For a while now, my wife and I have considered getting satellite radio. It just isn’t that expensive (under $15 per month) and, as much as we like to listen, it seems worth it. Well, this week, we took the plunge investing in Sirius satellite radio and, damn, is it awesome!
The decision to get satellite radio was pretty easy. Both Rebecca and I love music and we both love being able to get information from radio. One thing that really intrigued us was the ability to take it with us wherever we want to go and still get great music or news.
When we looked into it, the decision to go with Sirius really wasn’t that tough. The other provider had more overall music options, but they lacked a few key areas.
First off, they didn’t have NPR and that was a key for us as we both love it. Second, they just had fewer information channels overall, which is something we really enjoy. Lastly, their alliances weren’t that great. With Sirius, you get both the NFL and the NBA and not only is that great for me, but it demonstrates that they have the clout to do deals of that nature making them stable.
They also seem to be adding, quite rapidly, channels and personalities like Eminem and Howard Stern. To go even further, they now have exclusive alliances with auto manufacturers to put satellite radio in vehicles – something that will change radio as we know it.
But, to get back to the broadcasts, while we really enjoy everything we’ve heard, two things really stand out:
1. Commercial free
There is nothing like listening to un-interrputed music and not having to hear car dealer commercials or ads for furniture stores.
2. Artist Listings
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to the radio and wondered, “This is good. Who is that?” only to have the DJ never say a word about it. On Sirius, the name of the artist and the song are displayed on the receiver. You can even search through the channels and view the artist and song being played on them without having to listen – kinda like cable TV’s on-screen listings.
Right now, it is on Pure Jazz 72, so far my favorite. Just really, REALLY great jazz. But, this morning I listened to some of the Mike & Mike Show on ESPN Radio, browsed The Spectrum 18 (billed as adult pop and rock music from the last 40 years) and heard some classic stand-up comedy from Woody Allen that was hilarious.
If there is a heaven for radio lovers, it must include Sirius.