XM Satellite Radio celebrated its 1 millionth customer Monday with live performances by Grammy winners Shelby Lynne, Cassandra Wilson, Marty Stuart, and blues guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Double Trouble.

XM, which delivers 101 digital radio channels of music, sports, news, and entertainment from coast to coast, recently surpassed 1 million customers in less than two years since its national debut on Nov. 12, 2001. XM reached this milestone faster than cable television, CD players, MP3 players, local radio, satellite TV, digital video recorders, VCRs, or online subscription services, according to Hugh Panero, XM president and CEO.
Many of the national talk-radio hosts who appear on XM Radio were also broadcasting live from the XM studios throughout the day, including Sam Donaldson on ABC News & Talk (XM Channel 124), Tony Kornheiser on ESPN Radio (XM Channel 140), Bill Mack and Dave Nemo on the truck drivers' channel Open Road (XM Channel 171) and Joe Madison and Bernie McCain on the only nationwide African American talk-radio channel The Power (XM Channel 169).
XM says it is on pace for 1.2 million subscribers later this year. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, D.C., New York City and Nashville, Tenn. at the Country Music Hall of Fame, XM provides its listeners with 101 digital channels of choice: 70 music channels -- more than 35 of them commercial-free -- from hip hop to opera, classical to country, bluegrass to blues; and 31 channels of premiere sports, talk, comedy, kid's and entertainment programming.
For more information about XM, visit www.xmradio.com.