A few mashed thoughts.
Mar. 7th, 2006 10:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
valis2I love Sirius. The satellite radio system, sorry, not Mr. Black. I love the commercial-free music.
I'm fascinated by the radio industry. Always have been. When Sirius/XM began I wondered. I remembered reading an article where they posted an excerpt of a playlist. I did not recognize a single artist or song. I knew they'd have trouble, because even though that will draw a small percentage of the population, it wouldn't be enough people to keep them afloat, especially with nearly every DJ ditching terrestrial radio to work for them.
So of course I knew that it couldn't last, and now that I have one, I'm noticing that it seems like about 90% of the songs they play are songs that are popular mainstream songs. At least on most of the stations I listened to today, at least. About 10% of the songs were songs I hear only rarely. ("Blasphemous Rumors" by Depeche Mode, for example.)
Now, on the more eclectic stations, I couldn't recognize anything.
I had high hopes for the hard rock stations, but I find that one hard rock station is mostly playing Alice In Chains and Shinedown (don't really care for either that much), and the other is really hard rock, speed metal and the like, so I am missing my beloved Disturbed, and Adema, and System of a Down. Nu-metal is not getting played much any longer. I noticed that in Chicago the alt rock stations have all slightly or totally changed their format over the last year. Nu-metal is dead, I think, which makes me really sad. Fortunately a few of my favorite nu-metal bands still seem to want to record, so that's a good thing. I was also disappointed in the 80s station. I thought that there were five stations, based on literature I picked up a year ago, but it turns out all four remaining MTV VJs are sandwiched into the one 80s station instead of having their own. Wah! And of course, 90% of what they play you can hear on regular radio.
The thing is, I like this very much. Yes, I could listen to terrestrial radio stations for free. They really have changed their way of doing business now that satellite has threatened them a little. The free-format Jack/Karl/Abe/whatever stations are pretty interesting. But there's that 10% of the satellite radio songs that are mainstream songs I haven't heard in forever.
Even better, there are stations that play music I would never have heard normally. Especially promising are three stations: a Latin American channel, with Spanish-language hip-hop (I heard a song that was awesome today), a Classical Voice channel (very awesome, I like it a lot already), and a Canadian station where all of the programming is in French. (The French heavy metal song I heard was horrible, but I've always heard that there is some terrific French hip-hop.) Plus there are a few stations (only a few) that take real chances and program music that is just outside the mainstream. I probably won't listen much to the Underground Punk one, as I am mostly into mainstream punk at best, but there are a couple other intriguing stations.
I was completely obsessed with this radio all day at work. It was terrific. I am very glad that I purchased it.
Best part? When I am driving through the wilds of America, I won't have to listen to the only two radio stations (Christian and Country) they have. Hooray for choices! As long as I can get a satellite signal, I'll have something to listen to.
I'm fascinated by the radio industry. Always have been. When Sirius/XM began I wondered. I remembered reading an article where they posted an excerpt of a playlist. I did not recognize a single artist or song. I knew they'd have trouble, because even though that will draw a small percentage of the population, it wouldn't be enough people to keep them afloat, especially with nearly every DJ ditching terrestrial radio to work for them.
So of course I knew that it couldn't last, and now that I have one, I'm noticing that it seems like about 90% of the songs they play are songs that are popular mainstream songs. At least on most of the stations I listened to today, at least. About 10% of the songs were songs I hear only rarely. ("Blasphemous Rumors" by Depeche Mode, for example.)
Now, on the more eclectic stations, I couldn't recognize anything.
I had high hopes for the hard rock stations, but I find that one hard rock station is mostly playing Alice In Chains and Shinedown (don't really care for either that much), and the other is really hard rock, speed metal and the like, so I am missing my beloved Disturbed, and Adema, and System of a Down. Nu-metal is not getting played much any longer. I noticed that in Chicago the alt rock stations have all slightly or totally changed their format over the last year. Nu-metal is dead, I think, which makes me really sad. Fortunately a few of my favorite nu-metal bands still seem to want to record, so that's a good thing. I was also disappointed in the 80s station. I thought that there were five stations, based on literature I picked up a year ago, but it turns out all four remaining MTV VJs are sandwiched into the one 80s station instead of having their own. Wah! And of course, 90% of what they play you can hear on regular radio.
The thing is, I like this very much. Yes, I could listen to terrestrial radio stations for free. They really have changed their way of doing business now that satellite has threatened them a little. The free-format Jack/Karl/Abe/whatever stations are pretty interesting. But there's that 10% of the satellite radio songs that are mainstream songs I haven't heard in forever.
Even better, there are stations that play music I would never have heard normally. Especially promising are three stations: a Latin American channel, with Spanish-language hip-hop (I heard a song that was awesome today), a Classical Voice channel (very awesome, I like it a lot already), and a Canadian station where all of the programming is in French. (The French heavy metal song I heard was horrible, but I've always heard that there is some terrific French hip-hop.) Plus there are a few stations (only a few) that take real chances and program music that is just outside the mainstream. I probably won't listen much to the Underground Punk one, as I am mostly into mainstream punk at best, but there are a couple other intriguing stations.
I was completely obsessed with this radio all day at work. It was terrific. I am very glad that I purchased it.
Best part? When I am driving through the wilds of America, I won't have to listen to the only two radio stations (Christian and Country) they have. Hooray for choices! As long as I can get a satellite signal, I'll have something to listen to.
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(no subject)
Date: 2006-03-08 04:10 am (UTC)It's funny, our Ohio "new rock" station just changed its formatting as well. I suppose part of it was the loss of Stern over to Sirius, but they've actually started playing more old school stuff. It seems like I hear less of Metallica, Godsmack, and the like, but the occasional U2 song is well worth it. (Never really considered them hard/alternative rock, but hey, I'm not arguing...) Is it a sign of getting old that you can remember all your favorite stations back when they only played "cool/modern/pop" music and they've all switched over to mix formats?
(no subject)
Date: 2006-03-08 11:45 am (UTC)This switch to mix formats seems to be happening with a lot of stations!
Speaking of "getting old"...a couple years ago I was going through my casette tapes, and found one with a radio announcer named Ann Carlini. At the time she was announcing for 89X, an excellent Canadian station that broadcasts mostly alternative/edgy stuff. This was in the early eighties. Now she announces for 94.7 CSX, a classic rock station. At this rate she'll end up at the oldies station in another five years.
Speaking of oldies stations (fifties music), I always wonder how long they're going to last. One iin Chicago finally switched formats, though another ended up popping up to take its place.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-03-08 10:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-03-09 01:52 am (UTC)