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Does this mean that we'll get some decent radio stations back? Clear Channel effectively ruined the radio for me, NPR being the only remaining reason to turn it on.

Well, for me that would be Democracy Now!, which you can may be able to hear broadcast somewhere, depending on where you live, e.g. KPFA, in the SF Bay Area, and WBAI in the New York area. In general, the Pacifica stations do a decent job of "alternative" broadcasting, provided you don't mind the almost exclusively left-wing focus.

Also, there are many, many small college stations (and other non-coms) scattered around, usually located at the bottom of the dial. They also all have internet streams these days:

• KZSU
• KFJC
• WFMU
• WREK
• WRCT
• KALX
• KUSF
• WNUR
• KSPC
• KXLU
• WPRB
• KTRU
• KALW

http://www.kxlu.com/ or FM 88.9 in most of Los Angeles.

Makes KCRW look like yuppie muzak

Listen to independent (usually college) radio. I spent my formative years listening to KXLU and KALX.

Listen to indie internet radio stations. A lot of people like KEXP; check the directories at shoutcast.com and icecast.org or your mp3's builtin directory (eg iTunes) (shameless plug - I run punk stream if you like punk)

Read indie newspapers, if available. L.A. Weekly if you're in Los Angeles, for example.

Read web sites that cover indie (pitchforkmedia.com is a start). Download stuff at random.

Go to music buying sites like audiolunchbox and magnatune, and listen to samples at random.

Ask friends for recommendations. Borrow stuff from them.

Hit alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.indie. Download stuff at random.

Go to indie record stores and buy stuff at random. I actually used to do this, buy something based on the cover art. Discovered some great stuff this way. And this was on a high school allowance.

All you need is a seed, and it can open up a whole new microgenre to explore.

Once you find something you like, research them. You'll often find information along the lines of "if you like X, you might like Y". Maybe a band member used to be in another band.

Look up that band's label's site. Often, indie labels have a common "sound" across their lineup, so you might like some of their label mates. Indie label sites usually have downloadable sample songs- download them.

And so on.

I do all these things. I take music seriously, it's a big part of my life. Sometimes it feels like work, to tell you the truth. But I'm driven by the idea that, no matter how much I like the music I've enjoyed in the past, there's something even more incredible out there.

I have a lot of CDs and I continue to buy a lot. But I also have a lot of downloaded music. I have a fairly clear conscience though. I genuinely feel that most indie bands wouldn't hold it against me that I downloaded their music to give it a listen, to see what they are about.

Does all the above sound like "too much effort"? Then, perhaps, music doesn't mean as much to you as me. That's cool.

Me- I'm not content to be fed stuff by commercial interests whose agenda run contrary to my search for interesting music. And I have the time and desire to invest in this pursuit. I can appreciate that others may not. Or maybe you're out in the sticks, with no broadband. In which case, I think you to resign yourself to a certain lifestyle, anyway.

That's why I don't live in the sticks :).

-h3

there are very few stations that play entire albums. those that do often do it illegally. a station is only permitted to play (under the ASCAP or some other acronym's rules) three songs an hour from one artist and no more than two songs from the same album.

there are exceptions; you can make arrangements to play an entire album. but it's rare to hear.

i listen to killradio and kxlu a lot. even then, there are indy musicians who have one or two great songs (which they play and i appreciate) but the rest of the album sucks. just because you made one good song doesn't mean i should buy your album. it's like ordering 'dog shit with lemon ginger sauce' for the sauce. or something.

CORPORATE RADIO SUCKS, try some alternatives sometime. You might be pleasantly surprised.

24-track digital multi-track recorder($3,500) ; 40-channel mixer/sound board($6,000) ; studio musicians ($???/hour) ; booth construction (ca. $10,000) ; sundries such as cables, media, beer, etc. ($1,000)

Ok, here's a solution to that which lists for less than $2K and which Sam Ash is selling for less than $1K.

This is just to record. Now each artist has to remaster their own music (a very technically difficult job for which people study years).

The same device I linked to will create a legal Red Book Audio master you can take to a pressing plant to get pressed CDs made for it.

Then they have to shop around for a place to stamp CDs for them.

I'm in Los Angeles, this is child's play. This is only one example of places which will produce industry-quality CDs for $1,100 per thousand, with quantity discounts and repeat order discounts likely. And these places will do business with you over the Internet even if you live in West Bumblefsck, RFD.

They ask for CMYK artwork already transferred to film masters. This means finding some guy with Photoshop and a Service Bureau. Again, child's play in LA and most big cities.

All you add is talent...something which is not trivial, true, but if you have it, you have it.

The fact is that artists as renowned as Prince have been able to make far more money selling their music online than they have working on the Record Industry Plantation. The Do It Yourself spirit is alive and well, you just have to dig a little.

You don't have to be Kreskin to predict that the Music Industry's dying. It's not a bad thing, though. I look forward to dancing on its grave.

Here's a great article about the full story: New Times LA: Holy Crap!

woo hoo! glad that here in LA the 'left-wing masses' have a few more choices which, fortunately, rarely play The Cure.

KPFK a pacifica station. they don't take any corporate funding and are completely free from the government (uh, except for the FCC)

KXLU which is a decent good college radio station

KILL! (corporate) RADIO well, it's web only but it's a cool project started by the LA Independent Media Center and RE:Generation TV. very 'college radio' style but has some great shows (and they occasionally play the cure)

KCRW the NPR/PRI station with some good shows (chocolate city!) but mostly i don't like the music. but at least i can agree with the format...

but that doesn't mean that i won't complain about radio here -- community radio licenses are not available here as they are in some other cities. community radio licenses were to enable underserved communities the ability to broadcast using a 10 to 100 watt transmitter. it was strongly opposed by NPR (of course, it would be a strong alternative)

and the LA 'hip hop' stations plays only gangsta rap -- there is A LOT of good hip hop and rap out there (well, i like it) that doesn't have anything to do with benzes, ho's, or fo'ties.