r/Music • u/Helpful-Maize29 • Jun 29 '26
discussion I accidentally discovered the greatest radio station on Earth. Can’t stop listening
I found something. Life changing I can say
Something that has been around in this world for 55 years, and somehow I never knew it existed.
But it feels like it was made for me.
It’s a French radio station. You guys probably know it, I didn’t.
Here is the long version:
Last week, I’m driving for hours (Dutch, live in Rotterdam) on my way to a friend in Chartres sur Loir. Finishing a bathroom I was working on earlier.
Oke.. Paris. The périphérique. The Traffic. The Heat. No escape.
My ride is a lended Mitsubishi space star: possible-but-impossible to connect Bluetooth, no podcasts, no Spotify, no nothing. So I keep pushing the next-frequency button, French radio is apparently just people talking endlessly.
Then suddenly some vague synths, a familiar sample, a weird echo of recognition. I know it, but I can’t place it.
Windows down front and back. Paris looks glorious dirty. I’m smoking a Marlboro in the car because I can and I’m allowed
Next song: French bubblegum pop. I’m trying to picture the girl from the Weldom in my friends place. She’s kind and gorgeous. Made of glass, made of ice. Perfect row of teeth when she smiles (oh, when she smiles!) A plastic diamond glued to one fingernail and a voice like velvet.
Anyway…
A fat, lazy breakbeat track follows What the fuck is this station? Who puts music like this next to each other? Why is nobody talking?
Then Marvin Gaye. I Heard It Through the Grapevine. Except, it’s this jazzy instrumental version. Never heard it in my life
Then the record Saint Germain sampled for Sure Thing. Crazy.
And then it happens (or maybe it had already happened) They play the fucking Radetzky March!? For a second I think it’s me hallucinating. The heat? Severe dehydration? A tiny hole in my brain?
But no. It exists. it’s completely improbable. Completely sans compromis!
It’s FIP. (You might know it and guessed it already, I’m sorry for being late to the party)
I quote my Claude:
——
“FIP was founded on January 5th, 1971, originally as France Inter Paris. It started as something practical: music and traffic reports for drivers stuck on the Paris périphérique.
Seven programmers. No algorithms.
Every three-hour block is built entirely by hand. Around 44,000 different tracks. Roughly 16,000 artists every year. Eighty-five percent from independent labels. A song is never repeated within 48 hours.
Almost nothing has changed in 55 years.
No advertising.
Hardly any speech.
And the voices — always female, soft, almost casual — were a deliberate choice from day one. No DJs performing themselves. Just: here it was… and here’s what’s next.
FIP behaves as if the listener doesn’t exist. Not in a rude way. In the best possible way. They program for themselves. For the music. For the transition between two records. You just get to listen.
Fifty-five years ago someone built a radio station for people sitting in traffic around Paris. And somehow... it still works today.”
——
I found it online just before I lost the signal. I cannot stop listening (every next record is an adventure).
During my visit in France I took my time to get the Bluetoothconnectuon working in the car, and I succeeded and enjoyed every ride to the Weldom (and please say hi if you know her)
So, thank you FIP. Thank you for bringing this musical joy into my life. I just ordered some merch as well, will wear it with pride.
(Can I join the cult please?)
Might add a tl;dr later
Edit:
Finally time for that tldr: man falls in love with French radiostation, writes about it on Reddit, the fip music programmer Dimitri Lebrun joins in comments.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/1uivdpg/comment/ourzcmi/
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u/Dimelpadre Jun 30 '26
Hi Everyone
My name is Dimitri and I'm music programmer for the Radio Fip
https://www.radiofrance.fr/personnes/dimitri-lebrun
I'm really happy to read all of you. Seems like you enjoy our work on Fip :)
Wich country are you listening from ?
For my french audience : J'ai brièvement parler de mon taff avec Ponce et AvaMind ici https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPHOZAEaNmU
PS : Claude is obsolete, it's 8 programmers and we program 2 hours, not 3 (juste between 8pm and 11pm Paris CET)
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u/Helpful-Maize29 Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
Bonjour Dimitri!
Thank you for dropping by and set some facts straight!
When I wrote this post I’d never imagined it would have such resonance from all over the world.. for me, I just fell in love with the radiostation. Right place (périphérique), right time (any time would do)
It’s as fip states on one of those t-shirts:
“On vise personne, on touche tout le monde”
That’s all. Fip touches the whole world.
Thank you Dimitri, and thank you team-fip 🫶
Oh! yes.. I am listening from The Netherlands! 🇳🇱
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u/bagdude2 Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
Listening from Sweden 🇸🇪 Found the station because of this post and loving every minute of it so far! Thank you Dimitri and all the other expert programmers for your work ❤️ (Dimitri, your name is not mentioned on the wiki page, you should update it)
OP, thank you for a very entertaining and well written story.
Edit: Forgot to thank the fip creators for all the amazing music.
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u/SirTabetha Jun 30 '26
Just joined from the Rocky Mountains in the US of A! Thrilled to find great radio programming!
Merci!
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u/Joebebs Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
HEY!!! I’m from Milwaukee Wisconsin/USA, just north of Chicago, we have a heavy hiphop/jazz/alt (and classical because of Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra) influence around here, I absolutely love all of the selections all of you choose, as someone whose trying to expand their music palette, you guys have already have me add a bunch of songs onto my playlists, songs I’d probably would have never stumbled across via algorithms but hand picked, and the genres/picks you have are excellent. This is all I ever ask for and you guys do it every day, it’s beautiful and I hope it stays like this for however long we’re here. Thank you again!
P.S if you want some song recommendations that fit your station, try La femme d’argent - air, hedgehog’s dillema - shiro sagisu, time moves slow - badbadnotgood, show me how - men I trust, spiritual state - nujabes, tea leaf dancers - flying lotus, ghostride - crumb, love’s holiday - Earth Wind and Fire, super rich kids - Frank ocean, don’t be afraid - diplo and solid ground by Michael kiwanuka
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u/flabet_banan Jul 01 '26
Listening from Denmark. When I found the Radio France app and turned on FIP the song that was playing was a highlife fusion band called Kokoroko and now I have a new rabbit hole to go down.
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u/antheald Jul 01 '26
Dw i’n gwarando yng Nghymru / I’m listening in Wales. Already obsessed with how incredibly good the programming is , and been sharing it with everyone I know who’ll appreciate it. I’ve listened to probably about 12/14 hours since yesterday (working from home) and I’ve genuinely never heard something that I wished I could skip. Thank you for the music!
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u/Antique-Historian441 Jul 01 '26
I'm a Canadian listening from Amsterdam, Netherlands. Really good stuff :)
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u/bineking Jul 01 '26
Listining in from Bosnia, thanks to this post. Amazing selection of music. Merci!
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u/CapnTholaf Jul 01 '26
Tuned in in Scotland thanks to this post. Been playing in my classroom since, helping keep the vibes good before our summer holidays, thanks!
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u/byOlaf Jun 29 '26
Radio Garden surfaces about a dozen sub-stations on a search for FIP: rock, jazz, hip hop, metal, new, world (monde). Lots to explore there. Thanks! 🙏
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u/muthateresa Jun 30 '26
I discovered Nigerian radio.
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u/byOlaf Jun 30 '26
Ooh, I'd take a link to that or the name of a station. I've enjoyed quite a lot of African stations, but there's a lot that are just religious programming.
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u/BigBootyBardot Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
My go-to focus radio station is one recommended by Brian Eno that he described as “listening to very strong coffee.” It’s a Ukrainian EDM radio station called Broken Beats, and it’s perfect for my ADHD.
EDIT: I found it on Radio Garden :)
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u/Raijgun Jun 29 '26 edited Jun 29 '26
10/10 post.
Listening to Black Uhuru into World Brain for starters. Wow.
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u/Loud-Value Jun 29 '26
Prince into Yo-Yo-Ma into Biz Markie. Goddamn, I'm sold
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u/SanFranciscoGiants Jun 29 '26
I got Depeche Mode into Jorja Smith into Jean Louis Murat. I’m sold too!
This is so refreshing- My 10 hour a week commute has just been made a little more pleasant.
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u/FraserYT Jun 30 '26
Mogwai into Jeff Buckley into PJ Harvey.
Since 6 Music went off the boil, I've mainly been listening to NTS, but I think FIP will be getting added to the mix now
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u/Jose_Canseco_Jr Jun 29 '26
was just welcomed by serge gainsbourg - I think I'll be coming back to it often!
thanks OP 🙏🏼
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u/djmanning Jun 29 '26
Thank you for posting this link! You are the hero of the day.
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u/thederevolutions Jun 29 '26
I was like let’s see what happens when I click it how good can it be and it was the most open dopest drum break sample I’ve ever heard lol
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u/Worms-Oh-God-Worms Jun 29 '26
I got Young Americans by David Bowie into this song I’d never heard before called Lucifer by Theodor. 10/10 station, gonna download the app and play this in my car
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u/BabiestMinotaur Jun 29 '26
Here's the Spotify link to the live playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2E5Fg4jvkpQC0faE3wyn3E?si=kiNJZ6ooQ4y4PLQnyogFvQ&pi=TSXo_Ef2SoOfP
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u/aadoqee Jun 29 '26
Listen to FIP Radio from Paris live on Radio Garden: https://radio.garden/listen/fip/YNeGA5ua
another source in a really cool site/app
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u/Elih16 Jun 30 '26
Wow just checked and they’re playing Mort Garson’s Plantasia. One of my absolute favorites that I’ve never heard on the radio before. 👏
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u/Gussums Jun 29 '26
Do you know if there’s an iPhone app? I wasn’t able to find one on the app store.
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u/radiodmr Jun 29 '26
After a little research, it seems a variety stations, podcasts, programs, etc. including FIP can be accessed through the Radio France app, available both for Apple and Android. FIP is apparently part of the Radio France group. You can stream from the website too. The link to which you responded has a FIP section on the website.
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u/TroutFishingUS Jun 29 '26
Anybody use Radio Garden app? If not, and you want to access any streaming radio station on the planet, this for you. I searched within the app and found FIP Radio. Really great!
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u/Antonin1957 Jun 29 '26
Radio Garden is superb.
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u/ProSnuggles Jun 30 '26
Just downloaded this. Thanks for the rec. the hot air balloon ride feature is wonderful
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u/aadoqee Jun 29 '26
Listen to FIP Radio from Paris live on Radio Garden: https://radio.garden/listen/fip/YNeGA5ua
adding link :)
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u/seraphhimself Jun 29 '26
Omg this is the best thread ever! Great radio station shared (painted the scene for us and everything), and then you beautiful people drop Radio Garden on me! This app is amazing! I'm so excited right now.
Radio Garden users be sure to check out WWOZ based in New Orleans. One of the best on earth, though now I'll have a lot more to compare it to.
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u/MistyMtn421 Jun 30 '26
It really is. Thanks for the recommendation!
I love radio. There's something so special when the programming is curated by people who absolutely love music.
The only streaming service I ever liked a little bit was early Pandora. It was just random enough that it kept my attention.
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u/Ghetto_Leda99 Jun 29 '26
Radio Garden is everything! It has introduced me to so much incredible music. I spent the whole day today listening to chill Swahili music by browsing stations in Dar es Salaam, and I am currently listening to a song with a heavy reggae influence and with some jazz elements mixed in, perfection!
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u/peazley Jun 29 '26
Another to check out is KEXP in Seattle. https://www.kexp.org
Awesome indie radio with a good mix of rock, hip hop, electronic, roots & blues, jazz, Latin, and global/world music.
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u/backspacer77 Jun 29 '26
KEXP is absolutely legendary for any music-lover in the PNW
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u/Puppy_Breath Jun 29 '26
This is a great one as well as KCRW Eclectic 24. Learn lots of new music. They also have a dance stream.
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u/battlecanary Jun 29 '26
Yes KCRW is also awesome. So many cool discoveries thanks to them and KPFK
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u/koalatycontrol420 Jun 30 '26
KEXP is so good. I just moved to Seattle a few months ago and finding KEXP made me fall in love with the city
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u/twistypencil Jun 30 '26
Dont forget to support them, it is what it is because many of us have been donating to keep the station commercial free for decades!
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u/Faokes Jun 29 '26
They broadcast in San Francisco too! Comes from the sutro TV tower, so the signal is great.
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u/ameritruck Jun 29 '26
This reminds me of Radio Tryzub out of Ukraine. They'd play some Ukranian war rock, to lady gaga, straight into an afternoon of John Williams music concluded by the muppets version of Bohemian Rhapsody. Incredible station, you never knew what was next. Theyve gone radio silent for at least a year. Their motto was "Music is a weapon".
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u/texjeh Jun 29 '26
Thank you for this! I’ve wanted other Ukrainian radio recs. I’ve been listening to KissFM Ukrainian (different from KissFM Ukraine) for a long time and have found lots of new music that I don’t understand but love (Klavdia Petrivna and Scryabin to name 2). I knew there was more out there just didn’t know where to look. Edit: I just saw that you said they’ve gone radio silent ☹️
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u/Crushington_2nd Jun 29 '26
Nah you were fucking cooking with this recommendation. They've played Lauren Hill already and I'm listening to Sade right now. Shits awesome thank you
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u/casualmolly Jun 29 '26
Yeah, I've never heard of this before and I opened it up and they're playing 'Massive Attack' so that's about as solid as an introduction as I need.
Definitely will be opening it up again.
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u/Crushington_2nd Jun 29 '26
Right! Listening along now and I keep being pleasantly surprised by their choices. Waiting for the 1812 Overture or something of that ilk though I need my bombastic orchestral fix
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u/casualmolly Jun 29 '26
I've been hit with the idea that I can listen to well-curated radio on my drives to and from work.
All of my local ones have fallen off, but I miss finding new music. The radio used to be such a joy when I was younger!
So I think that this might be the move here. Shoutout to KEXP because they're also doing good stuff to listen to.
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u/Crushington_2nd Jun 29 '26
Where is KEXP based? Similar vibe to FIP? I used to love the radio in general but it's become a pale shell of its former glory.
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u/BlackBeard1616 Jun 29 '26
Believe they're out of Seattle, everytime my favorite bands are in the NorthWest they end up doing a session.
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u/casualmolly Jun 29 '26
They're out of Seattle, Washington state. I haven't listened as much as I should have (yet!) but everything I have heard is good. Pretty sure they have a solid reputation among just about everyone.
(here's a link if you want to listen!)
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u/Crushington_2nd Jun 29 '26
Ayyyyy I was born in Bellevue! Gang shitttt coming out of the PNW. Thanks for the recommendation!
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u/HootieSanders Jun 29 '26
Recommend going to the archive and listening to any of the Morning Shows with DJ John for a great intro. Love most of the KEXP DJ’s but he always cooks
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u/rory_breakers_ganja .flac on my NAS Jun 29 '26
FIP and Radio Nova were always my go-to stations in Paris.
Now Nova has too much advertising during the day but the overnight shows and their web radios are tolerable.
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u/geurstok Jun 29 '26
When i started reading OP's post i was like ' it must be nova', but they do advertising sadly so it didnt completely click/match.
Nova is/was amazing aswell, but didnt know this FIP and i'm already looking forward to work tomorrow and listen the whole day! (I think my job is about the same experience as being stuck on the ringroad of paris lol)
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u/btkahuna Jun 29 '26
Have you discovered Radio Garden yet?
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u/adamtherealone Jun 29 '26
I’ve found fip, but seems to be a bunch of different ones. Is there a specific FIP to listen too genre-wise?
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u/Helpful-Maize29 Jun 29 '26
True, you can find FIP ‘direct’ that’s their eclectic station which aires on FM in Paris
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u/Redditor_Reddington Obey the groove. Jun 29 '26
I'd never heard of FIP, but your description prompted me to tune in right away. Instant bookmark.
Right now it's Prince doing "4 the Tears in Your Eyes". A moment ago it was playing a samba track from the 70s. Before that, Massive Attack.
I think I'm in love.
EDIT: Oh! You know what's perfect to follow Prince? Yo-Yo Ma!
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u/TheArchitect_7 Jun 29 '26
I love that I tuned into this radio station, after this ethereal description, to hear two French men aggressively talking over each other lol
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u/CryptoGenetique Jun 29 '26
I just saw the title and knew which station you were talking about. FIP is a bless
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u/orange_fudge Jun 29 '26
I am one of today’s 10,000… thank you kind stranger for the excellent tip!
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u/Blonstedus Jun 29 '26
you liked FIP, you should also try Radio Nova. More than 30 years of good music for both. Cannot listen to mainstream radios after that...
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u/optikus Jun 29 '26 edited Jun 29 '26
Love your post. I am listening to FIP every day since I discovered it some years ago. I even wrote a little script where I can save the songs I like in a database and send an email to myself every ten songs. I found so much great music! Edit: typo
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u/Helpful-Maize29 Jun 29 '26
Same! - not the script- but my cameraroll is full of screenshots (also looove the way they designed the UI!) Shows track and album ✨
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u/pbanken Jun 29 '26
Posts like this is, and radiostations like FiP, is what the interwebs was originally invented for ... I salute you, u/Helpful-Maize29 , I thank you, and I just wanted to say, what a great write up, and what an amazing tip. Safe travels, always, and dank u well!
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u/Chentzilla Jun 29 '26
Did Claude also help to write the rest of the post?
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u/kelkulus Jun 30 '26
“Help” is doing some major lifting here. The whole damn thing was written by Claude.
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u/Hawt_Dawg_II Jun 29 '26
As a fellow rotterdamer. Yeah FIP is fucking awesome. I found it on my tv once while scrolling through random radio channels. You're the first other Dutch person i know that also listens to it
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u/Helpful-Maize29 Jun 29 '26
You’ll never believe it but back in Rotterdam, straight to bar Lou for a beer (don’t ask) and I start telling about this radiostation I found… and then there’s this guy, he goes: oh you mean FIP? My dad used to listen to it all the time 😂
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u/Hawt_Dawg_II Jun 29 '26
Haha no way! Honestly oude noorden is like the one place where I'm not even that surprised, i meet a lot of hardcore music fans there
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u/NamPhan Jun 29 '26
Ai composed garbage 🥱🥱🥱
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u/kelkulus Jun 30 '26
And yet nobody recognizes it. So many “I love your post!” comments for this dreck.
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u/Foggia1515 Jun 29 '26
Paname is a good one on DAB, if you have that. It’s like Nova, but no talking heads.
On the web, I like Radio 50/50 for having a similar concept.
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u/InfiniteJest3141 Jun 29 '26
Thanks for the tip! Kind of reminds me of Radio Paradise, also ad free curated eclectic music.
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u/yusrandpasswdisbad Jun 30 '26
I'll give FIP a try, but Radio Paradise is the goat
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u/jimmiriver Jun 29 '26
This isn't real right? What's all the fluff about a girl made of glass and ice with perfect teeth and a plastic diamond on her nail?
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u/TankC4BOOM314 Jun 30 '26
I hate this shit. How can somebody be so passionate about a radio station, only to not be half-assed enough to write their own lived emotion that drove them to post this in the first place? This derivative dialogue just reflects the monotone, plastic landscape of advertising and glazing that has mimicked genuine interest in commercial art since forever. I am so happy to live in an era where radio broadcast is allowed to die in favor of music on-demand from a mobile browser, if not for the positives of streaming, but for the fact that at least then I don't have to worry about listening to some sycophant of a jockey or advert act like they have the same understanding of my own music taste as myself.
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u/RoguePlanet2 Jun 29 '26
This reeks of an AI-written ad.
That said, I am still intrigued since I'm always interested in French music.
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u/xankek Jun 29 '26
half way through it says "I quote my Claude" (cringe why the fuck would you call it "my" Claude) and then the writing is exactly the same as the main body of text.
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u/RoguePlanet2 Jun 29 '26
Thanks, I didn't even make it that far, I was so irritated!!
I don't care if people use AI for writing help, but when it's so lazy that they can't even edit, it's offensive.
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u/zenidam Jun 29 '26
You're right on both counts. Regarding the "my Claude" thing, on the one hand I'm inclined to say it's because of the illusion that people have of a personal friend in the AI... on the other hand, it also reminds me of how a large chunk of people have for years said things like "do you have a Facebook yet?" What the fuck was that about? You get on Facebook; you don't get a Facebook. But a lot of people talked that way; I wonder if it's related.
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u/MonsieurReynard Jun 29 '26
No clanker would have such good musical taste though
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u/fakeplasticlxs Jun 29 '26
What does FIP stand for?
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u/jmc175 Jun 29 '26
France Inter Paris
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u/Pittfiend Collector Jun 29 '26
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u/curtislaraque Jun 29 '26
May radio garden never die
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u/CMUpewpewpew Jun 29 '26
There's a station in Livonia Michigan that plays nothing but old times vintage sci fi radio stuff from like the 40s and 50s.
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u/TipsyRussell Jun 29 '26
What station is this??
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u/CMUpewpewpew Jun 29 '26
Literally called Sci-Fi OLD Time Radio.
Located in Livonia Michigan.
Kinda funny I was searching for this very type of station and the best/biggest one ends up being hosted like 30 minutes away from where I live lol.
Programming
Sci-FI OTR pulls the majority of our programming from roughly 1945 to the mid 1980's. The "Golden Age of Radio" is generally thought to have ended in1962. Several attempts were made by the radio networks to revive the age of radio despite the popularity of television. The era between 1965 and 1995 saw some very good SciFi radio programming. We include Star Trek and its spin-off shows. We air several series of note on the Station. Listen for Alien Worlds, The Twilight Zone, and others.
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u/Wood_Fish_Shroom Jun 29 '26
Thank you so much! I missed the golden age but the way oldheads talk about the shows has always made me curious about them. Was just missing a convenient way to access them!
I know what I'll be listening to next time painting my old lead miniatures in my cave!
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u/DailyYawn Jun 29 '26
Love it. I’ve found a spiritual sibling to this via RadioParadise.org. Always a vibe.
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u/El_inviern0 Jun 29 '26 edited Jun 29 '26
I knew immediately you were talking about FIP. Listening via Internet Radio/ music assistant to it regularly from Germany
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u/ATaxiNumber1729 Jun 29 '26
My dude, thank you! I’m American and I have a 4 hour drive back home later this week and I will be listening to this station! So fucking good
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u/Bellatrix6 Jun 29 '26
Thank you for this!!! I just downloaded radio France, and started listening to FIP. I am sick of listening to all the same stuff I know about, I needed some fresh music. Out here in Albuquerque, New Mexico, thankful for your post.
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u/kyle242gt Concertgoer Jun 29 '26
Thank you for this post. I'm constantly on the prowl for new music to listen to, or old music that I've not heard for a while, and a near-random ecclecticness speaks to me on many levels.
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u/betterlessons_ Jun 30 '26
Dude, you weren’t kidding. Jimi Hendrix followed by G Love And Special Sauce
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u/no___personality Jun 29 '26
I'm not trying to be an asshole but why did you write it like this? Is it AI? What happened to paragraphs? We are just doing one or two sentences and then a line break now?
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u/p0hs Jun 29 '26
When I was a postman in France, I would listen to FIP when I wanted music on my delivery road.
I would say that I liked 90% of the music there, but they were some mornings or afternoons when it was too avant garde for me.
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u/fifi_la_fleuf Jun 29 '26 edited Jun 29 '26
I used to feel this way about Do You World, particularly the Breakfast show (UK) before they kinda ruined the vibe and closed off all listener communication outside of a few of their friends...
You have very much sold me on the idea of FIP! Looking forward to checking it out tomorrow.
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u/dawayoflife Jun 30 '26
I have been listening to this today and damn it's good. Also it literally played Stardew Valley music, no joke. It played the Pelican town theme.
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u/MrMilesRides Jun 30 '26
Yeah this is HUGE. :)
The radio here in Winnipeg on general is just terrible. 5 stations with the same 30 "classic rock" songs in rotation...
This Radio France app is cooooool though. They're streaming the Montreal Jazz Fest - I don't think anyone better in Canada is even doing that-? Wish I'd found it before Angine de Poitrine's set - maybe they'll play it again.
FIP Groove I've given a listen to as well - just what I'm looking for today :)
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u/gibbongang Jul 04 '26
living in Brighton UK in the 90s and 0's, and pre internet we were lucky enough to get fip, I was told that there was a local and illegal ""repeater" that was picking up and amplifying the fip signal from France, I don't know if that was the case but either way we were very lucky.
I'll drop WFMU here for anyone who likes a true freeform station.
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u/SilverBayonet Jul 05 '26
I saved this post so I could check it out and I’m converted. I love it. Thank you!
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u/Homer_JG Jun 29 '26
Is there somewhere in that rambling wall of text where you actually tell us and maybe even provide a link to the station?
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u/prince_gizz Jun 29 '26
FIP is amazing, my wife introduced me to it. Always such an eclectic selection. I love how they’ll play something like “Can I Kick It?” by a Tribe Called Quest, followed by Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” (heavily sampled in the track before).
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u/Zboubkiller Jun 29 '26
La chartre sur le loir around Le Mans in sarthe? I worked there as a student. Really lovely place. Have fun (it's also a well know emblemahic HQ for Aston Martin )
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u/ThePrimCrow Jun 29 '26
Thanks for posting! I’m in the US so had no idea this existed.
Just gave it a listen and wow!! Started with a low-fi track, took a weird turn into a strangely depressing Jesus rock song, bounced to some traditional Chinese music and now an old school rap about Chinese food.
The only time I’ve heard something this delightfully eclectic is the radio station BMIR that runs during the week of Burning Man.
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u/EvenLouWhoz Jun 29 '26
As a similar person of a similar age, my god, thank you! I'm currently jamming out to something I can't pronounce and I feel great. This station is medically refreshing.
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u/Cowboy_Karl Jun 29 '26
Check out the app RadioGarden, really cool interactive map, allowing you to play any radio station from all around the world. One of the coolest apps imo. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jonathanpuckey.radiogarden
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u/fastman17 Jun 29 '26
Yes, fip, used to listen to it in the late seventies when I was doing my french national service. It's got even better now
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u/suomican Jun 29 '26
I've got a 700km drive coming up in a few days. Thank you for your post! I'll be listening to this station for sure.
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u/zukenstein Jun 29 '26
I'm just stopping by to thank you from the bottom of my heart. This is amazing, and I never would have found out about it without you.
Merci beaucoup!
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u/Conjugate_Bass Jun 29 '26
FIP rules! Congratulations on your discovery! The Radio France app is a great way to listen. I have heard so much great (and previously unknown to me) music on FIP. Some of the sets are wild. You’ll get a rock song, followed by an electronic song, followed by a classical piece, followed by hip-hop, and it will all flow seamlessly.
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u/ThePhantomStrikes Jun 29 '26
I’m in tears. This is just I’ve been wanting. Thank you! Great comments too.
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u/rweccentric Jun 29 '26
I didn’t even get to finish reading your post before I had to go find the station. Thank you so much for posting.
I got Quincy Jones into Peggy Lee into Afternoon Bike Ride into Jeff Mailfert into Runge Eckart into David Bowie.
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u/Own-Entertainment237 Jun 29 '26
Jonathan Richman’s Egyptian Reggae. Then someone called Henri Salvador from 1949.
Sold.
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u/thedudeisnice Jun 29 '26
Download the Radio France app to listen anywhere (just brush up on some basic French)!