the Dalaverse

So I get into work today and discover that the radio, always tuned to Mix 107.3 (the most matronly of the D.C. area's mix stations), is playing "Kokomo" by the Beach Boys. This is not normally something 107.3 would play, but I let it go, just grateful that it isn't Sheryl Crow's last three singles or anything by Five for Fighting. Next song: "I Hear a Symphony." Now while I might've bought 80's Beach Boys, the Supremes do not fit 107.3's MO in any way, so I start boogieing down because obviously we're listening to an oldies station. The next thing I hear is this familiar, dreaded jingle: Soffffft Rock, 97.1, WASH-FM! And then...then they played Celine Dion.

After I'd gone half mad from what is one of my least favorite genres (and I use the term loosely) of music and one of the most horrid stations in the area, I asked Ellen what the fuck was going on and why did Dr. Marc want me to kill myself on the jobwhy the station had been changed. Apparently Dr. Leonard has a hate-on for 107.3. He wanted either classical or dead silence; Heidi said the patients wouldn't like the former and Ellen threw a fit at the notion of the latter. They compromised on soft *shudder* rock. To quote Buffy, "Light FM! Love songs! Nothing but love songs!" Occasionally they get lucky, as with the first two songs I heard, but for the most part, oh god, it's as bad as Muzak. Anyway, I changed the station to 100.3, an oldies station which is far inferior to the oldies stations in Hagerstown and Baltimore, but still worlds preferable to 97.1 (Dr. Leonard was not there today. If he had been, I would've kept my mouth shut. He's mean).

Then I started thinking about what station is most appropriate. I had no serious objections to 107.3, even if they do have a really static and tired playlist, but I wondered if oldies grates on anybody as badly as easy listening grates on me. There are obvious choices you have to rule out when you're working in an office -- I would never think to turn on one of my rock stations, and I was really horrified when the guest hygienist put on a Christian station. But...I mean...they're just oldies.

Anyway, I'm curious as to what sort of music other offices, especially in different parts of the country and elsewhere, play for their patients and themselves. The ones I've listed happen to be the ones I've come across at the other offices where I'm a patient, but please tell me if your offices play something I haven't included. Please answer even if you like soft rock and I've offended you. But your music is mind-meltingly dull, evil, soul-sucking garbage :)



[Poll #324833]