What is needed to get listed on a currency exchange website? I have no desire to become a licensed MSB/Money Service Business.  That said, what considerations should I have when creating a new virtual currency to be listed on Coinbase, Bitstamp, etc?
First, you're going to have to prove that your altcoin is useful and has value and liquidity. You can't just create a new coin and expect people to value it. The most successful altcoins have something different about them or some feature that other coins don't have. In other words, you need to create some demand.

Second, once you have demand, then you need to give some assurance that your coin is secure. There was one coin that managed to insert malware into their base node client, got installed at an exchange and wiped them out of their holdings. Your code will most likely need to be open-sourced and audited.

Third, you would start at some of the lower tier exchanges that will take list altcoins relatively easily like Poloniex. 

Fourth, if your coin gets popular enough there, then you can move to an exchange like Shapeshift.

Fifth, if your coin gets enough popularity, you can then move onto major exchanges like Coinbase.

Note though, that not many coins make even get to step 3. Steps 4 and 5 are even tougher. So far, the only coins to have made it to step 5 are Ethereum and possibly Litecoin.

Best of luck.