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The Verge (XM)
Encyclopedia
The Verge is an XM Radio Canada
channel featuring new and emerging rock bands from Canada
. The channel is produced in Toronto, Ontario for the entire XM
platform. The channel's former names included Unsigned, and (un)Signed, which indicated that the channel played a combination of signed and unsigned bands. A few American
songs, such as Hard Sun by Eddie Vedder
(written and originally performed by a Canadian) are played on the channel. The Verge moved from channel 87 to channel 151 on May 4, 2011.
on XM 43 was also growing with its selection of independent and college rock. After a while, it looked as if XMU and Unsigned were slowly becoming the same channel, with similar bands being played. Some XM fans suggested a merger of the two channels, while others suggested niching the playlists a little more. On November 16, 2005, the "merger" people got their wish.
. With this came some rules and regulations regarding Canadian content, forcing the birth of new channels on the line-up. Some channels were newborns, some were deleted completely and replaced with new ones, Unsigned on the other hand was the only one to be moved and reformatted. Thus, (un)Signed was born. (un)Signed was born as a station for new and emerging rock artists from Canada, and is currently on the entire XM platform in both nations. To maintain 100% Canadian content, The R>A>D>A>R Report was moved to XMU where it continues to broadcast weekly shows with encores. XMU did not receive a name change, but it now makes up more for the loss of the old Unsigned's playlist.
, The New Pornographers
, Stars
, The Stills
, Wintersleep
, Small Sins
and over 300 artists from their street front studios in Toronto.
In June 2008, The Verge broadcast the Calgary Virgin Festival live. Performances included Matthew Good
, The Flaming Lips
, Three Days Grace
, City and Colour
and Stars. In September 2008, The Verge broadcast the Toronto Virgin Festival live, including performances by Oasis
, Paul Weller
, Bloc Party
, MGMT
, Silversun Pickups
, Stereophonics
, Constantines
and The Fratellis
.
On November 12, 2008, as part of the Sirius XM merger, The Verge moved from channel 52 to channel 87 on the XM service. It is still listed as X052-FM by Mediabase
. Channel 52 is now Faction. Radio personality and music journalist Kim Hughes
hosted programming in 2010.
This channel, Laugh Attack
, Radio Parallèle, and/or ATN-Asian Radio
will be preempted by XM Radio Canada
in order to air extra NHL play-by-play on channels 235-239.
The inaugural winners were announced on September 24, 2008 at The Tattoo Rock Parlour in Toronto. The Weakerthans
were named Artist of the Year and Hey Rosetta!
's album Into Your Lungs was named Album of the Year.
In the second annual Verge Music Awards, which were handled out on September 22, 2009 and broadcast live-to-air, Dan Mangan
was awarded the Verge Artist of the Year and Alexisonfire
was given the Verge Album of the Year Award for their cd Old Crows/Young Cardinals
.
XM Radio Canada
XM Radio Canada was the operating name of Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. , a Canadian communications and media company, which was incorporated in 2002 to broadcast satellite radio in Canada...
channel featuring new and emerging rock bands from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The channel is produced in Toronto, Ontario for the entire XM
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
platform. The channel's former names included Unsigned, and (un)Signed, which indicated that the channel played a combination of signed and unsigned bands. A few American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
songs, such as Hard Sun by Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
(written and originally performed by a Canadian) are played on the channel. The Verge moved from channel 87 to channel 151 on May 4, 2011.
Radio Unsigned (2002–2005)
XM launched the original Unsigned channel (notice no parenthesis) in its rock selection as an outlet for all the unsigned rock bands out there to receive nationwide exposure. In addition to unsigned rock music, one of these bands would also have the opportunity to have Unsigned play their favorite popular band at a certain time each day. A popular show on Unsigned was The R>A>D>A>R Report, which actually started via internet in the late 1990s as a showcase for unsigned rockers. XM Satellite Radio picked up the show for its Unsigned channel, and the show now had a wide audience to broadcast to beginning on January 3, 2003. As Unsigned continued its parade of no-name up and comer rock bands, sister rocker XMUXMU (XM)
Sirius XMU is an indie pop, indie rock, unsigned artist music channel on XM Satellite Radio channel 35...
on XM 43 was also growing with its selection of independent and college rock. After a while, it looked as if XMU and Unsigned were slowly becoming the same channel, with similar bands being played. Some XM fans suggested a merger of the two channels, while others suggested niching the playlists a little more. On November 16, 2005, the "merger" people got their wish.
(un)Signed (2005–2006)
In June 2005, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission gave XM's partner, Canadian Satellite Radio, the license to broadcast satellite radio in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. With this came some rules and regulations regarding Canadian content, forcing the birth of new channels on the line-up. Some channels were newborns, some were deleted completely and replaced with new ones, Unsigned on the other hand was the only one to be moved and reformatted. Thus, (un)Signed was born. (un)Signed was born as a station for new and emerging rock artists from Canada, and is currently on the entire XM platform in both nations. To maintain 100% Canadian content, The R>A>D>A>R Report was moved to XMU where it continues to broadcast weekly shows with encores. XMU did not receive a name change, but it now makes up more for the loss of the old Unsigned's playlist.
The Verge (2006–)
As of April 17, 2006, (un)Signed has renamed itself The Verge. The station now has DJs scheduled around the clock on extended shifts, and features the series LiVE@theVerge, which airs Wednesdays @ 6ET and replays Sunday @ 9ET. In the past LiVE@theVerge has included performances from Sam RobertsSam Roberts
Sam Roberts is a Juno Award-winning Canadian rock singer-songwriter, whose 2001 debut release, The Inhuman Condition, became one of the bestselling independent releases in Quebec and Canadian music history.-Life and career:...
, The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:The band's first four albums each ranked in the top 40 on The Village Voices Pazz & Jop year-end poll of hundreds of music reviewers. From 2000 to 2006, either a New Pornographers' album or a...
, Stars
Stars (band)
Stars is an indie pop band from Canada. Originally formed in Toronto by vocalist Torquil Campbell and keyboardist Chris Seligman, the band relocated to New York City and then subsequently to Montreal, where they are currently based.-History:...
, The Stills
The Stills
The Stills were a Canadian rock band from Montreal, Quebec, formed in 2000. The band consists of Tim Fletcher , Dave Hamelin , Olivier Corbeil , and Liam O'Neil , Gregory Paquet .-History:The band members have known each other since the age of...
, Wintersleep
Wintersleep
Wintersleep is a Canadian indie rock band from Halifax, Nova Scotia.-Background:Wintersleep formed in 2001 and released two albums with Dependent Music, a music label and artists' collective that began in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 1994....
, Small Sins
Small Sins
Small Sins is the Toronto-based indie rock act of Thomas D'Arcy, former member of The Carnations. The Small Sins were once known as The Ladies and Gentlemen, but due to legal reasons they had to change their name...
and over 300 artists from their street front studios in Toronto.
In June 2008, The Verge broadcast the Calgary Virgin Festival live. Performances included Matthew Good
Matthew Good
Matthew Frederick Robert Good is a Canadian rock musician. He was the lead singer for the Matthew Good Band, one of Canada's most successful alternative rock bands in the 1990s, before dissolving the band in 2002...
, The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
, Three Days Grace
Three Days Grace
Three Days Grace is a Canadian rock band, formed in Norwood, Ontario, Canada in 1992, originally under the name Groundswell. After a breakup in late 1997, the band regrouped in the same year under its current name and with a line-up consisting of guitarist and lead vocalist Adam Gontier, drummer...
, City and Colour
City and Colour
City and Colour is the recording alias for Juno Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Dallas Green, who was also the guitarist and vocalist of the post-hardcore band Alexisonfire. He plays melodic acoustic and folk music and is often accompanied by a rotating number of Canadian indie rock...
and Stars. In September 2008, The Verge broadcast the Toronto Virgin Festival live, including performances by Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
, Paul Weller
Paul Weller
Paul Weller is an English singer-songwriter. Starting with the band The Jam , Weller then went on to branch out musically to a more soulful style with The Style Council...
, Bloc Party
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
, MGMT
MGMT
MGMT is an American alternative rock band founded by Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. After the release of their first album, the members of their live band, Matthew Asti, James Richardson and Will Berman, joined the core band in the studio...
, Silversun Pickups
Silversun Pickups
Silversun Pickups is an alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2002. The band comprises Brian Aubert, Nikki Monninger, Christopher Guanlao, and Joe Lester....
, Stereophonics
Stereophonics
The Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band now living in turners x that formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales. The band currently comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones, bassist and backing vocalist Richard Jones, drummer Javier Weyler, guitarist and backing...
, Constantines
Constantines
-History:The band was formed by Steve Lambke, Bryan Webb, Doug MacGregor, and Dallas Wehrle in 1999, following the break-up of Webb and MacGregor's emotional hardcore band Shoulder...
and The Fratellis
The Fratellis
The Fratellis were an indie rock band from Glasgow, Scotland. The band consisted of lead vocalist and guitarist Jon Fratelli , bass guitarist Barry Fratelli , and drummer and backing vocalist Mince Fratelli .The band released 2 albums during their career, Costello Music in 2006 and Here We Stand in...
.
On November 12, 2008, as part of the Sirius XM merger, The Verge moved from channel 52 to channel 87 on the XM service. It is still listed as X052-FM by Mediabase
Mediabase
Mediabase is a music industry service that monitors radio station airplay in 180 US and Canadian markets. Mediabase publishes music charts and data based on the most played songs on terrestrial and satellite radio, and provides in-depth analytical tools for radio and record industry professionals...
. Channel 52 is now Faction. Radio personality and music journalist Kim Hughes
Kim Hughes (radio)
Kim Hughes is a Canadian radio personality and music journalist, who most recently hosted programming on XM Satellite Radio's The Verge.Hughes was most widely known for her work at 102.1 The Edge in Toronto as host of the nightly live music magazine Live in Toronto from 1992 to 1999...
hosted programming in 2010.
This channel, Laugh Attack
Laugh Attack
Laugh Attack is an XM Satellite Radio channel featuring uncensored comedy from Canada. It was born in November 2005 as part of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission's regulations for Canadian content on the XM platform....
, Radio Parallèle, and/or ATN-Asian Radio
ATN-Asian Radio
ATN-Asian Radio is an XM Satellite Radio channel featuring programming dedicated South Asian community in North America. This channel's content will be produced by Asian Television Network. Content for the channel will include talk and phone-in shows, music and poetry, news and current affairs,...
will be preempted by XM Radio Canada
XM Radio Canada
XM Radio Canada was the operating name of Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. , a Canadian communications and media company, which was incorporated in 2002 to broadcast satellite radio in Canada...
in order to air extra NHL play-by-play on channels 235-239.
Verge Awards
In July 2008, XM Canada instituted The Verge Music Awards, an award to be voted on by the fans in conjunction with an XM appointed jury to determine the winner based on "artistic integrity".The inaugural winners were announced on September 24, 2008 at The Tattoo Rock Parlour in Toronto. The Weakerthans
The Weakerthans
The Weakerthans are a four-piece Canadian indie rock band.-History:The band was formed in 1997 in Winnipeg, Manitoba by John K. Samson, after he left the punk band Propagandhi to start a publishing company. Samson joined forces with bassist John P...
were named Artist of the Year and Hey Rosetta!
Hey Rosetta!
Hey Rosetta! is a six-piece Canadian indie rock band from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Known for its energized live shows, the band creates a massive, layered sound by incorporating piano, violin and cello into the traditional four-piece garage rock sound.-History:Their influences include...
's album Into Your Lungs was named Album of the Year.
In the second annual Verge Music Awards, which were handled out on September 22, 2009 and broadcast live-to-air, Dan Mangan
Dan Mangan
Daniel Mangan is a Canadian indie folk-rock singer-songwriter.-Early life:Mangan was born in Smithers, British Columbia. His family moved a fair amount, residing in both the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia - and primarily in his current home town of Vancouver...
was awarded the Verge Artist of the Year and Alexisonfire
Alexisonfire
Alexisonfire was a five-piece, Juno-nominated post-hardcore band that formed in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada in 2001. The band consisted of George Pettit , Dallas Green , Wade MacNeil , Chris Steele , and Jordan Hastings .They describe their music as "the sound of two Catholic high-school girls...
was given the Verge Album of the Year Award for their cd Old Crows/Young Cardinals
Old Crows/Young Cardinals
Old Crows / Young Cardinals is the fourth and final studio album from post-hardcore band Alexisonfire, released on June 23, 2009. The album was originally referred to by the shortened title of Young Cardinals, until the name change was announced on April 1, 2009...
.
Daily
| Time (ET) | DJ |
|---|---|
| 6 AM | Kelowna Vincent |
| 4 PM | Jeff Leake |
External links
- XM Satellite Radio page for The Verge
- http://www.myspace.com/xm52thevergeThe Verge on MyspaceMyspaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
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