I only ever listen (?) while driving, and I haven't tried to differentiate between daytime/evening/weekend/weekday offerings. In any event I find that I'm regularly coming out with: "I thought this was a bluegrass channel??!?!??" and toot-de-sweet switching over to blues. Elvis or the USB stick.     [Will probably say "Adios" when the contract (?) expires this fall ........... and then have to figure it out all over again   ... i.e. how to put some "blues" onto a stick.]

I grew disappointed with Sirius XM.
I now listen exclusively to YouTube offerings on Spectrum TV.
I simply turn it on to a particular style and pretty much give it it's head 24/7.

I plays stuff I've known for years along with what it thinks is in similar veins.
Of course I can tell it to play certain recordings if that's what I want.

Have you tried "banjoradio.com"? I think Kyle does a great job if programming his station & it is really pretty reasonably priced.

I like Sirius XM. Like Bill, I call them up every year to cancel and get another year at the introductory rate. I listen to it driving and I Bluetooth it from the app to some speakers down in my basement bar. I listen to Bakersfield Beat more than Bluegrass Junction. I listen to Bluegrass Junction on occasion to see what's playing, I always try to catch Ned's More Banjo driving out to the Sunday afternoon jam, but I'm only into bluegrass because there is a lot of banjo in it and I'm a banjo player. There are enough other stations that I like to listen to.

I've been a customer for many years and I have no gripes or complaints with the music. Of course, I only listen when in the car and it's usually early morning or sometimes weekends. There are times when I hear music I don't prefer, but usually that lasts only a song or two and then something comes on I enjoy.

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Originally posted by rminke

Have you tried "banjoradio.com"? I think Kyle does a great job if programming his station & it is really pretty reasonably priced.

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I took a cursory glance ... apparently I have to "create an account" before I get any info about $$.  That seems to be pretty normal nowadays, but it's not the way I like to do business.  

There are many weak shows on the bluegrass station, but also some good ones. Love when the McCourys do a show, when Mougin does his show, Nedski banjo sunday and a couple other traditional shows.
Ken

I agree the daytime program is the WORST. I constantly point out of my wife "now THAT sounds like real bluegrass! NOT!!!!"

I blame the programmer in NYC. He seems to be an idiot about the music.

On the other hand, I can listen to and enjoy the other deejays and I even think the two NEW shows by Steve Mougin and Allison Brown are pretty good. Of course being a traditionalist I like Chris Jones' TrueGrass best, along with Handpicked by ME - Del McCoury!. It's hard to say this, but I can even listen to "DeRailed" newgrass more comfortably than the "general" programming.

When I'm driving I truly can't keep the general programming of Bluegrass Junction "on" very long before something drives me to another channel for older country, comedy or news.

And I just got the bill for another year with a VERY substantial price increase. I'm going to complain and look for the lower rates.

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Originally posted by The Old Timer

And I just got the bill for another year with a VERY substantial price increase. I'm going to complain and look for the lower rates.

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The last time I called, I didn't even have to threaten to cancel. I just told her it was too much. She gave me the introductory price without even a discussion and said, "that should do it til next year." 

I use the Bluegrass Country app on my phone which plays in my car via Bluetooth.
It is what old guys remember as WAMU out of Washington DC.
Eclectic at times, never Top 40 Bluegrass like SXM and wonderfully historical sometimes.
I particularly enjoy Dick Spotswood’s “Obscure Music Hour.”

It's pretty good but it's still just the radio. Of course it's gonna have Nashville payola 'hits', that's just how the radio is. When I subscribe (get free trials sometimes that I forget to cancel), I notice it gets pretty repetitive after a few weeks. Not as good as a typical streaming service of course but it's still good radio, good bluegrass music.

When I bought a new car last year, I got a free year of SiriusXM. I tried the Bluegrass channel, but I didn't like what I heard, so I quit listening to it. When I want to listen to music, I've got about 1200, individual mp3 files from the old days of Napster on a tiny USB memory stick plugged into my car.

It sure any the same as when Kyle was there. It appears the biggest majority of the music is computer generated from their files. They have been playing music lately that just isn't bluegrass. I have just about quit listening to the channel and instead choose Bluegrass Podcasts out of New Zealand and Australia.

Would anyone care to share what they are paying for Serius and for what plan?
Thanks,
Ken

As mentioned above, due to the substantial price increase to renew for another year, my wife invested an hour talking to a pleasant young lady on the phone about getting a better rate. All of this was very complicated by the fact that together we have 3 subscriptions -- two vehicles and the house. Recently Sirius made her a FANTASTIC offer to add a third vehicle at $3.99/month guaranteed for 3 years. That decision is pending.

After an hour my wife and the young lady settled on renewing my vehicle and my house subscriptions at $5.99/month. Guaranteed for 3 years.

PLUS, these new lower fees INCLUDE the large royalty fee.

The stated renewal rate WOULD HAVE BEEN nearly $350/year including the royalty fee. About $30/month. With no multi year guarantee.

I hear rumors or scuttlebutt that part of SiriusXM's issue is their fleet of satellites has been in space since the 1990s and they are coming down out of orbit. Requiring a lot of capital to put up new satellites at some point. They CLEARLY would prefer to stream their programming over the internet instead. This is why they are constantly pushing subscribers to use "the app". (I never have.) Also I believe the royalty fees they pay artists are relatively HIGH off the satellites, but very low with streaming. This is all rumor and supposition on my part, I'm no expert. But I hear things.

One thing seems to be a fact -- if you phone them to complain, they will NOT hang up on you or fail to clinch a deal with some fee you're willing to pay. As long as you're willing to keep talking. They're in a double bind of needing more income, but in no position to give up subscribers!

Thanks Dick for the very thorough reply.
Whew: the consumer must dicker.
Ken