Musical Starstreams
Encyclopedia
Musical Starstreams is a terrestrial and internet radio program that first aired in the San Francisco bay area in December 1981. Originally known as Music for Your inner Space, it has been produced, programmed and hosted by Forest, originally in Mill Valley and now from La Jolla for its entire nearly thirty year history, except for a twelve month period from mid 2002, when Madison Cole hosted the show.
In 1983 the two-hour weekly show began syndication on commercial terrestrial radio, and in 1985 was picked up for distribution outside the US. It has been heard on over 200 noncommercial and commercial radio station
s, cable
systems, the internet
, XM satellite radio
channels and DirecTV
. Although initially scoring good ratings nationwide, the show peaked in numbers of terrestrial stations in 1991, the same year it was nominated for Billboard
magazine's 'Adult Syndicated Program of the Year.' With the volatile nature of commercial radio stations continually changing formats, terrestrial station coverage has significantly declined to a point where by their own website's count, they list only 10 noncommercial and commercial radio station
s (as of 3/11) which they attribute to the decline in terrestrial station listening and the increased popularity of the internet where more listeners have chosen to listen online to the program in its current form. A more music intensive version of the program called The Starstreams Channel can be heard online, hosted by Madison Cole. Forest also programs and hosts the AMBIENT channel on Radioio - a full-time station of Starstreams sets that can be found in Radioio's dance and electronic section.
Back in the 1980s the show played a mix of electronic
, new-age and a small amount of jazz
, Today, it has more of a Chill
music core, sometimes characterized as mid- to down-tempo "exotic electronica". Back in the early days it was also sometimes described as "Marin County hot-tub music" a tongue in cheek reference to its former home just across the Golden Gate Bridge.
In 1983 the two-hour weekly show began syndication on commercial terrestrial radio, and in 1985 was picked up for distribution outside the US. It has been heard on over 200 noncommercial and commercial radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s, cable
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
systems, the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, XM satellite radio
Satellite radio
Satellite radio is an analogue or digital radio signal that is relayed through one or more satellites and thus can be received in a much wider geographical area than terrestrial FM radio stations...
channels and DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
. Although initially scoring good ratings nationwide, the show peaked in numbers of terrestrial stations in 1991, the same year it was nominated for Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine's 'Adult Syndicated Program of the Year.' With the volatile nature of commercial radio stations continually changing formats, terrestrial station coverage has significantly declined to a point where by their own website's count, they list only 10 noncommercial and commercial radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s (as of 3/11) which they attribute to the decline in terrestrial station listening and the increased popularity of the internet where more listeners have chosen to listen online to the program in its current form. A more music intensive version of the program called The Starstreams Channel can be heard online, hosted by Madison Cole. Forest also programs and hosts the AMBIENT channel on Radioio - a full-time station of Starstreams sets that can be found in Radioio's dance and electronic section.
Back in the 1980s the show played a mix of electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, new-age and a small amount of jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Today, it has more of a Chill
Chill
Chill may refer to:* Chills that occur during high fevers as a result of immune response to disease* Shivering, a bodily function in response to early hypothermia in warm-blooded animals...
music core, sometimes characterized as mid- to down-tempo "exotic electronica". Back in the early days it was also sometimes described as "Marin County hot-tub music" a tongue in cheek reference to its former home just across the Golden Gate Bridge.
External links
See also
- EchoesEchoes (radio program)Echoes is a daily two-hour music radio program hosted by John Diliberto featuring a soundscape of ambient, space, electronica, and New Age music. The program features in-depth artist interviews and intimate "living room" performances. Interview subjects have included Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel,...
, a nightly ambient music show produced by music critic John DilibertoJohn DilibertoJohn Diliberto is an award-winning radio producer, music writer, and host of Echoes, a radio program on Public Radio International featuring ambient, downtempo music "soundscapes"....
. - Hearts of SpaceHearts of SpaceHearts of Space is a United States weekly syndicated public radio show featuring music of a contemplative nature drawn largely from the ambient, New Age and electronic genres, while also including classical, world, Celtic, experimental, and other music selections...
, a US-based ambient radio programme produced since 1973 by Stephen Hill. - Star's EndStar's EndStar's End is a weekly, five-hour-long New Age music radio show broadcast by 88.5 WXPN, the University of Pennsylvania's radio station, in Philadelphia. It is the second longest-running show of its type in the world, after Hearts of Space.-History:...
, a weekly ambient music programme broadcast on public radio in Philadelphia since 1976, hosted by Chuck van Zyl. - Ultima Thule Ambient MusicUltima Thule Ambient MusicUltima Thule Ambient Music is a long-running, specialist ambient music radio show which has been broadcast on Australian community radio since 1989. The show has been described as one of the leading alternative music programmes on Australian radio. It is also available as a webcast and as a podcast...
, a weekly ambient music radio show broadcast on community radio in Australia since 1989.