What is the point of the radio when you have a CD player in your car?

[Sephex]

Seriously. I swear I am the only person who never listens to the radio. I don't see the point of not controlling what you want to hear while driving (or doing anything). FM Radio is full of egocentric DJs, repetative playlists, and commercials.

I know that this isn't the case with all FM stations, but the thing that bothers me about most radio stations is that, sometimes, DJs or station owners are paid "through unoffical channels" by record companies to play the lastest single from "pop band A" or "emo band 4" in heavy rotation. This leaves almost no room for other bands to make a legitamate debut. I'm not saying that I hate popular bands for being popular--I just hate the shady nature of some FM stations (and the music business, but that is a different thread).

As slightly mentioned above, I don't see how anyone can enjoy the radio because of the constant commercials. Hearing FM radio commercials is like having 1,000 pop up ads activating at the exact same time. Not only are commercial breaks too long, but the same commercials (usually played in the same order) are played in every break!

That and the radio station has to remind you that you're listening to X station you are tuned in on countless times a day. A common radio promo goes like this (fake radio station name will be called WSUK):

"*whoosh noise* You are listening to W[the W gets repeated about twenty times, and every time it gets repeated, the letter is pronounced faster and faster] *radio song clip here* S *radio song clip here* U *Radio song clip here* Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk."

Sadly, this "short" promo is longer than their short commercials.

Now, this is what ALWAYS baffles my mind. I can't count how many times I have seen people with hundreds of CDs (or somewhere around 50) in a CD case, or scattered all over their car...but THEY STILL LISTEN TO THE RADIO MORE THAN THE CDS THAT THEY PAID MONEY FOR.

This would be like buying the most expensive car in the world, customizing it, and proceeding to take public transporation everywhere. Hell, even if every CD you own is burned, why would you take the time to burn those CDs (yes, this even counts if you listen to nothing but radio songs)? The whole thing is pointless.

I know what you are thinking by now (besides the fact I made this too long). If I am so dead set on choosing what I listen to as an individual, wouldn't it be stupid to cut myself off from the radio because I might let a band I like slip by?

Well, I have a solution to all of that. I either download an album of a band I am interested in listening to (let's face it, you don't need FM radio to hear about a band anymore), or I go to cdnow.com (or wherever) and check out some samples. If I like it, I'll buy it when I have the chance.

I can't be the only one who thinks FM radio is pointless. To close this, I list a few points why listening to what you want while driving is much better than flipping through the same three radio stations you truly hate, but you don't want to admit it:

*There is never a time where a song comes on that you don't want to hear (I'm not stupid, I know there are tracks on CDs that you don't like, but those can be skipped which beings me to...)
*You can't skip songs on the radio
*You're a safer driver because you aren't spending more than half the time fiddling with the radio controls to find the same boring, generic song that you heard an hour ago
*You never have to hear some jackoff stroke his/her ego between every single song
*Your songs are uncut and uncensored
*As said before, no commercials
*Listening to what you want when you want it is always better

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

The only radio I've ever been crazy about is XM Radio, since you can explicitly choose what type of music you want to listen to (the channels are sorted by decade, genre, etc.), there's such a variety of songs that you can listen for days and not hear anything repeated, there's an ample supply of songs you'll think it's a crime you'd never heard before, and there are little to no interruptions by DJs or anything else.

[Sephex]

Yeah man, satellite is fine by me. My thread is mainly about FM radio. I forgot to mention that! Thanks!

[DMKA]

Really? With me its the opposite: I'm the only one I know who still does listen to the radio every now and then (admittedly anyway).

[nik0tine]

I never could figure out this "radio" thing.

[Lionx]

I dunno, i have older cars so FM radio is all i have for music. Other than..*shudder* radio disney >_>

[Dreddz]

Uk has crappy radio stations, except for 1xtra and some of the pirate ones. I just listen to tunes on my comp :)

[Mr. Mojo Risin]

I was in traffic when the space shuttle landed earlier this year and had to listen to it on the radio. Quite exciting:rolleyes2

[DK]

I haven't listened to the radio in years, literally. It sucks.

[RSL]

I listen to the radio all the time. My job involves delivery, and none of the work trucks have a CD player. However, I often listen to the radio in my cr as I only own about 4 CDs and they tend to get old after awhile.

I agree with most of your points about the radio, I just would rather have that then total silence, I guess.

[jrgen]

Radio is good for news or information in general, not for music.

[fire_of_avalon]

I don't have a CD player in my car, but I like listening to the radio. We must have good stations around these parts.

[Lionx]

Uk has crappy radio stations, except for 1xtra and some of the pirate ones. I just listen to tunes on my comp

Pirates? o_o YARRRR!

[Leeza]

When I bought my CD player I specifically wanted one that had a good radio along with it so that I could listen to my favourite station. Of course, it still turned out to be not so good, but whatareyougonnado.

I have a few stations that I almost never have any complaints about. I like to listen to the personalities and I actually do like to hear someone talking on ocassion and hear some songs that I don't happen to have.

<i>*There is never a time where a song comes on that you don't want to hear (I'm not stupid, I know there are tracks on CDs that you don't like, but those can be skipped which beings me to...)</i>
Once in a while a song will come on that I really don't like, but it's a small inconvenience.

<i>*You can't skip songs on the radio</i> True, but I can press one button that will give me another station for the duration of that song.

<i>*You're a safer driver because you aren't spending more than half the time fiddling with the radio controls to find the same boring, generic song that you heard an hour ago</i>
I never fiddle with my radio controls because I have only a couple of staions that I listen to and I rarely have any complaints with them to have the need for fiddling.

<i>*You never have to hear some jackoff stroke his/her ego between every single song</i>
Depending on the personalities, but I like to listen to the ones on my station because they make me laugh.

<i>*Your songs are uncut and uncensored</i>
The station I listen to most does not censor or cut songs.

<i>*As said before, no commercials</i>
Again, it depends on the station. The station I listen to has commercials geared towards it's audience and they're more funny than annoying.

<i>*Listening to what you want when you want it is always better</i>
Sometimes I get bored with everything I have and like something different.

[kikimm]

Leeza pretty much covered it all. I like the radio, especially XM. I really appreciate my cds, but it's nice having a bit of variety once in awhile, not knowing what's next. I also get to listen to some stuff that I normally wouldn't have been exposed to. It's an all around good experience for me.