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Raised on Radio: Power Ballads, Cocaine & Payola – the AOR Glory Years 1976-1986
A massively entertaining oral biography of the golden era of radio rock, when Journey, Boston, Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, Toto, and more ruled the airwaves
Paul Rees’ Raised on Radio is, remarkably, the first biography of AOR (“Album-Oriented Rock”), critically derided at the time but massively popular during its 1976-1986 heyday when artists such as Journey, Boston, Foreigner, Toto, REO Speedwagon, Heart, Pat Benatar, Bryan Adams, and Styx sold many millions of albums and toured stadiums. Today, those very same songs are streaming in record numbers and many of the artists continue to play to sell-out audiences around the world. They may have been dismissed at the time as terminally uncool by elitist rock critics in thrall to punk and new wave, but their music was, and is still, the soundtrack to so many people’s lives.
Who hasn’t pumped their fist to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” (even before The Sopranos made it cool), played air guitar to Boston’s “More Than a Feeling”, had their heart broken to the strains of REO’s “Can’t Fight This Feeling”, or bellowed along to Toto’s “Africa” at one time or another? Truly, these songs are national–and international–anthems.
The stories behind their making, and of the AOR era in general, are as eye-opening as any from the annals of rock ‘n’ roll history. For better or worse, AOR’s prime movers lived life to excess and in the fast lane. Cocaine use was rampant, egos were unchecked, and intra-band fighting became par for the course. What’s more, their influence stretches across generations and through the fabric of popular American music. AOR invented the power ballad, and the sound of it has travelled on through hair metal, pop-rock, and right up to Taylor Swift.
Fittingly, Raised on Radio is a stadium-sized, massively entertaining oral and pop-cultural history in the bestselling tradition of Meet Me in the Bathroom, Nothin’ But a Good Time, and Please Kill Me, capturing a time and place that was as big, booming, and unabashed as the music that provided its soundtrack.
Paul Rees’ Raised on Radio is, remarkably, the first biography of AOR (“Album-Oriented Rock”), critically derided at the time but massively popular during its 1976-1986 heyday when artists such as Journey, Boston, Foreigner, Toto, REO Speedwagon, Heart, Pat Benatar, Bryan Adams, and Styx sold many millions of albums and toured stadiums. Today, those very same songs are streaming in record numbers and many of the artists continue to play to sell-out audiences around the world. They may have been dismissed at the time as terminally uncool by elitist rock critics in thrall to punk and new wave, but their music was, and is still, the soundtrack to so many people’s lives.
Who hasn’t pumped their fist to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” (even before The Sopranos made it cool), played air guitar to Boston’s “More Than a Feeling”, had their heart broken to the strains of REO’s “Can’t Fight This Feeling”, or bellowed along to Toto’s “Africa” at one time or another? Truly, these songs are national–and international–anthems.
The stories behind their making, and of the AOR era in general, are as eye-opening as any from the annals of rock ‘n’ roll history. For better or worse, AOR’s prime movers lived life to excess and in the fast lane. Cocaine use was rampant, egos were unchecked, and intra-band fighting became par for the course. What’s more, their influence stretches across generations and through the fabric of popular American music. AOR invented the power ballad, and the sound of it has travelled on through hair metal, pop-rock, and right up to Taylor Swift.
Fittingly, Raised on Radio is a stadium-sized, massively entertaining oral and pop-cultural history in the bestselling tradition of Meet Me in the Bathroom, Nothin’ But a Good Time, and Please Kill Me, capturing a time and place that was as big, booming, and unabashed as the music that provided its soundtrack.
- GenresMusicNonfictionHistory
528 pages, Hardcover
Published February 24, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 4, 2026
Here it is... the oral history for anyone who listened to music in the late 1970s and a good chunk of the 1980s: Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Toto, Foreigner, and Def Leppard, among many others. Loved and reviled with equal force during their heyday, it cannot be denied that this era produced music that lives on today. Certainly they have kept a number of FM stations in business.
Like many of these histories, the book runs on too long. There also are some structural problems where the author combines accounts from several different bands into one thread, so it gets hard to follow who is talking about what. Chances are you will make good use of the cast of characters listed at the beginning of the book.
There is ample bitchiness on display to keep you entertained, and the egos here are immense.
In that light, it is interesting that the most affecting chapter is the one on Quarterflash, some folks who came out of Oregon, had a huge hit with Harden My Heart, then little success afterwards. They returned home with few regrets, happy for the experience.
One more thing. You might be able to construct a decent drinking game based on taking a shot whenever a member of Toto calls someone a cat.
Like many of these histories, the book runs on too long. There also are some structural problems where the author combines accounts from several different bands into one thread, so it gets hard to follow who is talking about what. Chances are you will make good use of the cast of characters listed at the beginning of the book.
There is ample bitchiness on display to keep you entertained, and the egos here are immense.
In that light, it is interesting that the most affecting chapter is the one on Quarterflash, some folks who came out of Oregon, had a huge hit with Harden My Heart, then little success afterwards. They returned home with few regrets, happy for the experience.
One more thing. You might be able to construct a decent drinking game based on taking a shot whenever a member of Toto calls someone a cat.
March 1, 2026
A fun read, though not on par with the best recent oral histories of music like Where Are Your Boys Tonight or I Don’t Want to Go Home, and of course Lizzie Goodman’s genre-defining Meet Me in the Bathroom.
Some of the issue here is that the selected time period is somewhat arbitrary and the book wanders away from AOR, its purported subgenre focus. And it feels like a bit of a misdirect having the word radio in the title, as radio airplay is largely a secondary or even tertiary topic in the book. At one point the book gets into a discussion about the early days of MTV, and I found myself thinking “Now THAT is what I’d really like to be reading an oral history of right now.”
This book also suffers from a problem which often plagues oral histories, which is that you’re very much at the mercy of who is willing to talk, which often results in a misrepresentation of specific bands’ degree of importance based on who was willing to give interviews.
I also think the author has some obligation to edit out the shopworn bad takes that add nothing, usually taking the form of something like “everything was better in my day” or “today’s music sucks” from some over the hill musician.
If you love this era of music, there’s a lot of good anecdotes here, and I thought this book did a particularly good job of including a lot of material about how songs come together structurally. The structure of the book itself, however, needed some work.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Some of the issue here is that the selected time period is somewhat arbitrary and the book wanders away from AOR, its purported subgenre focus. And it feels like a bit of a misdirect having the word radio in the title, as radio airplay is largely a secondary or even tertiary topic in the book. At one point the book gets into a discussion about the early days of MTV, and I found myself thinking “Now THAT is what I’d really like to be reading an oral history of right now.”
This book also suffers from a problem which often plagues oral histories, which is that you’re very much at the mercy of who is willing to talk, which often results in a misrepresentation of specific bands’ degree of importance based on who was willing to give interviews.
I also think the author has some obligation to edit out the shopworn bad takes that add nothing, usually taking the form of something like “everything was better in my day” or “today’s music sucks” from some over the hill musician.
If you love this era of music, there’s a lot of good anecdotes here, and I thought this book did a particularly good job of including a lot of material about how songs come together structurally. The structure of the book itself, however, needed some work.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing - Da Capo for an advance copy of oral history told in the words of those who were there about the rise of radio based rock, from the early days, to the arena packed nights, complete with tales of bacchanals, band disputes, problems with labels, and the legacy of these super sounds.
I often wonder where my interest in music came from. My dad liked jazz, new age, and near the end of his life techno, something he picked up from me. My mom never cared for music, until my brother and I did, than she became a fan. For the longest time my family was happy with Top 40 radio. I think it was the Chevy Citation, a car my Dad loved to take us on long car trips with that changed our musical fortunes. It had an AM/FM radio. FM was different than AM. The songs were different, longer, odder. At the time the DJ's were also weirder and odder. Plus while one could get used to one's local station, hitting the road meant hitting different radio markets. And different songs. These might be when I started to care for music. While I am not one for nostalgia, I think nostalgia has killed entertainment, and probably the political system, I must admit to a fondness for songs from this era. A time when the playlists were decided by radio programmers, with regional hits playing next to nationwide smashes. All of these moments, are captured in this history. A history that will also sound amazing. Raised on Radio: Power Ballads, Cocaine & Payola – the AOR Glory Years 1976-1986, by Paul Rees is a history of a time where music seemed to be changing the world, where the stars were the limits, until limited by money, videos, and the changing ears of the public, all told by the people who were there.
This is an oral history told by the performers, radio people, industry insiders, and fans. Based on previous interviews, biographies and new interviews this is a warts and all presentation of how radio sold music, how it fostered changes in music, and how it all changed. The book starts in the 60's with many watching the Beatles, and getting a love of music. From love came a learning how to play, and bands were formed, weddings were played, bars were filled, and maybe in some cases musical deals were made. Rees follows many of the big bands, and bands that kind of faded away, Styx, Heart, Kansas, Reo Speedwagon, Rainbow and others, along with people who worked in the business. Bands are formed, drugs are used, albums are made, bands break up, and stories of why this happens changes from person to person. Along with the bands, there is discussion about how songs were chosen, the payola problems, the drug problems, and the rise of a little thing called MTV, which changed music in ways we are still dealing and listening to.
A really excellent history. I found myself interested in tales by bands I have never really cared for, like Kansas, Rainbow and Reo Speedwagon. Rees does a really good job of finding good stories, linking them together and making as close to one can accounting of what the times were like. There are a lot of snide remarks, a lot of claiming of where ideas came from, and Rees is very good at putting all the stories in, letting the reader decide what might have happened. The book is well laid out, and has a narrative that as I said, even if one cared little about the band being talked about really holds the reader. There is a lot of looking back, a lot of drug stories, a lot of abuse, and a lot of sad tales. Sometimes that rock n' roll fantasy really blows one away, and not in a good way.
A book for music fans, especially of the radio era. Lots of interesting stories about song writing, creating the sound, tape effects, and more. I really enjoyed this far more than I thought I would. I look forward to more books by Paul Rees.
I often wonder where my interest in music came from. My dad liked jazz, new age, and near the end of his life techno, something he picked up from me. My mom never cared for music, until my brother and I did, than she became a fan. For the longest time my family was happy with Top 40 radio. I think it was the Chevy Citation, a car my Dad loved to take us on long car trips with that changed our musical fortunes. It had an AM/FM radio. FM was different than AM. The songs were different, longer, odder. At the time the DJ's were also weirder and odder. Plus while one could get used to one's local station, hitting the road meant hitting different radio markets. And different songs. These might be when I started to care for music. While I am not one for nostalgia, I think nostalgia has killed entertainment, and probably the political system, I must admit to a fondness for songs from this era. A time when the playlists were decided by radio programmers, with regional hits playing next to nationwide smashes. All of these moments, are captured in this history. A history that will also sound amazing. Raised on Radio: Power Ballads, Cocaine & Payola – the AOR Glory Years 1976-1986, by Paul Rees is a history of a time where music seemed to be changing the world, where the stars were the limits, until limited by money, videos, and the changing ears of the public, all told by the people who were there.
This is an oral history told by the performers, radio people, industry insiders, and fans. Based on previous interviews, biographies and new interviews this is a warts and all presentation of how radio sold music, how it fostered changes in music, and how it all changed. The book starts in the 60's with many watching the Beatles, and getting a love of music. From love came a learning how to play, and bands were formed, weddings were played, bars were filled, and maybe in some cases musical deals were made. Rees follows many of the big bands, and bands that kind of faded away, Styx, Heart, Kansas, Reo Speedwagon, Rainbow and others, along with people who worked in the business. Bands are formed, drugs are used, albums are made, bands break up, and stories of why this happens changes from person to person. Along with the bands, there is discussion about how songs were chosen, the payola problems, the drug problems, and the rise of a little thing called MTV, which changed music in ways we are still dealing and listening to.
A really excellent history. I found myself interested in tales by bands I have never really cared for, like Kansas, Rainbow and Reo Speedwagon. Rees does a really good job of finding good stories, linking them together and making as close to one can accounting of what the times were like. There are a lot of snide remarks, a lot of claiming of where ideas came from, and Rees is very good at putting all the stories in, letting the reader decide what might have happened. The book is well laid out, and has a narrative that as I said, even if one cared little about the band being talked about really holds the reader. There is a lot of looking back, a lot of drug stories, a lot of abuse, and a lot of sad tales. Sometimes that rock n' roll fantasy really blows one away, and not in a good way.
A book for music fans, especially of the radio era. Lots of interesting stories about song writing, creating the sound, tape effects, and more. I really enjoyed this far more than I thought I would. I look forward to more books by Paul Rees.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Unlike his earlier biographies of John Entwistle and Robert Plant, this is an exhaustive oral history compiled from dozens if not hundreds of sources -- none of which appear to be firsthand -- with a mostly linear yet constantly overlapping approach. It can be hard to keep up with who's who and how they relate to each other, but considering that the vast majority of what is referred to as the "cast of characters" were heavy users of cocaine, perhaps that's fitting. Some people are simultaneously pompous and self-deprecating, while praise is as rife as contempt. (preview copy provided by NetGalley)
March 20, 2026
Just damn! Like the decade itself, I wish this book had never ended. Paul Rees has unfurled a masterwork with Raised on Radio. I was fortunate enough to grow up in the latter part of AOR's glory years and have lamented its end since. Great music is still being made. Rock radio, if not dead, is close to flatlining. Mr. Rees has done considerable homework to stitch together a mosaic of tales from the road and studio during this fructuous era of music. If you grew up on this music, you are going to love this book. Bravo, Mr. Rees! If you've got more, I'll buy it.
March 20, 2026
I won a copy of this book in a GoodReads giveaway. It was neat to get an understanding of how music was made during this time period, directly from the people who were doing it. However, my one big complaint is that it's hard to follow. If you don't know everyone involved, it gets tedious to keep turning back to the front of the book to identify someone. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the content and appreciate the author's hard work.
March 24, 2026
This was so fun to read. It’s all the music and bands that I grew up with. This guy has basically taken snippets of interviews and pieced them together to tell the stories. All of the stories come directly from the artists, producers and session players. I did think at times that it could have been better organized. It hopped around quickly from band to band and it was sometimes hard to tell which band we were talking about.
March 26, 2026
A fantastic documentary of the rise and fall of AOR music. The story is told chronologically from many perspectives based on interviews from the artists. I appreciate the way the author layered the telling. So many things were happening at once from so many different places; you're put in the middle of it.
As time progresses, new artists, producers, managers, and executives enter and the layering thickens. At times, it feels like you're caught in the whirlwind that was the 80s.
As time progresses, new artists, producers, managers, and executives enter and the layering thickens. At times, it feels like you're caught in the whirlwind that was the 80s.
February 27, 2026
Could have been structured better
March 10, 2026
Right in the sweet spot for me. Enjoyed the behind-the-scenes views of my musical heroes. Oral histories must be grueling to take on. But when done right, wow.
March 10, 2026
My brain is stocked with useless and wonderous rock 'n' roll trivia from the '70s and '80s. And I couldn't be happier. What an enjoyable romp though the annals of rock.
March 11, 2026
it was too long and I didn't like the interview format that it was written in.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews