May, 2012
This list is randomly ordered. Many items on this list are 'hubs' of radio stations with multiple channels. This changing list is compiled from reader suggestions. The evaluation criteria is a subjective blend of music selection size, ease of use, friendly navigation, availability, system requirements, and convenience of service. Nominate your own favorite radio stations here. Be warned: Internet radio does consume significant bandwidth over the hours. Streaming music is best listened to at home where you have a large or unlimited bandwidth allotment on DSL or cable.
1. SHOUTcast by Nullsoft
2. Spotify
(Spotify.com)
Spotify is arguably the best free music service available today. While Spotify is limited to the USA, Spain, the UK,and parts of Europe at this time (sorry, Canadians and the rest of you), it's already a massive hit with listeners. As they surmount music licensing challenges, Spotify hopes to expand into other countries soon.
As for the service itself: Spotify is a fast and reliable radio system that outstrips the competition. Spotify differentiates itself from iTunes and Pandora by behaving as a massive external hard drive (i.e. it plays full songs and albums as if you owned the CD). As a recommendation and discovery tool, Spotify also stands out: it reads your own music collection and playlists from your hard drives, and then suggests new releases, top-10 lists, and your friends' music lists. The interface is clean, and the search box is very convenient.
The service is free and unlimited for six months. After that, users can continue to receive free music with some limitations on number of hours, or else they can subscribe for five dollars a month.
Definitely try Spotify.com.
3. Grooveshark: Self-Directed Radio
Grooveshark is a real crowd pleaser! It is not a conventional Internet radio station where a DJ or database designs the playlists. Instead, you choose your own songs with the playlist creator. But much more than your own computer, there are hundreds of thousands of songs to choose from at Grooveshark. If you're willing to put in ten minutes of effort to design your own playlist, Grooveshark will not disappoint. Advertising is a sidebar of visual ads on the right, which can be removed for 3 dollars per month.
4. Canadian Web Radio
This is not a destination service, like the other items in this list. Rather, this is a compilation of links to traditional Canadian radio stations that also stream their shows across the Web. If you are curious to listen to what Canadians are listening to, and talking about, check out the music and talk shows at this Canadian radio hub. Special thanks to the About.com readers in Alberta who sent in this suggestion.
5. AcousticAlternative.com
Not just acoustic, but also alternative, Charlestown, Ska, punk, and other genres can be found at Acoustic Alternative. AA is not as popular as other stations on this list, but the readers who have recommend Acoustic Alternative really like it.
6. Maestro.fm
Like Last.FM, Maestro is about social networking with other music fans. You can trade playlists, follow user discussions on music genres, and discover new artists through conversations. You can even store some of your music at their remote storage site. If you like Facebook and Last.FM, do give Maestro a try.
7. Pandora
Pandora uses a form of low-level artificial intelligence: it tries to learn what your music habits are, and then suggests new music that you might like. The 'recommendation engine' behind Pandora is still very new, and uses arguably shallow criteria for deciding the DNA of a song. But thousands of users love Pandora, and if you live in the USA, definitely try this service. Sorry, American computers only... machines outside the USA will be blocked. Copyright agreements are annoying, yes.
8. Nu-Perception Radio
If you like drum, bass, jungle, and very deep percussion, then you're bound to like Nu-Perception. Rave fans and trance fans consistently bookmark this site as a destination of choice for their mad beats and hard-driving rhythms!
9. 'The Inferno' Radio
The Inferno specializes in 'eclectic' listening: blending many different genres into a single playlist. David Bowie, Elvis Presley, Lady Gaga, Kid Rock, Led Zeppelin, Cyndi Lauper... playlists that are compiled by both DJ's and user music requests. If you have broad tastes in music, The Inferno might be a good radio station for you.
10. Real Radio
Real Radio is a blend of paid and free straming stations. It's cumbersome to find the free choices, and some of them require you to download and install RealPlayer software, but Real does offer some solid music choices. The interface is easy to use, many stations will let you play with Windows Media Player, and thousands of users do bookmark this site as a favorite. Definitely give it a 30 minute try to see if you like Real Radio.
