Hoping every-one’s holiday season is rolling along well as mine is.

I gave everyone some food for thought for this coming week surrounding pop music. Most of us have a subscription to Sirius or XM in order to get away from the drudgery of popular music that exists on Terrestrial Radio. In order for Sirius to capture that market share it makes sense to have a Top 40 Station which is easily accessible and located well on the dial.

I make no secret that I loathe most of the popular music that gets spun on this station, let alone Terrestrial Radio. For those that still need to have access to this format, Sirius has everything covered here. Including a somewhat cheesy yet entertaining to some morning show for the week.

Popular music still makes a ton of money. We have today an industry where there is less value placed on music. Fact is though that to the average listener, a catchy cook written by a slick producer who knows how to get things done can create something memorable.

Terrestrial Radio is a horrendous ground for spinning the stuff on a horrendous programming format every few hours. Where I have to salute SiriusXM on their version of the format is that they will bring in a mix of tracks that were Top 40 hits over the course of the last 2-3 years. They ultimately end up doing the record industry a major favour by keeping a few memories of some one-hit wonders alive, or alternatively they might play an earlier song from say, Taylor Swift, then within a same block play something newer to remind listeners she has new material that is catching ears.

If Top 40 Radio is not for you, as it really ain’t for me, Sirius 1 is not worth the time. At least it is covered for those who would actually use it.

Due to the extended holiday week, and my being on the road for the majority of this coming week, I will return to these pages in one week for the first column of the New Year. The best again to all readers, and thank you.

Every single generation loves to talk about the music of their time. I find as I get older now I am comparing some of the newer talent to the people I still listen to. Many of the bands I listen to are still producing music but perhaps on smaller record labels or even independently.

As most of you have read, I am a bonafide Heavy Metal man. Thankfully I am still hearing some great original material coming out of the Metal community.

I am of the opinion that especially in Rock and Country, the best material is coming from artists that are not cracking the top 40. Originality in music is out there but it might be hard to find. I believe that Sirius provides the perfect vehicle for the older artists still putting out quality music, and balancing the rest of the music content out with top 40 material and Country music that I would consider to poppy for my taste.

I am always anxious to hear new material from some of my favourites like Rush and Judas Priest. Also love new stuff from Tom Petty and John Mellencamp. I think this is probably a product of my age as well. Many people do not want to give newer artists a fair chance. It is always best to approach music with an-open mind because then you might hear something you will really dig, and would become a classic in a few years time for you.

Nothing like a growing library of favourite music. It is a cool feeling.

Do some research online to see if any of your favourites are up to something new and see if they are recommending anyone new to fans.

Earlier in the week I started to offer some perspective into what the King of All Media might do with respect to his future. Howard Stern’s contract with Sirius is up this coming December and there is absolutely little idea where things are going in terms of direction and possibility. Before Howard and his crew left for their recent two week break, it was revealed that the crew apparently knew more than they were letting on, and Howard was doing a magnificent job in keeping things quiet. I suspect that come the fall he may start to reveal any details of potential negotiations, if any have actually started.

Howard Stern is one of the most important pop culture icons ever. He has fought for free speech, and for radio freedom. His move to Sirius was the most perfect fit that ever was created. He knows how to talk to people and connects with his audience on a level that no one else can.

When I think about this great product which I am happy to have at my side, I feel even better knowing that Howard and his crew form a major part of my enjoyment of Sirius. I am entertained, and informed by what he brings to the radio. The world is a better place because of his honesty, whether you agree with what he says or not. The world needs to seriously lighten up finally when it comes to all of the taboo topics that Howard has openly spoken about for over 30 years.

From a business perspective, Sirius has not made some bright moves over the last few months (cancelling lifetime subscriptions was outright insanity), if they allow Howard to leave for terrestrial radio, it will be a tremendous loss for radio freedom.

If Howard retires, I will of course respect his decision and pay fitting tribute to his great career in radio.

Back to music next week folks. Going to talk about top 40 programming and Adult Oriented Rock. Cheers.