Seeking Smash Hits

April 3, 2011 7:36 AM

Old person seeks new music in the internet age. Constraints: one hour a week; does not want to watch video or hear interviews.

I am looking for the weekly hour-long radio program of my nostalgic dreams. Music type: independent-minded, idea-driven, not too experimental. (Y'know, like you'd hear on "120 Minutes" or "Rock over London" in the late '80s.) The show should be curated (has good and consistent taste), and plays predominantly new music (2009+). Ideally it would repeat a few tracks from week to week, rather than playing 10 wholly new songs each week. Not a lot of interviews. Not video.

Or, please make me a mix with these parameters.

posted by xo to Media & Arts (12 answers total)

If you use an iPad or the Chrome browser, download and use the app for National Public Radio. The third tier is music, and it fits your bill very well.
posted by yclipse at 7:45 AM on April 3, 2011

Specifically, I think NPR's All Songs Considered may do the trick.

Your title says "Smash hits" and your description says "independent-minded". ASC is more towards the latter. It's really quite a joy to listen to.
posted by knile at 7:52 AM on April 3, 2011

Here's all the BBC weekly shows that you can listen to whenever you want. Personally, I live for the essential mix, but I don't know if you like electronic music or not.
posted by empath at 7:58 AM on April 3, 2011

Give Mog a try.
posted by jsavimbi at 8:02 AM on April 3, 2011

Nthing All Songs Considered. I always enjoy listening to it, and consistently find at least one new band or album that I like with each episode.
posted by bluloo at 8:27 AM on April 3, 2011

The Mudd Up show on WFMU with DJ/RUPTURE has new stuff, mixed with world music. Plenty of archived shows there, or listen live at 7pm on Mondays.
posted by StickyCarpet at 8:40 AM on April 3, 2011

Seek out a Canuck bent with, say, the CBC Radio 3 Podcast. Today: a Grammy. Tomorrow: your heart. <3
posted by tapesonthefloor at 9:07 AM on April 3, 2011

Is it safe to assume you've heard of Pandora and it doesn't satisfy the specificity you desire?
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:46 AM on April 3, 2011

Little Steven's Underground Garage. Haven't listened to it in a few years, but from what I remember, it's unmitigated awesome.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 10:23 AM on April 3, 2011

I listened to Mudd Up for the first time last a few weeks ago and loved it. (Hat tip to StickyCarpet)

It sounds like you are looking for one podcast that hits many different genres, but if you are willing to be a little more active in searching, you could do worse than visit the WFMU archives. Pick a show, and listen to the latest archived edition. I can promise that you will hear artists and music you have never heard before.

I've enjoyed Mudd Up, Irene Trudel, and Airborne Event. [Airborne Event always opens with "The True Wheel" by Eno -- what could be better than that!]
posted by benito.strauss at 12:34 PM on April 3, 2011

It's not exactly what you're asking for, but Radio Paradise is programmed — actual sets of this-song-segues-nicely-to-that-one-which-is-then-thematically-related-to-the-next-one programming, not what Pandora or Last.fm do — by a real honest-to-goodness DJ who has wide-ranging and eclectic tastes. Music ranges from old to new and from classical to jazz to alternative to folk-rock to I forget what else. Great stuff. It's my main source for learning about new music and new artists. (It's also listener-supported with no advertising, which is lovely.)
posted by Lexica at 1:17 PM on April 3, 2011

Radio Paradise just added to my collection of Internet radio stations. Thanks, Lexica.
posted by benito.strauss at 1:45 PM on April 3, 2011