Most of my Pgh knowledge fits in the era from 1973-1985, so here goes:
My favorite Pgh music station was the iteration of WYDD that was on the air in 1981-83. It was doing Frank Felix's more conservative take on KROQ-Los Angeles, in effect an early alternative station. They were playing an excellent music mix during that era. I believe Bryan McIntyre was their GM. McIntyre had been famous for programming the very adventurous Top 40 WCOL in Columbus, and its progressive sister station WCOL-FM. Some of my favorite songs that were never hits were on this station.
13Q had its moments as a great music station as well, although its big money promotion eventually was its downfall. Q was the first Top 40 station I had ever heard that didn't use jingles of any kind. It was all done on the shoulders of the talent, with clever production elements that broke the rules of the time. Quite a number of great jocks came through 13Q: Don Cox, Dennis Waters (later to start up WYNY New York), Sam Holman (one time WABC talent), Mark Driscoll, Batt Johnson, Ray Zoller, Bill Tanner, Dave Mason and Don Bombard (later known as Bob Shannon at WCBS-FM). Placing so much emphasis on the money, though, dwarfed any other good the station was doing. I remember driving the station van around town in 1977 (long after the money had dried up) and having less than savory characters coming up and demanding their money for saying the phrase that pays. When Bob Savage left, the "13Q Music Bingo" began, and then with the flip to that bizarro-world "WKTQ keeps you hummin' along" format, it was pretty obvious that, once Dick Janssen had gone, Nationwide had no idea what to do with it.
For sheer talent, though, nothing compares to 1250 WTAE in the mid 70s through the early 80s. I remember Don Imus being quoted as saying "don't ever let those guys O'Brien and Garry come to New York" for fear they'd put him out of business. (Guess he wasn't expecting Al Sharpton.) Look at that line-up of great personalities: O'Brien and Garry, Jim Quinn, Chuck Brinkman, Don Berns, the great Bob Dearborn, Mark Roberts, the original Johnny Williams from KHJ, Susie Barbour, Bob Kopler, Paul Long, Myron Cope for God's sakes! It was like listening to a good morning show ALL DAY LONG. Yoy!
Other great talents that made their mark during this time:
WPEZ: Buzz Brindle, Lee Douglas, Charlie Lake, Kelly Randall.
WXKX/WHTX: Suitcase Simpson, Jay Stone, Keith Abrams, Randy Miller, Mike McGann, Dennis Elliott.
B94 during Guy Zapoleon's reign as PD: Clarke Ingram, Bruce Kelly, Mike Elliott, Banana Don Jefferson, Alfred E. Neuman (now John Summers on KLUV Dallas), Jeff McKay.
KQV (although they were on their way out during most of this era): Can't forget Jeff Christie. He is, indeed, the 800 pound gorilla in the room.
WPNT: George Hart.
Imagine what the market would sound like with this lineup!