The Washington Post today featured an incredibly accurate column on the RIAA's lawsuit against XM. This paragraph says it all:
You'd think an industry that has managed to turn out so much mediocre music for so many years, done so much to lower moral standards and lost so much business to illegal file-sharing would have something better to do than attack some of the few distributors that are actually expanding the market and charging for music. But the prospect that the industry might not extract every last penny out of the new satellite radio services and their customers is simply unacceptable to the Recording Industry Association of America.
(cue slow clap)
Satellite Radio is the only media outlet that actually gives less "popular" music genres a chance to be heard in the car (where a majority of radio listening - and music discovery - occurs). In NYC, you can't find a single Country Music station. In my area, there isn't a single decent Jazz station in sight (sorry, "Blues" does not equal "Jazz"). The Satellite Radio Industry gives these genres airtime, which ultimately leads to increase sales (something the RIAA is complaining they're losing out on).
Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.
[more on the Washington Post]
Slow clap=genius
A-friggin'-men. I've bought more songs from iTunes in the last several months because I've had the exposure to new music on satellite than I would if I were just tuning into my local rock station.
Examples off the top of my head:
Wolfmother, Thornley, Black Label Society, Fireball Ministry - how often does this stuff get played on terrestrial?
Not in MY neck of the woods, I can tell you that.
Not only is this helping to say "FUCK OFF RIAA". Its a great advertisement for XM, and satellite in general.
Agreed Pete without sat. radio all i hear is static! and i have bought albums from the music i listen to on my xm
A little off topic......Are the Inno/Helix's still having "Jimmy Day XL" as the channel picture with Jimmy in the background? just wonderin' because I want to take a pic when I get home before they change it back to "High Voltage XL" if they haven't already.
ahigee, I think it's already gone - I still had it until about 1:30 am as I fell asleep listening to a recording - the Jimmy Day graphics were even on the playback for a replay from the day *before*.
I wish I'd taken a photo too. Gotta love the Inno - ya just get the feeling it's capable of so much more than it actually does...