After stepping away from the spotlight to tackle some serious health challenges and embrace a period of personal growth, the beloved journalist Erika Erickson is making her triumphant return to Local 4 (WDIV).
And let me tell ya, she’s bringing along a renewed passion and some killer new perspectives.
A time for healing and growth
Erika, a longtime figure in Detroit media, initially left her gig at Fox 2 to focus on her health.
“I tried to work through it,” she shared with WRIF’s Meltdown, “but eventually, I had to focus on getting better.”
During her recovery, she jumped into public relations roles—first with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and then with Henry Ford Health.
These positions gave her new perspectives and mad skills but also ignited her love for journalism even more.
“I missed holding people accountable, interacting with the community, and telling their stories,” she said. “Stepping away from journalism helped me realize how much I value it.”
Watch The Interview With Erika Below
Returning to the airwaves
Erika’s return to TV wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. She had been chatting with Local 4 for years, but the timing finally felt right.
“The universe knew I was ready,” she said.
Now, as part of the Local 4 team, she’s diving back into her passion for storytelling and reconnecting with the community she loves.
One of her first assignments? Spending a night sleeping on cardboard to raise awareness for youth homelessness as part of Covenant House’s annual sleep-out event.
“Why not use my platform to bring attention to this cause?” she said. “It’s opportunities like this that remind me why I love this job.”
The Overwhelming Support
Since announcing her return, Erika’s been FLOODED with messages from viewers pumped to see her back on air.
“The support has been overwhelming,” she said. “I’ve received so many messages, even before I came back, asking when I’d return. It’s humbling, and I’m so grateful.”
A New Perspective on Life and Journalism
After navigating personal and professional challenges, Erika’s got a fresh take on her career.
“These last few years have changed me,” she said. “I appreciate journalism in a way I didn’t before. Losing something makes you value it even more.”
She’s also bringing lessons learned from her time in public relations back to the newsroom.
“PR gave me insight into what it takes to set up stories, and I have so much respect for that side of the industry,” she explained.
What’s next for Erika Erickson?
Erika is now a fixture on Local 4’s daytime newscasts, appearing during the 4, 5, and 6 p.m. slots. Whether she’s covering breaking news, human interest stories, or community events, she’s stoked to reconnect with viewers and keep doing what she loves.
“It’s been a journey, but I’m thrilled to be back,” she said. “This is where I’m meant to be.”
Erika Erickson’s return to Local 4 is a testament to resilience, personal growth, and the enduring power of storytelling. Fans can follow her on air and on social media for updates on her latest projects and community involvement.
Welcome back, Erika—you’ve been missed!
11 Butt Rock Songs that Actually Rule
With Creed back and touring again, we can’t help but explore a certain controversial subgenre: Butt Rock.
The origins and definition of Butt Rock are murky, at best. One listing on Urban Dictionary defines the subgenre as, “A style of hard rock & heavy metal music that is watered down both musically and lyrically to garner maximum radio play and mainstream acceptance.” Typically, Butt Rock bands cropped up in the late ’90s and throughout the aughts. However, other Urban Dictionary definitions classify ’80s hair metal as Butt Rock, too.
Perhaps, Butt Rock is truly in the ear of the beholder. It might just be a derogatory term rock fans use on bands they don’t like. For the sake of this list, we’re classifying Butt Rock in relation to music released in the late ’90s and throughout the aughts.
Without further ado, here are 11 Butt Rock songs that actually rule.
Creed - “Higher”
The way the pre-chorus ramps up into the chorus never fails to hit. Plus, the video for “Higher” with all of Scott Stapp’s Jesus Christ poses still holds up. Don’t care what any hater says!
Nickleback - “Burn It to the Ground”
Whether you have no class, no taste, no shirt or are sh*t faced, this Nickelback banger always gets people going. If you say otherwise, you’re obviously lying.
3 Doors Down - “Kryptonite”
An outstanding debut single, 3 Doors Down’s “Kryptonite” still holds up over two decades since its release. It might also have the biggest earworm of a riff on this list, too, and there are a lot of them.
Buckcherry - “Crushed”
Frankly, there are a bunch of great Buckcherry songs that could’ve been included on this list. We decided to go with a bit of a deep cut from their 1999 self-titled debut. “Crushed” has a meat-and-potatoes rhythm track that’s undeniable and is a perfect song about a rock star that loves taking to the stage for a show.
Saliva - “I Walk Alone”
A number of WWE entrance themes from the late ’90s/early aughts were Butt Rock gems. One of the standouts was Saliva’s “I Walk Alone,” which was Batista’s theme. Still can’t get over the splash he’s made in recent years as Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy films.
Hinder - “Use Me”
Already know what you’re thinking: “Shouldn’t ‘Lips of an Angel’ really be on here?” No! Quit giving that philandering nonsense masquerading as a love song the time of day! Instead, give a genuinely fun, sleazy song like “Use Me” your full attention. It’s a better song, too.
Theory of a Deadman - “Bad Girlfriend”
Okay, so after that little “Lips of an Angel” rant, it might seem hypocritical to then transition to “Bad Girlfriend.” Wrong! This Theory of a Deadman jam doesn’t romanticize the titular “Bad Girlfriend”; it’s simply just matter-of-fact. This girlfriend truly is bad!
Also, never forget that every “Bad Girlfriend” is someone’s daughter. Now that this song might be ruined for some of you, never forget it’s also crazy catchy.
Rev Theory - “Hell Yeah”
If you were a sports fan or were a fan of the show Blue Mountain State, there was a period of time in the late aughts-early 2010s where Rev Theory’s “Hell Yeah” was inescapable. Seriously can’t count how many sporting events played this song before a game or during a time out. It was everywhere!
Shinedown - “45”
Shinedown have seemingly defied and surpassed their butt rock beginnings and are stronger than ever today. However, make no mistake: “45” is very much a butt rock song.
Papa Roach - “Last Resort”
Papa Roach has beat the odds and is still active today. It’s still hard to believe this track was released in 2000, because it does not feel 20+ years old.
Chad Kroeger ft. Josey Scott - “Hero”
There aren’t enough killer soundtrack songs anymore! Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe truly took hold of pop culture, we were introduced to Tobey Maguire in 2002’s Spider-Man and this grand tune written and sung by Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger. It also featured Saliva’s Josey Scott, which literally doubled the Butt Rock energy. What more could an aughts rock fan want?!
Meltdown started on the mighty WRIF on the evening of Halloween, 1995. Technically, his first on-air shift was the morning of November 1st. Moving to the Motor City from Buffalo, N.Y., he has built a career and family. Over his almost three-decade stint at RIFF, he's had the privilege to work with some of the biggest personalities in Detroit radio history. He boasts of being just the second-afternoon drive jock in the station's illustrious 53-year history.
Along with his love for rock music and attending concerts, he's also an avid Harley-Davidson enthusiast and hockey player. He plays year-round and manages to squeeze in a few charity games throughout the year. Meltdown writes about the Detroit Red Wings, rock music, and Detroit concert venues.
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