Best Songs about Radio?

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Of course, there's "Video Killed the Radio Star" and "Radio Gaga" -- ... -- what are your favorites songs about the radio?

― The Buggles, Thursday, 3 June 2004 03:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I guess I'll say "Radio, Radio" before someone beats me to it.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, 3 June 2004 03:04 (twenty-one years ago)

modern lovers - "roadrunner"

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 3 June 2004 03:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Its not really ABOUT radio, exactly, but 'Something In the Night' by Bruce Springsteen has the terrific line: 'I turn the radio up loud/so i don't have to think.' Been there, done that. And I second 'Radio Radio,' and offer 'This Is Radio Clash.'

― John Bullabaugh (John Bullabaugh), Thursday, 3 June 2004 03:33 (twenty-one years ago)

"oh no the radio!" - owsley and "radio jejune" - sugarplastic

― caspar (caspar), Thursday, 3 June 2004 03:40 (twenty-one years ago)

joni mitchell = you turn me on

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 3 June 2004 03:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Teenage Fan Club - Radio?

Libertines - Radio America?

― Andrzej B. (Andrzej B.), Thursday, 3 June 2004 03:54 (twenty-one years ago)

LL just can't live without his radio.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Thursday, 3 June 2004 04:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Joy Division, "Transmission"

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 3 June 2004 04:14 (twenty-one years ago)

haha the world is collapsing
around our ears
i turned up the radio
but i can't hear it

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Thursday, 3 June 2004 04:15 (twenty-one years ago)

the selecter - on my radio

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 3 June 2004 04:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Eazy E - I'm On Tha Radio

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 3 June 2004 04:23 (twenty-one years ago)

roxy music - oh yeah

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 3 June 2004 04:25 (twenty-one years ago)

those magic changes (from "grease")

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 3 June 2004 04:28 (twenty-one years ago)

boston - more than a feeling

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Thursday, 3 June 2004 04:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Rush, Spirit of Radio

― Scott CE (Scott CE), Thursday, 3 June 2004 04:35 (twenty-one years ago)

The Velvet Underground: Rock and Roll

― Dr. Annabel Lies (Michael Kelly), Thursday, 3 June 2004 04:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Kraftwerk - Antenna.

― Jez (Jez), Thursday, 3 June 2004 05:56 (twenty-one years ago)

"Radio Free Europe"

(but of course)

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Thursday, 3 June 2004 06:03 (twenty-one years ago)

"Song on the Radio" - Al Stewart

― weather1ngda1eson (Brian), Thursday, 3 June 2004 06:57 (twenty-one years ago)

ICE CUBE TO THREAD!!!!

― djdee2005, Thursday, 3 June 2004 07:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Van Morrison, "Caravan"

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Thursday, 3 June 2004 07:14 (twenty-one years ago)

the as yet unrealeased and untitled 'death of radio' song that shellac did at all tomorrow's parties this year.

― hmmm (hmmm), Thursday, 3 June 2004 07:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Hackamore Brick - Radio

― NickB (NickB), Thursday, 3 June 2004 07:46 (twenty-one years ago)

okeh, there's also
"Radio Ethiopia"
&
"Voice of America"

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Thursday, 3 June 2004 07:50 (twenty-one years ago)

The Avalanches - 'Radio'
Jolly Music - 'Radio Jolly'
The fake radio dial parts in Cornelius - Fantasma
The Shakespeare readings in 'I Am The Walrus'
Nelly Furtado - 'Shit On The Radio' has a moment or two

― Crickets Dance On Tequila Booty (Barima), Thursday, 3 June 2004 09:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Karlheinz Stockhausen - "Kurzwellen"
Harry Chapin - W.O.L.D

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 3 June 2004 09:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Stars - 'My Radio'

Why has this thread reminded me of Sinitta?

― Crickets Dance On Tequila Booty (Barima), Thursday, 3 June 2004 09:52 (twenty-one years ago)

John Cale - Rise, Sam and Rimsky-Korsakov

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 3 June 2004 09:54 (twenty-one years ago)

that Donna Summer one, "On the Radio" or something

― zebedee (zebedee), Thursday, 3 June 2004 10:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Bertolt Brecht/ Hanns Eisler - An den kleinen Radioapparat (To a Little Radio)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 3 June 2004 10:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Ramones - Rock 'n' Roll Radio

― pop-kid (pop-kid), Thursday, 3 June 2004 10:28 (twenty-one years ago)

The Whipping Boy - "When We Were Young" (kinda tangential but worth the props)

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Thursday, 3 June 2004 14:06 (twenty-one years ago)

no-one mentioned Radio Babylon - Meat Beat Manifesto. surely that deserves a big bass boom when dropped into this thread.

― mark e (mark e), Thursday, 3 June 2004 14:10 (twenty-one years ago)

(darn, i even have that mbm record)

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Thursday, 3 June 2004 14:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Thomas Dolby - Radio Silence (from the ontopic named lp 'Golden Age of Wireless')

― mark e (mark e), Thursday, 3 June 2004 14:18 (twenty-one years ago)

ramones -- we want the airwaves

― cw28 (cw28), Thursday, 3 June 2004 14:21 (twenty-one years ago)

PJ & Duncan "Our Radio Rocks"
Tiffany "Radio Romance"
Fairground Attraction "Find My Love"

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 3 June 2004 14:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Bob Seger, "Rosalie"
Public Enemy, "Bring The Noise"
Triumph, "Magic Power" (Even 3rd-rate Rush imitators can strike gold)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Thursday, 3 June 2004 19:26 (twenty-one years ago)

The Sports, "Who Listens to the Radio"
Joe Jackson, "On Your Radio"
Charlie, "Killer Cut"
Mitch Ryder (and I guess the Velvet Underground too), "Rock and Roll"
Angry Samoans, "Get Off the Air"
Steely Dan, "FM"

― chuck, Thursday, 3 June 2004 19:35 (twenty-one years ago)

blasters, "border radio"
george jones, "radio lover"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 3 June 2004 19:35 (twenty-one years ago)

My favorite:

"You're Everything on Earth" by the Outsiders

(the Dutch Outsiders--it's on CQ)

― Tim Ellison, Thursday, 3 June 2004 19:38 (twenty-one years ago)

my personal fav: Smashing Pumpkins: "I of the Mourning"

i know that no one will agree

― Richard K (Richard K), Thursday, 3 June 2004 19:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Holy fuck, I am so embarrassed that I forgot (but "Border Radio," which is indeed a very good song despite being by the Blasters, reminded me of):

"Heard it on the X," ZZ Top

Less important, but not horrible:

"Clap for the Wolfman," Guess Who

― chuck, Thursday, 3 June 2004 19:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I apologise, but, The Corrs - 'Listen To The Radio'

― Crickets Dance On Tequila Booty (Barima), Thursday, 3 June 2004 19:54 (twenty-one years ago)

"Pilot of the Airwaves"- Charlie Dore

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Thursday, 3 June 2004 19:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Autechre - "Rsdio"

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 3 June 2004 19:58 (twenty-one years ago)

holy fuck, "heard it on the x" reminds me of:

wall of voodoo, "mexican radio"

(and don't hate on the blasters! i kinda loved their rhythm section.)

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 3 June 2004 20:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Radio Birdmnan

― matulageci (matulageci), Thursday, 3 June 2004 20:08 (twenty-one years ago)

REM - "Radio Song"

― boldbury (boldbury), Thursday, 3 June 2004 20:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Air 'Radio#1'

'if you need some fun some new stereo gum...'

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 3 June 2004 20:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't believe no-one has mentioned "We Built This City" by Starship yet...

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 3 June 2004 20:26 (twenty-one years ago)

raspberries-overnight sensation (hit record)

― duke raydio, Thursday, 3 June 2004 20:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow, can't believe we've waited this long for "Left of the Dial"!

― southern lights (southern lights), Thursday, 3 June 2004 20:37 (twenty-one years ago)

"My Radio" by Solvent -- there's also a beautiful Schneider TM remix of it...

― Neb Reyob (Ben Boyer), Thursday, 3 June 2004 20:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Jay Jay Johanson - "On the Radio"

― Seb (Seb), Thursday, 3 June 2004 21:43 (twenty-one years ago)

That Shellac song seconded.

Also, the one with lyrics by Daniel Handler that goes 'if I had a radio / for every time you loved me so / I wouldn't have a radio at all', which I heard once but it will never leave my brain. And is great.

― cis (cis), Thursday, 3 June 2004 21:59 (twenty-one years ago)

George Harrison -- "Devil's Radio"
Seriously, it's not a bad song.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Thursday, 3 June 2004 23:57 (twenty-one years ago)

roxy music - oh yeah

Beat me to it. :(

― Atnevon (Atnevon), Friday, 4 June 2004 02:13 (twenty-one years ago)

"Around the Dial" -- The Kinks

― weather1ngda1eson (Brian), Friday, 4 June 2004 07:30 (twenty-one years ago)

fourteen years pass...

radio no 1. - air
turn on the radio - pj harvey

― ritual showdown (Ross), Tuesday, 2 October 2018 20:16 (seven years ago)

er, cat on the wall by pj i mean

― ritual showdown (Ross), Tuesday, 2 October 2018 20:17 (seven years ago)

The Suburbs - "Turn The Radio On"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLzRUFt5JEI

― Pesto Mindset (Eazy), Tuesday, 2 October 2018 20:54 (seven years ago)

The Human League - WXJL Tonight

― vanjie wail (qiqing), Wednesday, 3 October 2018 05:35 (seven years ago)

The Blue Sky Boys - Turn Your Radio On

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znV6IXfKLLw

― ilxor-com-dog-meat-drawer-7-840-x-600.jpg (unregistered), Wednesday, 3 October 2018 05:47 (seven years ago)

The already mentioned Roxy Music song is a big favourite of mine, but I think it shares first place for me with:

Dillard & Clark - The Radio Song

― Valentijn, Wednesday, 3 October 2018 07:24 (seven years ago)

Cosign on the Human League's "WXJL Tonight", that song is genius.

Also:

Latin Quarter, "Radio Africa"
Gary Numan, "Radio Heart"

― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Wednesday, 3 October 2018 07:57 (seven years ago)

Birthday party's King Ink has Fats Domino on the radio but it may be more fo an incidentatl detail.

― Stevolende, Wednesday, 3 October 2018 09:14 (seven years ago)

Radio is fine enough but what about...
PORTABLE RADIO !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKjKspy0SzM

― AlXTC from Paris, Wednesday, 3 October 2018 09:37 (seven years ago)

There were a bunch of songs about Radio DJs that used to get tons of airplay over here, but none of them became hits : Just because the DJ playing it identifies with the lyric doesn't mean the general public will:

"WOLD" - Harry Chapin
"Rex Bob Lowenstein" - Mark Germino

Good songs (well, the first one is better), but.

― Mark G, Wednesday, 3 October 2018 10:20 (seven years ago)

the shaggs "my companion"

― dyl, Thursday, 4 October 2018 03:38 (seven years ago)

i did not expect to love this thread but scanning from the top quickly came to the selector, and any and all sins were forgiven.

― Hunt3r, Thursday, 4 October 2018 03:42 (seven years ago)

I scanned again, and want this spotified.

― Hunt3r, Thursday, 4 October 2018 03:44 (seven years ago)

Taffy - I Love My Radio
The Carpenters - Yesterday Once More

― Siegbran, Thursday, 4 October 2018 06:30 (seven years ago)

Niki & The Dove - Play It On My Radio
(which is about radio, but also about nostalgia and youth and the personal relationship to pop, and is one of my favourite songs of all time)

― boxedjoy, Thursday, 4 October 2018 09:41 (seven years ago)

It's not exactly "Roadrunner" or "Rock and Roll," but "Radar Love" would seem to be pretty basic to this thread.

― clemenza, Thursday, 4 October 2018 12:01 (seven years ago)

C.W. McCall - Convoy (an entirely different kind of radio)

― Siegbran, Thursday, 4 October 2018 12:10 (seven years ago)

The winner is Dave Davies Rock n Roll Cities because it has a little donut in the middle where the DJ can personalize the song/town. “On 92.3 KRock FM” Great promo potential. I don’t hear Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers doing anything clever like that.

― kornrulez6969, Thursday, 4 October 2018 12:39 (seven years ago)

seven years pass...

Something Scott Woods put together--love it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEx1tk1hGok

― clemenza, Tuesday, 17 February 2026 03:07 (two months ago)

I Trawl The Megahertz - Paddy McAloon (later credited to Prefab Sprout).

― giraffe, Tuesday, 17 February 2026 10:08 (two months ago)

Van Morrison, "Caravan"

That's hard to beat. Also gonna shout out Dylan's Murder Most Foul and Key West.

― TheNuNuNu, Tuesday, 17 February 2026 10:38 (two months ago)

The Nightfly by Donald Fagen

― giraffe, Tuesday, 17 February 2026 10:38 (two months ago)

Bongwater - Great Radio
The Android Sisters - Ray-Dee-Oh

― gravalicious, Tuesday, 17 February 2026 13:27 (two months ago)

Old Man Gloom - Radio Crackles Spill Down My Face
Vatican Shadow - Voices Came Crackling Across a Motorola Hand-Held Radio
Tim Hecker - I'm Transmitting Tonight
The KLF - Elvis on the Radio, Steel Guitar in My Soul
Songs: Ohia - Blue Factory Flame
Junior Boys - FM
Luomo - Talk in Danger
Flora FM - Wave Station
Crash Crew - On the Radio
Autograph - Turn Up the Radio

― secret ride, Tuesday, 17 February 2026 23:24 (two months ago)

probably half the Pooh Sticks catalog

― bulb after bulb, Tuesday, 17 February 2026 23:35 (two months ago)

Roger Waters - Radio Waves (in fact the whole of the Radio KAOS album)

― bored by endless ecstasy (anagram), Tuesday, 17 February 2026 23:37 (two months ago)

The Replacements - 'Left of the Dial'
Desperate Bicycles - 'Blasting Radio'
Talking Heads - 'Radiohead' (though it's perhaps not about transmission for a mass audience.)

Honourable mentions to significant chunks of My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, the works of Negativland and The Conet Project: Recordings of Shortwave Numbers Stations for being 'about' radio in a broader sense.

― Heavy, downy baby goose (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Wednesday, 18 February 2026 01:15 (two months ago)

Whoops, I only Ctrl-F'd 'Replac' for the first one!

― Heavy, downy baby goose (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Wednesday, 18 February 2026 01:48 (two months ago)

The Clash - Capital Radio
Bikini Kill - New Radio
The Replacements - Takin' a Ride

― bulb after bulb, Wednesday, 18 February 2026 01:54 (two months ago)

two weeks pass...

Song I had totally forgotten about, my #1 single of 2001:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O86JJHoiRg

Still sounds great to me, and it terms of describing one way of connecting to the radio--not the Jonathan Richman way, but how I connected when I was 11--I think it's wise and beautiful:

Inside an empty room, my inspiration flows
Now wait to hear the tune around my head, it goes
The magic melody you want to sing with me
Just la la la la la
The music is the key

And now the night is gone
Still it goes on and on so deep inside of me
I long to set it free
I don't know what to do
Just can't explain to you
I don't know what to say
Oh, not another word

― clemenza, Friday, 6 March 2026 01:20 (one month ago)

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