Let's Fix HairNation

If you have satellite radio, then you should be familiar with HairNation. I've had XM for a few years. I used to really enjoy the Boneyard, but then Sirius/XM did some sort of merger-consolidation-switcharoo and some of my favorite channels were changed. Anyway, HairNation became my go-to station and it is still #1 on my presets. But, I just can't listen to HairNation anymore. It's true. I haven't listened to HairNation in probably two months. Now I only listen to CNBC or CNN. I just think all of the satellite music channels are repetitive. If I hear the same song too much I get mad and have delusions of commercial radio. You know, the same pop hit played over and over?

Anyway, all HairNation plays is Whitesnake, Kiss and Motley Crue. Now, I certainly love all three bands but I don't need to hear "Is This Love?" every time Whitesnake comes up in the rotation. Same goes for "Home Sweet Home." HairNation is also obsessed with Bon Jovi, but usually only "Runaway." On occasion I've heard Axe "Rock n' Roll Party in the Streets" but when the station plays a deep cut that like you know you're in for about 10 "typical" Glam songs in a row. By that I mean "Unskinny Bop" and "Round and Round."

I want a special live call-in show that features new and old acts alike! And interviews! And backstage fun!

There are so many great Glam bands that never got huge, so playing a choice cut from one of them once in awhile wouldn't hurt, yes? At the very least, I think we could add in some CrashDiet or Babylon Bombs or something. Let's shake it up! Yes, programming some deep cuts takes a little time and effort, but it is certainly not hard work. We're not talking about ditch digging here. At the very least we should be able to limit "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" to, say, six times a day. Honestly, if it wasn't for the talk channels I'd just cancel my satellite radio.

Thoughts?

Comments

[Damnp78]

I certainly agree with you... to a point. They do play a heavy rotation of the same music. I also agree that they could do more to reach into the folders and grab a few rarities or even just click the "random" button once in a while. They do however throw in a few odddities as well. Such as Hurricane,Vandenburg, or Raging Slab. Sadly, even with these... it's the same ole songs time after time. MIX IT UP for %*^%* sake ! Please... again, try the random button.

[ohiorockerchick]

I also listen to Hair Nation,but tend to switch to Boneyard or '80's on 8 quite often. They do play the same bands over again on HN, and also tend to play 5 ballads in a row. '80's on 8 actually plays a lot of glam bands!Boneyard has changed their format after the merger, its heavier metal like Motorhead and Megadeth. I listen to Eddie Trunk on Monday nights, then switch it back to HN or '80's on 8.

[GNR]

This is the same problem with every "rock" station, no matter if its radio, satellite, or internet. They play all the "standy by" songs. The band is called RUSH, they have more than "Tom Sawyer" getting high on you. The man is called OZZY, yes I know he's going off the rails on a "Crazy Train". And JUDAS PRIEST keeps telling me that I've "Got Another Thing Comin'"

But I don't need to hear it day in and day out...you want to expand you listeners ? Become different...keep playing all the odd stuff, the rarities, the covers, the live stuff, etc... Your listeners will thank you and mabye *gasp* recommend you. Otherwise its "random" on my ipod

[Shadow]

Don't have satellite but did get a demo of it when we got our trailblazer. I will admit though WDVE in pittsburgh does tend to play the same stuff over,and over and over.

[Steve]

I completely agree. However, I might have a solution. A few years ago, I emailed and called HairNation to request some Saraya. Much to my surprise, within a few days "Love Has Taken Its Toll" was on the air - and it's still in limited rotation to this day!

Let's start a campaign to call/email with our "somewhat obscure" glam requests. It just might do the trick!?!?

[spence]

I agree that HairNation needs to get deeper cuts. They also need to look more into the Europe scene, although being an American channel this is unlikely to happen. Still, I love HairNation and love listening too it.

[nc rocker]

Some valid points. However, I still love Hairnation and couldn't imagine being without it. A lot of it depends on listener taste. You complain too much Motley Crue and Whitesnake. I complain sometimes because there is too much GNR and Ozzy. The great thing is that there are 150+ other channels to flip to if there is a song you don't like. Boneyard is ok, but since I don't know every single Metallica song ever written, I find myself moving off that station pretty quickly most days.

I do think they dig down and get some obscure songs from certain groups....like Poison/LA Guns/Kix. There are still occasions that I will hear a song for the very first time on Hairnation and wonder how I have never heard it before.

One thing I wish they would do occasionally is to throw in some current stuff from our 80's hair bands.

[Jack]

It is definitely too repetitive, but unfortunately the average listener does not have the deep knowledge that most who frequent this site do, so it probably doesn't bother enough people for them to get too obscure very often (even if by "obscure" we're talking Hurricane, Babylon AD, etc.)

[Tainted Soul]

I used to listen to HN all the time but alass I to have become overly bored listening to the same songs for the umptenth hundred time of the day... the bands do have new albums which don't get rotation on the other channels here's a novel idea how about Friday nights introduce new songs or how about on other nights having best of this year countdown or how bout some of the good old dedication radio u know like the kind where u could dedicate a song to ur girlfriend or boyfriend.... I still listen to HN but these days I listen to Octane a heck of alot more!!!!

[corvettec5dave]

I have been listening to Sirrus way back when they only had 400,000 subscribers. Hair Nation still remains my number one channel that I have at the top of the list.Once a year they will ask me to rate a hundred songs and one of the questions that comes up are you "Burned Out" on this song. My lifetime subscription guarantees me no more commercials and bad DJ's. I guess that I am not tired of the rotation, but could agree they play more Dokken.

[NIgel]

I still find that HN is my favorite XM channel, but I completely agree that they play a lot of the same songs over and over from the same bands. I would love for them to mix it up a bit with some lesser known bands (or some of the newer Euro bands), lesser known tracks, new tracks, etc.

I've been a subscriber to XM from the beginning, and in the old days, there was a lot more variety and deeper cuts. Play lists became a little shorter, and less diverse...then even more so with the Sirius merger. It isn't just HN, it is the same with many channels.

Still, I can't quite give up my XM just yet. I listen to it A LOT on commutes and the occasional car trips (in conjunction with my iPod). Haven't listened to FM in my car in years.

[Metalboy!]

Testing, 1,2,3...

Testing, 1,2,3...

Ladies and Gentleman...

I give you Rock and Roll...

Introducing WBBG! Bring Back Glam! Radio. All Glam. All Metal. All The Time. WBBG! It's time to Rock and Roll...

How 'bout it Al!

Bring Back Glam!, your awestupendous site is the answer...

Add a radio station to your site!

We all, especially you, Al, know enuff of the chart toppers as well as the deep cuts, the big timers and the almosts who are equally great, to fill a whole day without repeating a song... Hell, without repeating a band, for that matter... Actually, probably enuff for a month without repeating a song and absolutely that is what would make your internet station better than anything out there...

Speaking of deep cuts... the first song you should play when you debut your new station is...

Little Angel's amped up, glammed up cover of the Rod Stewart classic, "The First Cut Is The Deepest" from back in the day...

I rest my case...

[Hayseed]

Let's do it! A new start up...you and I will host it. Deep cuts, rarities, no name one hit wonders! It'll absolutely rock. We will NEVER play "Home, Sweet, Home". But we will throw on some "Rodeo" (c'mon now, how many times havve you heard that??).

[Gary]

Hayseed,
other than on my ipod, never!

Metalboy, Stupendous fucking idea brother.

[HairMetalHero]

Great topic. I flip primarily between HairNation and Boneyard with HN being the top preset, but I've always struggled with a few things with HairNation.

1. Why no Van Halen? I know Boneyard covers VH but seriously, they'll give me solo DLR but no classic VH. They essentially blazed the trail for all the Sunset Strip bands.

2. Nothing against Queensryche but I just don't see them as Hair Metal. Like not even a little. And Hair Nation plays them constantly. Oh and so will Boneyard so it contradicts the no-Van Halen rule on HN (if there is one).

3. I know it's nit-picking but Autograph and Aldo Nova? Really? Also not Hair Metal for me but if you are going to play them occassionally...ok. But 'Turn Up the Radio' and 'Fantasy' 6 times a day?

[KixRules]

Ally i agree...i mean the Boneyard used to play new music from 80's bands as well as a mix of deep cuts and popular hits...i mean they also play Funny Money for crying out loud!!! How cool is that?? It seems to me certain DJs on HairNation are pretty good (Matt Davis) and others just play the hits (Dangerous Darren).

[Hayseed]

I really believe some of these "djs" do not know that Kix was not a one-hit wonder.
I totally concur, Metalboy! That is perfect! I've yet to even find an online station that doesn't repeat itself with "the hits" WAY too much. I've got a great idea...do NOT pour some sugar on me.

[Metalboy!]

Hear, hear, Hayseed!

As much as I love "Pour Some Sugar On Me", when it comes to listening to that song now, hold the sugar!

Honestly, MTV fried it for me when it was in heavy rotation the first go around back in the 80's.

However, I never get tired of "Photograph", though I do skip through it sometimes... But still, I will listen to it all the way through occasionally on the one playlist I have it on. The same cannot be said for "Pour Some Sugar On Me". That's totally grating to me now! Argh!...

Pour some Hot Lava on me before I have to listen to that song all the way through again!

[Hayseed]

This is probably old news to most of those that are of our "ilk", but RadioIO has a tremendous station that pretty much does what we've been discussing here. Found it on iTunes...radioio HAIRBANDS. Deep cuts...Every Mother's Nightmare, Smashed Gladys just this morning! Downside is 64k. Just FYI...

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