Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Benefit Plans - Additional Information (Details)

v3.8.0.1
Benefit Plans - Additional Information (Details)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
USD ($)
plan
$ / shares
shares
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
$ / shares
shares
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
$ / shares
shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Share-based payment expense $ 124,069,000 $ 108,604,000 $ 84,310,000
Number of other share-based benefit plans | plan 3    
Options granted (in shares) | shares 0 0  
Expected dividend yield (less than 1%) 0.70% 0.00% 0.00%
Deferred compensation contributions $ 7,628,000 $ 4,295,000 $ 0
Fair value of investment assets related to deferred compensation plan 14,641,000 4,854,000  
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments $ 0 0  
Sirius XM Savings Plan      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Minimum of employee contributions of pre-tax eligible earnings to Company 401(k) Savings Plan 1.00%    
Maximum of employee contributions of pre-tax eligible earnings to Company 401(k) Savings Plan 50.00%    
Percent of Company match of employee's voluntary contributions 50.00%    
Percent of employee's pre-tax salary 6.00%    
Maximum annual contributions per employee, percent 3.00%    
Vesting percentage of employer contributions for each year of employment 33.33%    
Savings plan, fully vested period 3 years    
Recognized cost $ 7,582,000 7,104,000 8,144,000
Employees And Non Employee Stock Option      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Share-based payment expense $ 78,491,000 $ 80,266,000 $ 70,084,000
Weighted average grant date fair value of options granted (in dollars per share) | $ / shares $ 1.17 $ 0.81 $ 1.11
Total intrinsic value of stock options exercised $ 166,517,000 $ 81,204,000 $ 117,944,000
Number of net settled shares issued as a result of exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted stock units (in shares) | shares 16,957,000 10,918,000 17,652,000
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), Performance Shares and Stock Awards      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Share-based payment expense $ 45,578,000 $ 28,338,000 $ 14,226,000
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) and Performance Shares      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Shares granted (in shares) | shares 11,721,000 18,523,000 8,961,000
Incremental shares granted (in shares) | shares 247,000 70,000  
Restricted Stock Units      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Number of net settled shares issued as a result of exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted stock units (in shares) | shares 5,365,000 2,493,000 2,088,000
Total intrinsic value of restricted stock units and stock awards vested $ 48,473,000 $ 17,807,000 $ 13,720,000
Performance-based Share Awards      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Award vesting period 3 years    
Shares granted (in shares) | shares 938,000 3,036,000  
Restricted Stock Units RSU and Stock Options      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Total unrecognized compensation costs related to unvested share based payment awards for restricted stock units, net of estimated forfeitures $ 241,521,000 $ 266,045,000  
Weighted average expected period for recognition of compensation expenses 2 years 5 months 23 days    
Maximum      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Expected dividend yield (less than 1%)   1.00%  
2015 Long Term Stock Incentive Plan      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Restricted stock conversion to common stock 1    
Common stock available for future grants (in shares) | shares 171,388,000    
2015 Long Term Stock Incentive Plan | Employees And Non Employee Stock Option      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Stock option expiration period 10 years    
2015 Long Term Stock Incentive Plan | Minimum      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Award vesting period 3 years    
2015 Long Term Stock Incentive Plan | Maximum      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Award vesting period 4 years