XM Satellite Radio is re-launching their flagship hits channel, Top 20 on 20 (ch 20), on Monday, December 4th.

As part of the re-launch, Top 20 on 20 will feature on-air personalities around the clock, along with the popular Top 20 on 20 countdowns airing throughout the day at 12, 3, 6 and 9am and pm ET/PT. In addition, the new 20 on 20 will include celebrity hosted countdowns each Friday at 9pm ET/6pm PT.  

To kick off the revamped channel, during the week of December 4th, XM’s 20 on 20 will air celebrity countdowns each day hosted by Nelly Furtado (Dec. 4), Ciara (Dec. 5), Diddy (Dec. 6), Evanescence (Dec. 7) and Chingy (Dec. 8). The channel will also feature performances by celebrity "House Band" guests throughout the week, including The Fray, Hinder, Ludacris, Pink, KT Tunstall and others.  

Current Top 20 on 20 MD Priestly and PD Michelle Cartier will be on-air hosts for the new Top 20 on 20 during mornings and mid-days, respectively. XM has also hired two new personalities for the channel – Evan James, previously with MTV Radio, who will host afternoons out of XM’s New York studios, and Chris Styles, of DC’s Hot 99.5, will serve as evening host from XM’s DC headquarters.

Bob Dylan's XM Satellite Radio show, Theme Time Radio Hour, is being syndicated to the UK's BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music throughout 2007.
 
BBC Radio 2 will offer a sneak preview, broadcasting six of the shows during the Holiday Season starting on Saturday December 23rd 2006 running through to Thursday, December 28th (schedule available here).
 
BBC Music 6 will broadcast the shows starting on December 31st at 9pm and then every Friday night from January 12th at 9pm (schedule available here). 
 
“Bob Dylan is a legendary figure and I’m sure these shows will be of great interest to our audience.  It’ll be fascinating to hear who his favourite artists are and who has influenced him throughout his career,” said Lesley Douglas, Controller BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music.

Lee Abrams has a speech he gives people about XM's musical diversity. It's based on the chart you see above, which splits the listener up into four different zones or "circles."

Each circle is a different area of description that people share. Don't think of it as profiling though, because you can be any number of the traits above (which would put you smack in the middle of the chart). But the chart is only half the story. It's the theory behind the chart that's amazing. Bob Lefsetz got to see it first hand, and urged Lee to make a video of the speech he had witnessed.

So he did.

Now put aside your lame "XM vs. SIRIUS" hats for one second and watch this video because I don't care what camp you're from, it's worth the watch. Watch the forming of a concept behind something that we all find captivating.

We're all satellite radio fans here, and a lot of that has to do with how the music speaks to us. Understand that here is a media company that isn't based on demographics and focus groups. It's driven by passion, and instilling that passion into it's listeners. That's unheard of! So if you want to see what it's all about - sit back and watch.

[Lee Abrams' Blog]
Thanks Russell!

It appears there's one more Holiday channel coming down the pipe, in addition to what was previously announced.

A recently published channel guide (PDF) shows XM channel 108 - entitled Radio Hanukkah. Further details include that Radio Hanukkah will air from December 15th through December 23rd. I only wonder why XM didn't announce this at the same time as the other Holiday channels? Curious.

Additionally, the channel guide shows the renaming of High Voltage 202 to The Virus. But who cares about Opie & Dopie anyway. 

Thanks to everyone who sent this in! 

XM is celebrating "Dogg-vember" all month long with special music and world premieres of Snoop Dogg’s XM show "Welcome to da Chuuch" - all to coincide with the release of Snoop Dogg’s new album, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment.

XM will debut two all new episodes of "Welcome to da Chuuch" starting this Friday, November 17th at 11pm ET and the following Friday, November 24th on The Rhyme (ch 65). Each episode will feature a sneak peek of select songs from Tha Blue Carpet Treatment as well as guest interviews with album collaborators. You can also catch a "Chuuch" marathon every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6pm ET during the month of November.

The Rhyme has also ordained the week of the album’s release as "Westsiiiiide Week" - playing west-coast hip hop all week long including interviews with top Cali rap artists.

Snoop Dogg's Tha Blue Carpet Treatment hits the streets on November 21st. Fo' shizzle.

XM Satellite Radio is (once again) offering dedicated holiday music channels - a total of five channels in a variety of seasonal style - during the upcoming holiday season.

Here's the lineup:

• Holly (XM 103) – Available start November 13th at 12 midnight ET - December 25th. Features contemporary holiday hits mixed with selected traditional favorites
• Holiday Traditions (XM 104) – Available beginning November 23rd at 12 midnight ET - December 25th. Features traditional holiday recordings from the 1940s through the 1960s
• A Nashville Christmas (XM 105) – Available beginning November 23rd at 12 midnight ET - December 25th. Features contemporary and traditional holiday hits from popular country music artists
• A Classical Christmas (XM 106) – Available beginning November 23rd at 12 midnight ET - December 25th. Features traditional holiday carols performed by celebrated classical music artists
• Special X-Mas (XM 107) – Available beginning November 23rd at 12 midnight ET - December 25th. Features a mix of holiday novelty songs, oddball parodies, and rock covers of holiday classics

Details on XM's Holiday 2006 channel lineup will be available on their website soon.

Source: XM Satellite Radio