Quickly glancing at the dial to confirm his format choice, Dave proclaims, “What’s old is new again!” while fumbling for the volume knob on his car stereo. The cyclical nature of this axiom holds true for so much of our lives, especially the music we listen to. Long before the days when rock radio fragmented, album oriented rock (AOR) was the source for all things with loud screaming guitars and bands like AC/DC and Guns N’ Roses ruled the radio airwaves. The main factor with heritage artists, especially to a younger crowd, is cultural relevance. Some bands have it and others don’t. You can’t go into a mall anywhere in America and not see a black t-shirt with a hard rock band logo on it. Heritage artists such as Guns N’ Roses, AC/DC and Metallica help bolster a station’s gold library by bringing a connection between the old and the new. These records are over 10 years old and in most cases help to attract the higher male demographics, which are so important for the Alternative format.
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Welcome to Michael D. Vogel’s online portfolio. I am a Los Angeles-based music journalist/content creator, and self-professed music-fanatic/radio-aholic. With more than 20 years of experience in multiple facets of the music industry including; music programming/air talent for terrestrial and internet radio as well as record label artist promotion, I have a finger on the pulse of what's new and under the radar in the emerging music scene. Areas of specific expertise include, but not limited to: rock (heritage, mainstream, heavy metal/hard rock and alternative), pop and adult contemporary, as well as radio, pop culture, sports, exercise and politics. I am applying my passion for music as a freelance writer for the Examiner as National Music Examiner (Examiner.com) in addition to West Coast Editor for FreeGotham (FreeGotham.com). Find me at michael@vogelism.com.