Sonos launches Sonos Radio: streaming radio with themes and big-name curation

Here’s a fact that shocked me. Nearly half of all listening time on Sonos speakers is radio.

That might be TuneIn radio, iHeart Radio who knows – but Sonos have taken that experience and added a whole new streaming radio platform to all Sonos systems (new and old) called Sonos Radio.

These radio stations are brand new, created by Sonos, and are free to listen to.

10 Million Sonos owning homes will be able to listen, and just like radio, you’ll hear the odd advertisement with the whole thing being ad-supported.

Sonos see the service is a new way for listeners to their speakers to discover new music.

The Sonos Radio service also includes the integration of 60,000 existing radio stations through TuneIn.

In addition, Sonos say the “Sonos Sound System” station “will feature new artists, stories and insights into today’s music.”

Sonos CEO Patrick Spence says “Sonos has always made it easy for customers to discover the riches of streaming music services by building premium products that sound great and by giving customers the freedom to use the services of their choice,”

“Sonos Radio brings together streaming radio services and a select set of curated radio stations in a simple, elegant way. This is just a beginning as we work to deliver services that provide our customers with a better experience, and provide our music streaming service partners an opportunity to highlight their best content.”

There are also some Ad-free artist stations featuring current influences and
inspirations, starting with a personal station from Thom Yorke.

Thom Yorke’s station, In the absence thereof… , launches today. In Thom’s own 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.” – Thom

Other artist stations will come soon from Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes, David Byrne, and Third Man Records.

The ad-supported stations will be genre-based, with over 30 stations curated just for the Sonos Radio service including “Concert Hall, Country Outlaws, Hip Hop Archive, Kids Rock, and more”

It’s all launching now, so, check your Sonos app for an update!