I used to listen to heavy metal. Now I'm getting into New Age.

[Tobin S.]

What's the matter with me?

I just can't get into the stuff on the AM/FM dial. The commercials are horrendous on some stations. It seems like there are more commercials than music on the radio now days. And there is less and less variety on the radio. Even stations that are supposed to be oriented toward new music will play 20 year old songs. And don't get me started on that talk radio crap.

I drive a truck 10-11 hours a night. I bought an external speaker for my cell phone and listen to music that way. No commercials doing it that way and I get exposed to a lot of stuff that I wouldn't ordinarily hear...like my new found love of New Age instrumental music.

[Va Lefty]

1. I know what you mean about commercials

Sirius-XM has ruined me for "free radio". I don't get the music today either. I'm in my mid-fifties and I am not the target audience for music, movies, TV etc. so it's not surprising I don't like much of it.

[WhiteTara]

2. Kitaro is especially a great new age musician/composer.

[Tobin S.]

5. Thanks for the recommendation. n/t

[MicaelS]

7. Mike Oldfield is one of the seminal New Age artists.

Especially Tubular Bells, his first album.

[BigOleDummy]

3. Look up....

.... some Robert Miles, great for letting the miles melt away. (Was a driver for 35 years)

[Tobin S.]

6. 10-4, hoss.

[LeftInTX]

4. I recently drove from San Antonio to Austin

70 miles. Both urban areas. I ended up listening to internet radio on my phone. (Classic Rock)

NPR out of San Antonio was OK, but when out range I couldn't find any decent stations in Austin. Radio is really going downhill. I started listening to NPR due to constant commercials and no variety.

[Kali]

8. most commercial radio SUCKS

do you have a community radio station nearby? some have more public affairs and talk than others - try that on the radio, or try streaming this - https://kxci.org/ they have a couple of ways to listen (also podcasts) this is the one I use - http://kxci.streamon.fm/

I have a cheap kindle fire hooked to my stereo since they moved their antenna and I can't pull it in anymore. It is the station where I met MFM - he had a comedy show on Sunday afternoon back in the day. (of course!) They are primarily music with Democracy Now! at noon AZ time and some other talk on Sunday.

[Tobin S.]

12. I can stream our local community radio station out on the road.

My wife DJs a couple of shows on there. We also subscribe to Amazon music, and they've got everything. I stream them as well. And there is a free music service call jango that I stream. It's not the best out there, but they have some good stations all commercial free.

[Initech]

9. Listen to Devin Townsend - he combines the two genres pretty well.

He actually came out on stage one time and said "Hi, my name is Devin Townsend and I fucking love Enya!"

[Iggo]

10. I'm so sorry!

There's some prog metal that I think people used to call "post metal", that I call "atmospheric", and that my sister-in-law calls "background music".

Bands like this helped me out when I got sick of thrash and classic corporate rock.

Some examples below.

Pelican

Red Sparowes

Russian Circles

If These Trees Could Talk

[Codeine]

11. I listened to some black metal on my commute to work.

Nothing like a little Mayhem to get the day started and keep you awake for an hour-long drive.

While driving around for work (I do sales) I listened to Miles Davis and John Coltrane because the NPR stations I can pick up in Palm Springs suck balls. Ten years ago I knew nothing about jazz and now I’m a huge fan.

Then on the drive home I listened to Depeche Mode and a card game podcast. It’s good to have eclectic tastes!!

[SidDithers]

14. ...

Sid