What It Is
Radio stations on the World Wide Web allow people to listen to streaming music with their PC and other gadgets while connected to the Internet. An online station is similar to an offline one in the sense that both stream audio. This means you cannot manipulate the audio you receive: you cannot replay or suspend it, and you cannot select the songs you want to listen to next. An online station is therefore different from a podcast which has gained popularity in recent years and that requires you to download files instead of listening to a live audio stream.
Most radio stations on the Internet have offline counterparts. In fact, a lot of these are still traditional/terrestrial radio stations that have only expanded their services by broadcasting live on the Internet. However, there are also stations that are purely online - that is, they are not associated with any offline broadcasting network or station.
What You Need
To be able to listen to a radio station online, you only need two things: a device that can connect to the Internet and play music, and a reliable connection. Regarding the first requirement, the most common device people use is their laptop or PC. As long as your computer runs on Mac, Linux, or Windows, and it has working speakers, you can use it to tune in and listen to an online station. If you find it too much of a hassle to turn on a PC just to be able to connect to an Internet radio station, there are other devices you can use. Smartphones, for instance, and tablet PCs can be used to listen to radio stations online. Apart from these, there are also Internet radio station players which you can easily purchase.
What to Do
It is easy to listen to a radio station online. All you need to do is to connect to the Internet and search for an online radio network. Then, choose a station. This is the hardest part, but you can simplify things by searching according to location, genre, or artist. Once you find what you're looking for, you can listen to the live broadcast by clicking on the "Play" button.
Knowing about online radio stations is one thing; listening to one is another. If this article has piqued your interest and you would like to give it a go, tune in to Hollywood 27 Alternative Radio. Hollywood 27 is first and foremost a film company, but recently it has ventured into broadcasting music of various genres via the popular platform Live365. Aside from the usual fare of alternative rock, jazz, and pop, among others, this station also showcases the work of and connects with indie artists from all over the globe.
