IHeartRadio

History

Prior to 2008, Clear Channel Communications' various audio products were decentralized. Individual stations streamed from their own sites, and the Format Lab website provided feeds of between 40 and 80 networks that were used primarily on Clear Channel's HD Radio subchannels. In April 2008, the iHeartRadio brand launched as the iHeartMusic website, featuring entertainment news, national news, music content including albums, singles on demand, music videos, and access to over 750 Clear Channel radio stations online.

On October 7, 2008, Clear Channel Radio launched the first version of the free streaming radio application known as iHeartRadio to the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch through the App Store; 12 stations in 8 markets were included in this first release. In 2009, iHeartRadio was made available to BlackBerry devices and the Android operating system. Soon iHeartRadio offered video: artist interviews, live performance vignettes, etc.

The iHeartRadio app was then expanded to other platforms. In 2010, iHeartRadio expanded to Sonos. In 2011, iHeartRadio expanded to the Xbox 360 and webOS. On April 20, 2012, iHeartRadio launched on the iPad. On June 8, 2012, iHeartRadio concluded a deal to power Yahoo! Music's Radio service, previously powered by CBS Radio.

In mid-October 2012, iHeartRadio launched online audio news, weather and traffic streams for Tampa, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, San Diego, New York City, and 15 other metropolitan cities, branded as "24/7 News". Their looping programming is similar to that of NOAA Weather Radio's. On March 1, 2013, iHeartRadio was added to the Roku digital media receiver.

On July 2013, iHeartRadio began adding stations from outside the United States like CHUM-FM and CFBT-FM in Canada and Virgin Radio Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. On July 14, 2013, iHeartRadio launched in New Zealand and Australia. On July 24, 2013, iHeartRadio launched a new talk radio feature: iHeartRadio Talk. It features original programming from celebrities like Ryan Seacrest and allows users to upload their own content through Spreaker.

On May 1, 2014, iHeartRadio hosted the 1st iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. In September 2014, owing to the prominence of the service, Clear Channel changed its name to iHeartMedia. On October 12, 2015, iHeartRadio introduced "My Favorites Radio", a personalized radio station based on a user's favorite artists, liked songs, and genres.

On November 10, 2015, iHeartRadio launched a standalone app designed for families with kids ages 4–11 named iHeartRadio Family. Launched in partnership with Build-A-Bear Workshop, iHeartRadio Family offers access to dozens of iHeartRadio Original and Live Radio stations in one easy-to-use app and marks iHeartRadio’s first multi-app brand extension.

On January 6, 2016, iHeartMedia announced that the iHeartRadio service would expand into Canada as part of a licensing deal with Bell Media—which, similarly to iHeartMedia, is the country's largest radio station operator. The company described the Canadian version of the service as being a "franchised" operation; Bell will handle Canadian music licensing, marketing, and distribution of the service, and provide content from its properties. Bell also gained rights to organize iHeartRadio-branded events in Canada; the first prominent instance came with the co-branding of an annual awards show organized through Bell's cable channel Much as the 2016 iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards. The Canadian service became available in early October 2016 with FM/AM Stations provided by Bell Media and Digital only stations provided by iHeartMedia. No Custom Stations nor Podcasts or is Plus or All Access currently available on The Canadian service yet.

During The 2016 iHeartRadio Music Festival, iHeartMedia announced subscription based services "iHeartRadio Plus" and "iHeartRadio all Access". iHeartRadio Plus allows paying subscribers to access commercial-free stations, replay songs heard over radio stations, search and play any song out of The iHeartRadio Library as well as offline stations. iHeartRadio all Access allows in addition to the features of Plus, Playlist creations, unlimited capped free on-demand streaming of songs from the iHeartRadio Library including offline listening of songs. All Access is powered by Napster. On December 1, iHeartMedia made available the services in beta on iOS and Android to the American users, with Plus and All Access due to be expanded to other platforms including desktop in early 2017 in the United States. iHeartRadio Australia and New Zealand has announced that it will be available in those countries. iHeartRadio Canada is in the "early stages of looking at the plus platform."

Availability and supported devices

iHeartRadio is available in the United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. It is also currently available on dozens of platforms, including mobile, web, home entertainment, and auto. The following is a list of all platforms that currently support iHeartRadio:

Mobile

Home

Automotive

Wearables

Functionality and rating system

On customized stations, songs are chosen based on a song or artist a user chooses. Users also have the option to listen to iHeartRadio's original stations that work exactly like customized ones. Once a station is created, users can set the discovery tuner to Familiar, Less Familiar, or Mixed. Listeners can also hear live radio stations.

The iHeartRadio player has a Like/Dislike (Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down) rating tool used on songs playing on live and customized radio stations. "Liking" or "disliking" songs for all live stations will simply provide feedback to the particular station being played. "Liking" a song on customized stations will have it and songs like it played more often. "Disliking" a song on customized stations means that song will not be played again.

Limitations