The Heat (XM)
Encyclopedia
The Heat is the name of Sirius XM Radio's urban-leaning
rhythmic contemporary
channel, on Sirius
channel 47 (previously 50) and XM channel 47 (previously 68), as well as on Dish Network
channel 6050. Until February 9, 2010, it was on DirecTV
channel 825, due to all of the Sirius XM programming being dropped. The service signed on April 17, 2006
.
At the start The Heat was a Rhythmic Top 40 outlet and had played Rhythmic hits, but during the Sirius XM Merger on November 12, 2008
, it changed to a more hit-driven R&B, urban pop, and melodic Hip-Hop channel.
Prior to its debut as "The Heat" in 2006, it was originally called "The Eye" (XM26) and it was only available online from November 11, 2004 to April 16, 2006. On November 12, 2008 The Heat replaced Sirius' Hot Jamz
on channel 50. It also shifted its direction to Urban after the changes were made, to replace XM's
former Urban Contemporary
channel, 67 The City. Due to the failure of their urban contemporary
experiment, in March 2009
, the channel's playlist became more Rhythmic
once again, however, this time, it seems to be more of a Rhythmic Contemporary
, not as much of a Rhythmic Top 40 like it was prior to the merger, because of Sirius
removing Pop2K (now exclusively on XM channel 30
, and many Pop2K artists are played on The Heat. Most of the rap tunes were dropped, unless it has melodic elements such as in the songs "All the Above
" by Maino
or "Whatever You Like" by T.I.
, as its sister Hip-Hop Nation
and Shade 45
channels play them. R&R
still lists the channel as an urban-formatted outlet. As of late 2009
, the channel (despite still listed on Mediabase
's rhythmic top 40 panel) decided to not focus on hip-hop music, although The Heat is now described more of a hot rhythmic adult contemporary
channel. It took the former playlist of the now-defunct Hot Jamz
channel that was on Sirius 50 pre-merger.
The station plays clean versions of songs and has deejays, just like a terrestrial station, however, the channel is commercial free. As of April 2009, the channel has a new logo which shows only the word "heat" engulfed in now blue flames.
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
rhythmic contemporary
Rhythmic Contemporary
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may...
channel, on 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...
channel 47 (previously 50) and XM channel 47 (previously 68), 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 6050. Until February 9, 2010, it was on 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. ...
channel 825, due to all of the Sirius XM programming being dropped. The service signed on April 17, 2006
2006 in radio
The year 2006 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:*January 3 - The BJ Shea Morning Experience switches to KISW in Seattle, Washington, from the former FM Talk station KKWF....
.
At the start The Heat was a Rhythmic Top 40 outlet and had played Rhythmic hits, but during the Sirius XM Merger on November 12, 2008
2008 in radio
Several events occurred in radio in 2008.- Events :* January 2: WWFT finished Christmas music stunting, rolling out the red carpet for Adult contemporary music branded as "Warm."...
, it changed to a more hit-driven R&B, urban pop, and melodic Hip-Hop channel.
Prior to its debut as "The Heat" in 2006, it was originally called "The Eye" (XM26) and it was only available online from November 11, 2004 to April 16, 2006. On November 12, 2008 The Heat replaced Sirius' Hot Jamz
Hot Jamz
Hot Jamz was a XL Hip-Hop and R&B station on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 50 and Dish Network channel 6050. On February 2008, Sirius Canada dropped the channel, but it was reintroduced in June 2008....
on channel 50. It also shifted its direction to Urban after the changes were made, to replace XM's
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...
former Urban Contemporary
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
channel, 67 The City. Due to the failure of their urban contemporary
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
experiment, in March 2009
2009 in radio
The following events occurred in radio in 2009.- Events :* January 1: Kurdish TV starts broadcasting in Turkey.* January: Michael Smerconish, morning host at talk radio WPHT Philadelphia, begins syndication of his morning show to WHFS in Washington and WOR in New York City.* January 17: Two well...
, the channel's playlist became more Rhythmic
Rhythmic Contemporary
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may...
once again, however, this time, it seems to be more of a Rhythmic Contemporary
Rhythmic Contemporary
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may...
, not as much of a Rhythmic Top 40 like it was prior to the merger, because of 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...
removing Pop2K (now exclusively on XM channel 30
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...
, and many Pop2K artists are played on The Heat. Most of the rap tunes were dropped, unless it has melodic elements such as in the songs "All the Above
All the Above (Maino song)
"All the Above" is the second single from Brooklyn rapper Maino's second album If Tomorrow Comes.... It features R&B singer T-Pain. "All The Above" was produced by Just Blaze , the producer of T.I.'s song "Live Your Life"...
" by Maino
Maino
Maino is an American rapper from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City, New York.-Early life:...
or "Whatever You Like" by T.I.
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
, as its sister Hip-Hop Nation
Hip-Hop Nation
Hip-Hop Nation is a hip-hop radio station owned by Sirius XM Radio. The station broadcasts on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 44 , XM Satellite Radio channel 44 and on DISH Network channel 6040. Until February 9, 2010, it was on Direct TV channel 847, until all of Sirius XM programming was dropped...
and Shade 45
Shade 45
Shade 45 is Eminem's uncensored Hip-Hop/Rap-heavy urban contemporary channel. Eminem Brings On-Air show hosts. It debuted with a hip hop format in 2004, changing to its current incarnation when it was added to XM channel 66...
channels play them. R&R
R&R (magazine)
R&R was a weekly music trade publication that followed the radio industry and tracked the monitoring of current songs by format, station and audience cumes...
still lists the channel as an urban-formatted outlet. As of late 2009
2009 in radio
The following events occurred in radio in 2009.- Events :* January 1: Kurdish TV starts broadcasting in Turkey.* January: Michael Smerconish, morning host at talk radio WPHT Philadelphia, begins syndication of his morning show to WHFS in Washington and WOR in New York City.* January 17: Two well...
, the channel (despite still listed on 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...
's rhythmic top 40 panel) decided to not focus on hip-hop music, although The Heat is now described more of a hot rhythmic adult contemporary
Rhythmic Adult Contemporary
Rhythmic adult contemporary is a format used on stations in the United States and Canada. It usually gears toward an older audience, ages 25 to 54. Stations using this format play disco from the 1970s and early 1980s, dance/pop music, adult-friendly hip hop/old school tracks, R&B, dance/freestyle...
channel. It took the former playlist of the now-defunct Hot Jamz
Hot Jamz
Hot Jamz was a XL Hip-Hop and R&B station on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 50 and Dish Network channel 6050. On February 2008, Sirius Canada dropped the channel, but it was reintroduced in June 2008....
channel that was on Sirius 50 pre-merger.
The station plays clean versions of songs and has deejays, just like a terrestrial station, however, the channel is commercial free. As of April 2009, the channel has a new logo which shows only the word "heat" engulfed in now blue flames.