Despite the ever-growing number of music fans turning to streaming services such as Apple Music, Spotify, and Pandora for radio-style programming, the broadcast format is by no means dying. Offering listeners hand-selected singles at the cutting edge of music, radio DJs continue to be among the most important proprietors of new sonic trends around the globe, trusted curators with the all-important human touch. Instead of pumping in your favorite band to an algorithm, try tuning in to one of these twelve amazing online stations — you’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy.
Related: Our massive playlist of the catchiest songs ever will get you humming
Here is our list of the top 12 radio stations with internet feeds. For access to live streams, simply click the name of the station and stream via its website.
KEXP 90.3 FM — Seattle, WA
Seattle’s best public radio station is run in a partnership between the University of Washington and Paul Allen’s Experience Music Project, highlighting the best new alternative music from around the globe. Particularly known for its live studio sessions, KEXP is often among the first major media outlets to showcase up-and-coming bands the world over, making it a great place to hear new music before all of your Spotify-loving friends.
Download it now for:
Android iOS
KCRW 89.9 FM — Santa Monica, CA
An NPR-member station based out of the Santa Monica College campus, KCRW was founded in 1945 to train ex-serviceman in the then-emerging technology of radio. Now it’s just a great place to find emerging music. Creators of the famed Morning Becomes Eclectic radio program, a show which highlights new music and live performances from talented indie artists, KCRW is an excellent place to hear well-curated musical selections, as well as to catch up on national news.
Download it now for:
iOS Android
XRAY.fm KXRY 107.1 FM — Portland, OR
Portland’s most-acclaimed independent radio station serves up the sounds of the city’s popular underground music scene to a global audience. A crowd-funded station which formed in 2012, XRAY offers a varied selection of music and progressive talk radio programming, and has been broadcasting around the clock for nearly two years now thanks to the help of nearly 70 part-time DJs.
Download it now for:
iOS Android
Dublab — Los Angeles, CA
Dublab is an internet-only broadcast that showcases the cutting edge of the DJ universe five days a week. The station also offers each live show for download via its website during the two days a week it isn’t live. With a rotating cast of all-star DJs that includes world-renowned heavyweights like Daedelus, Teebs, Flying Lotus, and more, dublab is among the best streams on earth for fans of emerging beat music.
Download it now for:
iOS
KUTX 98.9 FM — Austin, TX
Owned and operated by the University of Texas in Austin, KUTX showcases a range of genre-specific programming ranging from indie and pop to disco, latin, and other genres. It’s an eclectic mix of shows, but they are each extremely vibrant and well-curated, making it an excellent place to find something new and unexpected.
Download it now for:
Android iOS
WFMU 91.1 FM — Jersey City, NJ
WFMU is the grandaddy of them all. The longest-running independent radio station in the U.S., this listener-funded station offers a freeform variety of eclectic shows that are sure to provide something for everyone. That said, such freeform formatting is a blessing and a curse, as some hours will prod listeners to tune in elsewhere.
Download it now for:
iOS Android
BBC Radio 6 — United Kingdom
When it was first launched in 2002, BBC Radio 6 became the first new station created by the BBC in more than three decades. A digital-only channel that focuses on alternative music from all over the globe, Radio 6 plays everything from guitar music to dance, jazz, and soul cuts.
Download it now for:
iOS Android
WWOZ 90.7 FM — New Orleans, LA
For those who aren’t lucky enough to live inside the Big Easy, WWOZ offers up the sounds of its fair city to the world, showcasing New Orleans’ famed jazz, soul, bounce, and R&B each day. The station’s selections center largely around the jazz tradition — which is still alive and well in the city — providing an amazing look inside one of the world’s most interesting and storied sonic universes.
Download it now for:
iOS Android Blackberry
WQXR 105.9 FM — New York, NY
Among the finest — and most listened-to — classical radio stations in the world, New York’s WQXR is also one of the oldest FM stations in the world. Showcasing the best of composers new and old, it’s an excellent place to tune into when looking for some serious music for work or study. It’s also the perfect pairing for that nice bottle of red wine you have stashed away.
Download it now for:
iOS Android
KUSF 90.3 FM — San Francisco, CA
The extremely varied sounds of the Bay Area are best explored via KUSF, the University of San Francisco’s radio station. A glimpse of the region which delves deep into the complex communities that have thrived there for decades, KUSF’s programming is overtly Californian, providing listeners with warm-weather jams which they’ll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.
Download it now for:
iOS Android
Radio Free Brooklyn — Brooklyn, NY
A community radio station ran out of the basement of a bike shop in (you guessed it) Brooklyn, NY, Radio Free Brooklyn offers interesting independent programming throughout the day, with a variety of interesting talk and music shows to take you through your day the Brooklyn way.
Berlin Community Radio — Berlin, Germany
The cutting edge of Europe’s hippest city can be explored via Berlin Community Radio, which showcases the latest in underground music from Europe and beyond. Those who are tired of searching blogs for new sounds will almost certainly find their latest muse on these internet airwaves.