Attention, SiriusXM fans who also happen to own an Amazon Echo device: Your smart speaker may now play your favorite radio shows via voice commands.
Sirius announced on Tuesday, June 20, that its entire library, which includes more than 200 channels, will now be available to all SiriusXM subscribers with Amazon Alexa. That includes basically everything SiriusXM has to offer — Howard Stern, commercial-free music, live sports, entertainment, comedy, and a lot more.
How To Play SiriusXM Shows Using Your Amazon Echo
Howard Stern officially announced the feature during "Howard 100," his exclusive channel on SiriusXM.
As per the official press release, users would simply have to download the SiriusXM skill for Alexa to ask it to play different shows. Here's how: First, open the Alexa app on your smartphone. Then tap the menu button and choose "Skills." Search for Sirius and tap "Enable." Tapping this will bring you to the Sirius website, at which point you'll need to log in with your Sirius account.
That's basically it. Fire up your Amazon Echo and start asking it to play some radio shows.
For example, you can bark phrases such as, "Alexa, play Howard Stern on SiriusXM," "Alexa, play The Beatles channel on SiriusXM," "Alexa, play, Pearl Jam Radio on SiriusXM," "Alexa, play Laugh USA on SiriusXM," and more.
"We are thrilled to now deliver to Alexa our critically acclaimed, compelling and exclusive programming that spans all music genres, live sports, talk, live news, and comedy," said Jim Cady, Executive VP of Products, Operations & Connected Vehicle at SiriusXM, noting that it's now easier to access SiriusXM shows for those who own an Alexa-enabled device. "It's as simple as asking Alexa to play SiriusXM."
SiriusXM is now the latest music and radio service to arrive to Alexa, joining the ranks of Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and more. All those are music-centered Alexa skills through which Echo users can request to play shows by using voice commands.
Amazon Alexa music head Ben Shepherd said Sirius has been a major request from Echo users. "It's something they really wanted to listen to," he said.
While it's certainly good news that Echo owners will finally get a SiriusXM skill for Alexa, there's presently no way to scroll through the list of available channels using it, meaning users would have to know the specific channel they want to listen to before making any commands.
According to Shepherd, Amazon hopes to develop such a feature going forward.
SiriusXM Subscription Plans
SiriusXM offers a $15.99 monthly subscription which includes more than 140 channels. There's a much cheaper $10.99 tier, however, which includes more than 80 channels. Check out its website for different subscription packages.
Those on the fence may also take advantage of a free 30-day trial.
Thoughts about SiriusXM? What other music or radio services do you think Amazon should add as skills for Alexa? As always, if you have any thoughts or suggestions, please feel free to sound them off in the comments section below!
