60,000+ radio stations, Sonos DJs, Thom Yorke and more
Speaker giant Sonos took the covers off of Sonos Radio earlier this year; an all new, free (ad-supported) streaming service that’s designed to not only make it easier for Sonos users to find their favorite radio stations, but also to offer up original shows and stations directly.
And it followed this up in November 2020 with the launch of Sonos Radio HD, an ad-free premium offering that bumps the quality up to high-definition audio.
Sonos Radio isn’t meant to replace the likes of TuneIn, which many Sonos users currently use to find radio stations, but instead streamline the radio curation process and open up new listening opportunities.
As well as the 60,000+ radio stations that the new platform can browse, there are curated stations – R&B Collective, Pure Unplugged, Blues Masters, Rock Road Trip – and the like, as well as Sonos’ answer to Apple’s Beats Radio: Sonos Sound System – described as a “signature ad-free station, curated and hosted by the Sonos team, features a stream of new and well-known music, behind-the-scenes stories, as well as guest artist radio hours.”
Finally, there’s Artists Radio; ad-free streams of song selections from artists “inspired by their own influences and obsessions”. Radiohead’s Thom Yorke kicks things off with his station In the Absence Thereof now live.
It’s worth noting that the new Sonos Radio feature is part of the both the ‘old’ Sonos S1 system and the new Sonos S2 system.
Here’s how to get started with Sonos Radio
- Make sure that both your smartphone app, and your Sonos system are running the latest firmware.
- Go to Browse in the Sonos app and you should see Sonos Radio listed alongside your other sources.
- Tap its icon and go through the steps to add it to your system.
- That’s it – you’re all set; you can now search for stations and browse the curated content
What about Sonos Radio HD
Sonos Radio HD costs $7.99 a month.
It features ad-free radio stations at a much higher sound quality than the regular Sonos Radio and you can also skip and repeat tracks.
There’s also a vast selection of stations, starting with Songteller Radio, a partnership with legendary singer Dolly Parton which will feature her hits, favorite tracks and commentary.
The exclusive new stations on Sonos Radio HD will be more in-depth – and be streamed at 16-bit/44.1kHz (CD quality), rather than the standard 128kbps.
There are also six dedicated sleep stations with white noise, pink noise, brown noise, rain, rainforest and piano to choose from.
There’s also a selection of “soundtracks for the home” with stations promoting mindfulness, productivity and relaxation.
There’s a month’s free trial to start though, so you can test out Sonos Radio HD before deciding to splash the cash.
