Are sounding much better lately now that they have expanded the playlists, especially on the two I listen to the most, the 70's and 80's.
Great Job XM!
Great Job XM!
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XM Decades channels...
- Thread starter ChannelFlipper
- Start date
It's been a while since I've had rental car with XM (April), but I still wonder, how come no teens channel, or 20's channel, or 30's channel?
Also, why is the 40's channel filled with super white-bread namby pamby schmaltz? There was some really hot, enjoyable music produced in all these decades. The later channels which go deep have aired some great but little-known cuts.
Why presume that so many people wear musical blinders, or that no one could enjoy music recorded 50 years before their birth?
Why presume that people who are "old" now could not have been their generation's hell raisers, staying out late, drinking in speakeasies, and enjoying the same wild times now associated with the (insert your cool modern music genre) lifestyle?
Not everyone was mellow in the "old days".
There are many genres not represented at all on XM.
Also, why is the 40's channel filled with super white-bread namby pamby schmaltz? There was some really hot, enjoyable music produced in all these decades. The later channels which go deep have aired some great but little-known cuts.
Why presume that so many people wear musical blinders, or that no one could enjoy music recorded 50 years before their birth?
Why presume that people who are "old" now could not have been their generation's hell raisers, staying out late, drinking in speakeasies, and enjoying the same wild times now associated with the (insert your cool modern music genre) lifestyle?
Not everyone was mellow in the "old days".
There are many genres not represented at all on XM.
Tom Wells said:
That's a good point Tom. I'm new to XM. It came with my new car. I operate a radios station that plays jazzy adult standards. I didn't think the format was supposed to put you to sleep. I don’t believe our station's format has that effect. At least, people tell me they like it.
When I listen to "The 40's on 4" I can't leave it on for an entire song. I jus have to push the button. I'm not sure where they get some of this stuff. There was some REALLY GOOD music done in the 40's by some really great musicians. I guaranty it does not have to make you want to pull the plug at the rest home.
Historically speaking, the 40's were pretty wild times, with WW II and the good times that followed. The decade had to be quite a roller coaster ride. We may think of it as pretty tame by today's standards, but keep in mind that a lot of us were conceived in the 1940's. It couldn't have been that boring.
Maybe I just haven’t listened enough…
I think part of the problem with the '40's channel may be that it is programmed by Bob Moke, who is more of a MOR/Pop guy than anything else. If I'm going to listen to '40's music, I'd rather listen to r&b like what Matt The Cat plays on Harlem, or swing jazz like what Sirius used to program on their now deleted Swing Street channel. I'm guessing the '40's channel is based more on the pop charts than say Jazz or r&b. From what I know of that era, the late '40's and early '50's was the heyday of that syrupy sweet crooner sound on the pop charts.
I am a great fan of the first incarnation of jazz, the kind you danced to while you drank hooch, which died out within a few years of alcohol
re-legalization. This is not on radio, nor satellite.
Radio Dismuke is a decent-quality internet stream that features 1925-1935, and WFUV Rich Conaty's Big Broadcast closely fetures the same span of years. Some seems "sweet" but a lot of it is hot.
I find it stange XM has 5-6? channels of "jazz" and no old stuff.
re-legalization. This is not on radio, nor satellite.
Radio Dismuke is a decent-quality internet stream that features 1925-1935, and WFUV Rich Conaty's Big Broadcast closely fetures the same span of years. Some seems "sweet" but a lot of it is hot.
I find it stange XM has 5-6? channels of "jazz" and no old stuff.
I suspect that the 20's and 30's music would be hard for many people to program. I have found a few online stations that do it, but not many. I also wonder what kind of audience there would be for that kind of music. We're talking about music that's at best 67 years old and at worst 86 years old. There aren't too many people around who would have listened to it when it was new.
Maybe I'm thinking about this all wrong. What are your thoughts?
Maybe I'm thinking about this all wrong. What are your thoughts?
I think the "problem" with the 40s channel, is that it focuses on the pop charts of the era....just like the other decades channels. I also agree that there was some great stuff that came out of that decade, which may not have landed on the mainstream pop charts.
Given that the channel needs to attract a wider audience than just those who are still with us from that era, I further agree that it would seem to make sense to widen the playlist to include jazz, R&B, and other genres that paved the way for the revolutionizing stuff that came later. Bring it on!
Given that the channel needs to attract a wider audience than just those who are still with us from that era, I further agree that it would seem to make sense to widen the playlist to include jazz, R&B, and other genres that paved the way for the revolutionizing stuff that came later. Bring it on!
Geb said:
Not at all. I have criticized many times on this board.
cyberdad said:
I agree with you in theory, but the reality is if song wasn't POPular back in the day you’re on thin ice if want to appeal to the masses.
I like deep cuts and unknown artists if there is a little extra setup like a back story about artist, label, studio, session players etc…
DashRiprock said:
Philosophically, I don't think you and I are far apart. But my point is in order to survive, the "tent" for the 40s channel has to somehow find a way to expand. The number of those who dictated what was on the charts then is unfortunately diminishing....and is already too small in numbers to sustain the channel. Newer listeners have to be attracted to the genre....as opposed to exactly what was on the charts.
Younger listeners also only know music of the decade from watching movies featuring Bing Crosby and Benny Goodman. Just as any other time period, the material that was very popular was not the best music. Just ask anyone from the 70s if the pop charts of 1975 reflected what they were listening to.
I scrolled down too far. I didn't even know this was here.
I have tried XM's '40s channel in stores and looked at what is now playing several times on the web site. Although I was born in the 60s, I have always had boring musical taste. I actually like what I've heard of the '40s channel so far, while Frank's Place seems too adventurous.
My Timeless Classics station does a weekend show called "Jazzology" hosted by the station's owner. I don't know how many of his stations run it, but one of his stations that used to is now country legends. This is probably the sort of thing some of you want on the '40s channel, although a lot of the songs are from the '20s and '30s. It's an interesting show, though I wouldn't want to listen to that all the time. A channel like that on XM or Sirius may be a good thing.
I have tried XM's '40s channel in stores and looked at what is now playing several times on the web site. Although I was born in the 60s, I have always had boring musical taste. I actually like what I've heard of the '40s channel so far, while Frank's Place seems too adventurous.
My Timeless Classics station does a weekend show called "Jazzology" hosted by the station's owner. I don't know how many of his stations run it, but one of his stations that used to is now country legends. This is probably the sort of thing some of you want on the '40s channel, although a lot of the songs are from the '20s and '30s. It's an interesting show, though I wouldn't want to listen to that all the time. A channel like that on XM or Sirius may be a good thing.
DashRiprock said:
I don't think that XM's '40s & '50s channels are trying to appeal to the "masses", but rather to a 55+ audience. We know that terrestrial music radio doesn't program to that audience. And 55+ has disposable income..............they don't have a problem with paying for satellite radio.
TheFonz said:
The weird thing is the "50's on five" channel plays a lot of early 1960's music as well a s songs from the 1950’s. I actually like that, but it is not quite as advertised. The 40's channel is boring, and that is too bad. It could be really good.
I recently switched from Sirius to XM with the purchase of a new car. I have to say I liked the Sirius Standards channel a lot better than Franks Place. They had a very limited play list that would repeat all too often, but it didn't make me want to fall asleep. Frank's Place has that effect on me, and that is not desirable while driving a car.
Wow, I'm not hearing a lot of reasons to spend money on satellite radio.
It's too bad someone can't just put the ABC Stardust format from 1990 on one of these services.
It's too bad someone can't just put the ABC Stardust format from 1990 on one of these services.
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