For those who may not be familiar with it, SiriusXM is a subscription radio catalog that features over 175 channels of commercial free music, sports, news radio, and a variety of other things. Out of the 72 music related stations available for listening, this article will be focused on the popular station Alt Nation. This station boasts about providing listeners with the newest in alternative rock from new bands, such as COIN or Silversun Pickups, as well as older groups, such as Green Day and Weezer. Alt Nation has a good reputation as a station that can put a musician or group on the music industry's radar. For example, Alt Nation was the first radio station to put Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" and Phoenix's "1901" on the airwaves. Both of these songs later went to number one on the alternative charts and the bands have continued to grow in popularity since then. As can be seen by these examples, Alt Nation is a station truly worth listening to and it has definitely helped my personal music taste evolve and grow within the past two years of my being a regular listener.
Throughout my whole life I have been open to all kinds of music and I am willing to listen to just about anything. There is, however, so much music to explore that it can be overwhelming. Streaming services such as Spotify have been helpful in presenting music in a way that is easy to sort through but I wanted something even more specific. In the area that I live, there are few, if any, alternative radio stations on AM or FM stations. As a result of this, I turned to XM radio hoping to discover new music that is suited to my tastes. Alt Nation provided just what I was searching for. The playlists that Alt Nation broadcasts are generally chosen by listeners voting in what music they want to hear rather than the radio station choosing its own playlist. Whichever songs are most requested end up on the playlist. In addition, the programmers and DJ's that work in the station have excellent taste and frequently play bands they feel should be heard. This opened me up to a whole new world of music that I might not have discovered otherwise. Despite the radio station advertising its music as "alternative rock," there is a large variety of genres that are played. Everything from EDM (Electronic Dance Music) to pure punk rock can be heard on Alt Nation.
In addition to Alt Nation being a good thing for the listener, it also provides bands and musicians with a wealth of opportunities. Many groups, such as Atlas Genius and Capital Cities, have gained notoriety that started with them being introduced to the Alt Nation audience. David Wolter, an executive at RCA records, said of Alt Nation: "... it's definitely a test bed for things. I certainly keep an eye on their playlist."
To anyone looking into XM radio I highly recommend it! Alt Nation is an incredible radio station and a subscription to SiriusXM includes many other fantastic stations.
