Are there any good radio stations?

[Bullett]

I like absolute (aka Virgin) mainly for the music choice and the fact the DJ's aren't too annoying.
You do lose it 30 miles outside London though. So I switch to R2 or R4 normally or for a laugh try local radio.

[aclivity]

Symbolica said:

Best thing I ever bought for the car was a head unit that had an iPod jack. Radio bores the tits off me generally, not because of the music but I just can't stand any of the presenters (Radcliffe & Maconie were the only ones I've ever enjoyed listening to). On holiday in the USA a few years ago I found a fantastic classic rock station that made two promises:

• They'd never talk over a song
• They would always tell you the artist and title of a song after it had played

And that was it. The presenters didn't try to be funny, didn't presume that listeners cared about what they ate for breakfast, didn't have any mundane phone-in's, didn't try any social comentary, nothing. They just played music, traffic every 20 mins and news on the hour.

It was bloody awesome.

if you have an iPhone with 3g, you could probably find that radio station on one of the many internet radio services. You'd need a pretty good 3g contract - the radio streams are not big, but obviously constant streaming clocks up on the download counter. Also wouldn't work in poor signal areas ... but it may be worth having a try?

I use internet radio as much as possible at home (even the local Dave Doubledecks service is available on the interweb) and occaisionally listen to US or Australian stations. With something like 12-15000 radio stations available, it'd be rude not to give at least some a try.

On that note, most of these internet radio services (Pure Lounge, Reciva for example) that I have used have one thing in common - the most listened to station, worldwide, is BBC Radio 4.

[Old Gregg]

Nice to hear Radcliffe and Maconi getting some appreciation in here. I really enjoy their show, too.

I'm the same as many on this thread; other than the more "specialist" Radio 2 stuff, I can't listen to most of what else is on offer, although I don't mind some of Chris Evans' show.

There is probably the odd track on Radio 1 worth hearing but there is no way in hell that i'm sitting through 99% ste to hear the occaisional decent song. Either i'm getting old very quickly (and at 27 i don't think i'm too far beyond the R1 target audience?) or the "pop music" of today is, in fact, literally st.

And like the OP, I can't even bear to listen to 1 second of Viking FM. In fact it's almost as bad as Galaxy.

Thank God I can plug my iPod into my car stereo.

[CarbonM5]

I have not found a decent station in this country either.I had the unfortunate displeasure of turning on R2 on Monday and hearing some tosser interviewing another tosser called Peter andre.

[mybrainhurts]

What about RAC...?

[ritmo]

radio 4 is all you need

[Spudler]

Nation Radio is pretty good...if your somewhere near South Wales.

[Chapppers]

A-A-A-A-A-Absolute 80s.

[mybrainhurts]

Nasty stutter there, old chap, bad luck....

[Adam B]

radio 4 in the morning to catch up some intelligent debate

XFM at all other times I fancy a change from the ipod

[Pints]

Since I don't have an ipod dock or, for that matter, an ipod, I bought one of those FM transmitter jobbies. When I'd prefer not listening to R4 I simply pop in an SD card (a couple of 4gb cards hold pretty much my whole collection). Works pretty damn well.

[SpeedBash]

Chill - but DAB and only in selected areas.

[AlexC1981]

I like listening to James O'Brian's show on LBC at lunchtime. On weekdays 10am to 1pm. It's a phone in talk radio show.

[freecar]

Chapppers said:

A-A-A-A-A-Absolute 80s.

Do you like my synth?

[Chapppers]

freecar said:

Chapppers said:

A-A-A-A-A-Absolute 80s.

Do you like my synth?

It's a bit... 80s.

[B Huey]

I've got a DAB Sony head unit in my camper and the service is pants on the move. Even in London the reception is very patchy and in other areas none existent.

I wouldn't recommend it at present.

[RodMod]

X FM followed closly by absolute.

Rod.

[madcyril]

talksport ok if you like football etc etc lol

[oliverjthomas]

Old Gregg said:

Nice to hear Radcliffe and Maconi getting some appreciation in here. I really enjoy their show, too.

They are brilliant and hopefully they'll be around for a good while yet. BBC R2 has really screwed up though IMO. Ross left Saturday mornings and they replaced him with Kielty for ten weeks, who was pretty good. Then we get lumped with Graham Norton who fills the airwaves with stupid advice sections and that pathetic laugh of his. Now O'Leary is leaving the afternoon session and Zoe Ball is taking over! Seriously, WTF are they playing at?

For the lucky ones in Lancashire, there is Rock Radio though. Problem is that Real have the frequency over here in Yorkshire and it's not a patch.

[Jonathan27]

Radio 4, I know that you said that you don't like it, but just give it a go. I now have every pre-set button in the car set to Radio 4 so that my wife cant put the local drivel on!