Commercial FM radio is driving me nuts

In summary: Stephen King's radio station.I used to listen to that all the time. It's pretty good. In summary, Stephen King's radio station has a good variety of music, but it's limited to repeats.
  • #1
turbo
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My Sony 400-CD carousel died last week, and I have been waiting all that time for a replacement to arrive. My collection (about 75% of it fits in that player) is a mix of blues, rock, country, country/rock (think Poco, Buffalo Springfield, etc), bluegrass, R&B, etc. I unloaded all my CDs from that CD-eating monster, and have been stuck listening to FM radio. What a wasteland! Every radio station up here seems to be owned by a huge conglomerate, and is programmed by idiots. I normally leave my carousel on shuffle mode, so every time a song plays, the machine switches to another track, regardless of which disk it is on. I might hear a song by T-bone Walker, then Vince Gill, then Robben Ford, then Allison Krause and Union Station, then Muddy Waters, then Emmylou Harris, then John Lee Hooker, then Led Zep... Why are there no radio stations that can pull this off? Stephen King's radio station (yes the horror-author from Bangor) has a fair mix of rock and blues, but still doesn't cut it. Too many repeats, too many top-40 fall-backs. Surely, these stations have FAR more CDs than I do. Where is the variety, the deep album cuts, etc? [/rant]
 
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  • #2
Pandora?I listen to FM a lot (prolly 60% of my awake time).
I can't play pandora :( but love my radio! :)
 
  • #3
www.last.fm

Not exactly an FM radio :wink:
 
  • #4
Borek said:
www.last.fm

Not exactly an FM radio :wink:
Thanks, Borek! I typed in Muddy Waters, and I got more links to Elmore James, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Buddy Guy, etc. I may hang out there until the new carousel shows up.
 
  • #5
I listen to podcasts during my commute and pandora at work. I've just about given up on radio.
 
  • #6
I drive a lot...wouldn't know what I'd do without the tuning buttons on my steering wheel.
 
  • #7
WhoWee said:
I drive a lot...wouldn't know what I'd do without the tuning buttons on my steering wheel.
:blushing:What type of transport are you driving ? A container truck or a simple tiny 4 wheeled Toyota ? Some more of the picture of your radio compartment would definitely help me talk more about the music.
 
  • #8
I rent a lot of cars.

Lately, I've been picking a Pontiac G-6...it has control buttons for the radio on the steering wheel. It makes channel surfing and volume control VERY easy. I find myself changing the channel after almost every song.
 
  • #9
Why no try replacing your stereo with one that plays usb, that way you can compress 400+ cds onto one little usb drive...
 
  • #10
I like to be surprised.
 
  • #11
turbo-1 said:
Howlin' Wolf

Huzzah for The Wolf!
 
  • #13
Radio sucks. I went to satellite radio (XM) about 6 years ago and I haven't listened to more than 5 minutes of regular FM programming since. It is more than worth the subscription fee IMO.
 
  • #14
FredGarvin said:
Radio sucks. I went to satellite radio (XM) about 6 years ago and I haven't listened to more than 5 minutes of regular FM programming since. It is more than worth the subscription fee IMO.
The radio in my Forester is equipped for satellite, but I don't drive enough to justify the price. Back when I was putting on 1000+ miles a week making technical service calls in paper mills, I would have jumped at it.
 
  • #15
I made sure I got a radio that could be removed and put in a small boom box to play in the house or where ever you are. I also have a home dock that is piped into my entertainment center.I don't think I could justify it either if it was just in the car.
 
  • #16
I only get one station I really like, but it's a weak station and I can't get reception everywhere here. Their motto is, "We play anything because we can," and seem to derive much of their funding from donations rather than ads. They really do play a true variety...you might get a modern pop song, followed by oldies Rock 'n Roll, followed by jazz, and country, etc. The other stations are useless.

One of my friends made the comment once when they had one of those "80s flashback weekend" kind of things that "The 80s lasted a whole decade; surely there were more songs than the few they keep repeating every few hours." That about sums up most radio stations. The only thing worse is the talking in the mornings. I just want music in the mornings, not a bunch of immature idiots who think they're funny babbling over the airwaves.
 
  • #17
Moonbear said:
The only thing worse is the talking in the mornings. I just want music in the mornings, not a bunch of immature idiots who think they're funny babbling over the airwaves.
That is the number one reason why I will never give up my satellite radio. I detest "morning shows." A close number two is the unavoidable 30 minutes per hour of commercials.

It's awesome to be able to bring my radio to the cottage, in the middle of nowhere, put it in my boom box and have all of my same radio stations.
 
  • #18
I listen to the regional National Public Radio stations. I prefer the Morning Edition and All Things Considered, and special programs like the Commonwealth Club, National Press Club, Alternative Radio, Word for Word (http://wordforword.publicradio.org/about/) and the BBC News.

I occasionally listen to Prairie Home Companion, which my wife and I used to listen to together on Saturday afternoons when we were in grad school.

Occasionally, I'll catch Radio Deluxe with John Pizzarelli and his wife Jessica Molaskey.


I find commercial radio too loud and obnoxious, and devoid of intelligent content.
 
  • #19
My replacement CD player showed up today and I spent the entire day loading the CDs into it and typing in the IDs that will show up when the discs are playing. I am SO relieved to be free of radio. I am glad that Borek linked me to the on-line music site, but after a few days of use, that place gave me a lot of duplicates. Seems like the place is deep in performers, but shallow in performers' tracks. Still, it's a great fall-back. Thanks, Borek!
 
  • #20
turbo-1 said:
My replacement CD player showed up today and I spent the entire day loading the CDs into it and typing in the IDs that will show up when the discs are playing. I am SO relieved to be free of radio. I am glad that Borek linked me to the on-line music site, but after a few days of use, that place gave me a lot of duplicates. Seems like the place is deep in performers, but shallow in performers' tracks. Still, it's a great fall-back. Thanks, Borek!

Might also want to try pandora (but seems useless now)
http://www.pandora.com

It's only accessible in US :(. I have to get through lots of trouble (changing IP address.. doesn't work 99% of the time) to play it so I no longer use it.
 
  • #21
I had the same problem. My solution? A 3 dollar stereo-to-stereo cord to plug my ipod into my aux in port on my stereo.
 
  • #22
FredGarvin said:
That is the number one reason why I will never give up my satellite radio. I detest "morning shows." A close number two is the unavoidable 30 minutes per hour of commercials.

It's awesome to be able to bring my radio to the cottage, in the middle of nowhere, put it in my boom box and have all of my same radio stations.

I didn't know they could be detached from the car and played elsewhere. Right now, I just have an adapter that let's me play my iPod over the FM channels in my car, but that's a bit of a pain when traveling because you need to find a channel that's just static for it to play best, and while there are a lot of areas that get minimal reception on plenty of channels, it's hard to find a station that remains static for very long.
 
  • #23
Moonbear said:
Right now, I just have an adapter that let's me play my iPod over the FM channels in my car, but that's a bit of a pain when traveling because you need to find a channel that's just static for it to play best, and while there are a lot of areas that get minimal reception on plenty of channels, it's hard to find a station that remains static for very long.

There's an adapter that slips in the tape player that I have used with good success on long trips. Just a cassette thingy and a wire with an audio plug. Low tech, but effective. Except I notice that more cars seem to be just CD only, so that may make it not always useful.
 
  • #24
LowlyPion said:
There's an adapter that slips in the tape player that I have used with good success on long trips. Just a cassette thingy and a wire with an audio plug. Low tech, but effective. Except I notice that more cars seem to be just CD only, so that may make it not always useful.

Yeah, no cassette player in my car, so can't use that kind of adapter.
 

1. Why does FM radio seem to play the same songs over and over again?

This is because FM radio stations often have a limited playlist of popular songs that they rotate throughout the day. This is determined by what is currently popular and what the station's target audience wants to hear. Additionally, stations may receive financial incentives to play certain songs more frequently.

2. Why are there so many commercials on FM radio?

FM radio stations rely on advertising for revenue, so they play a large number of commercials to make money. The length and frequency of ads are determined by the station's business model and their target audience's listening habits.

3. Why do FM radio stations interrupt songs for talking and commercials?

This is known as "interrupt programming" and is a common practice on FM radio. It allows for DJs to engage with listeners, provide information about the song or artist, and promote upcoming events or contests. It also provides a break from music for commercials, which generate revenue for the station.

4. Can't FM radio stations just play more variety in their music selection?

While it may seem like FM radio stations have a limited playlist, they actually have a large library of music to choose from. However, they are limited by their target audience's preferences and what is currently popular. Playing lesser-known songs may not appeal to the majority of listeners and could result in lower ratings and revenue.

5. Why do some FM radio stations have better sound quality than others?

The sound quality of FM radio stations depends on a variety of factors, including the quality of their equipment, the strength of their broadcast signal, and interference from other stations. Stations with better equipment and a stronger signal will generally have better sound quality. Additionally, some stations may prioritize sound quality over other aspects, while others may prioritize different factors such as advertising revenue or programming content.

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