I do not like the way XBMC handles music. The Squeezebox stuff is the closest I have come to the ease of use of the empeg software. I just finished building the Squeezeplay software for the pi that I intend to use as the front end. I may have a way to launch FM radio from that as well. I looked into it years ago but have to refresh my memory on how to accomplish it.

I pretty much have the faceplate and buttons done. I am using a lot of off the shelf parts and just making them into the cohesive unit. All of the controls will send keystrokes to the pi.

I am having trouble getting the pi and USB hub packaged nicely. I need a lot of right angle USB cables