How the hell are radio stations still a thing?

[SweetVermouth]

Seriously I don't get it.
"If you're listening to radio 69 you know you're listening to the best of the best of the 80s, 90s and latest hits"

I don't need you to tell me why the hell I'm listening to your radio. I'd much rather you shut your mouth, especially when you're playing a song. I'm an artist too and if you talk over my track you're just an asshole. You're destroying art and force me to listen to your misogynistic 30 year old joke you need to tell me.

And how the hell do these things even finance themselves? Spotify barely makes profit and they have way more listeners who also pay for it instead of ad revenue only. God damn radio stations are all garbage unless it's 100% music without anyone ever saying anything but at that point you're better advised to just listen to a playlist on spotify.

The only circumstances where I listen to the radio nowadays is if I have no other choice and it always sucks. It's always the same garbage, how the hell can people stand that shit?

 

[cwmartin]

People older than you exist.

 

[Jindrax]

I'm with you OP. When people tell me they listen to the radio I'm just like... why?

 

[Rotkehle]

Because they are part of the public broadcasting network in this country and are more than just music stations.

They offer news, entertainment and traffic information. Our local radio station offers local news as well.

But I don't know how they are in the USA.

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

Um, because there are a lot of people that:

• Drive to work daily
• Might not have enough data to stream music daily
• Enjoy some radio content (sports radio, NPR).
• Don't have the means to connect their phone to their car, or don't want to.
• Have satellite radio

 

[neatsaux]

I listen to NPR on my car radio all the time. I'm 27 lol

 

[Meg Cherry]

People older than you exist.

Click to shrink...

You can pretty consistently apply this post to any thread titled "How is _______ still a thing?".

 

[Pein]

I dunno, listening to straight music non stop is monotonous, it's like when people appreciate commercials when watching tv I guess?

 

[Psamtik]

WXPN is amazing.

 

[butalala]

I still listen to the radio. I have great public radio stations in my area that I listen to 90% of the time for news and music. I also dip into the commercial radio stations for oldies because sometimes that's what I want to listen to.

I guess radio survives because not everyone has as much of a problem as you do with it, and it's a really convenient way to entertain yourself in the car?

 

[Deleted member 47843]

Handy for short commutes where it's not worth hassling with playing something on phone. I mostly listen to NPR rather than music stations though.

 

[Douche McBaggins The 4th]

Perhaps they don't want to pay to stream?

 

[Huey]

I really enjoy talk radio - CBC (Canadian) has some legit great programming, as does BBC and NPR.

If we're talking about pop radio stations, I would agree - hard to imagine listening to one but I think there is a big contingent of folks who are allowing it to dictate their musical landscape.

 

[DIE BART DIE]

Truckers.

 

[Mona]

its free music and it comes out of the car, works for me

if i drove all the time i would probably invest in something more substantial though

 

[Gustaf]

i mean spotify without premium is practically a radio station

 

[Deleted member 1086]

listen to the radio all the time, never understood the hate it gets. It has its place alongside other methods of listening to music.

 

[Ballpoint Ren]

Radio is great, especially when you find the best morning show to listen to on the way to work.

 

[LebGuns]

Radio stations: Radio is dying! Help us save it by listening more to radio! Get IHeartRadio app! Look we're awesome!

Also Radio stations: Plays 3 songs. 20 ads. Plays 2 songs. 5min DJ monologue. Plays 2 songs. 20 ads.

Radio stations: WHY ARE PEOPLE NOT LISTENING TO RADIO??

 

[Gentlemen]

Truckers.

Click to shrink...

this is the actual answer.

Also NPR is my only remaining radio station. Talk and Music.

 

[Wraith]

Local ads.

Local news.

 

[PKrockin]

How is it possible to get so butthurt over radio existing?

 

[Shadybiz]

People older than you exist.

Click to shrink...

Basically .

As far as how they make money, well, they get paid by companies for ad space (I still remember the 15 minute commercial breaks on the Stern show before it went to satellite). They wouldn't do it if it didn't work.

For what it's worth, I agree with you OP. When I do listen to the radio, it's only NPR. For music it's Spotify all the way.

 

[ClivePwned]

they didn't get the memo.

how are memos still a thing?

 

[Omegasquash]

So what's the real issue you're trying to get at, OP?

 

[Kirblar]

People own cars. I pay 5-6 bux a month for Sirius/XM because the music quality's a lot better, even though I don't drive that much.

 

[rjinaz]

Shrug. I listen to the radio when I'm in my car. It's a 2005 car and I never bothered updating the stereo. When I'm at home I listen to Amazon music. Lots of people still listen to the radio around me when I get in somebody's car. I don't know, doesn't seem weird to me. NPR also passes a drive nicely.

 

[Tux_]

becasue fuck using up data and paying for subscriptions.

plus, i lsten to sports talk radio mostly anyways.

 

[skipgo]

I think there's something to be said for having nonstop music, some news and quick traffic updates with the flick of a button.
I love spotify, but a lot of time I cant make up my mind about what playlist I wanna hear and would like to be surprised.

 

[Grouch Douglass]

NPR, awesome local jazz station, awesome classical music station , local sports/news/entertainment station, and classic rock stations are interesting to me and have a place in my car/home when I don't feel like streaming music.

 

[ChrisR]

I listen to the radio every single day.

Nothing iHeartRadio branded, but the local college and idk what stations, introduced me to lots of music I enjoy and there are a few great local shows too.

 

[scottbeowulf]

It's free music with commercials vs streaming which is not free but no commercials. It's like asking why people watch over the air tv.

 

[Deleted member 33057]

Because its accessible everywhere:

Works in every car. No hassle required.
Played in stores, coffee shops, malls, without much hassle or worry.
Literally nationwide. You can go to the middle of no where and get some type of radio signal.
+ Other reasons

 

[Nall]

I usually listen to local talk radio. Most news stations talk about National and International news, but focus little on local stuff.

 

[Violence Jack]

Because it's free music, sports, or NPR, I don't have an unlimited data plan, and my commute is only something like 15-20 minutes.

 

[Moai]

i listen to local radios while i drive. i like the mix of news, music and debates.

 

[xxracerxx]

I listen to NPR and local small stations. There is nothing wrong with radio stations.

 

[diakyu]

Because the radio is fun, especially when finding those late night broadcasts.

 

[Arkanim94]

because cars exist.

 

[SigmasonicX]

NPR is good for drives.

 

[Deleted member 1086]

I often listen to either classic rock or country stations while sleeping, it's solid consistent background noise that I am familiar with so I don't have to worry about missing something I've never heard before, instead I let the sultry sounds of The Rolling Stones or Alan Jackson lull me to sleep.

 

[Officer Big Mac]

I think people overestimate the number of people without data plans capable of streaming.

 

[Menelaus]

Old people exist
Poor people exist
People with no means to hook up a phone to their car exist
People with no data plan exist
People who enjoy talk radio exist
People who enjoy morning shows exist

Gotta love people who think their life experience and preferences are universal.

 

[Xyer]

Sometimes you just want to listen to really shitty current pop music.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

I think people overestimate the number of people without data plans capable of streaming.

Click to shrink...

or the number of people who care to.

Um, because there are a lot of people that:

• Drive to work daily
• Might not have enough data to stream music daily
• Enjoy some radio content (sports radio, NPR).
• Don't have the means to connect their phone to their car, or don't want to.
• Have satellite radio

Click to shrink...

this.

I listen to talk radio every day.

Sometimes you just want to listen to really shitty current pop music.

Click to shrink...

Imagine thinking everyone tuning into radio are listening to pop music stations.

 

[SweetVermouth]

Y'all I don't have a data plan either, I prefer not listening to anything while driving a car than be forced to listen to any radio station whatsoever.

 

[djplaeskool]

I spend 10-15 hours a week commuting.
Can't spend ALL of that time with just audiobooks and podcasts.
Get some quality time with NPR and the live house and electro sets that the local college FM stations play on the weekend

 

[PeskyToaster]

I listen to a community radio station. The hosts are all volunteers who make playlists for their timeslot. Opened me up to a lot of different music that I would've never heard otherwise. Sometimes they play songs I don't care for but it's nice to be able to find songs not fed to you by an algorithm trying to fit you into a hole. I've found that once the algorithm on like Spotify figures you out, it starts to feel stale and like you're going in circles.

 

[Yesterday]

I like to just put something on and feel relieved that I have no control over what's playing

 

[Lant_War]

Music-only radio channels I don't understand. I listen to some talk radio shows though.