siriusxm.com

SiriusXM is one of the many big names in satellite radio. When you purchase a new car, one of the first things the dealership offers you is a free trial subscription to SiriusXM. SiriusXM has done an amazing job of making AM/FM radio a thing of the past by providing listeners with all the music they could ever want online and on their phones. SiriusXM is available to users in many places. The company has an online website, an app for phones, it can be hooked up to your card, and you can also purchase a stereo-like radio system. The main radio is portable to a couple of other bases, like car bases and stereo bases.

Website Design

The website design is very aggressive. It is difficult to find where the real streaming section of the site is. It's a bit disappointing that the company relies so heavily on these ads. The colors used are off-putting and the forceful tactics are unfortunate. The product is a great product, so their marketing is confusing. The product speaks for itself. It is very good radio.

The website's design is much more sleek and easy to navigate. The website uses only white in the background, which makes it easier to see. The organization could be better, but it's not the worst.

Content

SiriusXM offers a wide variety of content. There are over 140 channels available, many of which are music, talk shows, and comedy channels. The choices are endless. SiriusXM offers exclusive content on its app and website, including a channel called Alt Nation. Occasionally, they borrow playlists from an exclusive internet channel for an event called Emo Halloweeno during the month of October.

The streaming menu consists of the Discover tab, Favorites, Recent, and Search. The Secondary Menu is a little weird for me because it is bunched together with the Primary Menu which I don?t like. The Secondary Menu consists of a Personalized for You-Tab, Music, Sports, News, Talk, and Howard Stern.

Desktop & Mobile Accessibility

The desktop login screen is very poorly designed. It makes you feel pressured to sign up for a trial right away, and the menus are hard to find because of the ads. Once I figured out where the click to listen button was, it was smooth sailing. I chose not to create a profile at first to check out the available free content. The official streaming platform's website is much cleaner and more pleasant to look at. I searched google and landed listeners on the wrong page for streaming, which is confusing. SiriusXM is a great experience when using the vehicle version. I have had the subscription for many years and haven't had any problems with it. One issue I have personally had with the vehicle version is the start-up process. After installation, navigation mostly depends on your vehicle's make and model, but generally speaking it is very simple. Hands down, SiriusXM is the best radio service for vehicles.

The app version of Sirius XM is wonderful, but users cannot access the app without a paid membership. This is unfortunate but understandable. The application is a scaled-down version of the website optimized for cell phones. All three versions of the service are good options. My personal favorite way to listen remains in the vehicle.

Positives

Sirius XM has been a great choice for radio streaming and service provider. It has allowed other companies to establish themselves and improve the industry as a whole. I believe this is one of the best options available in the market. For starters, the pricing for the product is a fair price. Most of the time the company offers free trials, often for 3 months or longer. After the free trial runs out the subscription price differs according to your preferences, which can include a monthly fee or paying for a set amount of time. Outside the car, bundles range from as little as $8-$13 per month. The bundles that include vehicles are around $17-$19 per month.

The vast array of channels available to subscribers with premium memberships is astonishing. There are literally hundreds of choices, including music, sports, comedy, news and talk shows. The company excels in providing niche genres like The Coffee House for indie/ acoustic fans as well as many other options.

Sirius XM's great audio quality never disappoints listeners, no matter where they choose to stream from. Their live special features with artists sound like you're right in the studio with them!

SiriusXM is not only affordable, but there are many special discounts and deals that make it accessible to most. If you're undecided about subscribing yet, listening on the desktop browser is always free.

I have found that SiriusXM's website is very user-friendly and has high sound quality while searching. The website does not have any issues with leaving the tab open and I can multitask on other web pages without any problems.

Sirius XM has successfully personalized its radio streaming service by utilizing user-based history technology. This allows the company to provide a truly unique listening experience for each individual.

Negatives

I am glad to say that the Pandora website and streaming service have few negative features. The radio company has put together a unique product that is incomparable to others. However, there are a couple of features that could be improved. The amount of ads on the first page of Google search is frustrating. It is difficult to figure out where to go to get to the real streaming webpage. The banner on the first page is distracting and almost completely covers the primary menu.

I am confused about the branding of the company because their websites, apps, and other listening options feel like they are not unified. The website is very colorful and distracting, while the app is more modern but with subtle pops of color.

One of the only true complaints I have about the radio is that it doesn't work well in rural areas. When traveling, in rural areas it is almost impossible to listen to the radio in the car. It isn't a major issue, just frustrating, especially for people living in these areas.

Improvements Needed

There are only a few things I could recommend to Sirius XM. One of the biggest things that could be done is making the landing page more appealing to the eye. I would reconsider the size of the large banner so that it does not almost overlap the main menu and think about sticking to a color scheme instead of using so many colors.

Summary

Internet radio streaming is on the rise in popularity. Top competitors, SiriusXM and Spotify, are fighting for market share. SiriusXM's unique technology tailors recommendations to users based on their listening preferences and history. Although the website is cluttered with advertisements, the sound quality and overall product are worth considering for streaming services.