01/09/2026
If you grew up in Atlanta, you know that 96 Rock wasn't just a radio station—it was the soundtrack of the city. 🎸🤘
From the iconic "Never Say Die" attitude to the legendary morning shows, it was the voice of generations. Whether you were cruising down Peachtree in the 70s, hitting the high school parking lot in the 90s, or stuck in that infamous Atlanta traffic, the classic "96 Rock" decal was a badge of honor on every bumper.
It didn't matter if you were into Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, or the local Georgia bands they championed—tuning into 96.1 FM made you feel like part of a massive, rock-and-roll family. It’s been years since the signal changed, but the memories of those riffs and the "96 Rock" roar are still loud and clear.
Who else still has an old 96 Rock tag or tee?
We’ve all seen it, the iconic black and orange 96 Rock license tag proudly displayed upside down on the front of a car or truck.
And chances are, you’ve probably wondered at least once, “Why is that upside down?”
As it turns out, the story behind that flipped tag, one of the most enduring symbols of Atlanta’s rock radio scene, started as a simple prank that became a badge of rebellion.
Newnan’s own Steve Mapel, who worked at 96 Rock in the early 1990s, recently helped shed light on the origin of the upside-down logo.
The story, he says, comes straight from John “Boy” Bryant, one of 96 Rock’s original DJs who helped shape the station’s voice during its early rise.
“It got started when Dick Meeder, our general manager, and Alan Sneed, our program director, decided to pay for five 96 Rock billboards to be placed around the Perimeter,” Bryant said. “To see if anyone noticed, they decided to make two of them upside down.”
Read more: https://www.times-herald.com/the-story-behind-atlanta-s-upside-down-96-rock-tag/article_3c4ff985-c7ab-4d7e-a6f5-ae4727756f33.html
