I don’t know how many of you listen to radio online, but I’d be willing to bet that the typical blogger has at one point or another listened to something online. I myself am a big fan of Radio Paradise. Almost the entire time I worked at MRI, I listened to RP. Now at my new job, I am once again allowed to stream radio. As soon as I found that out, I was online in musical heaven as fast as my connection would allow.

Let me tell you a bit about RP. They play music 24/7. They play hits, and they play stuff no one has ever heard of. They play such a wide variety of music that you just can’t put them in any one category. I mean, check out their playlist. I have discovered so much new music through RP alone. RP has done more to bring new and wonderful music to my life than any other single source – and probably more than all other sources put together. They survive from donations from listeners, so it’s totally free and listeners only give out of the goodness of their own hearts. The best thing about RP is the amount of information available. The song currently being played is always on their website, they keep a readily available playlist of the last 24 hours, and EVERY SINGLE SONG has a forum so that it can be discussed. Oh, and the information on what album the song came from, and links to other songs and albums by that artist, are easy to find. I mean, that’s got to be the easiest way to discover new and exciting music ever.

Now, what do I have against FM radio? Personally, when I am listening to the radio, I want to listen to MUSIC. How many of you out there can listen to music on your morning commute? Not I. Instead, I am subjected to the antics of juvenile DJs along with too many commercials for my liking. On a typical half hour drive to work, I’m lucky if I can hear one song. And I guarantee you it will be the same song every day. Who do they think I am? Ok, I understand that advertising has its place, and that all the commercials allow us to listen to FM radio for free. And stations like the new Jack format (or Fred, or Bob, or whatever they call it in your town) is a start, since they got rid of the silly DJs and play a wider variety of music. But once you get sick of that, where are you going to discover new music? In fact, the only FM station I listen to on a regular basis is my local NPR station, not because I like sleepy elevator jazz, but because I can listen to commercial free music on my way into work. And the jazz does keep me more relaxed during the commute than something a bit more upbeat.

Now, what about other formats such as satellite radio? I admit, the appeal is great to subscribe to XM or Sirius simply to have a wider variety of music to listen to without commercials, but RP has one thing over these and other online options such as Launchcast – RP is format-free. If I were to listen to a satellite option, I’d still have to choose a format or station where they have selected a niche-genre of music to play to me. RP doesn’t do that. They just play it all. I like that. I like that I don’t have to pigeonhole my musical tastes like that. I mean, let’s put it this way: you can eat at an Italian restaurant all the time, enthusiastically trying every new dish they throw your way, but how will you know if you like anything else unless you visit the Chinese restaurant across the street? It’s the same thing. Just as my culinary tastes are not firmly set in any one particular cuisine, neither are my musical tastes firmly set in any one musical genre. I listen to Mozart. I listen to Metallica. RP will play both, right in a row. How cool is that?

I don’t profess to be politically savvy, in fact, I’m more of a political idiot. Not really, but politics is usually somewhere I just don’t want to go. But this threat – that silly new laws about royalties will bring an end to US-based internet radio – just, well, sucks. So what can be done? Start a blogstorm, Digg it, slashdot it, just get the word out. If the people want it, perhaps we just might get it. It seems to me that these moves undermine the freedom that we as Americans are supposed to enjoy, but having no other options than to listen to the same manufactured drivel day in and day out on commercial radio smacks of – dare I say it – Communism. These laws that are being passed are not for the benefit of the people, they are for the benefit of Big Business. In a country where one is supposed to be able to be an individual and the small and meek can be heard, having no choice but to support Big Business does not uphold the fundamental liberties that we as Americans are supposed to be enjoying. So let’s get what we want! The internet radio stations are willing to do what it takes to stay legal, but lets get laws that are fair and unbiased. And while we’re at it, let’s outlaw corporate lobbying.

Go to Radio Paradise, right on their front page they have a story with links to resources. And read their forums – there’s a very active and intelligent discussion about this issue going on here, with LOTS of good ideas and links to how you can help. Worth the read, even if you only read a few pages.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to finish out my workday listening to Radio Paradise.