Paul Rees
Author and music journalist best known here as the author of Raised on Radio, a history of AOR and related artists; discusses the making of the book and the era of 1976–1986 AOR in this episode.
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13 snips
Feb 17, 2026 • 35min
Boston, Def Leppard, bad hair & the golden age of rock radio
Paul Rees, author and music journalist who chronicled AOR and rock history, reminisces about the rise of polished FM radio rock. He explores Boston’s breakthrough sound, AOR hallmarks like power ballads and high-tenor vocals, producers’ perfectionism, Def Leppard’s American vision, and the era’s excess, image play and strange studio stories.
Feb 14, 2026 • 47min
Paul Rees, "Raised on Radio: Power Ballads, Cocaine and Payola - the AOR Glory Years 1976-1986" (De Capo, 2026)
Paul Rees, author and music journalist behind Raised on Radio, traces AOR’s boom from 1976–1986. He recounts FM radio’s rise, the creation of stadium-sized hits, MTV’s image shift, rampant excess and band quarrels, and why an oral history best captures conflicting memories. Short, vivid stories reveal how power ballads and playlists shaped pop culture.
