Now is certainly a time when people could use some more entertainment. That makes the latest news from Sonos a welcomed dispatch: The company, best known for its speakers, has launched Sonos Radio, an ad-supported streaming service available exclusively to Sonos customers.
The platform brings together internet radio services, giving users access to over 60,000 radio stations. Additionally, Sonos Radio also offers original programming from a variety of recognizable artists. For example, there are ad-free, artist-curated stations. Brittany Howard’s station, “The Encyclopedia Of Brittany,” will be available on May 5, and stations from David Byrne and Third Man Records are also forthcoming. Meanwhile, Thom Yorke’s “In The Absence Thereof” is available with the launch of the service. He shared a statement about his station, writing:
“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, 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”
Howard also noted of her station, “The Encyclopedia Of Brittany is a collection of songs that weaves in and out of my personal education of music and how one goes about making it. There are beloved songs from my earliest memories of childhood to things I’ve just recently discovered. One song can be so drastically different from the next, because all that is necessary to make this list is a song that made me think, ‘wait, what is this?’ at one point in my life. I’m excited to share this with you and I hope you find something new here that can inspire you as well.”
There’s also Sonos Sound System, the flagship ad-free station of the platform, which is curated and hosted by the Sonos team and has a number of enticing features. Programming is set to include weekly 60-minute artist radio hours, featuring music and commentary from the guest hosts. Participating artists so far are set to include Angel Olsen (on April 22), Jpegmafia (April 29), Phoebe Bridgers (May 6), Nancy Whang, Jamila Woods, Jarvis Cocker, Jeff Parker, Soccer Mommy, Vagabon, Vegyn, and Whitney.
Learn more about Sonos Radio here.
