Many things annoy me. I hate when someone locks the laundry room door in my apartment complex and I have to juggle the detergent and dirty clothes while flicking through my keys. I’m irritated by the chronically late, perpetually whiney and those who ask ”so what do you do?” I despise double parkers, left lane slow drivers and purposely late mergers. But the bane of my current existance is my long commute.
But recently, I got something that has majorly improved the 1.5 to 2 hours I spend in the car each day: Sirius Radio.
I used to have a routine. There – I listen to NPR morning edition. I am now an expert on Afghan poppy farmers and Cadillac healthcare plans. On the way home, well .. the radio’s a wasteland. When 94.7, once a respectable mix of classic rock and new alternative, was transformed overnight into a station playing cheesy circa 2001 pop, all was lost with the radio in DC. It’s so bad I haven’t even bothered to take 94.7 out of my presets.
I’m now fascinated with the selection. It took me nearly 3 there-and-back-agains, to set me presets. And i’m still wondering if I made the right choices. Some of the channels just seem so similar.
Here’s my line up:
1. 90s on 9 = I think this is the best of the “decade on corresponding number” stations. But with every decades there’s some misses. Disco? Early Beatles? Rush?
2. Outlaw Country = I’m embarassed to admit that I copied this from my parents’ presets. I love alt country. This station seems a bit heavier on the county then I would like, though.
3. Alt Rock & 4. Siruis XM U = These two stations are so similar, I don’t know if I should keep both of them. When I first switched on Siruis XM U, I thought maybe the “U” stood for “you,” and it was programmed specifically to cater to my taste in music. Creepy. The station was playing a song I loved in college. I quickly figured out it was “U” for “University.” I guess there’s a reason these songs were regular features on my college radio station.
5. Backspin: This classic hip hot station is called “Pop 2K” on my Sirius. Regardless of the name, channel 39 amazing. Hearing this music was like taking a bite of food and realizing that I’m suddenly ravenously hungry. I didn’t know how I missed this stuff.
6. Coffee house: Sometime you need some lame acoustic melodies. This station does well on 6 am drives to the airport or rides home after I fall asleep on my friend’s couch very well. But how is this station different from The Loft, which is directly preceeds it on the dial.
7. Deep Tracks: Yes, their tracks are obscure. That’s about all I can say.
8. Classic Vinyl= Think DC’s Big 100.3. And since when did Elton John play ”great songs from classic rock’s formative years.”
9. 1st Wave = This bills itself as “classic alternitive,” but it’s nearly all New Wave. However, it seems to be the only station on here playing my current favorite band, the Talking Heads.
10. Garage = I love this mix of old and new garage rock. But “Little Steven” Van Zandt of the E Street Band yacks so much. Steven, I do not care about your first trip to Amsterdam after swearing off drugs or how your think that our culture’s teaching of history is not representative of what really happened. I’m just here for the music!
Any suggestions on what I should change? I need to craft the perfect presets.
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One Comment
Those are some good choices. Alt Country used to be called Cross Country at XM before the merger. It was less country and much more eclectic. One of my favorites is The Loft (XM 50). They have a great mix of music and some real personalities picking the tunes. In particular Megless. She’s an old radio personality from the 70s who knows everyone in the business. I think she’s the first DJ to admitted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Check it out when you get bored with the rest.