I also find myself listening to a lot of streaming music these days. I used to love Chicago radio—we were definitely spoiled compared to other markets.
My first new car, an '88 Chevy Cavalier Z24, didn’t come with a tape deck, but it had an AM/FM radio. That was a significant upgrade from the car I had before, but I didn’t care—I had Steve and Garry, Johnny & Buzz, and Kevin Matthews to make me laugh. The Loop, WCKG, and later The Blaze and Q101 handled all my Rock 'n' Roll needs. The DJs were live, gave me weather updates on the hour, and even took my requests. There was a guy named Major Tom who gave me traffic reports from a helicopter—or at least used some pretty convincing helicopter sound effects.
The commercials were about beer, fast food, local bars, and Starbeat would tell me what was happening. They reminded me that I was young and had the world ahead of me.
Now, when I turn on the radio, WCKG, The Blaze, and The Loop are gone. There’s no more funny—the DJs are automated. The music is still great, but it’s interrupted by commercials for cancer treatment centers, heart doctors, walk-in bathtubs, prostate health, and retirement communities. Things that remind me I’m getting old, and that sickness and death are around every corner. Not exactly how I want to spend my commute to and from work.
Luckily, there are options. Both Steve and Garry have podcasts that are still entertaining, and I’ve got a few playlists that give me all my favorite music without the depressing commercials. I still tune in occasionally, hoping things have gotten better—but they never do.