On the Radio

Since I moved to the Chicago area and was forced to start driving on a daily basis again, I've been complaining about the awful radio stations here. Normally I don't even listen to the radio (except for NPR) and I put in a CD or listen to music in the car via my iPhone. But, every once in a while, I do turn on the radio for music and it's such a disappointment. How many classic rock stations does one city need? It's funny to me that now groups like Guns 'n Roses are considered classic rock. I thought classic rock meant rock music from the 1960's and 1970's. Stuff like the Steve Miller Band, the Eagles, and Pink Floyd. Not anymore! Now rock music from the 80's and 90's is considered "classic." That makes me feel old, but I AM old! I like classic rock, but I don't want to listen to it all day every day. I'd like to hear some smooth jazz on the radio or old school R&B. I guess if I want that type of variety, I need to get a Sirius subscription, but paying for radio service seems like a waste to me. I'd rather pay for Pandora and stream it through my phone. At least with Pandora, I can have some choice in the songs that come into rotation. Being able to reject or like a song makes me feel like I have some control over what's being played. With a subscription service, someone else does all of the selection and you don't have any choice. What if I turn to the 80's station and "Tainted Love" is playing over and over? I hate "Tainted Love." I don't want to hear this song ever again, but to these 80's music programmers, "Tainted Love" is a classic 80's tune. Yes, it is, but that doesn't mean I want to hear it over and over again.