May 04, 2004

Internet Radio is Cooler than your iPod

Internet radio makes it easy to find new music, organizes it thematically, and doesn't cost me a penny (except for what I feel like donating).

Godsend for the Lazy

Don't get me wrong, I love music, I just don't have the dedication needed to build a playlist of my own MP3's burned from my CDs or downloaded off of iTunes. So I let someone else do it for me. I open my streaming software, peruse the listing, click on a stream and kick back to great, commercial-free music.

Don't Take My Word for It

Intrigued? Try it out for yourself! Here's what do you need to partake:

  1. A Streaming Media Client:
    PC - WinAmp
    My personal favorite because of the built-in radio tuner that uses the Shoutcast listings, and small memory footprint
    Mac - iTunes
    Also has a built in tuner, and native support for AAC format (the same one iPod uses). I know there is a Windows version of this too, but it is such a memory hog that I prefer to stick with WinAmp for now.
  2. High-speed internet access. DSL/Cable or higher.
  3. Playlists! There are many stations listed in radio browser, you will settle on your favorites pretty quickly
  4. Good speakers or headphones. I prefer the latter because I listen mostly while at work, and they are always around when I need them

Thats it! You're on your way to new worlds of music that most of us would never find on our own. Remember that the built-in tuners have a lot of stations listed, but not all of them. If you get a hankering for something particular, say Cuban music, try a search in Google and see what you get. That's how I found the Radio Cubik Network with great latin and cuban stations!

Places to Start Listening

I flip around a lot, but there are a few stalwarts I listen to often:

Secret Agent Radio
Just plain cool, down-tempo music with bits from 007 movies thrown in between.
Radio Wazee
Alt rock how it was meant to be. Sprinkled with some popular songs, there is something new on this station every other day.
Digitally Imported Radio
The best background music when working. All Trance all the time.
KEXP
I know this is a real radio station in Seattle, but it is possibly the best college station out there and you can hear it anywhere in the world. Listen in the mornings with John.
Donate to the Cause

Few if any of these stations are actual businesses, and are often paid for out of pocket. With the recent LOC and CARP rulings, internet radio broadcasters need to pay royalties on the songs they play. So if you find you like internet radio like I do, give a little back.

Posted in:
Internet Radio

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