Sonos has launched Sonos Radio, a free, ad-supported streaming radio service, exclusively available to customers in more than 10 million homes globally. Complementing the 100+ streaming options available on Sonos, the new service brings together more than 60,000 stations from multiple streaming partners alongside original programming from Sonos. Handpicked by a team of curators, DJs, and artists, new Sonos Stations queue up diverse musical selections spanning customers’ favorite genres. Ad-free artist stations feature current influences and inspirations, starting with a personal station from Thom Yorke. In addition, Sonos Sound System, will feature new artists, stories and insights into today’s music. Customers can listen via the Sonos app starting today.
Today, nearly half of all listening time on Sonos is dedicated to customers’ favorite stations and DJs. In the age of streaming, radio continues to evolve, inspiring and complementing on-demand music services and podcasts, connecting global audiences eager to discover and engage in shared listening experiences.
Sonos Radio makes it easy to explore the world’s stations by integrating multiple internet radio services, including TuneIn and iHeartRadio, with more to come. Customers can listen to music, sports, news, and more from local stations based on zip code as well as access any station globally. Start the day with a local NPR station or enjoy favorites from around the world, including SomaFM in San Francisco or French radio station, RTL. Sonos Radio will be continually updated with new stations powered by partners, including integrations with the UK-based radio service Global and Radio.com for US listeners, both coming soon.
Sonos Radio introduces original radio programming from Sonos featuring a range of music handpicked by DJs and artists. Sonos’ signature ad-free station, Sonos Sound System, is curated and hosted by the Sonos team, recorded in a newly built radio studio in Sonos’ flagship store in New York City. Listeners will enjoy a stream of new, well-known or rediscovered music, behind-the-scenes stories, as well as guest artist radio hours from the likes of Angel Olsen, JPEGMAFIA, Phoebe Bridgers, Jeff Parker (Tortoise), Vagabon, and more. Artist hosted radio hours, released every Wednesday, will start the stream of Sonos Sound System for a 60-minute radio show with music and commentary about inspiring artists, releases, and the host’s latest work.
Ad-free artist curated stations feature a regularly updated stream of hundreds of songs from artists inspired by their own influences and obsessions. Thom Yorke’s station, “In the absence thereof…,” launches today. In Yorke’s words: “Here in a new form is that ever rolling compilation/office chart habit of mine of putting together what I have found recently that fascinates or moves me, what obsesses me, challenges me, opens new doors, reminds me of what I might have forgotten, is insanely complex or elegantly simple, violent, funny, messy, heavy, or light. Whatever has hit me over the head basically. It may be new or old or just dug up again. With all this time we have behind doors I hope this provides a welcome connection and escape…and perhaps stops the walls closing in quite so quick.”
Upcoming artist curated stations from Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes, David Byrne, and Third Man Records will debut in the coming weeks. New artist stations will launch regularly.
Sonos Stations, inspired by Sonos owner’s favorite genres, feature 30+ curated ad-supported stations. For a surprising mix of music handpicked by Sonos, enjoy stations including Concert Hall, Country Outlaws, Hip Hop Archive, Kids Rock, and more.
Sonos designed and developed custom programming and curation tools for Sonos Stations, delivering a regularly refreshed mix of new hand curated music. For the best listening experience across all Sonos Radio streams, Sonos partnered with Super Hi-Fi, a company delivering AI for digital music, for volume leveling across songs and ads, song blending, and seamlessly mixing in voice commentary.
Sonos brought together long-time partners to deliver a great listening experience with Sonos Radio, from TuneIn and iHeartRadio, to Napster (formerly Rhapsody), the first-ever streaming service on Sonos. Rhapsody’s “Powered by Napster,” a complete music and audio platform service, is powering the catalog for Sonos Stations.
Sonos Radio is available from the moment they set-up, now pre-loaded in the browse menu of the Sonos app with the latest software update.
Global internet radio stations will be available for all customers worldwide. Sonos’ original programming will be available in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia to start. Support for additional countries will follow.
For more information, visit https://www.sonos.com/.
