Internet Radio - a growing service - do you use it?

[theMusicMan]

Hi All

During this last year or so, especially with the huge growth in popularity of Apples iPod and the iTunes sync/player software, there has been a corresponding growth in the number of Internet Radio stations available.

I listened to several stations before I owned an iPod, Radio Ambient (one of the many available through the RadioIO brand) and have recently started listening to several more. I tend to focus on teh Ambient genre, as I find this easy to have playing whilst working at the PC or even when connected to my home surround sound setup it is not intrusive on the ear and I remain able to get on with my work.

Interestingly, there are also several stations popping up that accept submissions from those yet to make it big artists and performers - the viewing/listening figures for these type of internet radio stations are quite staggering. I read somewhere that they are experiencing 400% growth in visits during the 1st half of 2004. WOW - what a fantastic opportunity is presented here eh?

So, do you listen to Internet Radio? What stations do you listen to and why? Would you submit your music to one such station...?

Let's have some debate eh

[Frederik Magle]

Personally I don't listen to internet radio, but then on the other hand I don't listen to radio at all, so I'm probably not the best to comment

However, I do think that internet radio is an interesting phenomenon, and thinking about the general trend towards more and more broadband internet acces, WI-FI hotspots, bluetooth etc. I would not be surprised if internet radio could potentially one day (sooner, rather than later) surpass the "old" radio waves...

Regarding my own music, I would have nothing against it being broadcasted on internet radio (as long as they remember to pay the royalties that is )

[theMusicMan]

Thanks for the reply Frederik... come on folks... let's hear your opinions on this.

Do you listen to Internet Radio...? Why or why not?

[Priest]

I'm a regular user of www.shoutcast.com, that provides me with a broad range of audio entertainment, as well as winamp 4.0...

Internet radio is god when I'm working for longer periods in a row. I have to listen to some music, that don't distort my concentration, but keeps me awake. So I usually end up tuning in on some jungle (often Bassdrive).

Not the kind of music I would pay money for owning, but good tunes in the late night or early morning in front of the computer

[theMusicMan]

Thi sis exactly what I find with online Ambient music, it is lovely to have playing in the background I find doesn't distract me from what I am working on.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Check out http://www.somafm.com

They have the Drone Zone with great ambient, and Groove Salad if you're looing for somehting more downtempo.

[MoShang]

I'm a big fan of http://www.lounge-radio.com

I've bought some music from artists I've heard there and haveen't been disappointed yet.

Around the time of my CD release, I sent a bio of myself to Thomas at L-R and he was kind enough to post it on their page.

Since then, I've been doing most of my "research" into the lounge-genre at L-R.

[Priest]

http://glowdot.com
another station that has been rocking my headset once in awhile. It's a community with 4 radio channels running.

[Frederik Magle]

Well, I guess the next big thing may be "podcasting". What's your take on that?

[Lotus80]

For dimwits like me - what is podcasting?

[corno]

Podcasting, a portmanteau of Apple's "iPod" and "broadcasting", is a method of publishing files to the Internet, often allowing users to subscribe to a feed and receive new files automatically by subscription, usually at no cost. It first became popular in late 2004, used largely for audio files.

Podcasting is distinct from other types of audio content delivery because many people use a subscription model which uses the RSS 2.0 file format. This technique has enabled independent producers to create self-published, syndicated "radio shows", and has given broadcast radio programs a new distribution channel. Some users subscribe to podcasts using "podcatching" software (also called "aggregator" software), which periodically checks for and downloads new content. It can then sync the content to the user's portable music player. Podcasting does not require an iPod or iTunes; any digital audio player or computer with the appropriate software can play podcasts. The same technique can deliver video files, and by 2005 some aggregators could play video as well as audio.

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcasting (there's more on the site if interested).

[jason]

I listen to Internet radio. I listen to some various channels available through Shoutcast, from classical, to metal, to jazz. When I do tune in, I leave it going all day and just turn it down when I'm meeting with someone or on the phone. This began about 3 years ago when I hired someone who introduced it to me.

[Alex Tiuniaev]

I really like live365.com. My record company has their own station there, by the way. It's a new age/ambient/downtempo radio: http://www.live365.com/stations/321866

[sashdudelly]

yesss... live365 for the win.

[AM:PM]

I rarely listen to internet based radio, though I do occassionally tune to Live365 R&B Oldies stations and occassionally the smooth jazz stations. I think the kind of radiostation that would appeal to me most could be with the option making a personalised playlist.