SiriusXM Kinda Sucks

[CJJ]

Technology has really leapfrogged the need for most of Sirius/XM. A smartphone streaming Pandora or Slacker pretty much covers anything you could want on the music channels, and I Heart Radio or Stitcher picks up a lot of the rest.

Sirius/XM really needs to develop a more distinctive personality. Things like “The Bob Edwards Show” (which I don’t believe is available via podcast), POTUS and those comedy channels are distinctive enough, but then you also have Glenn Beck (which is available on a couple hundred AM stations already) or 15-year-old reruns of Car Talk (anyone who cares already has plenty of options for Click-n-Clack). I also think their music could be much more adventurous; stations like the Blend, the Pulse and the Bridge are hardly different from any LiteFM on the dial (and they’re already simulcasting WLTW out of NYC).

[sco3tt]

@nevadaexile

…it was just easier to use Pandora through my smartphone… I do miss the comedy channels

Pandora has a decent comedy selection too, so give that a try if you weren’t already aware of it. I have stations set up for Mitch Hedberg, Louis CK, Hannibal Burress et al which I listen to on roadtrips and the repetition isn’t too bad.

[Gatopescado]

The “Mother’s Day” thing on Outlaw was awful! Had to turn that crap off! Maybe I’m just getting old and crotchety.

@dropzone

What, no Smiths or Morrissey? Lithium used to do one, the other, or both every damned hour.

Only heard Smiths on First Wave or something like that.

@SaharaTea

There is a station that pretty much fits what you’re describing. It’s called The Spectrum, and it’s by far my favorite channel. It’s not going to play smooth jazz (thank god) but it’s a nice variety of cool stuff from 80s, 90s and today.

I’ve tried it, and should try it again. It seemed kinda like a “melting pot” of the other channels. Had some good stuff.

I was “indisposed” when I made the OP, by the way. And fuck smooth jazz.

[Jman]

@sco3tt

Pandora has a decent comedy selection too, so give that a try if you weren’t already aware of it. I have stations set up for Mitch Hedberg, Louis CK, Hannibal Burress et al which I listen to on roadtrips and the repetition isn’t too bad.

Was about to say this.

I was a Sirius subscriber for about 4 years. Once I got a smartphone and started streaming a bunch of stuff, I canceled, and I don’t miss it at all. I used to miss the comedy as well until Pandora opened a good comedy selection. Now my customized stations there are far better than what Raw Dog used to play, and I can skip tracks if I don’t like the comedian.

With Pandora, Rdio (which I far prefer over Spotify due to the better mobile app and collection), TuneIn and my podcasts, I have all the entertainment I’d ever need in my car, and I have a vehicle mount for my phone that puts it on the dash near the radio, so I’m not fumbling around looking for the skip button or anything while driving. It’s better and far cheaper than Sirius.

[Winnipeg]

I spend most of the day in my car, so streaming is too data consuming.

I like talk radio, so find that NPR, BBC World and the Wharton Business School channels to be excellent. Both entertaining and educational.