Special Edition #1: The Garth Channel is ending.
The Garth Channel is ending after a six-year run, plus Crosby's Corner, and NWSL Playoffs.
Saturday, September 17th, 2022
Welcome to this special edition of the SeriousXM newsletter. I’m sending you this newsletter today as there was big news received yesterday regarding the future of one channel on its lineup.
I also thought I include other events missed from yesterday’s newsletter here.
Because this is a special edition, we’re just gonna go straight to it. There will be more like this in the future when big news is urgent to share.
The Garth Channel is ending.
This news was received yesterday, just hours after we posted this week’s newsletter. But this is very significant enough for a special edition.
Six years after it launched back in 2016, The Garth Channel is coming to a close on October 1st at 12 Midnight.
The channel was launched during a multi-year arena tour that Garth Brooks was conducting at the time. He has since done another multi-year tour and this channel has resulted in selling tickets for his multiple tours.
This is Garth’s decision, not SiriusXM’s, as he felt… “it was time to close the radio chapter as well.”
It has served as a way to sell tickets to his tour, but also served as a hub for Brooks and his fans. Brooks frequently appeared on the channel himself and shared music from artists that he liked, which is unlike all other artist-devoted channels on the service. It allowed the channel to play more than just country music, which also included pop, R&B, classic and contemporary country, and more.
The Garth Channel airs on Channel 55 and is the first country channel you turn to on an SXM radio. There is no word as to what it will be replaced by.
A SiriusXM spokesperson told Billboard…
“We are incredibly grateful and proud to have collaborated with Garth to present The Garth Channel on SiriusXM. We have enjoyed our creative relationship and look forward to working on future projects together.”
Brooks was really active in curating some of the songs heard on the channel and made suggestions during his time with it. He’s actually not closing the door on the channel returning, but for now, it will close on October 1st at 12 Midnight.
Billboard also reports that if Brooks gets his way, the first song ever played on the channel could be his last… his 2014 top 20 Country Airplay hit “People Loving People.” He says: “I can’t imagine a better message to start with or to end with.”
Events
I thought I bring you two quick events taking place that were mentioned yesterday.
SXM is really going down memory lane with a new show that’ll feature a special version of the late great actor and singer Bing Crosby’s 1940s-era radio shows.
Crosby’s Corner will premiere today, Saturday, September 17th at 5:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. PT) on ‘40s Junction (Channel 71). New episodes will air on Saturdays at 5:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. PT) with repeats on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT) and Tuesdays at 12 Noon ET (9:00 a.m. PT), with all episodes available on the SXM app.
Bing Crosby’s son, Harry Crosby:
“The Crosby family is thrilled to have Bing Crosby back on radio, the medium that really brought him to prominence. There was a time when his show was heard by 50 million radio listeners every week. Now new generations of fans can discover and enjoy those very same shows.”
Sports
Very quickly on sports here.
⚽: The NWSL Playoffs are here! SXM is carrying it for the first time.
For the first time, the radio broadcasts of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) playoffs are on SiriusXM.
All live broadcasts of NWSL Playoff matches, and the Championship Game on October 29th, will be heard on SiriusXM F.C. (Channel 157) and the SXM app. I’ll just leave this link so you can see the schedule of not just NWSL Playoff matches but all other soccer matches during the next couple of weeks.
SXM’s SVP of Sports Programming and Podcasts, Steve Cohen:
“We are excited to offer our subscribers live NWSL matches every week on SiriusXM FC and the SXM App. The NWSL is a leading professional soccer league featuring talent from around the world. We are proud to add the NWSL to the growing offering of live women’s sports on SiriusXM.”
NWSL Media’s Managing Director and Executive Producer, Brian Gordon:
“We’re always looking for unique and exciting ways to introduce our game to previously untapped audiences and this programming marks another fantastic step towards reaching those new fans. We’re excited to work alongside SiriusXM as we continue expanding the ways in which fans can access NWSL matches.”
That’s it for this special edition of the newsletter. Again, these special editions will only be released when big news comes out about SXM from time to time, but not every week.
Thank you for reading this special edition and enjoy your weekend.