Transport yourself back to the golden days of radio, when a Sunday drive meant tuning in to whatever the AM/FM waves had to offer. Then, the millennium arrived, bringing two groundbreaking platforms that would revolutionize the airwaves by replacing antennas with satellites: Sirius and XM.
The result? A drastic improvement in audio quality and access to some of the most prestigious music, sports, and talk stations. It didn’t take long for these services to merge and evolve into SiriusXM Internet Radio, offering a legacy satellite streaming experience.
Fast forward to the present, and SiriusXM continues to be a fan favorite. With availability on smartphones, tablets, desktops, and cars, it offers hundreds of full-time channels and several subscription options. But is it worth switching from your Spotify or Apple Music membership? We’ll provide you with all the facts to help you decide!
Tunes, talk, and more
In a perfect blend of past and present, SiriusXM Internet Radio offers an exceptional selection of music stations, talk-radio programs, podcasts, news, sports, and even video content. All these options are easily accessible through mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, as well as a web-based player. The service also offers offline downloads (on mobile), personalized stations based on listening habits, and the ability to play tunes on Bluetooth devices and Wi-Fi speakers.
However, it’s worth noting that, unlike Spotify and its competitors, SiriusXM’s programming dictates the choice of artist or genre. But this is actually one of the service’s strengths, as it relies on human curation rather than algorithms, giving it a nostalgic touch.
SiriusXM plans and pricing
SiriusXM offers a variety of monthly subscriptions, each with a new subscriber promotion. For the All Access plan, which includes over 400 stations, ad-free listening, and premium programming, the monthly cost is $10 after the initial three months for $1. Other plans also offer satellite streaming to your car stereo, car radio, and streaming device access.
Moreover, SiriusXM also provides a la carte options and station bundles for more customization.
Using SiriusXM Internet Radio
Similar to music streaming apps like Spotify and Apple Music, the SiriusXM mobile app and web player share several design traits and offer features like personalized recommendations, playlists, and live events. The interface is user-friendly and easy to navigate, making it simple to explore and discover new content.
Audio quality
SiriusXM delivers clear and sharp sound quality across music, podcasts, and talk-radio programming. While it doesn’t disclose its bit rates, the platform offers different track quality settings for users to choose from.
A couple of drawbacks
Although SiriusXM stands out for its curated content, there are some usability issues, such as difficulties in accessing the web player and signing in through other services like Alexa. Additionally, the platform falls short in offering high-resolution tracks.
The verdict
SiriusXM is a top-notch alternative to modern music streaming platforms, offering expertly curated content and a wide range of subscription options. The service is best suited for those interested in curated content and discovering new music and podcasts. If you’re looking for high-resolution playback, alternative platforms such as Tidal and Qobuz may be a better fit.
Editors’ Recommendations
