For anyone discovering Stern for the first time, 2009 is the recommended starting point. It requires no knowledge of the 80s shock jock days, but it retains all the danger. For the veteran listener, digging through the 2009 archive is like visiting an old friend—louder, angrier, funnier, and totally unfiltered.
By 2009, Howard Stern had completely adjusted to the satellite radio landscape. The initial growing pains of moving fans from terrestrial radio to paid subscriptions in 2006 were over. Howard Stern Archive 2009
By 2009, Howard was reveling in his freedom from the FCC. Having left terrestrial radio in 2006 to avoid fines, the satellite realm gave him a safe haven. Notably, the FCC had previously issued massive fines (totaling over $2.5 million) against Stern's old employers for indecency. In a landmark case that year, the FCC ruled that Stern's show was technically a "bona fide news interview program," a vindication of sorts, though largely moot given his satellite status. This freedom allowed the explicit content of 2009 to flourish without the fear of censorship. For anyone discovering Stern for the first time,