted in September 2015.

[41] In the interim, the station applied to the FCC for special temporary authority (STA) to remain silent until a new owner or funding was found.

On December 18, 2017, Ed Perry, owner of WATD-FM in Marshfield, announced that he would acquire WMEX for $125,000, with the intention of returning the station to the air with local news and sports for the area south of Boston.

[46] WMEX commenced on-air testing on the weekend of June 30, 2018, simulcasting WATD-FM, to keep its license alive; it intended to resume regular broadcasting in the fall of 2018 with oldies and South Shore-based news and sports.

Owner Ed Perry told the New England Radio Stations Facebook group that he intended to start original programming of South Shore-based news and sports as well as oldies by March 9, 2020.

[49] On that day, an update advised that the station was simulcasting WATD, with plans to add its own programming and live internet streaming starting in April 2020.

On that day just after 9 a.m., DJ Larry Justice -- who did the popular morning show on WMEX in the mid-1960s -- returned to the station, debuting with the first song "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night.