I have a friend in the music business who calls my listening preferences "Adult Alternative", which I guess means that I like the old stuff, mixed in with the new stuff, without revolutionizing the sound so much that it becomes alienating to me. My absolute favorite radio station is KFOG (www.kfog.com) for a couple of reasons: the music they play, blended with their online and community content. They really do it right and -- I would imagine -- would fit in nicely with teebeedee'rs. But does anyone else have a radio station that they listen to from their computer? What about XM radio? Am I missing something by not getting into XM radio?
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Posted: Jan 18, 07 4:21pm
I'm a big fan of KZTQ here in Reno because there's very little DJ chatter and lots of music that brings me back to highschool and college days, but with some newer music thrown in.
For computer listening, you have to try Pandora. I'm fairly clueless when it comes to finding new music and that's where Pandora helps out. You tell them who you like and they will play them, and new music based on those choices. I found a lot of new music that I love from this station, and the best thing is it's free.
Posted: Jan 18, 07 5:27pm
KCRW out of Santa Monica has an amazing show on weekday mornings from 9-12 called Morning Becomes Eclectic hosted by Nick Harcourt. They're trying to do an On Demand option -- it's not working great at the moment.
Check it out online, or when you're stuck on the freeways in So CA at 89.9. Weekends have great programming too -- Chris Douridas is an awesome programmer. He hosts a show called New Ground.
I'm a recent (and grateful) transplant to the Bay area and like the programming on KFOG okay -- but the incessant commercial breaks drive me mad.
Posted: Jan 18, 07 5:59pm
I downloaded your KFOG, and then looked up the radio station I listen to most from my computer: http://www.wrvo.fm/ WRVO has NPR, PRI, BBC, and American Public Media. I usually listen to music in my i-tunes library especially Mozart, Vivaldi, Joanne Shenandoah, Lisa Girrard, and Nawang Khechog for writing reports. As I was writing this, KFOG suddenly started streaming with the Rolling Stones and about bounced me out of my chair. Fun. Nice mix! Thanks for the recommendation.
Posted: Jan 22, 07 4:14pm
If you like public radio (in any form), Current.org is a great resource. You can search by music genre or show across a ton of channels.
Posted: Jan 22, 07 4:56pm
Addressing the satellite radio question, the first question is... how much do you drive? When you're at home, you can access stations online that offer better sound and increased flexibility compared to what's on satellite radio. The other big question is about your listening habits. Do you like to pick out what you listen to, or do you prefer someone to handle the programming? If you drive a lot and want to flip between channels rather than acquiring/updating a digital audio collection, satellite radio is for you. As for the difference between Sirius and XM, some people say XM has better music programming, whereas Sirius has Howard Stern and his merry band of cohorts as the main draw.
Posted: Jan 22, 07 11:43pm
Hey ColbyZ, there is a station in New Orleans--WWOZ, the New Orleans Jazz and heritage station--that plays blues, jazz, Cajun, zydeco, gospel, Latin, Brazilian, Caribbean and a whole lot more. Don't know if this is your cup of gumbo (kinda like a low-rent KFOG served up with crawfish, beignets, and DIxie beer), but WWOZ is one of countless great New Orleans musical traditions, and has been broadcasting since 1980 from, among other places, the second floor of the world-reknown Tipitina's night club and Louis Armstrong Park, more or less the center of the New Orleans heritage and musical universe. If you do like the New Orleans sound and want to help the cause down there, check them out at http://www.wwoz.org/about.php
Posted: Jan 23, 07 9:40pm
Well, Colby, like Derek said, if you like choosing an era or genre and listening to a mix of that specific music type, satellite like XM or Sirius is for you. It's a "set it and forget it" way of hearing just the music you like. You actually sound like you appreciate a more eclectic blend..an aggregate of sorts that plays to your wider mindset and general taste for quality rather than a genre delineation. Did I peg ya? To that end, stations like KFOG and my personal favorite, KBCO from Boulder, Colorado, provide you with a nice blend of adult/intelligent music.
KBCO actually streams three signals...one is their actual air signal, which is terrific. Another is nothing but new music...a great way to find out about what's just released but you might want some familiarity. And the third is just made up of live performances recorded in their studios over the years.
icebergradio.com also lets you pick from their channels and some of those might appeal to you, as well.
Happy listening!
Posted: Nov 16, 07 3:51pm
www.pandora. com is my current favorite for computer listening. It has changed my music listening habits.
It is part of the music genome project. You define artists or songs you like and it will play selections from them and other artists like them. It is really amazing. Every day I am finding new artists I really like.
lee1234
Posted: Nov 16, 07 4:01pm
I totally agree. I love Pandora. I have been listening for about 6 months now and I have found some really amazing artists I otherwise would have never found.
Posted: Mar 12, 08 3:55am
Pandora is the way to go.
like lee said, broaden your tastes, experiance something new, kick the ads out!
Posted: Nov 25, 07 4:57pm
I love to listen to World Cafe on NPR.org. I can also listen many NPR stations around the country that play a variety of music.
Posted: Nov 26, 07 1:58pm
I too listen to World Cafe coming home from work. I love to hear artists who have made new music and others that I discover for the first time, even if that artist has been around for a while.
Posted: Nov 26, 07 2:18pm
I don't know about XM but try these:
http://www.live365.com/stations/ftangftang
http://www.live365.com/stations/koolkat2
http://www.live365.com/stations/medievalbob
http://www.live365.com/stations/rendar2114
http://www.live365.com/stations/progman55
http://www.live365.com/stations/radiobones
Posted: Nov 27, 07 10:15am
www.wakeuptothevibe.com
Posted: Dec 8, 07 4:31pm
pandora is ok if ya wanna sit passively and accept what someone else has defined as yer taste. kinda like broadcast radio slightly upgraded.
if ya know who ya like, slacker.com may be the best online presentation right now. with, also, options for discovering musicians yer not aware of.
if ya know what ya like, can give it a genre name or recognize one in a list, and are willing to put in a little effort, download.com might serve.
Posted: Dec 8, 07 5:20pm
Pandora's not exactly passive.
If they give you something you don't like, just click the thumbs down and you'll never hear it again.
Or just go to the next song if you might want to hear it someother time but not now.
If you decide you want to add a song or group to your station, go for that too.
Used to listen to Live365 but got tired of losing stations
So far, I like Padora a lot better. (Right now: Theme From an Imaginary Western)
Posted: Apr 30, 08 6:09pm
Big slacker fan here.
I put it on Traditional Blues and let it bleed all day, every day at work.
Since the radio would never play Son House, slacker will have to do until a better idea is invented. XM radio is unbelievable, but there's a monthly fee, which locks me out of ever getting it.
Slacker is free.
Cool.
If you only like cutting edge on talent that isn't even signed yet, www.indiecharts.com. Click on the indie radio. That is some different stuff.
Posted: Dec 9, 07 4:32pm
Pandora is kind of good, I can almost put a channel together that sounds like the old KNAC days...
Posted: Dec 11, 07 7:54am
When I first got to Pandora, I was excited, figuring I could tailor-make music to my preferences. I set up three (dofferent) stations so I could vary the songs to my tastes/moods of the moment.
As time went by, however, I became less and less enthralled. I found I was not only skipping a number of chosen songs but also skipping from station to station and, often enough, finding nothing on any of them that i liked.
For awhile I was listing to Yahoo radio, which allows you to express your preferences and was actually reasonably pleased with it. More than Pandora, in any case.
Posted: Dec 15, 07 12:27pm
XM Radio is great! I spend a lot of time in my car and XM provides just about anything I am in the mood for. Channel 45 - Starbuck's Cafe - is especially great if you like Indie music.
Posted: Dec 15, 07 12:46pm
I tend to listen to public radio--our local station plays a nice mix of jazz, classical and blues. Plus I enjoy listening to A Prairie Home Companion on the Saturday nights we are home to enjoy it.
I used to enjoy country music but in the last 10 to 15 years I cannot tell country from pop
Posted: Feb 23, 08 10:44pm
My favorite radio station is an online station that plays the Great American Songbook / lounge music by both the older artists and new ones like Buble and Krall. Right now its commercial free and no subsciption required. www.MartiniInTheMorning.com
Posted: Mar 1, 08 2:15pm
A great oldies radio program is called Shake Rattle Showtime. It's only on for two hours on weekends, hosted by Jim Parsons.
You can check out the website at www.shakerattle.com where you can listen over the internet.
Great show!
Posted: Mar 1, 08 2:47pm
You cats that dig the eclectic should check out Radio Paradise - you can access via iTunes radio or direct. Kinda reminds me of KFAT, now known as KPIG, from Freedom (near Santa Cruz, CA). There's just about everything you can imagine on iTunes radio.
Pandora is really cool, but it is, as Nick D. pointed out, not bottomless. I've got a Meters station, NRBQ station, Prokokiev and Brahm. But I'm just gettin' started.
Posted: Mar 1, 08 2:52pm
An extremely good classical music station, with no commercials or breaks, is in Portland, Oregon. It's 24 hour.
I listen to it on my radio, and on the Internet. allclassical.org
Posted: Mar 7, 08 2:29am
Having spent 30 years on the air playing Rock, Country and everything in between, I finally left the air because radio has become so homogenized, so bland, that I was bored. Believe me, I never thought that would happen. When I started (1971) it was fun, creative, and you could do just about anything with the music and people enjoyed the show.
Now for the most part, no matter what city you listen to, they do pretty much the same thing and play the same songs.
If I listen to radio at all, it's XM. The 60's at 6 is my favorite, but they don't hit 100% of the time either as they have a short playlist of songs and the jocks are limited on what they can do. Terry "motormouth" Young in the afternoon (4p Eastern) is the best. He's more of the "boss jock" sound and truly sounds like he's having fun.
Posted: Apr 30, 08 5:48pm
Been there. Done that. I know just what you mean.
I split my time listening to KPIG and a variety of Texas radio (like KFAN) which features a lot of "Red Dirt Americana." I also make my own CD's
I learned a long time ago that NYC radio essentially sucks (sorry, there's no other word for it). Air time is simply too expensive for stations to play anything but tried and true. It's nothing more than an variety of Top 40 in whatever mainstream musci category you chose (even the non-commercial stations).
Posted: Mar 11, 08 7:44pm
WYYEP in Pittsburgh is probably the best radio station
around. They play music like Beatles, U2, Dylan, Elvis Costello, as well as a lot of music that is not played anywhere else.
You can listen online at
www.wyep.org
hope you like it..............
Posted: Mar 12, 08 10:32pm
In New Jersey, I Love 102.7 and 106.7 radio stations. They are the best. They play songs from back in the days. 1960's, 70's and 80's....it is really cool.
Posted: Apr 29, 08 6:33pm
In NY I like 104.3 Qrock. They play classic rock from the late 60's 70's & 80"s. Lots of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Stones & Beatles.Get's me through the day at work.
Posted: Apr 30, 08 4:40pm
Check out KCDX.com commercial free classic rock. For those who live in the Phoenix area in the far East valley it's 103.1 FM and again it's commercial free.
Posted: Apr 30, 08 4:57pm
Don't know as I listen about 95% to Books on CDs, my music CDs, Ipod, & an occasional baseball game. Radio is truly not important to me.