SomaFM

January 6, 2003 11:29 AM

SomaFM is back on the air after a hiatus, courtesy the DMCA and Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel (CARP).
posted by plexi (13 comments total)

awesome news plexi, i used to listen to groove salad all the time. hopefully independent internet music-broadcasting is here to stay.
posted by yeahyeahyeahwhoo at 11:34 AM on January 6, 2003

Thank you! This is really great news; Secret Agent is good atmospheric stuff. Now if only y2karl's drylongso radio would come back. There was nothing quite like it for lazing about on a Sunday afternoon.
posted by iconomy at 11:52 AM on January 6, 2003

Oh, thanks. And here I was enjoying not having to compete for their available streams.

Just kidding. But now you have to give them some money so they can afford to serve more listeners! (And yes, I have.)
posted by George_Spiggott at 11:56 AM on January 6, 2003

Proof that there is a god, if you ever needed it.
posted by shadow45 at 12:32 PM on January 6, 2003

i still miss the days when net radio had live DJs and those DJs made good playlists. for a brief shining moment in the late 90's freeform radio existed again after the demise of college radio in the late 80's. beatplanet's still kickin', BTW.
posted by badstone at 1:36 PM on January 6, 2003

psst, badstone, check groovetech out sometime.
posted by dolface at 1:55 PM on January 6, 2003

SomaFM is great on two fronts : the music is exceptional, and while their playlist tends to repeat two or three times a day (am I up listening to SomaFM for 24 hours at a time in front of a computer? Yes) the tracks are innovative and fairly current ... but perhaps even more importantly, they were a major force in the drive to impact legislation that affected small scale webcasters and the large (mainly e-mail and faxed based) outcry from denizens.

Thanks somaFM, keep on rocking in the free web.

by the way, does anybody know what happend to Swedish Egil and grooveradio?
posted by jdaura at 2:19 PM on January 6, 2003

This is great news - as a recent convert to 'net radio, I am keen to discover new streams. Particularly streams suitable for those of us with skinny pipes for music to come down.

So how are they coping with the increase in costs now that they have to pay royalties? Are they just hoping to get more donations, or am I missing something in thinking that they have to pay the .14c rate?
posted by dg at 3:17 PM on January 6, 2003

I had just discovered it about a week before it went down. I remember thinking, This is the kind of radio I want to listen to for the rest of my life.

Well, that's still true, and I still have hope, but I'm so very happy they're back up. Congratulations to all involved for working it out.
posted by chicobangs at 3:51 PM on January 6, 2003

I heart somaFM, especially Secret Agent, but boy, do I ever miss BlueMars.
posted by alumshubby at 8:19 PM on January 6, 2003

Alumshubby, bluemars might come back. I am sure if enough people email him and send him in the right direction of options with his broadcast, he will return. How sweet would that be!?!?
posted by jasonspaceman at 7:26 AM on January 7, 2003

Oh, I also forgot, astreaux world is a decent stream as well, which has taken in quite a few blue mars listeners.
posted by jasonspaceman at 7:27 AM on January 7, 2003

Soma's Christmas mix was on at my place over the holidays. It sure beats listening to Blue Christmas and Feliz Navidad for the millionth time.

That being said, if you do like it, help them out. Like George Spiggot said, they're probably going to get really busy after this post...
posted by sauril at 8:38 AM on January 7, 2003