Rick Sklar’s memoir, “Rocking America,” offers a firsthand account of the rise of all-hit radio through his experiences as program director at WABC in New York. Sklar details the creation of the Top 40 format, WABC’s innovative promotional strategies, and the station’s significant cultural influence during the “golden age” of pop music, including the British Invasion. The book reveals behind-the-scenes operations, music selection processes emphasizing artistic integrity over Payola, and Sklar’s interactions with iconic musicians. Ultimately, the work illustrates how WABC shaped American musical tastes and fostered a strong connection with its listeners, becoming a dominant force in the radio landscape.

Written by Rick Sklar, who was program director for WABC in New York from 1963 to 1977, it is a rich tapestry of anecdotes, professional insight, and reflections on the music industry and culture of the time. His style is engaging and readable, lacing personal anecdotes with more detailed industry observations.

The book is well-organized, with an early look at the cusp of the music scene in the late 1960s. It then sailed through radio and became fully integrated into television by 1970. Rick is one of the people who was responsible for coming up with the concept of a very tight playlist targeted at teenagers that later came to be called Top 40 and would almost overnight become popular
Much of WABC’s success was due to Rick’s forceful and single-minded personality. Consequently, he had legendary tiffs with on-air personnel, including Scott Muni.

One chapter is dedicated to each year of operation under his leadership and, most importantly, what happened behind the scenes during those years. One of the key motifs is the “golden” age of pop music, during which Sklar captured at least two-thirds of his own generation through major artists and songs.
His detailed reports of music selection processes and principled ethical orientation to programming illuminate the integrity behind successful radio playlisting. His practices form the basis of modern programming and scheduling principles.
Promotional means are another crucial part of the book; Sklar shows how WABC’s contest “Principal for the Year” and ” $25,000 Button” campaigns, which involved the distribution of over 14 million buttons, engaged its listeners and created a dedicated following for the station. Such activities illustrated the station’s creativity and the unique relationship between radio at that time and its audience.
Sklar is very insightful on the impact of cultural changes on his field, such as the breakdown of music preferences among different generations and the dramatic arrival from across the Atlantic called the British Invasion.
He describes how these shifts determined what programs got “Listener-Power,” pointing up the radio as an expression of culture yet again. Throughout the book, Sklar relates personal encounters with icons of the medium like John Lennon and Barbra Streisand, which give his story a human touch. These episodes add to his storytelling and resonate with readers who know or love the music that emerged from the period.
“Rocking America” should be read by everyone interested in radio’s history, the music business, or popular culture in America. Sklar’s inside view can provide a better understanding of how all-hit radio stations played a significant role in shaping America’s musical scene and brought different elements of society together at a time when media–especially for young people–assumed its most important role ever.
Yet the book is informative and entertaining, serving as befits the power of music and the mark that radio has made on society in America. It’s a beautifully done mix of nostalgia (for which there are more than enough fans around), insight into those extraordinary years, and a celebration of their music and the on-air personalities that continue to influence today’s scene.
The book also looks at the generational divide in music preferences. Rock ‘n’ roll was meant for young people, while adults liked their music more conventional; that was when Sklar pushed back against such formatting.
He was part of the movement that led to the British Invasion, which saw bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones burst onto the musical landscape.
He also stresses a somewhat different approach to thinking about ethics when selecting or deciding about music and avoiding Payola. Ethics played such an essential part that 1955, 60, and 70 were remembered for giant Payola scandals that appeared to swallow up all known principles of entertainment marketing.
According to him, WABC pursued a philosophical commitment to truth, which was crucial for ensuring their integrity was beyond reproach in the face of scandal; “authenticity is key,” of course, freed them from this dilemma.
In his assessment of these topics throughout the narrative, Sklar discusses how radio equipment failure can be catastrophic. He details all the problems that WABC faced in maintaining good-quality broadcasts and WABC’s extremes to establish a fail-safe system.
Sklar has many personal contacts among musicians, giving the book an intimate flavor. His encounters with recording artists such as Barbra Streisand and John Lennon show how radio personalities entered America’s life.
As the book moves into the 1970s, Sklar notes that musical trends are changing. He tells of disco and a radio that has to change its sound. Sklar describes how WABC defined its music in terms of its music meetings, thus the “sound” of the station.
As program director of WABC, a leading radio station, in 1968, major pop music was approaching a high peak. Simon and Garfunkel and The Beatles were all on the top then; that disciplined process of regular weekly selection at music meetings helped decide songs for WABC’s playlist, which brought songs to air months before any other stations were playing them. During a single meeting, he played the unusual ABC-Dunhill test record, “MacArthur Park,” sung by actor Richard Harris. It played over seven minutes, which is very long compared to the average pop song, but its complex composition and compelling lyrics immediately captivated the few people present. He added it to their playlist, disregarding the record company’s dire warnings about it not being in stores. It quickly became successful after “MacArthur Park” aired; over half a million copies were sold in weeks. This reflected his choice of music, where quality in artistry might sometimes replace more traditional criteria.
“Looking back on my career, I remembered taking gambles on songs like “Diana” (Paul Anka) in which I had nothing to lose. I recall well working with all sorts of artists, such as Barbra Streisand and John Lennon, and how these relationships contributed to the success of WABC and my career in music.”
The epilogue underscores Sklar’s time at WABC. He highlights this station’s impact on American culture and its potential role as a forum for diverse listeners. In his comments, Sklar stresses that WABC was more than just ratings; it became woven into the social texture of its audience.
Overall, “Rocking America” captures the dynamic environment of radio during a critical period in US history, illustrating how music, culture, and technology came together to shape public discussion and entertainment. Sklar’s recollections not only record this chronology but also depict the lasting impact of all-hit radio stations on America’s music and society.
During the Beatles era, WABC in New York became the highest-rated station in America. It claimed five to six million listeners each week. At all times, programming was innovative, high-quality, and high-energy, regularly attracting an impressive audience for years. The “Cousin Brucie Dance Party” had a successful run, often winning 25 percent of the available listeners. By contrast, even a station with only a 5 percent share today would be considered overwhelming good fortune for our highly competitive industry.

A fascinating read.