XM-Sirius Merger Nears Completion, Pending FCC Decision

One year after announcing a plan to join forces, former satellite radio competitors XM and Sirius moved one step closer to merging companies after getting approval from the U.S. Justice Department. The Dept. of Justice decided in a ruling that the merger was not "anti-competitive," as the two companies face competition from Clear Channel and Apple's iTunes software. Both companies struggled when competing against each other, with Sirius acquiring shock jock Howard Stern and the NFL while XM boasted Oprah Winfrey and Major League Baseball. Both companies plan to bump up their monthly price following the merge, but will likely also offer an "a la carte" option, allowing consumers to choose specific combinations of channels for a discounted rate. The final step in the merger, and perhaps the most difficult, is getting the approval from Howard Stern's old nemesis, the FCC.

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Song Stories

“Satisfied”

Tom Waits | 2011

Only the genius of Tom Waits could combine the subject of mortality, a reoccurring theme in his work, with wordplay that name checks both Mick and Keith, whom he calls "Mr. Jagger" and "Mr. Richards," and the title of their magnum opus, "Satisfaction." And to show just how cool Waits really is, he even got Mr. Richards to play along, one of nine guest appearances the guitarist has made on three Waits albums. "This growling roadhouse stomp is a late-breaking response to the Stones' greatest hit," Rolling Stone said of the track.

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