The Howard Stern 2009 Archive represents a pivotal, "end of an era" year for the show, primarily defined by the final months of Artie Lange's tenure before his departure in December 2009. Reviews and community feedback highlight this archive as a "rollercoaster" of classic, often chaotic content that captures the show's raw energy before it shifted toward more structured celebrity interviewing. Archive Highlights & Themes
The Artie Lange "Rollercoaster": Listeners frequently recommend this year to hear the origin of many "classic drops" and legendary bits, though it is marked by Artie’s escalating personal struggles. Significant moments include his infamous appearance on the Joe Buck HBO show, which he discussed at length back on the Stern show.
Classic "Wack Pack" Eras: The 2009 archives feature heavy involvement from icons like Beetlejuice, Eric the Actor (then Eric the Midget), and High Pitch Erik. Notable Segments:
"Point Counter Pointless": Howard declared this Steve Langford-moderated debate a success, featuring a breakdown by John the Stutterer.
Major Interviews: The year includes high-profile sittings with stars like Ben Stiller (promoting Night at the Museum 2) and Gilbert Gottfried. Where to Find It
Official archival content is primarily hosted through SiriusXM's Howard 101 channel, which is dedicated to "Sternthology" programming and post-show discussions. While third-party tools like the Fourble Podcast or community-driven collections (e.g., the "Todd Packer Collection" on Archive.org) offer ways to browse specific 2009 dates, official releases remain exclusive to SiriusXM. Howard Stern 2009 podcast - Fourble howard stern archive 2009 exclusive
The Digital Vault: Howard Stern’s 2009 Archival Completion
The year 2009 was a milestone for Stern’s history as it marked the conclusion of a five-year effort to digitize every tape in his collection. On December 2, 2009, the show announced that their entire media history—consisting of multiple terabytes of data—had been fully digitized. This server-based system became the foundation for all subsequent archival specials on Howard 100 and Howard 101, ensuring that rare audio from Howard's "personal vault" could be broadcast to a satellite audience.
Exclusive Archival Releases: The History of Howard Stern: Act III
The most significant "exclusive" release of the 2009 archive was "The History of Howard Stern: Act III," which aired from December 21, 2009, to January 1, 2010.
Theme: This act focused on Stern’s ascent to being crowned "The King of all Media". The Howard Stern 2009 Archive represents a pivotal,
Exclusive Content: It featured rare, never-before-heard audio from Howard's vault and new, exclusive interviews with major celebrities like David Letterman, Quentin Tarantino, and Alec Baldwin.
Accessibility: While originally exclusive to SiriusXM, versions of these acts have occasionally appeared on third-party platforms like Fourble. Major 2009 Show Milestones
The archives from 2009 are often cited by fans as some of the most dramatic and "raw" in the show's history, primarily due to the following events:
The Decline of Artie Lange: Throughout 2009, the archives capture the escalating addiction issues of co-host Artie Lange. Key archival moments include Artie’s "wild year" recap, his calls from rehab, and his eventual permanent professional split from the show in December 2009.
Howard TV Exclusives: The Howard TV on-demand service (now defunct) aired several 2009-specific specials, including "Miss HTV January 2009," "Artie’s Wild Year 2008," and "JD’s Movie Date". Search news sites and entertainment outlets from 2009–2010
Controversies: The 2009 archives also contain controversial moments, such as Stern’s comments regarding actress Gabourey Sidibe following her role in the movie Precious. Where to Access the 2009 Archive
While the official "un-scrubbed" archive remains largely under lock and key at SiriusXM, certain portions are accessible through various means:
If you are a dedicated member of the "Army" (or even a lapsed listener from the Sirius years), you know that the year 2009 represents a unique inflection point in the history of radio. It was the tail end of the "Wild West" era of Sirius before the merger with XM fully digested, and it was the peak of Howard Stern’s second act—the post-FCC, uncensored, free-form renaissance.
For years, access to this era was locked behind a veil of missing tapes, dead Limewire links, and the mythical Howard Stern Archive. Recently, the community’s dedication to preserving this specific year has reached fever pitch. Let’s open the vault and look at why the 2009 Archive is the holy grail for serious Stern fans.
Unlike the somber coverage of 2001, the 2009 tribute featured an exclusive interview with first responders that almost broke down when Howard asked about the "conspiracy theories" brewing online. Sirius pulled the replay of this specific segment within 24 hours. A raw audience recording (the "H103" bootleg) is the only way to hear it.
If you are determined to find the Howard Stern Archive 2009 exclusive collection, here is a roadmap for the responsible collector: