The Verge (XM)

Infobox Radio Station
name =


area = Canada United States
branding = The Verge
slogan = New, Emerging, Now
airdate = 2002 as Radio Unsigned 2005 as (un)Signed April 17, 2006 as The Verge
frequency = XM 52
format = Indie and Modern Rock
class = Satellite Radio Station
owner = XM Radio Canada
website = [http://theverge.xmradio.com XM The Verge]
callsign_meaning =

The Verge is an XM Satellite Radio 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.

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 XMU 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 Canada. 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. For a schedule of upcoming performances on LiVE @ The Verge, visit the channel's [http://www.thevergexm52.com website] . In the past LiVE@theVerge has included performances from Sam Roberts, The New Pornographers, Stars, The Stills, Wintersleep, Small Sins and over 200 artists from their street front studio.

In June 2008, The Verge broadcast select artists live-to-air from the Calgary Virgin Festival.

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.

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 were named Artist of the Year and Hey Rosetta!'s album "Into Your Lungs" was named Album of the Year.cite web | last = Wheeler | first = Brad | title = Weakerthans, Hey Rosetta! win Verge Music Awards | publisher = The Globe and Mail | date = 2008-09-25 | url = http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080925.BUZZ25-4/TPStory/Entertainment | format = Web | accessdate = 2008-09-25 ]

On-air

Daily

References

External links

* [http://theverge.xmradio.com XM Satellite Radio page for The Verge]
* [http://www.myspace.com/xm52theverge The Verge on Myspace]
* [http://www.thevergexm52.com The Verge Website]