Bring Music to My Ears!

October 15, 2006 8:38 AM

iTunes, Windows Media radio, XM Radio, Sirius, Live 365, Musicmatch, SHOUTcast, etc., etc. ...my ears are clogged!

In all seriousness, I've combed AskMeFi and haven't found the answers I've wanted. I therefore seek the hivemind's wisdom....

I love listening to streaming radio while working out in the morning, over the course of the workday, and when I'm surfing on the Web here at home. I like having access to a variety of channels, so that I can adjust the content and tempo to my mood and the nature of my activity.

-What are the major factors I should consider when selecting a primary source of streaming music?
-What the pros and cons of the popular options?
-Which source do YOU recommend?

posted by NYCinephile to computers & internet (12 comments total)

I personally like XM Radio. It took me some time to adjust to the mixes that they play, but I quickly found four main stations that I can listen to all the time, and a few extra stations that occasionally play a good song and are worth checking out.

If you get something like the Inno player, you can listen indoors (At least, mine works indoors, but my room also faces south and I live in a wood frame structure) and you can also store music on it to play when you're not in a place where you can get reception.

Bonus: It doesn't require an internet connection. Minus: Monthly Fee.
posted by SpecialK at 9:15 AM on October 15, 2006

I think you may be limiting yourself if you decide on one primary source of streaming music. These days you can personalize your streaming content to such an extent that you can miss out on the thrill of exposing yourself to finding something new outside of your comfort zone. I like 60's influenced melodic power pop so when I want to listen to that (and maybe find new bands in that genre) I use Pandora. When I want to open things up a bit and listen to a more broad selection of music, I listen to WFUV streaming radio (which plays a fairly eclectic selection of music) or maybe BBC Radio 6. Otherwise I listen to my entire album collection in shuffle mode or listen to full albums in their entirety. Between those four choices, I feel like I'm pretty well covered.
posted by gfrobe at 9:56 AM on October 15, 2006

I recommend checking out Doug FM's online stream (available somewhere on their website at dougfm.com). Their slogan? "We play... everything."

I assure you that they make good on their promise.
posted by DoctorFedora at 10:30 AM on October 15, 2006

If you're willing to pay money, I like AOL Radio. If you have a paid AOL account ($9.95/mo, where XM is $7.99 for Internet-only access) you get what looks like most of if not all the XM music channels, plus a number of AOL-exclusive ones, such as a rock covers station that's a lot of fun. They stream using high-efficency codecs (AC3 and AAC Plus) so the bandwidth requirements are lower than many other streaming services, and for the Mac they have a very nice AppleScriptable client (which, since it's Cocoa, can be easily modified using Interface Builder to not show ads). On Windows you have to use their Web client, but it works.

If you have a free AIM screen name you can try it out, but you only get mono audio on a much smaller selection of stations.

I also like Pandora, it's great for discovering new music and of course it's free.

If you have Comcast Internet, don't forget it comes with free Rhapsody and Music Choice Internet services -- and they work outside the Comcast network (say, at work), you just need a Comcast login. Other broadband Internet services also often come with some kind of premium music service, so don't overlook it.
posted by kindall at 11:02 AM on October 15, 2006

I love Rhapsody, because you can give it 10 different bands and it will create stations for you, or you can just choose one of many categories of music.
posted by nekton at 11:35 AM on October 15, 2006

I'm a new mac convert and love the streaming radio choices in iTunes.
Right now I'm trying to improve my Mandarin by listening to Mandarin Radio.
No matter what I'm in the mood for, or feel like experimenting with the iTunes selection always seems to have something worth listening to.
posted by willmize at 11:37 AM on October 15, 2006

Second willmize's opinion. With ITunes, they offer a whole range of different stations which should meet your taste and if you are still dissatisfied, you can add your own selection of radio stations with ease.
posted by TheRaven at 11:53 AM on October 15, 2006

I'd avoid Doug FM. Here in Austin we have Bob FM. This format has become to be known as 'Variety Hits' and this "[First Name] FM" has now become ubiquitous across the U.S.
This format is generic as you can possibly get - no DJs, just 'hits on shuffle'.

One of the main criticisms of the Jack FM format has been that with the elimination (or at least reduction) of the role of the DJ, radio is losing its main selling point over an iPod, which is the sense that a live person is programming your music. Newsday described the format, with a lack of local programming and personalities, as "another step toward the McDonaldization of radio".
posted by sdinan at 1:48 PM on October 15, 2006

I'm going to second Pandora.

The service is 100% free, and you can create multiple stations (and thus, listening "profiles") by selecting which bands and songs you want to be a part of which profile.

For something mellow, you might choose Oakenfold and Massive Attack and Damien Rice as one station. Pandora will play you their stuff, but also switch it up with other music you've never heard of that fits the bill, musically.

It's not just genre matching, too, which is what makes it so powerful. It's a much more detailed look at a band's musical style: "Damien Rice uses powerful and dynamic harmonies built over a deep string and guitar-based backdrop," etc.

It allows you to skip songs, vote them up or down to further tweak your preferences and avoid certain music in the future, and buy albums right there.

Coupled with Rhapsody, I can find dozens of new bands every month, download them to my Zen Vision:M or listen to them on my computer, and enjoy their entire albums.

It's perfect for someone who always wants to discover new music that fits exactly what I like.

And Rhapsody's radio station options aren't as "algorithmically awesome," I'd say. Though they're getting better.
posted by disillusioned at 2:20 PM on October 15, 2006

Third recommendation for Pandora!!
posted by matty at 2:55 PM on October 15, 2006

radioio.com...you can access their varied streams thru itunes also. (atleast, on a Mac)
posted by dhruva at 6:09 PM on October 15, 2006

www.woxy.com

24x7 streaming the best in alternative and indie rock. It's been an online only station for the past 2 years, but was originally a terrestrial (FM) based radio station out of Oxford/Cincinnati, OH - WOXY, 97x FM.

It has won numerous awards for being the best online station out there, period. Listen to it for 3 days and I guarantee you will love it.
posted by sprocket87 at 7:54 AM on October 16, 2006