WNKS (95.1 FM, "Kiss 95-1") is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Charlotte, North Carolina. The station is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group through licensee Beasley Media Group, LLC and broadcasts a contemporary hit radio format. Studios are located on South Boulevard in Charlotte's South End and the station's broadcast tower is located near Dallas, North Carolina, at (35°21′44.5″N 81°9′18.3″W / 35.362361°N 81.155083°W / 35.362361; -81.155083).

The station signed on July 29, 1962, as WIST-FM with a beautiful music format, and was co-owned with WIST (1240 AM). In just a few years, WIST-FM flipped to oldies, one of the first FM stations to ever try the format. In the summer of 1967, WIST-FM went silent. In January 1968, the station, now under the ownership of Belk Broadcasting, returned to the air and changed to a progressive rock format with the new letters WRNA. Calvin Walker was "the torchbearer for progressive rock and album cuts on WRNA-FM", according to Charlie Hanna of The Charlotte Observer.

In January 1973, SIS Broadcasting, owners of 61 Big WAYS (610 AM), bought WRNA-FM. The following month, the station, which was number 10 in the market, was switched to WROQ with a format of "adult rock". People complained that WROQ did not play "harder" rock like WRNA, instead playing a mix of Top 40 and "more esoteric numbers". Among those who apparently did not like the change was operations manager Walker, who left for WRPL in April 1973. However, WROQ went to number five "on a cumulative basis" in the metro ratings after four months. Progressive rock on WROQ was limited to simulcasts of In Concert on ABC on some Friday nights and a Saturday program. The "adult rock" format included some jazz, and WROQ was one of only two area stations playing classical music in 1975, with four hours on Sunday morning.

WROQ went by the moniker "95Q". Among the WROQ/WAYS DJs to become major celebrities were Robert Murphy (who went to greater fame in Chicago), and actor Jay Thomas, who went to KPWR in Los Angeles as the host of The Power 106 Morning Zoo. Larry Sprinkle, a WCNC-TV morning weather personality, also worked at the stations. The stations would simulcast in morning drive, while running separate programming the rest of the day. The progressive rock format would evolve into album-oriented rock in the early 1980s.

With album rock declining in popularity, WROQ became a CHR station called "Q95" in August 1984. By January 1989, WROQ evolved into a rock-leaning Top 40 format, better known as "Rock 40". Its AM sister station would simulcast WROQ during morning and afternoon drive-times during this time period, though it would flip to oldies in 1986. Also in 1986, SIS Radio would sell the two stations to CRB Broadcasting, who would then sell the stations again, first to Adams Radio in 1988, then to Tenore Broadcasting the following year.

On January 19, 1990, at 3 pm, after stunting with a 19-hour loop of "Shock the Monkey" by Peter Gabriel (which even prompted a call to local police services, thinking the station was being taken hostage), the station returned to CHR as WZZG, "Gorilla Radio, The New Z95.1 FM", which was partially inspired by the success of "Pirate Radio" in Los Angeles. By the end of the station's run, the station had a dayparted format of Top 40 during the day and more heavy metal in the evenings. In addition, the station would drop the "Gorilla Radio" portion of the moniker to just be named "Z95.1".

The return to CHR did not last long; Adams Radio would buy the station back in late 1990. On December 21 of that year, after playing "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, WZZG became WGKL-FM, "Kool 95.1", an oldies format emphasizing 1950s music more than Magic 96.1, using Satellite Music Network's "Pure Gold" format. The flip occurred because of a company-wide initiative where most of Adams' stations flipped to the format. This format, however, would last just a short time. After a few months, the station added a local airstaff, but by the station's end, the entire staff was let go and the station went completely automated again, with listeners being asked to call in and suggest what format they would like to hear. The flip to oldies would also bankrupt the entire company, resulting in their stations being placed in receivership and being sold off one by one.

On October 3, 1991, WGKL began stunting with a different format each day, using other formats from Satellite Music Networks (including Real Country, Stardust, Z-Rock, oldies, and a simulcast of News/talk WCNT, with listeners being allowed to vote on the new format. However, at noon on October 14, the announced result was "None of the above". The station then returned to CHR as WAQQ, "95 Double Q", which started with a "25,000 Songs in a Row, Commercial Free" promotion, beginning with "Groovy Train" by The Farm. The "Double Q" moniker was meant to remind listeners of WROQ (whose call letters were transferred to WCKN in Anderson, South Carolina). The "Double Q" format was more of a mix of Top 40 and alternative rock music, which was starting to become popular during this time. In March 1993, AT&T would acquire the stations temporarily due to Adams' bankruptcy while a permanent owner was being sought. Pyramid Broadcasting, then-owners of WRFX, would buy the stations in September.