'80s on 8

The '80s on 8

Broadcast area	United States Canada
Frequency	Sirius XM Radio 8 Dish Network 6008
Programming
Format	1980s Music
Ownership
Owner	Sirius XM Radio
History
First air date	September 25, 2001
Technical information
Class	Satellite Radio Station
Links
Website	SiriusXM: '80s on 8

Former XM logo as The '80s, used prior to Sirius/XM merger on November 12, 2008.

'80s on 8 (also known as The Big '80s on 8) is a commercial-free, satellite radio station on Sirius XM Radio channel 8 and also Dish Network 6008. As a result of the Sirius/XM merger on November 12, 2008, the channel was merged with the Big '80s channel on Sirius 8, and took its current name. The channel plays hit music from the 1980s.

The channel was created in 2000/2001 and programmed by Bruce Kelly, a veteran radio program director and morning drive/afternoon personality. Kelly's morning show was one of XM's highest rated programs. Kelly remained through 2005.

The channel is currently voice-tracked by the four living original MTV VJs: Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter and Martha Quinn (part-time). The hosts record their programs from their homes. There are no live announcers at any time on this channel.

Much like the other decade channels, '80s on 8 attempts to recreate the feel of 1980s radio. It uses JAM Creative Productions' "Warp Factor", "The Flame Thrower," "Skywave" and "Turbo Z" sound effects (made popular in the '80s by Z100 in New York and other stations) for jingles, as well as similar DJ habits, '80s slang, news updates, and occasional vintage commercial clips. The channel was also used for XM's annual pop music chronology, IT.

In 2008, '80s on 8 was the third-most listened to station on the XM service, with an Arbitron-estimated cume of 698,300 listeners per week.

Post Sirius XM merger

When the merge of XM and Sirius Satellite Radio music and talk channels occurred on November 12, 2008, Rick Stacy was named the channel's program director, and the airstaff consisted of the four surviving original MTV "veejays" - Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter and Martha Quinn, carrying over the lineup of Sirius's Big '80s channel. '80s on 8 was simulcast on both XM and Sirius, and channel imaging was revised to include the phrase "Sirius XM Radio". It also became Sirius XM Radio's first and only channel to phase out the apostrophe (like on most decades channels on Sirius XM), as they changed their logo entirely (other channels such as The 50s on 5 and The 90s on 9 did so, but the rest of the logos were updated). However with the reintroduction of the VJ big 40, the 80s on 8 is starting to sound more like the Sirius channel The Big 80s, complete with a schedule somehow reminiscent of that channel.

Hosts

• Mark Goodman
• Nina Blackwood
• Alan Hunter
• Martha Quinn (former)

Current programs and features

Regular programming

• VJ Big 40 Countdown: Hosts Mark Goodman, Nina Blackwood, Alan Hunter and (until June 2016) Martha Quinn recreate a Top 40 countdown from that week of a particular year during the decade.
  • The countdown airs Friday nights, then reruns numerous times on Saturday and Sunday. On three-day holiday weekends (Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc.) it often reruns multiple times on the Monday as well. Since fall 2016, two additional weekday encores air; on Monday morning, and Tuesday evening, respectively. A third weekday encore on Monday evening was added in the summer of 2017.
  • Special editions have aired during holiday weekends. Examples include Christmas themed songs during Christmas week, a "turkey" theme during Thanksgiving weekend (unpopular and/or obscure songs), and "Sounds of Summer" or "Boys Of Summer", which plays over Memorial Day weekend. Other variations have included "Single Ladies of the 80s" (e.g., female singers with single-name stage names).
• Big 80s on 8 Movie Moment: At approximately :15 after the hour, a scene from a popular 1980s film is recreated with a humorous 80s on 8 twist.
• Big 80s on 8 Trivia: At approximately :30 after the hour, a trivia question focusing on pop culture of the 1980s.
• Lost Big 80s on 8 Hit: At approximately :45 after the hour, an obscure Top 40 hit single, or one-hit wonder from the 1980s. These are introduced with a clip from the 1980s film, first Raiders of the Lost Ark, and currently The Goonies.

Guest DJs

Occasionally a guest DJ will take over as channel host for an extended segment. Guest DJs are usually music stars or celebrities from the 1980s, or those with ties to 1980s pop culture. Guest DJs customarily prepare a one or two hour set list of their favorite Top 40 songs from the decade, and may provide insight and commentary about the selections. Sometimes the set list may be themed. Guest DJ segments usually air on a weekday afternoon, or sometimes on a holiday, with encores played over the next couple of days.

In some cases, a sit down interview, or "town hall" style interview with the guest may be a part of the segment.

Bumpers

The station bumpers largely parody hit songs from the 1980s. In addition, themed bumpers like "Growing Up 80s" parody the typical going-ons in an '80s household. Most of these are culled from the television series The Goldbergs, which is set in the 1980s. There is also "We Love the 80s" (where people reminisce about certain toys, fads, television programs, movies, etc.)

Internet Player

The internet version can be biased toward dance pop or toward mainstream rock hits.

External links

• SiriusXM: 80s on 8