Album-oriented rock
However, despite the success in Santa Fe, the Utah based owners would focus their efforts on the Albuquerque market, which had much more revenue potential. In March 1990, 98.5 would change to KRBL, and flipped to an Album-oriented rock format called "The Rebel Rocker", targeting a younger audience in Albuquerque. This would also prompt KBOM (106.7 FM) to change from a Spanish contemporary format to oldies shortly after. Later on, with new competition following KZRQ (an affiliate of the Z-Rock network) moving to the 105.1 FM frequency in late 1991 replacing a top 40 format, KRBL would move to pick up the mainstream CHR/Top 40 format, rebranding as "Lazer 98.5" in June 1992. A year later, in June 1993, 98.5 would go dark in order to move to a new transmitter as well as to new studios in Santa Fe. This came as the station would be sold to Plaza Broadcasting, which also owned country formatted KNYN for $650,000.