The Spirit of Radio: How Rush Changed the FM Landscape

🎶The Spirit of Radio is a song by Rush that explores the change of FM radio from free form to commercial formats.

🌴The song features a reggae-inspired closing section, which was a new direction for Rush at the time.

📻The lyrics of The Spirit of Radio were inspired by the Toronto-based radio station CFNY FM, which continued to play free form programming while other stations switched to commercial formats.

🎸The song became one of Rush's best known and most popular songs, reaching the top 30 in Canada and number 51 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

🎥To celebrate the 40th anniversary of their album Permanent Waves, Rush released an animated music video for The Spirit of Radio, featuring themselves and influential radio DJs from the time.

What inspired Rush to include a reggae section in The Spirit of Radio?

—Rush had experimented with reggae-influenced riffs in the studio and had incorporated a reggae introduction to Working Man on their tours. They decided to add a reggae section to The Spirit of Radio to have fun and make listeners smile.

What is the significance of CFNY FM in the song?

—CFNY FM was a Toronto-based radio station that continued to play free form programming while other stations switched to commercial formats. The Spirit of Radio pays homage to CFNY FM and laments the change of FM radio.

Did The Spirit of Radio become a popular song for Rush?

—Yes, The Spirit of Radio became one of Rush's best known and most popular songs. It reached the top 30 in Canada and number 51 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

What is the animated music video for The Spirit of Radio?

—To celebrate the 40th anniversary of their album Permanent Waves, Rush released an animated music video for The Spirit of Radio. The video features animated versions of the band members and influential radio DJs from the time.

Is The Spirit of Radio available for streaming?

—Yes, The Spirit of Radio is available for streaming on various platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.

00:15The video introduces the song The Spirit of Radio by Rush and provides background information about its release from the album Permanent Waves in 1980.

00:45The Spirit of Radio became one of Rush's best known songs and a concert staple. Alex Lifeson, the guitarist, explained the song's opening riff and the intention behind it.

01:31The song features a reggae-style closing section, which was a new direction for Rush. They had experimented with reggae influences in the studio and on their previous albums.

01:43The Spirit of Radio is a lament about the change of FM radio from free form to commercial formats. The lyrics were inspired by the Toronto-based radio station CFNY FM, which continued to play free form programming.

02:05To celebrate the 40th anniversary of their album Permanent Waves, Rush released an animated music video for The Spirit of Radio. The video features animated versions of the band members and influential radio DJs from the time.