This is by far the best radio station I've ever had the pleasure of listening to.
CD101 is an independent station that totally smashes its moneymaking (Clear Channel) rivals.
CD101 plays a strange, but most always good mix of music, much of it being the kind you don't hear on other stations. They play the new, the old, the obscure, and the well-loved. You can go from Feist to The Wombats to Modest Mouse to Flogging Molly to Lily Allen to Green Day and end at Peter Gabriel. And they don't play the same tracks over and over once per hour. Phenomenal! Though, once I did hear Lenny Kravitz on the station, which seemed very off kilter, even for a mixed bag such as this.
The best part of my day, and this may depress some people, is driving home at 5p and listening to the five spot with Andyman, the top five requested songs of the day. They're usually great songs that have been in my head all day, and I like finding out what other CD101 listeners are craving. I like the five spot so much that I literally jog down the steps from my office sometimes to find out what's going to play - well, there's that reason and then there's the fact that I want to beat that damn UPS truck that always cuts in front of me and blocks the alley I have to drive through, consequently making me hit rush hour traffic and almost doubling the time it takes me to drive home, but that's a different story.
I also listen to CD101 in the morning. It's usually pretty funny, but sometimes the DJs seem a bit unaware of how they sound on air. Krista K is really bad at reading the traffic.
The wrong report is hysterical.
The Independent Playground with Tom Butler features some amazing music by artists who are signed to indie labels.
I've discovered some of my favorite bands because of CD101. The launch pad picks great, great bands that go on to make excellent music.
I love Big Room live performances. Some great recordings have come from Big Room sessions like the Violent Femmes Kiss Off. They replay that track a lot on the station.
There is one time of the week that I loathe CD101. I hate driving back from some weekend trip on a Sunday night when that crazy Reggae fest is going on. It's the worst. Please, someone ax that.
Sometimes the themed weekends are a bit questionable as well.
And what is up with the reception? There are certain places in this city that you just can't get a clear signal from CD101. Case in point: exit 4 on 670.
CD101 can be spotted out and about everywhere. They support great events. They also bring their ice cream truck, which they use to haul stuff. But in the summer, they sometimes deliver ice cream to businesses for all us hardworking, sweet-toothed Americans. Last summer they delivered Chipotle too. Mmm, Chipotle.
The Andyman-a-thon is the biggest event of the year for CD101. Andyman stays live on the air for the entire weekend while the station accepts donations and plays music all for its big charity cause: CD101 For the Kids. They also raise money for the cause other ways throughout the year.
It's safe to say that CD101 is my number one preset radio button. I hardly ever push another button unless CD101 is on commercial, sports news or a live broadcast game is on, or that stupid Reggae music is playing. But it's never long before I come back. read more