For a very long time, I found that the music on the radio and in most mainstream channels was formulaic, repetitive and generally insulting to my intelligence. So I ended up turning to the classic rock stations because they at least had artists I could appreciate and respect even though they became way overplayed as well.

Fortunately, thanks to the beauty of “the internets”, I discovered Radio Paradise.   Though their tagline is “eclectic online rock radio”, it is much more than that. For example, right now they are playing The Cure; 10 minutes ago they played The Flaming Lips; before that it was Patty Griffin, Ben Harper, Talking Heads, The Shins, Ryuichi Sakamoto (look him up!), William Orbit, Nick Cave, Mark Knopfler… OK, so the “eclectic” bit is accurate.

Not only do they play a brilliant mix of music from every era, they are also where I discover 90% of new music. I suppose I should say that they discover new music for me!

Why do I mention all of this? Because if you haven’t swung by there and listened for a bit, you need to! Also because the word about the value of online radio, regardless of the station, needs to be spread. Otherwise, the ClearChannel-dominated, RIAA-pandering mainstream radio stations you hear on your FM dial could be the future of internet radio.

A battle has been brewing over the past year or so regarding different issues, but definitely check out Save Net Radio and the Radio and Internet Newsletter . If you haven’t discovered internet radio yet, give Radio Paradise a try. If you already have a favorite station, please stay involved and do what you can to support them!

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