Internet Radio

Tuning in Your Favorite Songs With Internet Radio

There are hundreds of traditional broadcast radio stations that simulcast their programming online. So if all you want to do is tune in a favorite station and listen all day long, that's fine. But you can do a lot more with Internet radio, such as play a specific song, artist, or genre. You can even explore new musical avenues by letting the service choose a playlist based on your likes and dislikes.

To connect to Internet radio generally all you have to do is access an Internet radio website, search for a station, genre, artist or song, and click the Play button. Here are five online radio services that each offer a little different take on connecting you with the music you like.

Slacker

Slacker is a very popular Internet radio station. It has an extensive collection of radio stations covering every genre, and it even allows you to create your own station using the site's music library. The basic version of Slacker is free, however, if you don't want to deal with banner ads and audio commercials then you can opt to upgrade to the paid version, Slacker Radio Plus.

One of the best features of this Internet radio service is that it is very mobile. In fact there are apps for taking Slacker with you on your BlackBerry Smartphone, your iPod or your iPhone. If you don't have one of these mobile devices you can purchase a Slacker G2, which is a mobile music device that will allow you to listen to Slacker programming where ever you go, and each time you connect via a WiFi network, your programming will be refreshed.

Pandora

Pandora is another popular Internet radio station that you can use. Pandora is unique because they use technology called the Music Genome Project, which captures the essence of music at a fundamental level, by assembling the musical attributes or "genes" (melody, harmony, rhythm, instrumentation, lyrics and vocal styles) into a Music Genome. This enables Pandora to suggest a playlist of artists and songs that you'll probably enjoy, even if you've never heard them before. I've discovered some music I really like this way.

Pandora is also well suited for mobile users. It is compatible with a few types of AT&T and Sprint mobile phones, as well as with BlackBerry phones, iPhones and with Windows Mobile. This site allows you to search for music using the artist's name or the song title. You can even search for music videos. Pandora also allows you to share your playlists and song selections with other Pandora members.

Jango

Jango is a very basic Internet radio station. Unlike Slacker and Pandora, this site isn't really geared for mobile users. However, you don't need to download anything to use this online music service. All you have to do is access the site, search for a song and click on play. There are eight pre-programmed radio stations to listen to, or you can type in the name of an artist, and Jango will play songs from that group and similar artists. Another unique feature of this site is its "Jango Airplay" program. This program allows new artists to be heard on Jango for a small fee.

Shoutcast

One of the most customizable Internet radio station available is Shoutcast. Shoutcast allows you to set up your own radio station and select a number of ways to access the station. For example, you can download a Shoutcast toolbar for your Internet browser, you can download a widget to add to your website or blog page or you can download a free iPhone app to go mobile with Shoutcast. Like other Internet radio stations, Shoutcast also allows you to browse for a station via genre. This site has one of the most extensive genre station lists in the business.

Live365

Another option that you have for a basic Internet radio station is Live365. This radio station allows you to select stations by genre, they offer you a list of daily recommendations, they allow you to preset your toolbar with the stations that you listen to the most and they even allow you to create your own broadcast. Live365 also offers a great selection of free downloads and widgets that you can use to add Live365 to your website or blog page. This website doesn't offer iPhone or BlackBerry apps yet, but most likely it will follow the leaders in this industry at a later time. If you don't want to deal with commercials and if you want CD quality sound then you can purchase a VIP membership.

What's YOUR Favorite Internet Radio Station?

I've mentioned a handful of the most popular Internet radio services, but there are many others to choose from. What's your favorite, or what do you like about any of the ones above? Add to the list by posting your comments below...