Sirius XM Holiday 2008 Lineup: No Country Music

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Well, we have arrived at that time of year. The Holiday Season. Thanksgiving Day is just a matter of hours away and that means its Christmas music season as well. There is so much great Christmas music out there from our country music stars. New music out each year, and I will be focusing some attention on those upcoming. However, in past years, my favorite way to enjoy Christmas music was on my XM Radio. This year, sadly, doesn't seem to be that way.

Here is this year's holiday lineup on satellite radio:

• Holly-- contemporary/pop holiday hits. (XM 35/SR 81 now through 12/31)
• Bing Crosby Christmas-- vintage holiday radio specials (XM 120 SR 113 12/13 - 12/25)
• Holiday Traditions-- traditional holiday 1940-60's (XM 36 11/24 - 12/25)
• Holiday Pops-- classical holiday (XM 37 and 77 /SR 79 11/27 - 12/25)
• Radio Hanukkah-- Hanukkah music (XM 38/ SR 3 12/21 - 12/29)

(All channels begin/end at midnight EST of their designated dates. XM for the XM channel, SR for Sirius Channel.)

First and foremost... do you see what is missing? Look closely. Yes, Music City Christmas. No country music Christmas channel this year. Are they crazy? I just can't believe that channel is not apart of the lineup this year. I just don't get it. There is a problem here with their programming for this year, no doubt. This is a channel I look forward to every year, and I bet a great deal of XM listeners do as well.

A side note, Special Xmas isn't on the list either. Another channel I loved. It was full of parody/comical Christmas musical content. What a loss.

What gets me even more is that there plenty room, more channels they know what to do with. That can't be the issue. If it was, why exactly do we need 2 classical music channels? Why does Sirius listeners miss out on the traditional holiday channel. Clearly they made the decision not to include it this year.

The first sentence in the second paragraph mentions country music, but nowhere in the channel lineup does an artist even close to country music is mentioned. The channels don't reflect that claim either. So, possibly an oversight with a channel listing, but I doubt it. If I find it, I'll let you know.

Country music fans will be looking to their CD collection this year, rather to their XM or Sirius radio. Bad thing is, now that the two companies are one, you don't have much choice. If you want Christmas music, you''' have to depend on download/CDs. Don't worry, Country Music Alive will be featuring some great choices in the upcoming days.

If you do find a country music satellite channel, e-mail so I can let everyone know about it.