re: radio is cool, actually

Last week, I read a post by Stephen which was a response to gb's post: radio is cool. I recommend you check out both posts, and Stephen's post particularly because he works in the radio industry and obviously has more to say on the subject than I would. However, I wanted to use this post as a jumping-off point for my thoughts on radio. I recently posted that I began listening to the radio again, and it's been a delight.

I would say I stopped listening to the radio probably sometime around 2002-2003. I had a six-disc CD changer in my Miata, what did I need the radio for? I loved burning CDs and controlling my own music, so the thought of listening to ads, stupid morning shows, and music I didn't like really turned me off. So, I spent the next twenty years only hearing the radio in the occasional doctor's office.

But of course, prior to mp3s, I loved the radio. I spent countless hours listening to the radio everywhere. Some of my fondest memories as a child are listening to the radio with a blank cassette ready to start recording, just waiting for a new song I loved to be played. I actually kept a small boombox on my bed, so I could quietly listen to the radio after my bedtime and wait for those songs to hopefully get played.

I also went through a phase where I'd listen to Howard Stern, and I got quite the education listening to Love Phones with Dr. Judy and Jagger.

Listening to sports on the radio was my favorite way to keep up with things. I stand by it today, the best way to listen to a NASCAR broadcast is by radio. They are so much more descriptive, and the event feels so much more intense. I had so many fond memories of being on a road trip and listening to the race or a basketball game.

I turned on the radio about a month ago when I needed a break from technology. I usually drive in silence these days, but if I feel like hearing music, I default to my Apple Music playlists. This particular day, I decided I wouldn't use my phone on my lunch break, which I was spending in my car. I reached for the radio dial and decided to save a few stations. I found a great classical station, and two stations that played an 80s and 90s mix. In a strange way, it was almost like going back in a time warp. The music being played on these two stations is the same music that was being played the last time I listened to the radio. It's almost as if the radio stayed the same and only I aged.

I noticed a few things about the radio pretty quickly.

The commercial breaks weren't nearly as bad as I expected. While I'm sure they have increased in the past twenty years, they aren't nearly as invasive as television. It also helps that changing the channel is so easy.

In a world where almost all media tends to be bleak and dark, the radio makes you feel good. The hosts are upbeat, and the music is positive. It makes sense to keep things light. If you turned on the radio and felt despair, you wouldn't keep listening. It also doesn't make for good background noise at work or in an office setting. So, it's nice to hear hosts that aren't somber and music that tends to be on the happier side of things.

What little news is discussed is usually discussed jokingly or presented in a way that isn't doom and gloom. I appreciate that. In a strange way, it keeps me more informed without making me feel like crap, and that's impressive. It also is a great example of how information can be presented in a more ethical way.

Oddly enough, things have come full circle, and it's nice to not be in control of my music. Instead of hearing the same playlist over and over, I get a diverse mix of music that sometimes includes those forgotten songs that I'm always on the hunt for. In a strange mix of technology, I've found myself hitting Shazam while listening to the radio just to identify and save some long-forgotten Whitney Houston song from the 80s. I don't ever feel overwhelmed with "What am I going to listen to today?" or "Have I listened to that new album?" Instead, I just go about my drive.

I plugged this in a previous post where I wrote about radio, but here in North Carolina we also have The Classical Station, which features commercial-free classical music hosted by real hosts. It's an amazing station that I listen to every morning during my commute to work. It also gets played when the other two stations I like are on commercial break. William is obviously a fan. :)

So, yea... I agree with gb, radio is cool, and in a world where folks are chasing analog and old-school tech, maybe it's time to look at one of the oldest forms of entertainment and find a place for it in our lives again.