Radio briefs: Sirius XM lineup changes, Larry 'Doc' Elliott (1951-2015), top 10 Atlanta songs

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Friday, August 14, 2015

Sirius XM, which has more than 27 million subscribers and at least 500,000 in metro Atlanta, made its annual changes in its lineup this week.

Nothing major was cut but a few interesting new stations are part of the revised main lineup.

• Velvet. This new format focuses on contemporary vocalists such as Kelly Clarkson, Michael Buble, Susan Boyle, Idina Manzel and Sam Smith.(Channel 13). I listened a bit the past couple of days and it goes deeper in terms of songs than just the hits.
• Fly. This is an R&B and hip-hop station that covers the 1990s and 2000s so that will include TLC, Mary J. Blige, Outkast, Jodeci and Missy Elliott. It's more modern than Backspin and the Groove but a bit older than the Heat. (Channel 47)
• Limited Edition radio. Sirius XM now has a permanent home to place temporary stations. Currently, the station format is called Road Trip Radio and features songs that work well while you're driving long distances. It's an all-over-the-place format ranging from Pharrell Williams to Florida-Georgia Line to Kenny Loggins. (Channel 18)
• SiriusXM Comedy Greats. There have been various thematics on the comedy channels. This one will focus on the biggest legends, from Richard Pryor and George Carlin to Jerry Seinfeld and Eddie Murphy to Louis C.K. and Amy Schumer.  (Channel 94)
• Radio Andy. This station revolves around Bravo's "Watch What Happens" live host Andy Cohen but won't debut until next month. As part of the deal, he told USA Today, he will do a weekly two-hour live show. He is also responsible for filling the other 166 hours. (Channel 182)

Former Atlanta radio jock Larry "Doc" Elliott passed away on Wednesday after a long battle with heart and kidney failure. He was 63.

His son Azriel Ward said Elliott will be buried in Mississippi, where he grew up. Elliott spent two stints on the radio here, first in the late 1970s into the 1980s for WAOK-AM and WVEE-FM when he went by Larry O'Jay. He left for Detroit and D.C. but came back for one more short sting at WALR-FM (Kiss) in the late 1990s. He lived in Atlanta the past eight years.

"He loved having a platform where he could reach so many people," said Ward, who was born in Atlanta in 1983 and moved back here last year to take care of his ailing father. "He loved orchestrating good connections and making friendships."

Ward said Elliott had his biggest success in Detroit.

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The top 10 most played songs on Atlanta radio last week:

1. "Bad Blood" Taylor Swift

2. "Can't Feel My Face" The Weeknd

3. "Cheerleader" OMI

4. "Worth It' Fifth Harmony

5. "Photograph" Ed Sheeran

6. "Flex" Rich Homie Quan