'80s on 8
 | |
| Broadcast area |
United States Canada |
|---|---|
| Slogan | '80s pop hits |
| Frequency |
Sirius XM Radio 8 Dish Network 6008 |
| First air date | September 25, 2001 |
| Format | 1980s Music |
| Class | Satellite Radio Station |
| Owner | Sirius XM Radio |
| Website | SiriusXM: '80s on 8 |
The '80s on 8 (or just The '80s) is a commercial-free, satellite radio station on Sirius XM Radio channel 8 and also Dish Network 6008. As a result of the Sirius/XM merger on November 12, 2008, the channel was merged with the Big '80s channel on Sirius 8, and took its current name. The channel plays hit music from the 1980s.
The channel was created in 2000/2001 and programmed by Bruce Kelly, a veteran radio program director and morning drive/afternoon personality. Kelly's morning show was one of XM's highest rated programs. Kelly remained through 2005.
The channel is currently voice-tracked by the four living original MTV VJs: Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter and Martha Quinn. They record their programs from their homes. There are no live announcers at any time on this channel.
Much like the other decade channels, '80s on 8 attempts to recreate the feel of 1980s radio. It uses JAM Creative Productions' "Warp Factor", "The Flame Thrower," "Skywave" and "Turbo Z" packages (made popular in the '80s by Z100 in New York and other stations) for jingles, as well as similar DJ habits, '80s slang, news updates, and occasional vintage commercial clips. The channel was also used for XM's annual pop music chronology, IT.
Its bumpers mostly parody big hits from the 80s, and also has bumpers like "Growing Up 80s" (which would parody the typical going-ons in an 80s household), and "We Love the 80s" (where people would be heard reminiscing about certain toys, fads, TV shows, movies, etc.), plus their own parodies of movie scenes from the 80s called "awesome movie moments".
In 2008, '80s on 8 was the third-most listened to station on the XM service, with an Arbitron-estimated cume of 698,300 listeners per week.[1]
Post Sirius XM merger
When the merge of XM and Sirius Satellite Radio music and talk channels occurred on November 12, 2008, Rick Stacy was named the channel's program director, and the airstaff consisted of the four surviving original MTV "veejays" - Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter and Martha Quinn, carrying over the lineup of Sirius's Big '80s channel. '80s on 8 was simulcast on both XM and Sirius, and channel imaging was revised to include the phrase "Sirius XM Radio". It also became Sirius XM Radio's first and only channel to phase out the apostrophe (like on most decades channels on Sirius XM), as they changed their logo entirely (other channels such as The 50s on 5 and The 90s on 9 did so, but the rest of the logos were updated). However with the recent reintroduction of the VJ big 40, the 80s on 8 is starting to sound more like the Sirius channel the big 80s complete with a schedule somehow reminiscent of the former Sirius channel.
Hosts
- Mark Goodman
- Nina Blackwood
- Martha Quinn
- Alan Hunter
Current programs and features
- VJ Big 40 Countdown: Hosts Mark Goodman, Nina Blackwood, Alan Hunter and Martha Quinn recreate a Top 40 countdown from that week of a particular year during the decade.
- The countdown airs Friday nights, then reruns numerous times on Saturday and Sunday. On three-day holiday weekends (Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc.) it often reruns on Monday as well.
- Special editions have aired during holiday weekends. Examples include Christmas themed songs during Christmas week, a "turkey" theme during Thanksgiving weekend (unpopular and/or obscure songs), and "Sounds of Summer" theme on Memorial Day weekend. Other variations have included "Single Ladies of the 80s" (e.g., female singers with single-name stage names)
- Big 80s on 8 Movie Moment: At approximately :15 after the hour, a scene from a popular 1980s film is recreated with a humorous 80s on 8 twist.
- Big 80s on 8 Trivia: At approximately :30 after the hour, a trivia question focusing on pop culture of the 1980s.
- Lost Big 80s on 8 Hit: At approximately :45 after the hour, an obscure Top 40 hit single, or one-hit wonder from the 1980s.
Internet Player
The internet version can be biased toward dance pop or toward mainstream rock hits.
References
- ↑ Hinckley, David. Howard Stern rules satellite radio. New York Daily News. 7 May 2008.