jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I'm listening to a great program on XM Radio - the 50's channel. The sons of Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison, and Phil Everly are talking to each other. Very interesting. It's 2:11 PM on 11/25 right now. I don't know how much longer it will be on. Maybe it will be repeated.

therwol Loc: USA

I haven't checked lately, but I believe that they have channels for 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. What pisses me off about them is that they replace the 40s channel with holiday music for two months toward the end of the year. (Not if you listen on a radio in your house but if you listen in your car. I only listen in my car.) I have a thing for 30s and 40s jazz and big band music, and my wife and I listen to the 40s channel at least 95% of the time when we're driving around. I'm paying for 12 months and getting only 10 months of the music we listen to the most. I realize that this is probably not their most popular channel, but if they didn't have it, I'd cancel my subscription, which is getting close to $200 per year. Some years ago, they completely replaced the 40s channel with a Billy Joel channel. Aside from a few of his early songs, I don't care for his music. I called them at that time and told them I'd cancel my subscription if they didn't put the 40s channel back in their lineup. They did. They must have gotten enough calls to persuade them. You used to be able to listen to this older music over the air. No longer by at least 10-15 years. I do have a lot of it on CD, but I like hearing stuff I haven't heard before.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yes, I hate the way they change what's on the channels. They haven't used every number available to humanity, so why mess up our listening habits?

For some reason, I'm not getting good reception in my car - scratchy and weak. At times, it cuts out completely - for hours or days. I've tried different antennas and cradles, but it doesn't matter. The only other variable is the car's radio, and I'm not about to change that. Now, it's a house radio.

I have a lifetime subscription (since 2009), and I always worry that they'll eliminate that. If the radio breaks, I can't transfer it because I'm allowed only one transfer. In a conversation with them years ago, I complained that they eliminated one station I used to listen to. They said I could pay for a "better subscription" and get that back. Yes, there's always "Better."

David Martin Loc: Cary, NC

A number of SiriusXM holiday channels have been activated.
For the moment at least, the 40s channel has been exiled to channel 296.

therwol Loc: USA

Thanks. I'll check, but I don't know if the radio in my car goes that high. The car is a 2012 Mini.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Why couldn't they leave the 40s alone and move Holiday to 296?

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

They do the same thing with Classic Country.

sodapop Loc: Bel Air, MD

Love the 50s channel. My man gripe with XM is they periodically have major updates and change all the channels that I have buttons for. (It takes me a long time to remember which button is which LOL)

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Some vehicles have gone to smart radios which follow the SiriusXM content to their newly assigned channel. So, if a button is assigned channel 5 for the 50s music, and SiriusXM changes it to 55, pushing the button takes you 55 instead of 5 without you having to do anything. However, and this is annoying, it doesn’t work for all. The lost of the 40s music to holiday is an example.

marine73 Loc: Modesto California

I listen to two channels, 59 and 148. I flip flop between the two when they start repeating themselves and I listen in the car only while driving back and forth to work which is 1.5 hours one way. I also have the problem of the station fading at times. I put it down to the signal from the satellite becoming weak while the transfer to another satellite.

mr spock Loc: Fairfield CT

$200 per year seems excessive. I renew my subscription every six months and go through the same song and dance with them. I ask for their cheapest rate and always tell them its too much so I'll have to cancel. They come back with something cheaper. I always wind up with a pretty good deal. My last discussion, which took place about a month ago, gave me 12 moths of service for $60.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Are you sure that $200/yr isn't for "2" subscriptions? If you are paying about $200 a year for "1" subscription, you should call and immediately cancel! No one pays full price for SiriusXM, no one! Their highest tier of service, Platinum, shouldn't be more than $125-$150, max! I have the tier below that, which they call "Music & Entertainment." The only difference despite what the website says is lack of baseball and Nascar. If one pays the website rate, that's also about $200, but no one does. I renewed for a year in July and the cost for the entire year was $93. And... I use the SiriusXM app, which also includes customizable Pandora channels. So.... going back my original statement, if you are on a "pay monthly" plan and it's costing you $200, I recommend you immediately cancel and renegotiate your rate.

therwol Loc: USA

Here is my current bill due in December for 12 months. It's close enough to $200. A significant part of it is royalty fees. I'm going to call them up. I can't listen to the 40s channel for 2 months out of the year.

therwol Loc: USA

The radio in my car only goes up to channel 184. I just checked. It is impossible to upgrade the radio in the dash. It is an integral part of the car and can't be changed.

David Martin Loc: Cary, NC

So you'll have a blue Christmas... until January 2.