Wednesday, November 12, 2008

I Want My Backspin Station on Sirius XM Back!




Update: 12/17-Backspin and The Strobe Returns on Sirius XM on January 15, 2009 http://keepersoftheart.blogspot.com/2008/12/we-did-it-sirius-xm-decides-to-bring.html

Visit the new blog: http://soul88.blogspot.com/ (Pop culture with an Urban Twsist)

Update: 11/21-Please sign our petition to bring old school Hip Hop back to Sirius XM http://www.petitiononline.com/Backspin/petition.html

Update 11/17: Upload videos for "The Reason" Why Sirius XM should bring back Backspin on Youtube. Read the post here: http://keepersoftheart.blogspot.com/2008/11/sirius-xm-fans-tell-us-reason-why-they.html
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Today I jumped in my car and I noticed that the old school Hip Hop Channel Backspin 43 was gone.

Now Sirius has about 200 stations and you mean to tell me that couldn't keep Backspin (and another favorite of mine Strobe).

Somewhere a Sirius program director missed the memo that Hip Hop is broader than 13-21 year olds. Even our soon to be elected Barack Obama is part of the old school Hip Hop generation!

He like many of us grew up on RUN DMC, LL Cool Public Enemy, De La Soul, etc.

If Sirius can keep their many classic rock and metal stations intact, why can't we have our ONE old school hip hop station?


For anyone young and old who loves hip hop, join my
Bring Backspin Back on Sirius XM group on Facebook.

If Barack Obama can change the world and get elected president, we can get together and try to bring Backspin back on Sirius XM!


Join the movement on Twitter: http://twitter.com/returnbackspin

Thanks for your help,

Kevin Lockett

lockettmedia@yahoo.com

Looking for a Green job? Go to www.hirejam.com


Visit Hirejam's blog http://hirejamus.blogspot.com/


Here's a disgruntled Backspin fan I found on Youtube

52 comments:

Anonymous said...

The same thing happened to me. I listened to Backspin all of the time. I'm so mad right now. I still don't know the difference between 40 and 45. I can only take so much lil wayne. All of the music played on 40 and 45 is on the regular radio. Backspin was great because it was the only place to hear my favorite rap songs.
I can't even switch over to XM, they dropped the old-school rap channel also. Maybe the merger was a bad idea.

Anonymous said...

I have to be at work ass early in the morning. Around 3:45 am I got in the car and turn on backspin.....a few seconds later it says 'Updating' on the stereo then the channel was gone.

Wanna know what the last song playing on Backspin was?

Sucka Nigga by A Tribe Called Quest
Which I think is fitting because Sirius is a bunch of sucka niggaz

Jeff said...

two classic rock stations? I think they have twenty classic rock stations. This is very disappointing.

D said...

yeah man, i'm pissed also. I sent a note to sirius. Everyone should try to call or send a note and let them know we want Backspin back.

Cal Ulmann said...

I have originally been an XM subscriber mostly for XM 65 The Rhyme which XM does not seem to provide for me either.

Anonymous said...

I am so disappointed (and dare I say depressed...) that there is no Backspin! It IS my favorite station. Plus, it was one of the only stations that played hip hop I could listen to with my kids in the car - just silly rhythms and ultra-dope beats! Plus, there was always that... "ahhh shit, this was the jam" they used to surprise me with every now and again! lol Now, all I have it r&b, R&b and MORE R&B; NOT OLD SKOOL HIP HOP! I need my backspin otherwise, guess who is not renewing their sub?!!?!! I'm LIVID!

Unknown said...

Thanks for linking on my blog! - I'll definitely join your group on Facebook.

Yeah, geez. Classic Collections was my driving soundtrack on weekends.

Also, they fucking censor most channels now. I'm going to rip them one when I get off work.

Unknown said...

My two favorite channels are now gone! Backspin and Boombox! WTF?!?!

Can someone please post an address of some sort so I can send my grievances? Not that it will help, but I am so pissed off!

Unknown said...

I only listen to 4 stations on Sirius.....Strobe, Backspin, First Wave and CNBC.

50% of "my" channels are gone. If they get rid of First Wave, I'm cancelling my subscription.

You would think with the stock being at 25 cents and on the verge of being de-listed from the Nasdaq, that Mel would not be pissing off his customers. They have enough empty channels. Heck, they could fire the DJ's and just play CD's on those stations all day and I would be happy.

Not a great move.

Unknown said...

Just called them - Backspin being gone has been a BIG complaint.

Anonymous said...

Pacman I totally agree. Why can't they just play music and have no DJs. Have the computer randomly shuffle the songs.

That's the problem with shade45, half the time I tune it they aren't even playing music. When they are playing music it's the same trash that's on hip hop nation (40).

Someone at Sirius please listen and bring back backspin!!!

Anonymous said...

I sent a LONG note to Sirius about Backspin.....basically saying how a lot of people not being happy about a stupid change like that and I will NOT be renewing my subscription if they dont bring back my muthaf##*@ BACKSPIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Austin said...

I'm glad to see so much love for Backspin. I saw that XM kept their old school hip hop station, so I have hope that Sirius will bring Backspin back if we all complain loud enough. If you haven't contacted Sirius yet, do it now! Just be prepared for a lame response...

Unknown said...

So, I noticed yesterday they were censoring some of "my" stations. Fortunately, they stopped that today.

I plan on calling back so they can log to my account positive feedback (thanks for uncensoring songs!). Yes, we're pissed, but we probably don't want them to think they're going to tank due to a lack of positive feedback.

I'm still pissed about BackSpin, but I know they've pulled stations before and put them back a week later. Keep complaining - we'll convince them.

Anonymous said...

Called in today and canceled 2 radios and premium internet acct. Told them to let me know when it comes back and I will rejoin. They mentioned that there are a lot of customers leaving due to the channel lineup changes. They're not going to listen to complaints, the only thing they will notice is profit loss.

Unknown said...

Backspin and Boombox are my only two stations besides Howard listen to. And now they tell me that I should listen to Hip Hop Nation and Alt Nation?!?! All this is crap I can hear on FM radio, and it blows. I am so mad, I wrote them an email and got one back about how EXCITED they were about their new channel lineup. What a bunch of horses asses!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

40 and 45 are the same thing, if they wanted to cut a hip hop station, they couldve cut one of those. bring back backspin please!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

R.I.P. to 65 The Rhyme!! I never had Sirius (always been an XM Girl) but since they took off BOTH stations on both sides...what are we to do now? I'm like everyone else, I sent in some pretty angry emails lol but hopefully they will bring it back. I guess they weren't concerned about the PAYING hip hop listeners!

Thanks for making this post! I've been online reading up anything about the recent changes and people are pretty pissed.

Anonymous said...

Like all of you, I called and e-mailed Sirius about Backspin. I was beyond angry. It was on Tuesday and gone on Wednesday. Every now and then, I turn to the station just to see if it's back. LOL My radio stayed on Backspin and the Jamie Foxx station. It's not even worth having the service anymore. How can they just remove a whole channel with no notice? Please everyone, let's keep calling and emailing them so they know how we feel. We need Backspin back!

Anonymous said...

we should all call everyday and say it better change or we will cancel, thats the only way its going to work

Anonymous said...

lets all call i just called and gave them my piece of mind. it will cause havoc they wont be able to deal with customers the more the complaints the more they relize how wrong they were...call now

Anonymous said...

i just did a search for Mr Mel Karmazin

thats the CEO of Sirius,
i found a number.
Now when you call it will ask for the first 3 letters of the last name i entered it a couple of times and it got into his voicemail ( woman speaking, secretary) i left him a message stating i am 1 person speaking for everyone we want our music back try it its freedom of speech 212-584-5100

Anonymous said...

Hey, thanx for posting my youtube vid! lol

I have been calling 212-584-5100 like recommended above (and I did get the voicemail, so thanx!) and emailing SEVERAL times a day - EVERY DAY. I got some direct email addresses for you who are really with me on fighting this fight! Here are the emails for Mel Karmazin (CEO) and Scott Greenstein (President of Programming!) for Sirius:

mkarmazin@siriusradio.com
sgreenstein@siriusradio.com

I have been sending countless emails and giving the address to anyone who wants it! No rest for the weary and NO JUSTICE... NO PEACE! WORD IS BOND!

Str8Isis

Anonymous said...

This is garbage. Hip-Hop Nation is nothing like Backspin. Backspin was the only rap station that separated itself from the pack in that genre. I'm for sure canceling my subscription if Sirius does not bring it back. Garbage garbage garbage.

Anonymous said...

It's me, the lady from the video again. I FINALLY got a personal reply from someone at XM (not SIRIUS... Hmmm)! ANd it goes a little something like this:

"Thanks for taking the time to write with your thoughts on the new channel line-up. Merging the two sets of music channels was a very difficult task, since so many people were passionate about each service and what they have been listening to for years. We did our best, based on customer surveys from both companies, to keep the channels that reached the most listeners and performed the best in overall satisfaction. And, in some cases, we actually blended the two channels combining the best personalities from Sirius and XM to create a new combined channel.

As you may know, we have a limited amount of space on the network for channels and we only have room for 69 commercial-free music channels, so we did have to say goodbye to a few formats to make room for new ones. The best way to see what your choices are now is to go to www.sirius.com or www.xmradio.com and download the new channel line-up. There are many new choices that you now have access to for no additional subscription fees. Please take the time to scroll through the dial and see what’s on. You find something you missed or something brand new that may become a favorite.

Thanks again for writing. I know change is tough and hopefully, you’ll still see the value in our service to continue as a subscriber.


Best regards."

And here was my reply CC:ing Mel, Scott and KKelly of Sirius:

Thank you so much for the personal reply.

While I realize you have limited space on the network for endless music channels, you said goodbye to - in many opinions - the ONLY classic hip hop stations (Backspin 43); but Sirius/XM did not in any way incorporate or take into consideration the dire need to keep Classic hip hop alive. Please note there is a remarkable difference between Classic Old Skool Hip Hop (epitomized by Backspin!) and rap. So in your 69-station network constraint, there is NO ROOM for Backspin or Strobe, but room for 40s, 50s, Elvis (ONE STATION FOR ELVIS?), 7 COUNTRY STATIONS and more talk stations than a little bit? Your channel line up guide suggests Backspin listeners check out Hip Hop Nation. While I have made every effort to tolerate this channel, I have only heard "rap" on this station for the past 4 days. No Beastie Boys (CLASSIC HIP HOP PIONEERS!!!!!), no Whodini, no Fat Boys, No Kurtis Blow, no Eric B & Rakim, no Run DMC, no Public Enemy, no Brand Nubian (should I go on...?!). All I have heard (censored I must add) is Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne - not my idea of an enjoyable music-listening experience!

If Sirius/XM are excited about their new channel line up, then you accomplished your goal. However, if your goal is to increase subscriptions, provide a unique variety of popular music stations of ALL genres and increase your stock value, I fear you may not attain that goal. When my subscription is up, I WILL NOT be renewing. As you are aware of the saying, "Why buy the cow when the milk is free?" Well I am VERY disappointed with the loss of Backspin, Strobe and Boombox and I can experience this same disappointment for free on regular FREE radio. You no longer provide a unique service, you now only offer free radio with a fee! Please bring back Backspin.

You really do not understand how this station pleases my ears, heart and soul! PLEASE BRING BACK BACKSPIN?!! I have no where to go for classic hip hop! I am sure I am not the only person voicing my concern about this particular station.

Please don't murder classic hip hop. It would be a death sentence for me as well! Thank you.

I will remain vigilant!

Anonymous said...

This was my e-mail sent to programming this evening.

To: sgreenstein@siriusradio.com
Sent: 11/17/2008 20:03:03 Central Standard Time
Subj: What the hell is wrong with you guys?

No more backspin? I just finished scrolling through every one of the "remaining stations" on sirius-XM. Not one of them - including the explicit Playboy channel - comes close to Backspin and Boombox. No wonder you guys are going down.

I'm sick over this.

Anonymous said...

That was the only station I listened to with any regularity. I loved it! My 6 month free trial subscription runs out in January and needless to say I won't be payihng for a subscription after that...

Anonymous said...

This very sad. I sorely miss Backspin and feel there's a large void of classic hip hop (or conscious hip hop in general) on sirus XM now :(

I would cancel my subscription if it wasn't for The Howard Stern channel.

Anonymous said...

Youtube lady again! lol

Here is my letter of the day I sent to Mel, Scott, Jon, Joe and KKelly of Sirius. I will continue to call ( I called twice today) and write until I hear what I want to hear. Well let you know if I get a response.

"Good afternoon Sirius Executives,

I am sorry, but I must, again, voice my frustration at the channel changes recently implemented at Sirius/XM. I followed Mr. Zellner's suggestion to "scroll through the dial" thoroughly on my Sirius Radio and, not surprisingly, I became increasingly disappointed by what I heard. This was no remedy. Again, I am unable to tolerate that rap (the degradation of women, sexually explicit and violent lyrics and that gangster rap - barf!)/ R&B crap that I hear when Hip Hop Nation is coming through the speakers. The music played on station 40 is EASILY available on the R&B FM stations here in Metro Detroit for free. I have yet to hear or be informed when there will be a "daily old skool hip hop show" on Hip Hop Nation and I have listened for 5 days! Am I supposed to listen 18 hours a day and hope and pray I tune in just in time to hear ONE hip hop classic (anything from 1984 to 1995)?! I just can not stomach that - literally! We don't need a metered dose of classic hip hop; we need it ALL DAY, EVERY DAY 24/7! How could this demographic be overlooked? Have you checked Google (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-us%3AIE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7IRFA&q=no+sirius+backspin), MSN or Yahoo to ascertain the impact the removal of this station (and Boombox and Strobe) has had on your listeners?! I don't know what surveys suggested Backspin, Boombox and Strobe were suitable for retirement, but take a look at what your customers are saying NOW. We are pleading; we are writing, we are calling and we want to be heard - and there is no rest for the weary! And if you haven't noticed, some are cancelling! I would cancel too if I could and if it would facilitate the message your disgruntled listeners are trying to convey, but I just bought my car so I have an entire year left on my subscription - which means I only had 3 FULL DAYS of Backspin in my NEW CAR before it was yanked from me! Riding in my new car just isn't the same now!

There is change - and I am all for change - and then there is just total disregard for what the paying customers want! I am hurt because a station that used to bring me so much joy (yes, just a little old radio station like Backspin 43) has been "retired." I certainly hope that decision will be reconsidered. The music played on backspiin was a conduit to my youth; something I could share with my sons. The music played on backspin got me through high school, college and (once I found a station that played "my music") allowed me to enjoy those sporadic stress-free moments (or ecsape the stresses) of adulthood! I hope I get a response to this message. I really want someone to tell me definitively if and when Backspin will be back on Sirius. I'm holding on to the hope that one day this week or the next, I will turn on my Dish (6043) or my Sirius radio to find that I was trapped in a heinous nightmare and my Backspin is back on Station 43. Please tell me this is possible? PLEASE!?

Thanking you again for your time and continued consideration, I am

Sincerely,"

Please, everyone, keep writing and calling! Thanx!

Anonymous said...

I just sent the following email to mkarmazin@siriusradio.com, sgreenstein@siriusradio.com, and kkelly@siriusradio.com:

-----------------------------

To all,

I as well as about 5 of my personal friends are very upset at the loss of Backspin. I cannot believe Sirius thinks "Hip Hop Nation" is an adequate replacement. Sure, there may be a show on that channel dedicated to old school hip hop, but the core of that channel is all about 50 cent, Kanye West, Jay Z, etc - and that is no way close to the sound, the feel, and the nostalgia of old school hip hop.

On my way to work, on my way home, and even in the middle of the night, I want to have the option to tune in and jam out to Doug E Fresh, Slick Rick, Public Enemy, Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Beastie Boys, MC Shan, Boogie Down Productions, Ultramagnetic MC's, etc whenever I want. I do not want to have to tune in to an "old school hip hop show" on Hip Hop Nation at a designated time.

Losing our channel has us upset enough, but the real slap in the face is the fact that Sirius has MANY classic rock channels, and MANY country channels. Now there are only 2 rap channels...

To put it in perspective, if you would have gotten rid of Shade or Hip Hop Nation (or even both), I personally would not have cared AT ALL.. Both channels are a completely different sound... You just would have gotten many other people upset, but I would be happy with my Backspin. So, please: 3 hip hop channels is NOT overkill - 3 hip hop channels would be well balanced.

And if you ask me, I can't tell the difference between Hip Hop Nation and Shade 45 - So if Sirius HAS TO only have 2 hip hop channels, then get rid of one of them.......

So please... Please understand that Old School Hip Hop is a VERY different genre than the content normally played on Hip Hop Nation, and bring back BackSpin.

Thank you for your time,

A long time Sirius Subscriber, for now...........


PS - here are some more P.O.'d people with their comments about losing Backspin:

http://keepersoftheart.blogspot.com/2008/11/i-want-my-backspin-station-on-sirius-xm.html



Also, here is a list of old school hip hop artists.... I'm willing to bet 95% of them were NOT played in the past 24 hours on Hip Hop Nation:



3rd Bass
7A3
A Tribe Called Quest
A.G.
Above the Law
Afrika Bambaataa
Afros
Alkaholiks
Arrested Development
Artifacts
Asher D & Daddy Freddy
Audio Two
Bad Boys
Beastie Boys
Beatnuts
Big Daddy Kane
Big L
Biggie (Notorious BIG)
Biz Markie
Black Eyed Peas
Black Moon
Black Sheep
Blahzay Blahzay
Bone Thugs and Harmony
Boogie Boys
Boogie Down Productions
Brand Nubian
Bush Babees
Busta Rhymes
Busy Bee
Camp Lo
Cash Money & Marvelous
Chill Rob G
Chubb Rock
Cold Crush Brothers
Common
Craig Mack
Crash Crew
Crooklyn Dodgers
Cybotron
Cypress Hill
D-Nice
D.I.T.C.
D.O.C.
Da Lench Mob
Dana Dane
Das EFX
Davy DMX
De La Soul
Del tha Funkee Homosapien
Devine Sounds
Dimond D
Digable Planets
Digital Underground
DJ Babu
DJ Hollywood
DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
DJ Kool
Double X Posse
Doug E. Fresh
Dr. Dre
Dr Jeckyl & Mr Hyde
Eazy E
EPMD
Eric B & Rakim
Erick Sermon
Fantastic 5
Fearless 4
Fat Boys
Fat Joe
Finesse & Synquis
Frankie Cutlass
Fresh MCs
Fu Shnickens
Fugees
Funky 4 Plus 1
Furious 5
Gang Starr
Geto Boys
Godfathers of Threat
Grand Puba
Grandmaster Flash
Gravediggaz
Guru
Heavy D
Hieroglyphics
House of Pain
Ice Cream Tee
Ice Cube
Ice T
Ill Al Scratch
Intelligent Hoodlum
Jazzy Jay
Jeru the Damaja
Jimmy Spicer
Joeski Love
Jungle Brothers
Just Ice & DMX
k-Solo
k9 Posse
Keith Murray
Kid Flash
Kid n Play
King Sun
King Tee
KMD
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo
Kool Herc
Kool Kyle
Kool Moe Dee
KRS-One
Krush Groove All Stars
K-Solo
Kurtis Blow
Kwame
L.L. Cool J.
Latee
Leaders Of The New School
Lil' Vicious
Lords Of The Underground
Lord Finesse and DJ Mike Smooth
Mad Lion
Main Source
Malcolm McLaren
Mantronix
Marly Marl
Master Ace
MasterDon Committee
MC Breed
MC Chill
MC Lyte
MC Rell & the Houserockers
MC Ren
MC Search
MC Shan
Method Man
MobVersa
Monie Love
Mos Def
N-Tyce
NAS
Naughty By Nature
Newcleus
Nice N Smooth
Nikki D
Nine
NWA
Onyx
Organized Konfusion
Original Concept
Paperboy
Paris
Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Pharcyde
Phife
PMD
Poor Righteous Teachers
Prince Paul
Proper Dos
Public Enemy
Q-Tip
Queen Latifa
Raheem
Rakim
Rappin Duke
Real Roxanne
Redhead Kingpin & the F.B.I.
Redman
Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock
Rodney O. & Joe Cooley
Roots
Roxanne Shante
Run DMC
Sadat X
Salt N Pepa
Scarface
Schooly D
Showbiz & AG
Skee-Lo
Skinny Boys
Slick Rick
Smif N Wesson
Snoop Dogg
Souls of Mischief
Special Ed
Spoonie Gee
Spyder D
Steady B
Stetsasonic
Stop The Violence Movement
Sugar Hill Gang
Sweet Tee
T La Rock
Terminator X
Three Times Dope
Tony D.
Too Short
Treacherous Three
Tricky Tee
Ultimate Force
Ultramagnetic MC's
UMC's
UTFO
Warren G.
Whistle
Whodini
Whooliganz
Word of Mouth
World's Famous Supreme Team
Wu Tang Clan
X-Clan
Yaggfu Front
YZ

Anonymous said...

Come on guys, what's the deal? I pay for this service. I only listened to Stern, Backspin and a few others EVER...and now it's gone and there's nothing like it.

Get this XM crap off of my paid sirius subscription if that's the kind of changes we have to look forward to.

Sincerely Disappointed,

DK

PS said...

Why is it that after XM and Sirius merged that they eliminated several r&b/hip-hop stations but still keep over 30 rock stations? This seems biased and borderline racist. I am severely disappointed and am frustrated that I have no other option but to listen to the boring terrestrial radio stations in my home town.

XM/Sirius gods, BRING BACK THE R&B/HIP HOP.... PLEASE!

@slushygutter said...

Also, everytime Sirius sends you some junk email about adding a receiver for the Holidays or their FOUR new Holiday channels, reply back with your concerns over the programming. Keep it up folks!

Anonymous said...

I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE STILL CALLING AND EMAILING SIRIUS!! PLEASE DO NOT GIVE UP! NO BACKSPIN - NO PEACE!

mithras said...

Tonight, Saturday night, I was waiting to hear and record my favorite shows on The Rhyme 65:
Africa Bambaataa and True School with DJ Bee....and to my incredulous disappointment discovered that channel 65 was no longer...I AM REALLY REALLY TICKED OFF!!
That channel was the SOLE REASON that made me an XM subscriber....however, I did notice an increase in lame
high school rock and roll shows.
I AM GOING TO CANCEL MY SUBSCRIPTION...I cannot support a music station that neglects classic Hip Hop culture and creativity!!!

The Gov said...

So what was Sirius' logic? Hmmm... Lets see, which rap station should we take away? The one that plays nothing but Li'l Wayne and posers 'singing' through an Autotune 24 hours a day, the other station that plays nothing but Li'l Wayne and posers 'singing' through an Autotune 24 hours a day, or the station featuring the groundbreaking MCs that defined a style and ushered in a new era in music that you can't hear on terrestrial radio anymore?

Yeah, lets take away the last one, if people are exposed to innovation and creativity they might not buy the latest turd from T.I. having a computer sing for him.

Oh, and while we are at it, why don't we throw in a Country Gospel station in the Hip-Hop lineup. I'm sure no-one will notice.

Anonymous said...

I am so happy that you guys started this! I got so upset this weekend, that I came home start a movement. Instead I joined yours! Thanks!

I know SO MANY people from the NYC area and beyond that love backspin and strobe. I grew up in Brooklyn listening to that music and loved that it found a place on Sirius. Why would they eliminate it. That's just bad business.

If freakin' Jimmy Buffet can have his OWN 24/7 station, Backspin should live on!

Dave Morse said...

Same here!!! I was SUPER bummed when I got in the car and discovered Sirius 43 was GONE. I then wondered how these decisions are made ... do they have a Nielson-like rating system that provides them feedback? Or is it just 2 old white guys in a room who throw darts??!! I signed the petition - les doo dis!!!

Anonymous said...

I am a ticked off listener as well. I loved BACKSPIN and HIP HOP NATION is not even in the vicinity of being compared to BACKSPIN. How dare they insult us like that?!!! I can't stand that station. And what about the STROBE...HELLO?!!!!

I'm so fed up with their new lineup (in short...IT SUCKS!!!)that I decided to search the web today to see if there was a site where I could complain to SIRIUS. However, I stumbled on this site. I've signed the petition and share the same sentiments.

I do hope they bring it back!!! Now instead of listening to BACKSPIN at work I'm listening to Pandora.com where I created an Old School station...and I hate that I can't continue my listening pleasure in the car...where I can JAM!!!

BRING BACK BACKSPIN SIRIUS!!!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the contact information. Here is my email:

Dear Sirius XM executives,

As a former XM subscriber, one of the stations I listened to frequently was XM 65 The Rhyme. I didn't mind paying a subscription to hear music that I can't find on the radio, and listening to old school hip hop allowed me to enjoy my daily commute by reminiscing about better days.

Like many others, I was furious to see that the new lineup does not offer any old school hip hop. I shared this frustration with my sister (a former Sirius subscriber), and she explained her disappointment at having lost Backspin. Other friends and colleagues are upset as well.

While this loss was the most important to me, I've found the new lineup to be very disappointing in other areas as well. Most of the music you now offer can be heard on FM radio or the internet (via smart phones) for free. Where is your competitive advantage when other outlets offer more variety for free? Perhaps you have given up on the music in order to focus on sports, news and talk. I guess the market will decide whether that was a smart move or not. At $0.17/share, it will be interesting to see.

Fortunately, my 2 subscriptions expire December 31, so I will not have to pay much longer for this sub-par service.

Please don't bother sending a canned response about how some people are disappointed but the new lineup is wonderful. The bottom line is that you do not offer enough (if any) old school hip hop to justify my subscription.

Anonymous said...

Time to get it together Sirius - we all joined b/c we wanted an alternative to corporate radio. We pay you to bring us variety and niche genres that corporate radio cannot provide.

If I wanted Top 40 BS then I would just turn on my FM.

BTW - I just watched the Top 100 Rap Videos of all time on VHI. It was awesome! This is just another indicator that there is still demand for Old School Rap in today's over-hyped entertainment industry.

Anonymous said...

I purchased a lifetime membership to Sirius two years ago so they probably don't care about me but the main reason why I bought the lifetime membership is because of BackSpin 43...

So let me get this straight: Two different companies with two different OLD SCHOOL stations (Sirius Backspin 43 and XM 65 The Rhyme) merge and get now we get NO OLD SCHOOL station? Let us help Sirius do some quick Math:

1 + 1 = 2 (Right Answer)
1 + 1 = 0 (Their Anwer)
1 + 1 = 1 (I would settle for this)

So what the hell? In the past, everytime Hip Hop Nation is playing T-Pain-ish music and Shade 45 is talking, I used to turn to Backspin..because no matter what was on, it was something you could listen to. Even the hosts were better.

I what is up with the station Heat? Is that Hip Hop? Hot Jamz never played Pink.

So now I just listen to NFL Radio...

Please someone find this man and tell him to put Backspin back on...there wasn't even a freakin' warning!

Anonymous said...

This is totally a race thing...They got room for 21 rock stations, 12 country, and only 4 Hip Hop? WTF? Somebody gotta "Fight the Power". Totally not fair.

Anonymous said...

Youtube lady here again!

I remained viligant - calling and writing DAILY since November 13th, undetered by the secretaries' "Oh, it's YOU again Mrs. Blah, Blah Blah! lol - and... I THINK WE DID IT! See the link about Backspin AND Strobe being returned to the lineup effective January 15, 2009! WE DID IT! YOU GUYS... WE DID IT!!!! And if we unite positively, WE CAN DO ANYTHING! THANX TO ALL OF YOU CLASSIC HIP HOP HAS RISEN FROM THE PROVERBIAL DEAD!

LONG LIVE CLASSIC HIP HOP!

Str8Isis

http://www.orbitcast.com/archives/confirmed-the-strobe-and-backspin-return-to-sirius-xm.html

Anonymous said...

Here's the official press release! YAT FOR US!!!!!!

http://investor.sirius.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=354651

Anonymous said...

Just me again,

Here is the letter I sent to Scott, Mel, Jon and others. Long live classic hip hop!

Good evening,

After writing and calling (tell Jason Verdell won't be calling anymore lol) almost everyday since the removal of Backspin, I just wanted to say THANK YOU so much for sympathizing with and accommodating your listening audience. We thank you for bringing Backspin and The Strobe "out of retirement!" It is my understanding that Backspin and Strobe will return to Sirius/XM on Thursday, January 15, 2009. You have no idea how elated I was when I read the press release. Ever since November 12th, I had this feeling of emptiness because, like I said before, Backspin was like a conduit to my youth. Now that you are bringing it back, I am brimming with excitement - like a rebirth if you will! Yes, you do have an enthusiastic audience and our enthusiasm has been renewed by your action.

So after more than a month of constant whining and moaning about the removal of Backspin, I thought it appropriate I take time out of my day to say thank you and I look forward to being a happy Sirius/XM customer for many more years to come!

Sincerely.

I wrote them everyday in disappointment (and resentment) so it is only fair I write to let them know I appreciate them hearing our voices!

Anonymous said...

YES!!! haha.. I'm glad it's returing.. I was just about to cancel after the NFL playoffs were over :)

Anonymous said...

I like the rest of you emailed and called Sirius and was not nice at all. I told them what I thought and when I got the email from some guy at Sirius stating like myself he was a old school fan I told him he was not a old school hip hop fan and to quit with the B/S not in those words but I never got a reply back and I canceled my prepaid subscription the operator said it was paid for x amount of months and said cut it off thats that I thought. Then my wife got a call and they told her backspin 43 was coming back and we had x amount of months left and they threw in three more months FREE! Power to the people and I can not wait till I can hear my BDP Mc Breed and so on!

Anonymous said...

I just heard the good news this past Thursday (1/8). Thank you to all that wrote in, called in, and possibly even walked in to Sirius. It is a great victory for all of us who eat, live and breathe real hip-hop..not the canned cookie cutter mess that they tried so hard to serve us.

I will be keeping my subscription after all...who knows, I might even upgrade my radio now... :)

Anonymous said...

I'm pretty happy now that they're bringing back Old School Hip Hop. I went throught the roof when they dropped The Rhyme. I called and threatened to cancel both of my subs if they didn't bring back The Rhyme or Backspin. I also e-mailed and signed two online petitions. I'm on the XM side but I heard Backspin in a rental car and thought it was probably just as good as The Rhyme. The only question is what will be the station number? I called XM and they told me to call Sirius. I called Sirius and they told me channel 22 on both XM and Sirius, but that doesn't sound right. I really and truly hope that this doesn't end up being an Internet-only station. I will be pissed all over again. We'll see tomorrow.

jtq15 said...

A Whats Up Every1 I Was Mad2 When I Herd Or When I Actually Found Out That XM65 The Rhyme Was No Longer On Its Been My Favorite Radio Station Since Prince Paul The Ill Out Show I Hope They'd Bring Back To In The Radio Station There Bringing Back Tomorrow Backspin. Which I Am Happy 2 Hear Peace Every1^^ & Yeah Bring Back DJ Woody Wood, DJ Shame, DJ Kam & Prince Paul

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