I should preface this blog with the full disclosure that I came of age when boy bands and Britney Spears reigned supreme. And when Britney was still going strong with "Toxic," I was going nuts on makeshift dance floors in the unfinished basements of college rental houses.

But a few years ago, I was introduced to Daytrotter.com, the Web site based in Rock Island that offers free downloads of exclusive sessions with up-and-coming indie artists.

The Web site forever changed my music listening habits. No longer would I be satisfied with just any top-40 hit featuring a decent beat that was played on mainstream radio. I found myself craving indie rock, and the only place I could hear it was on my iPod, where I store all my free downloads from Daytrotter.

That is until I discovered XMU on Sirius Satellite Radio. My fiance has several satellite radio channels as part of his TV package, and as I've been spending more time at his place getting it ready for me to move in after our wedding, I stumbled across XMU.

The channel plays all indie rock all the time without commercials, which is seriously the best aspect of it. Some of my new favorites, The Decemberists, Spoon, Sonic Youth, and Iron and Wine all are played regularly on the station.

Since several of the artists on XMU also have recorded sessions at Daytrotter, there is a good chance the artists you hear on the channel will be in the Quad-Cities for a live show. Tiny Vipers is the latest example of an artist featured on the channel who has played the Quad-Cities - just last month, in fact.

If you have satellite radio, check out XMU. But beware. Once you go indie rock, you never go back ... unless it's to preorder Britney Spears' "Circus," which I totally admit to and have no regrets about.