Sirius and XM Finally Merge, Become Sirius XM Radio

Satellite radio companies Sirius and XM finally completed their merger today, combining their powers to form Sirius XM Radio Inc. The FCC narrowly approved the deal, which was first announced in March 2007, last week following a 3-2 vote for approval. Eventually, Sirius listeners will have access to XM's Bob Dylan Theme Time Radio Hour and XM listeners will finally get an earful of Sirius' prized jewel, Howard Stern. The merge is expected to save the new company roughly $400 million and result in around $300 million in earnings. The merger also came with a three-year price cap, meaning the pay rates won't increase until 2011. A la carte and new programming packages are expected out within a few months, with interoperable receivers due out in roughly nine months. Under the merger, the new company must devote 4% of its channels to educational programming.

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Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

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