The service enables access to more than 60,000 stations and streams curated by popular artists. After juggling bigwigs on its multiroom audio platform, American audio systems brand Sonos tests new waters with a streaming radio service. Christened Sonos Radio, the free and ad-supported ambitious project hopes to be a well-rounded way of exploring radio by bringing together more than 60,000 stations from multiple streaming partners including TuneIn and iHeartRadio. Users of the Sonos app will now also get exclusive access to original programming by the brand with the latest software update.
“Sonos Radio brings together streaming radio services and a select set of curated stations in a simple, elegant way. This is just a beginning as we work to deliver services that provide our customers a better experience, and provide our music streaming service partners an opportunity to highlight their best content,” said CEO Patrick Spence.
The new app-based service is an attempt to keep the shared listening functionality of the radio in vogue and offer a competition for the on-demand streaming services. Listeners can tap into music, sports, news, and more from local stations based on zip code and can access any station across the globe. Basically, you can tune into the radio experience while on a commute with a modern twist that it could be a European or American channel!
While it is an ad-supported environment, Sonos Radio also has a signature ad-free station curated and recorded in a newly built studio in their flagship store in New York City. Tune into this Sonos Sound System to catch new, well-known or rediscovered music, behind-the-scenes stories, and guest artists including the likes of Angel Olsen, Phoebe Bridgers, and Vagabon. The very first artist-curated stream was from Radiohead’s Thom Yorke named In the Absence of Thereof…You can look up if your favourite artist has a station that will be regularly updated with music inspired by their own influences and interests!
Curated by experts and artists in the field, Sonos Stations will be your place to look for genre-based stations and currently feature over 30, including Concert Hall and Hip Hop Archive. Besides options on how to choose the music to listen to, the app also provides a smooth listening experience using AI for leveling ad and song volumes and blending songs. As per the initial blueprint, the original programming will be available for users in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia.