I love my XM radio. I’ll never listen to terrestrial radio again. But I’m a creature of habit…I have about 7-10 favorites that get all the airplay. I generally jump between:
A. 6 - The 60’s
B. 46 - Top Tracks (classic rock)
C. 40 - Deep Tracks (deep album rock)
D. 150 - XM Comedy
E. 151 - Laugh USA
F. 153 - Laugh Attack (Canadian comedy, eh)
G. Whatever channel is carrying the Dodgers or the Red Sox
What channels are you listening to?
Let’s see:
54 Lucy - Alternative stuff mostly from 92-00. Some new, but most of it’s in that ranges.
44 Fred - Older Alternative stuff. These two stations cover most of the stuff I used to play when I worked in radio.
65 The Rhyme - Classic Hip-Hop and Rap. '96 back.
140 - ESPN Radio.
150 - XM Comedy
81 - BPM
8 - The 80’s
It changes from time to time but most of these are consistent. In no particular order:
I. 81 - BPM
II. 150 - XM Comedy (Up Yours!)
III. 27 - Cinemagic
IV. 8 - The 80’s
V. 32 - The Message
VI. 54 - Lucy
VII. 14 - Bluegrass Junction
41 Boneyard
42 Liquid Metal
47 Ethel
48 Squizz
54 Lucy
And I surf 46, 49, 53, and 70-72 sometimes at home (XM is on Direct TV now)
The only time I listen to any of the comedy or talk is on really long road trips and I need something with a train of thought to keep my mind awake.
We’ve got XM. We love it and always have it on. The only downside is the number of Station IDs we hear since they play the 5 second ID after every third song. It’s enough that you can ask our 5 year old son what our favourite station is and he’ll tell you “Fred on 44”.
We are in Canada and subscribed to the Canadian service, but they are increasing their rates, and my father-in-law, who lives in the US, has a subscription to the US service. I will probably cancel the Canadian service and sign on to his account (with his blessing) as a secondary unit and pay half the price.
Who’s kidding who? I surf all over the place (like I do when watching TV) and drive my wife batty. Actually, that’s not true…she demands it goes back to Fred.
Long time XM owner and am listening to it right now in the office. My top 7:
High Voltage 202 - Mostly for Ron & Fez who are the funniest shock jocks I’ve ever heard because they don’t rely on shock for their humor. I also listen to a lesser extent for Opie & Anthony.
Fuego 90 - I was turned on to reggaeton a few months ago and I have really been enjoying it and I hope to take salsa lessons someday.
Ethel
Lucy - these two are the music that I am most familiar with and have listened to most of my life
Fred - for my new wave fix
XM Comedy 150 - because comedy is better with ‘fuck’ in it
Bone Yard - when I need my head banging fix
Couldn’t the XM people think of better names? Lucy? Ethel?
Brian
That bugs the crap out of me. I had to go to their site to get the names, I just go by number in the car. Then of course DirectTV doesn’t have the channel number, they go by the name, so I have to memorize the Direct TV channel.
I looked and looked for a Ricky. I figured Lucy, Fred, and Ethel would surely have a Ricky, but noooo.
Sirius has saved from commerical radio hell…
1 - Left of Center - an indie music station not leftie talk radio as the name suggests
2 - Boom Box
3 - BBC World Service
4 - Raw Dog Comedy - though they repeat stuff alot and “The Wise Guy” show is the least funny thing I’ve ever heard.
5 - BBC Radio One - though I wish they’d replace it with BBC 6 Music… (anyone fancy starting a grass roots internet campaign to get 6-Music on Sirius 
).
6 - Premiership footie on “Sports play-by-play”
7 - Underground Garage - Despite its name its about as underground as MTV Similar to LoC accept popier and rockier
My top 7:
47 - Ethel
48 - SquiZZ
54 - Lucy
150 - XM Comedy
202 - O&A/Ron and Fez
26 - Flight 26
9 - The 90’s
I also listen to Big Tracks, Top Tracks and Top 20 on 20 a lot too.
For Latin music, natch.
Here are 7 of my 10 “A” list.
Sirius…
XM:
XM Classics
BPM
Real Jazz
90s on 9
The Message (Christian)
The System (Techno)
Beyond Jazz
Sirius:
The Vault (Classic Rock)
Symphony Hall
Pure Jazz
Sirius Spirit (Christian)
Area 33 (Techno)
Outlaw Country
Sirius Gold (50s)
Count me as another Fred/Ethel/Lucy.
Sometimes I’ll just start at 54 and scroll one at a time to 40, then check the 90’s, 80’s, 70’s, 60’s. If still no joy I’ll shoot up to 150 (comedy). On the commute home after work I’ll often scroll thru the MLB games.
At home the TV is on Lucy (DirecTV 838) anytime I’m not actually watching something.
XM:
70’s on 7
Fred 44
XM Comedy 150
60’s on 6
80’s on 8
Top Tracks 46
Chrome 83 (classic disco)
Mrs. Know likes Highway 16 and The Blend (25).
Slight hijack:
For those XMers with a taste for some radio nostalgia, this weekend, both the 70s and 80s channels are re-airing random broadcasts of American Top 40 with Casey Kasem.
I know that may sound kinda lame to some people, but IMHO (and to paraphrase Maude Findlay), one "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars) is worth a hundred "Seacrest out"s.
Carry on.
Sirius
Howard 100
The Vault- Deeper Classic Rock
Left Of Center - New/College/Indie
Rolling Stones Radio
Raw Dog
Alt Nation
Symphony Hall (perfect in the office)
There is a simlar post, that has what stations or your presets.
With XM presets, you can just press one button, and jump to a station. (As long as your not in Direct mode.
XM:
1.81 BPM
2.80s on 8
3.Flight 26
4.49 Big Tracks
5.40 Deep Tracks
6.151 Laugh USA (Chicken Man!)
7.163 Sonic Theatre
8.20 on 20 (Was ESPN, but I figured that 9 could cover my sports for me)
9.123 Headline News
10.227 Atlanta Traffic
Not 7, but, it is my preset line up.
I often Joke, that XM needs PIP for radio. I feel sometimes that it canibalizes it self.