The 60s on 6
Encyclopedia
The '60s on 6 is a commercial-free, satellite radio
station on the Sirius XM Radio platform. It plays music from the 1960s and early '70s, mostly Top 10 hits from the second half of the decade. Airing on XM
since 2001, the channel became available to Sirius
subscribers (replacing '60s Vibrations
) on November 12, 2008, following the merger of the two companies. The station currently broadcasts on channel 6 of both services, as well as on Dish Network
channel 6006. As of February 9, 2010, Direct TV has dropped Sirius XM programming in favor of another music service called SonicTap.
The morning man is Phlash Phelps
, the leader of the Phunny Pharm Phan Clan. Also heard on the channel are Terry "Motormouth" Young, Mike Kelly, and "Cousin Brucie" Morrow
. Lou Simon is currently the program director for the channel.
Like the other decades channels, The '60s on 6 attempts to recreate the feel of 1960s radio. They use similar DJ habits, classic PAMS
jingles, period slang, and news updates. The channel was also used for XM's annual pop music chronology, IT
.
Example of the list of artists heard on this channel: The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, the Supremes, Herman's Hermits, the Animals, the Monkees, the Temptations and the Doors.
As of 2008 the '60s on 6 was the fifth most listened to station on the XM service, with a cume of 581,300 listeners per week, according to Arbitron
analysis.
channels on November 12, 2008, there were some changes to 60s on 6. The channel's playlist (which had once exceeded an incredible 3,000 songs) was sliced to emphasize Top 10 hits more, with most of the lower-charting tracks (as well as many of the crossover
and novelty
hits of the era) removed and abandoned from the rotation. Program director Pat Clarke and another disk jockey, "Marty With The Party", were dismissed. Phlash Phelps and Terry "Motormouth" Young were spared, and Broadway Bill Lee and Mike Kelly joined the airstaff. (Lee eventually moved to the 70s on 7 channel.) Cousin Brucie began a live Saturday all-request show. Wolfman Jack was moved into an early afternoon block, and was eventually eliminated altogether, along with other channel fixtures such as the Sonic Sound Salute, Sweet Sixteen Music Machine countdown, and Chickenman.
The classic PAMS jingles were edited to remove references to XM Radio, or jingles not referencing XM were used. In the summer of 2009, PAMS produced a new set of jingles based on its Series 31, "Music Explosion" for the channel.
Prior to the merger, it was the only XM channel to not change its zero in the logo, since it has always been a peace sign (all decades channels changed logos, whereas this channel, along with The 40s on 4
and The 70s on 7
are updated logos from their predecessors). The current logo for The 60s on 6 is the same, but "The" is phased out on the left, and adds the "On 6" info at the right.
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...
station on the Sirius XM Radio platform. It plays music from the 1960s and early '70s, mostly Top 10 hits from the second half of the decade. Airing on 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...
since 2001, the channel became available to Sirius
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
subscribers (replacing '60s Vibrations
'60s Vibrations
'60s Vibrations was a '60s music channel on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 6 and Dish Network channel 6006. Unlike its counterpart at XM Satellite Radio, The 60s on 6, it was not exactly decade-specific; rather, its musical focus was on the years 1964-69, a period in which the British Invasion,...
) on November 12, 2008, following the merger of the two companies. The station currently broadcasts on channel 6 of both services, as well as on Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
channel 6006. As of February 9, 2010, Direct TV has dropped Sirius XM programming in favor of another music service called SonicTap.
The morning man is Phlash Phelps
Phlash Phelps
Phlash Phelps is a radio personality on commercial-free, satellite Sirius XM Radio. He started as a disc jockey on September 10, 1984, and previously worked at 17 other radio stations. He hosts the Phlash Phelps Phunny Pharm on the '60s on 6, which plays music from the 1960s, mostly Top 40 hits...
, the leader of the Phunny Pharm Phan Clan. Also heard on the channel are Terry "Motormouth" Young, Mike Kelly, and "Cousin Brucie" Morrow
Bruce Morrow
Bruce Morrow is an American radio personality known to many listeners as Cousin Brucie.-Radio work:...
. Lou Simon is currently the program director for the channel.
Like the other decades channels, The '60s on 6 attempts to recreate the feel of 1960s radio. They use similar DJ habits, classic PAMS
PAMS
PAMS , based in Dallas, Texas, was the most famous jingle production company in American broadcasting. It produced identification packages for radio stations around the world, as well as some commercial music.-History:The company was founded by William B. Meeks, Jr. PAMS (an acronym for Production,...
jingles, period slang, and news updates. The channel was also used for XM's annual pop music chronology, IT
IT (XM)
"IT: The History of Pop Music" is the name of a special program that XM Satellite Radio aired annually from 2002 to 2007, in which a majority of charted pop songs from the 1930s to the 2000s were aired in chronological order on seven of the platform's channels...
.
Example of the list of artists heard on this channel: The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, the Supremes, Herman's Hermits, the Animals, the Monkees, the Temptations and the Doors.
As of 2008 the '60s on 6 was the fifth most listened to station on the XM service, with a cume of 581,300 listeners per week, according to Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
analysis.
Current program schedule
In Eastern Time:- WEEKDAYS
- 12:00AM-01:00AM: Music (Monday)
- 12:00AM–01:00AM: Terry “Motormouth” Young (Tuesday-Friday)
- 01:00AM–06:00AM: Music
- 06:00AM–12:00PM: Phlash Phelps
- 12:00PM–01:00PM: Music
- 01:00PM-07:00PM: Mike Kelly (Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday)
- 01:00PM-05:00PM: Mike Kelly (Wednesday)
- 05:00PM–09:00PM: Cousin Brucie (Wednesday) (rebroadcast on sunday)
- 09:00PM–12:00AM: Terry “Motormouth” Young (Wednesday)
- 07:00PM–12:00AM: Terry “Motormouth” Young (Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday)
- SATURDAYS
- 12:00AM–01:00AM: Terry “Motormouth” Young
- 01:00AM–10:00AM: Music
- 10:00AM–03:00PM: Mike Kelly
- 03:00PM–05:00PM: Lou Simon (rebroadcast on sunday)
- 05:00PM-08:00PM: Terry “Motormouth” Young
- 08:00PM–12:00AM: Cousin Brucie
- SUNDAYS
- 12:00AM–10:00AM: Music
- 10:00AM–01:00PM: Phlash Phelps
- 01:00PM–06:00PM: Mike Kelly
- 06:00PM–10:00PM: Cousin Brucie
- 10:00PM-12:00AM: Lou Simon
Programs
- Saturday Night Party with Cousin Brucie - Live: Airs Saturday 8pm-12am ET.
- Cruisin' With Cousin Brucie: Airs Wednesday 5pm-9pm ET with a rebroadcast Sunday at 6pm ET
- Sixties Satellite Survey: A weekly program hosted by Lou Simon and counting down the Top 40 hit songs for a given week in the '60s, based on vintage national charts and radio station playlists. Airs Saturday at 3pm ET with a rebroadcast Sunday at 10pm ET.
Post Sirius XM merger
With the merger of many XM and Sirius Satellite RadioSirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
channels on November 12, 2008, there were some changes to 60s on 6. The channel's playlist (which had once exceeded an incredible 3,000 songs) was sliced to emphasize Top 10 hits more, with most of the lower-charting tracks (as well as many of the crossover
Crossover (music)
Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers appearing on two or more of the record charts which track differing musical tastes, or genres...
and novelty
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
hits of the era) removed and abandoned from the rotation. Program director Pat Clarke and another disk jockey, "Marty With The Party", were dismissed. Phlash Phelps and Terry "Motormouth" Young were spared, and Broadway Bill Lee and Mike Kelly joined the airstaff. (Lee eventually moved to the 70s on 7 channel.) Cousin Brucie began a live Saturday all-request show. Wolfman Jack was moved into an early afternoon block, and was eventually eliminated altogether, along with other channel fixtures such as the Sonic Sound Salute, Sweet Sixteen Music Machine countdown, and Chickenman.
The classic PAMS jingles were edited to remove references to XM Radio, or jingles not referencing XM were used. In the summer of 2009, PAMS produced a new set of jingles based on its Series 31, "Music Explosion" for the channel.
Prior to the merger, it was the only XM channel to not change its zero in the logo, since it has always been a peace sign (all decades channels changed logos, whereas this channel, along with The 40s on 4
The 40s on 4
'40s on 4 is a commercial-free music channel on the Sirius XM Radio platform, broadcasting on both XM and Sirius channel 4 as well as Dish Network channel 6004....
and The 70s on 7
The 70s on 7
70s on 7 is a commercial-free, satellite radio channel on the Sirius XM Radio platform. It plays music from the 1970s, mostly being the hits, although the program list has shrunk considerably since Jon Clay was fired as Program Director...
are updated logos from their predecessors). The current logo for The 60s on 6 is the same, but "The" is phased out on the left, and adds the "On 6" info at the right.