XM Satellite Radio Review

It's completely ridiculous to pay for satellite radio!  You have to be out of your mind to pay for something you can get for free!  But.........I do, and I'm addicted.   Is it practical?  Oh hell no, but I can't help myself, cause the music is fine, and the sound is impeccable. 

Ever been driving through the Nevada desert, or the mountain passes of Idaho or Montana and tried to find something on the radio other than the farm report or some right wing nut job ranting about something inane that we should all be concerned about in his or her feeble mind?  Ever stopped for gas at some one horse town and wanted to listen to some music on the radio that didn't have a banjo or mandolin playing on it?  Ever been commuting or cruising through the big city and listened to commercial after commercial about some new dating service for the truly dysfunctional, or about some new medicine for combating ear wax?  If so, I got the answer to end your suffering. 

XM rocks!  Not just figuratively, but literally.  XM Satellite Radio offers great sound clarity, incredible variety, and terrific reception virtually everywhere, (my driveway would be the exception to that rule).  Where else can you hear Bob Dylan host a radio show, or Tom Petty offering insider insights into the music world?  Garrison Keeler booms over the radio with crystal clarity.  Live concerts are broadcast with acts performing everything from country to ska, and talk about talk radio, forget about it!  All the pontificating pundits are available, from the right wing nut jobs, to Lenin's favorite lefties.  Plenty of news channels covering local, national, and international are at your disposal. I love all the choices, and I love being able to drive down the road, and get into good music without listening to some hopped up nasal sounding DJ, or annoying commercial that tries to sell me something I don't want, or want to hear about.   You might call it Radio Free America.....err....except it's not exactly free. 

The downsides are thus:

a.)  The subscription costs.  It ain't cheap.  Three years will cost you close to $ 400.00.  You can buy it in one or two year increments, or monthly to spread out the costs, but, it still costs.

b.)  Their website, which does a good job of keeping you informed of upcoming scheduled radio events, stops being user friendly right there.  Have a question you need answered, want to renew your subscription online, need additional info?  Good luck.  The website isn't good, but, no problem, just call customer service....right? 

c.)  Well...here enlies the second problem with their customer outreach, they all seem like they're high. 

On the upside:

a.)  Great selections of music, info, news, talk, traffic and local stuff.

b.)  Crystal clear sound.

c.)  For the most part commercial free.

d.)  A myriad of listening choices for special events.

e.)  Lotsa sport options

f.)   You can log on to XM's website, and listen to XM on your computer(s) as part of the subscription package at no extra charge. 

I give it 4 stars out of 5, because of the cost, and the customer service.  The product, setting the downsides aside, is phenomenal.