Rachael Albert, Junior
We live in a world where we can have any song we want with a simple search into Spotify or Apple Music, but sometimes we want to relax and not fiddle with the annoying bluetooth, and listen to the caveman technology that is the FM radio. With limited station options, you certainly have less freedom than a streaming service, but if you know where to look, you can find some great programs. These are my very unprofessional opinions on a couple radio programs that I think you should check out.
Standing Room Only: 88.9/WMBZ, Saturday 8 am-12 pm, Sunday 10 am-12 pm
This program is for all those musical lovers out there, and being run by Emerson College students, it is a great way to support local radio stations. Every weekend morning, 88.9 plays an array of musical soundtracks, from famous shows like Hamilton and Beauty and the Beast to lesser known productions such as Fun Home. They even play recordings of the university’s own productions, and I must say, it sounds like they put on a wonderful performance of Little Shop of Horrors. Real fans will know exactly which show is playing, and for others, like myself, it is a guessing game until the DJs announce the song. Either way, it is a great program to listen to in the car or during brunch.
Breakfast with the Beatles: 91.9/WUMB, Saturday 6 am-8 am, Sunday 10 am-12 pm
Just yesterday I did in fact eat breakfast while listening to this radio program, and I quite enjoyed myself. This program is exactly what it sounds like, a show in the mornings that exclusively plays music either by or in some way relating to The Beatles. This may mean one of their many well known songs, a song by one of the individual band members, or even Bob Dylan. My favorite part of this program is that they are somehow able to never repeat songs. They always have something new and often something I have never heard, or at least not heard in a while. It is likely that you will find yourself saying, “I haven’t heard this song in forever!” while listening to Breakfast with the Beatles.
With fewer people listening to the radio, it is even more important to support small and local radio stations. I love that I never have to choose which song to listen to, because when streaming music I can never decide which playlist to put on. The radio has been used for generations to connect people and that’s super cool. I think we forget how awesome it is for a bunch of people to be listening to the same thing at the same time all across the country. So throw on the radio next time you’re driving instead of the bluetooth, and if you don’t like what’s on, it’s easy enough to change the station.