XM Decades channels...

[cyberdad]

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.

Chuck.... You're right, its not quite as advertised, but it makes perfect sense. The year 1960 represents an arbitrary cutoff date. But the fact of the matter is the music of the early 60s is more akin to the late 50s than the mid and late 60s. I think XM is taking the correct approach even if the labels aren't quite accurate.

I also agree with your take on "Frank's Place". Boring and too many downers. AOL's "Sinatra Style" and Brad "Martini" Chambers channel (web only) are much better, much livelier executions of the Standards format. My wife calls "Frank's Place" the Bringdown Channel. Tough to argue with her!

 

[vchimpanzee]

I eat in a restaurant occasionally where they have XM. I was amazed at the variety on the 60s channel. Even Percy Faith and some other stuff I like!

They have the 70s channel sometimes.

 

[Chuck]

Wow, I'm not hearing a lot of reasons to spend money on satellite radio.

I didn't say that. There is usually something interesting to listen to. It could be better, but it is definitely worth the subscription fee, especially if you travel a lot by car. I do. My "new" car already has over 9000 miles on it and I got it in October.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Wow, I'm not hearing a lot of reasons to spend money on satellite radio.

I didn't say that. There is usually something interesting to listen to. It could be better, but it is definitely worth the subscription fee, especially if you travel a lot by car. I do. My "new" car already has over 9000 miles on it and I got it in October.

I wouldn't say I travel much. I'm in the car maybe an hour a day, and most of the day one day every couple of months. Actually, on that one day I have the country legends station most of the time.

 

[semoochie]

Where would less than popular music from the teens and 20s come from? Before about 1948, it was mostly on 78rpms and before that, cylinders. There's quite a bit of 30s and 40s music available because about 40 years ago, technology was such that record companies were able to dramatically clean up old recordings and re-sell them on 33rpm. How could there possibly be enough demand to do that now with music that's 50-60 years older than those old recordings were at the time?

 

[vchimpanzee]

Where would less than popular music from the teens and 20s come from? Before about 1948, it was mostly on 78rpms and before that, cylinders. There's quite a bit of 30s and 40s music available because about 40 years ago, technology was such that record companies were able to dramatically clean up old recordings and re-sell them on 33rpm. How could there possibly be enough demand to do that now with music that's 50-60 years older than those old recordings were at the time?

"Jazzology" is playing recordings that old. They're on CD now. I don't know where to tell anyone the show runs, though.

This is the best I can do.

http://www.jazzology.com/index.php

Actually, they seem to have actual recordings listed.

 

[Chuck]

Where would less than popular music from the teens and 20s come from? Before about 1948, it was mostly on 78rpms and before that, cylinders. There's quite a bit of 30s and 40s music available because about 40 years ago, technology was such that record companies were able to dramatically clean up old recordings and re-sell them on 33rpm. How could there possibly be enough demand to do that now with music that's 50-60 years older than those old recordings were at the time?

Quite a few of those recordings have been further cleaned up and put on CD's. Some of today's digital archiving technology is quite amazing. If you take the time to look for them you'll find that many of those early recordings are quite remarkable sounding. It’s like discovering something all over again.

A good parallel to more modern times would be the new Beatles "Love" album. You know all the songs, but you've never heard them in this way. Never dismiss the past. There is a lot to be learned from it.