Now that it's happened I've been listening to XM-73 the former "High Standards" now "Sirius Sinatra" and I must admit I like it so far. Yeah they play more Sinatra but that's ok but what I like is they play,(so far) more of the songs we all know and love and seems more upbeat. The former High Standards xm-73 was to slow and dreamy and put me to sleep. Jonathan I guess is gone. Again so far it sounds nice and refreshing. Any thoughts from other XM or Sirius standard listeners?
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XM and Sirius Standards
- Thread starter amlover
- Start date
amlover said:
High Standards was way too sleepy. To put things in perspective, 99% of listeners are in their car while tuned in. That is a bad place to have music that induces sleep, unless the radio is capable of dispensing a couple of "No-Doz” tablets. The Standards format does not have to be sleepy or boring, unless you make it that way. Unfortunately, most Program Directors of the format assume that the listener is on life support and living his (or her) last days in a nursing home. Properly done, it can have a wide demographic appeal. After all, a good song well done is a good song. It really doesn't matter when it was originally recorded.
A tradeoff for Sirius listeners for the other 2 titles of this board - the soft AC "Movin' Easy" channel is gone, but we gained a real beautiul music/easy listening station, Escape from the former XM channels. I liked Movin' Easy which was a soft '60's-'80's format, but I'm happy to have a station playing easy instrumentals.
I'm not really into the Standards but it should be noted that XM's 40's on 4 was also added to Sirius for big band era crooners & instrumentals.
I'm not really into the Standards but it should be noted that XM's 40's on 4 was also added to Sirius for big band era crooners & instrumentals.
I too like the 40's on ch. 4 and listen often. I did catch some of Jonathan's show yesterday on xm-73 and he was still playing his boring music and being too preachy with his delivery. I understand he has a lot of knowledge on the music but so do most of us. I see he is on just 3pm to 6pm eastern and hopefully does not have a hand in the programing. I think the music is MUCH better on Siriusly Sinatra than High Standards ever was and now listen a lot more.
Had a chance to listen to XM's "Escape" while flying JetBlue last week to California. Sounds great. plenty of instrumentals, and the familiar ones, Ronnie Aldrich, Mantovani, James last, Percy Faith, etc...plus a few vocals, maybe 2 or 3 an hour, in the few hours I had to listen. Almost as good a variety as what I get on my TimeWarner Cable at home with "Music Choice" easy listening channel 343 on my digital line-up.
How is Siriusly Sinatra at playing new standards by Michael Buble, Diana Krall, Rod Stewart, Barry Manilow, etc.?
Does anyoine on XM or Sirius play them?
Does anyoine on XM or Sirius play them?
Siriusly Sinatra plays all you mentioned plus Steve Tyrell. XM-73 NEVER played Steve Tyrell before and very little of Buble and NEVER Rod Stewart. I think Siriusly Sinatra is a much better channel than High Standards was under the XM Banner. They even play one of my favorites Andy Williams and XM never would even if you requested it on xm-73. They are even playing all the Johnny Mathis greats, they just finished playing Wonderful, Wonderful. Good Stuff on Siriusly Sinatra. I for one like the changes. Heck I even enjoy the all Elvis Channel xm-18 I love the Sountrack Sat. Night show on the Elvis Channel, all his movie music.
LOL, Well, I've never heard High Standards, but I have listened a lot to Jonathan on WNYC-FM. Personally, I enjoyed his "deep tracks" approach to the performers of the Great American Songbook, because I like to hear esoteric stuff I've never heard before. But, I freely acknowledge that I'm in the minority and that it's nowhere near a mass appeal standards format.
In my opinion, one of the best mass appeal approaches ever to standards was the format Sirius was airing just before Siriusly Sinatra. It was called "Standard Time." Anyone remember it? Music was upbeat, familiar, and accessible to all. Sinatra, Steve Lawrence, Mel Torme, Michael Buble, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett, Steve Tyrell, Rod Stewart. All standards, but no "deep tracks." The channel had a bright, contemporary vibe. I often thought that if someone put that flavor of standards on an AM station in a large market, it might make some noise.
Too often, standards stations either sound watered down (with soft 70's a/c like Manilow, the Carpenters, and Bread mixed in) or mired in moribund nostalgia.
"Standard Time" on Sirius presented the music as fresh, vibrant, exciting and totally relevant here in the 21st century. Whoever the PD was at that time did a super job!
I don't have satellite radio at the moment, so I can't make an evaluation, but I hope Siriusly Sinatra represents the genre well and will help keep it alive on radio in a meaningful way.
Nick Gerard
In my opinion, one of the best mass appeal approaches ever to standards was the format Sirius was airing just before Siriusly Sinatra. It was called "Standard Time." Anyone remember it? Music was upbeat, familiar, and accessible to all. Sinatra, Steve Lawrence, Mel Torme, Michael Buble, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett, Steve Tyrell, Rod Stewart. All standards, but no "deep tracks." The channel had a bright, contemporary vibe. I often thought that if someone put that flavor of standards on an AM station in a large market, it might make some noise.
Too often, standards stations either sound watered down (with soft 70's a/c like Manilow, the Carpenters, and Bread mixed in) or mired in moribund nostalgia.
"Standard Time" on Sirius presented the music as fresh, vibrant, exciting and totally relevant here in the 21st century. Whoever the PD was at that time did a super job!
I don't have satellite radio at the moment, so I can't make an evaluation, but I hope Siriusly Sinatra represents the genre well and will help keep it alive on radio in a meaningful way.
Nick Gerard
I've been listening to Jonathan's show now on Siriusly Sinatra xm-73 the former High Standards since the switch and he has never mention the channel at all and plays a lot of Sinatra and plays more of the traditional standards where he never did before. I don't think he is the Big Fish now programing the channel where before he played nothing but what he wanted too and is on for only 3 hrs. now. Again I like the Sirius programing now on xm-73. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER!
Nick Gerard said:
I totally agree. I was a big fan of "Standard Time." It was my kind of station. When I bought a new car, it came with XM, so that became the only choice. I really missed the Sirius version. Luckily, I operate a local standards station which I program. Most of the time I just listen to it. When I travel, I really miss it, although I do listen to it on the Internet quit a bit. As it turns out, so do a lot of other folks, so I think there is an interest in it.
I'm surprised that somebody hasn't tried something similar in a large market. With most stations sounding more or less the same, I think something like it could do well. You would have to actually WORK to sell it to sponsors, so I think it will never happen. It seems that most broadcasters want to take the quick and easy way out. From a business point of view, I can understand that, but long term, it may not be as simple as it looks. Radio requires passion. That seems to be missing these days.
I know us standard fans and presenters have a huge passion for the music and if radio had the same maybe it would be in a better situation. Yes Chuck you do have a nice operation and listen when I can on the internet.
al
BTW I heard Jonathan on Sirius XM-73 yesterday at the begining of his show and he said welcome to High Standards. My guess is it was a mistake but he has never mentioned,(since I've been listening) Siriusly Sinatra channel. I'm wondering if he picks all his music as before or they give him a playlist to choose from. I do know he plays a boat load of Sinatra songs
al
BTW I heard Jonathan on Sirius XM-73 yesterday at the begining of his show and he said welcome to High Standards. My guess is it was a mistake but he has never mentioned,(since I've been listening) Siriusly Sinatra channel. I'm wondering if he picks all his music as before or they give him a playlist to choose from. I do know he plays a boat load of Sinatra songs
Re: Sinatra every third track???
Out of curiosity, I just did the free three-day online trial of Sirius/XM, specifically to hear Siriusly Sinatra.
The obvious questionable element of this channel is the fact that every third track or so is a Sinatra track! Now, I'm as big a Sinatra fan as anyone, but it seems to me that every third song by the same artist is just poor programming.
I realize that the Sinatra family did a licensing agreement with Sirius a while ago allowing use of the name in exchange for promotion and preservation of the Sinatra legacy, but if this on-air overkill of his recordings is mandated in the agreement, it's an egregiously lopsided deal. It's compounded by the fact that there's no other standards channel on the service.
A daily Sinatra Hour or weekend specials are legitimate and could be fascinating programming elements. The "specialness" evaporates, however, when the artist is omnipresent around the clock.
Nick Gerard
Out of curiosity, I just did the free three-day online trial of Sirius/XM, specifically to hear Siriusly Sinatra.
The obvious questionable element of this channel is the fact that every third track or so is a Sinatra track! Now, I'm as big a Sinatra fan as anyone, but it seems to me that every third song by the same artist is just poor programming.
I realize that the Sinatra family did a licensing agreement with Sirius a while ago allowing use of the name in exchange for promotion and preservation of the Sinatra legacy, but if this on-air overkill of his recordings is mandated in the agreement, it's an egregiously lopsided deal. It's compounded by the fact that there's no other standards channel on the service.
A daily Sinatra Hour or weekend specials are legitimate and could be fascinating programming elements. The "specialness" evaporates, however, when the artist is omnipresent around the clock.
Nick Gerard
Siriously Sinatra does play a lot of Sinatra but it seems to change from maybe every third song to less. I actually have not kept track but it does vary each hour. They are also adding more artist I have noticed in the last week or so. Some that I have heard are Bobby Darin,Harry Connick Jr.,Bette Midler, and Michael Buble. I'm sure a lot of shows, (most) are tracked but I did hear Jonathan mention Wednesday on his show as being a lovely day in N.Y. where he does his show my guess from WNYC. Also Nancy Sinatra has a show where she plays all kinds of music, mostly standards with her dads music but I did hear "Pretty Woman" last night by Roy Orbinson.
Prais said:
I never heard the format back when it was called AM Only, but the Program Director has always been Chick Watkins. Following the recent acquisition by Dial Global he's still the PD, although he's no longer on the air.
I'm told that in the AM Only days, yes, the network did play many more traditional standards than they do today, although I can't say for sure how often Sinatra was played. Once an hour is certainly possible.
Nick G
How do you not play Andy Williams in a standards format? I could understand him not being in the 40s format because they go by decade, but this in incredible.amlover said:
Sounds like this is an improvement. And EVEN Johnny Mathis? His presnece ought to be understood.
My mother just bought a new car with a free year-long trial of Sirius XM (using the Sirius stable of channels) and she is LOVING the Broadway show tunes channel. 
Me, it's a real treat getting to hear Escape again. If Sirius had had a similar channel years ago, maybe I wouldn't have let my subscription expire.
My uncle has a new Cadillac van too which also has Sirius XM (using the XM stable), and he's gotten my grandpa hooked on '40s on 4 as well as Willie's Place (the Classic Country channel). '40s on 4 is pretty cool... I like getting to hear those old songs like "Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy." The only place on my terrestrial radio dial to hear those "traditional pop" songs is Toronto's AM 740 at night during "Sentimental Journey."
One question... what channel do you go to to hear the pre-rock 1950s MOR pop songs like Rosemary Clooney, Teresa Brewer, Al Martino et al.? Seems like the '50s on 5 channel is mostly rock and roll oldies, or at least that's what I hear every time I tune in. (Don't get me wrong, I love '50s RnR too, but I'm just curious.)
Me, it's a real treat getting to hear Escape again. If Sirius had had a similar channel years ago, maybe I wouldn't have let my subscription expire. My uncle has a new Cadillac van too which also has Sirius XM (using the XM stable), and he's gotten my grandpa hooked on '40s on 4 as well as Willie's Place (the Classic Country channel). '40s on 4 is pretty cool... I like getting to hear those old songs like "Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy." The only place on my terrestrial radio dial to hear those "traditional pop" songs is Toronto's AM 740 at night during "Sentimental Journey."
One question... what channel do you go to to hear the pre-rock 1950s MOR pop songs like Rosemary Clooney, Teresa Brewer, Al Martino et al.? Seems like the '50s on 5 channel is mostly rock and roll oldies, or at least that's what I hear every time I tune in. (Don't get me wrong, I love '50s RnR too, but I'm just curious.)
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