I do. Most stations in my region are just crappy music and dumb call-in shows, but there’s still a few stations with quality programming. FM radio is where I get my news, where I listen to press conferences, old-school audio theatre and (surprisingly) where I get new music recommendations. Hard to believe that modern streaming platforms’ algorithms can be outperformed by traditional media.
SiriusXM Octane, Turbo, Lithium, and 1st Wave are staples in my day.
Also WCRB in Massachusetts.
I have found almost all radio status near me play a mix of 12 songs and ads. Tuning in to any station was likely to result in ads and not music.
My radio is tuned to static so I can get into my car without being forced into hearing an ad while my Bluetooth connects and I can start playing a book.
There is a station I used to listen to 8 years ago when I saw heavy traffic (to decide if I need an alternate route) - this is in a tiny city which rarely has traffic issues. everyonce in a while I hear it in a store a something and I still know the song that will be next.
nope. Even when i drive, I listen to music on my phone. Haven’t listened to the radio in… over a decade.
I don’t miss the static noise. Radio died for me the second mp3 devices became affordable like cd players, md players, the first ipod etc.
No.
I was an NPR supporter for years but now I find them to be more in line with being a voice for corporate Democrats and the status-quo.
The rest of the radio is a wash.
In my car, yes.
I don’t want my car to have any other radios. No wifi, no bt, no 5g. Just a dumb AM/FM radio
that sounds like a nightmare for me. bluetooth + apple music means I can sing anything I want static free! WOOO!!!
That’s what aux and USB are for.
There’s one radio station near me that’s halfway decent to listen to every now and again but the host that’s normally on when I’m driving just plays the same 5-7 songs on loop most days.
Also the adverts are insane, they’ll maybe get through 2 songs before going to 10 mins of ads then come back for one song and go into some radio competition before going back to ads again.
I listen to BBC Radio because it’s still excellent. BBC Radio 6 is my go-to daily station which specialises in new music and has DJs who are passionate and have a lot of freedom, but the station also follows John Peel’s A-B-C format which keeps things nice and grounded. Also, BBC Radio 3 for jazz and classical (unlike Classic FM, which only plays movie soundtracks) and BBC Radio 3 Chill which is self-explanatory.
ABC’s Triple-J deserves an honourable mention. Student radio can be good as well.
The local commercial stations are all homogeneous slurry, lowest common denominator saccharin slop where every shred of character and local identity has been eradicated. I grew up listening to Rock FM (Lancashire) and Trent FM (Nottingham), both were cheesy but authentic local pop stations that have been thoroughly Borged into ultra-branded and means tested chaff. It’s adverts, relentlessly forced-cheery sponsored segments disguises as ‘banter’, desperately insincere attempts at audience engagement, and, occasionally, heavily edited and shortened versions of the same dozen songs.
I still listen to FM radio and, if you’ll please pardon me tooting my own horn, I also help make some of it as part of a long-running weekly talk show. (I’ve been off the air for the past couple weeks, but I’m back next week.)
I was a listener to the station and the program for a long time before I joined up. I still listen to radio often, and the medium continues to mean a great deal to me.
Sounds interesting, I think I’ll give the show a listen.
Cool! I’d be happy to learn what you think of it.
No.
My personal rule is that I do not consume any media where I have to see or hear adverts.
When I’m in someone else’s car that’s an exception and they can listen to whatever they want, it’s their car. But if I’m driving? Absolutely not.
Yes, we have community radio here, and I listen & also contribute a little $ each month.
ETA: there used to be one good commercial station too, alternative rock, but they got bought out by a bigger conglomerate and now are a Spanish station, and unfortunately not a Spanish alternative station, that would be awesome but no, just a pop station, a clone of the others we already had!
I stream my local college radio station while I work. There’s charm in hearing the student DJs kind of stumble through everything as they play a wide assortment of music.
Just whichever NPR affiliate comes in clearest on a drive.
It’s always fun trying to find the next one when the previous goes out of range on road trips. Yes, we could look it up on a phone, but it’s more fun to guess each station genre as quickly as possible.
“Country, Christian, Christian country, classic rock, country, WAIT this might be NPR…”
Yeah, every day. BBC 6 music is where it’s at.
The thing with streaming services for me is the complete lack of humanity. Don’t get me wrong, I sub to Apple Music and use it quite a lot, but when I’m cooking dinner and want a person playing music to me, making recommendations, and just chatting away, there’s no substitute for human-presented radio.
Algorithmic recommendations are fine, but there’s something about clicking with a piece of music that someone has encouraged me to check out.
This is the only reason I keep a Sirius/XM subscription going (that and I got a cheap rate after trying to quit). While DJs are mostly insufferable, some of them do know what they’re doing and can prep a set list, talk intelligently about it, and give you more than just algo-slop.
That can be especially effective on some of the genre-specific stations. I almost feel like I’m learning something when Richard Blade is on First Wave and he can really put together a set. Billy Idol is almost funny with how quickly he announces songs but if he has a guest it’s usually a fascinating conversation.
The thing with streaming services for me is the complete lack of humanity.
My favourite feature. But then, I live in a country where Kyle Sandilands was popular and each 2 minute song is interrupted by 4 minutes of gambling ads.
I only listen to Craig Charles on radio 6, do you have any shows you would recommend ?
I listen to a lot of lbc which is a call in / talk station with news and has some amazing calibre callers.
I sometimes listen to wfmu which has no advertising and you are liable to hear a ridiculous range of different things.
To be fair, I’m mostly about Craig Charles as well. His funk and soul show is a genuine highlight of my week while I’m cooking.
As for other shows; Jarvis Cocker has just come back on Sunday afternoons, which is very welcome. Also, Cerys Matthews on a Sunday is great.
Thanks , will give them a try!
I do, public service radio every day, all day.
I’ve lived in Japan for 30 years but listen to an Australian radio station every day while working. It keeps me loosely connected with the motherland. Mostly music, competitions, gossip and generally useless information, very little news or current affairs.
I can’t concentrate while listening to albums or playlists of music I select, but somehow radio just becomes comfortable background noise … if that makes any sense.
