iHeartRadio
iHeartRadio (often shortened to just "iHeart") is an American freemium broadcast, podcast and radio streaming platform owned by iHeartMedia.[2][3] It was founded in August 2008. As of 2019, iHeartRadio was functioning as the national umbrella brand for iHeartMedia's radio network, the largest radio broadcaster in the United States with 128 million registered users as of 2019.[4] Its main competitors are Audacy, TuneIn and Sirius XM.[5]
Not to be confused with Heart (radio network).Type
- Internet radio
- Podcast Publisher
- Music recommender system
- United States
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Canada
- Mexico
- Puerto Rico
32 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10013[1]
Bob Pittman
(Chairman/CEO, iHeartMedia, Inc.)
Conal Byrne
(CEO, Digital Audio Group, iHeartMedia Inc.)
(CEO, Multiplatform Group, iHeartMedia Inc.)
August 1, 2008
iheartmusic.com
- Advanced Media Partners, LLC
- Alpha Media
- ANCO Media Group
- ARN Australia
- Beasley Broadcast Group
- Bell Media
- Cox Radio
- Cumulus Media
- Emmis Communications
- Entravision Communications
- Evanov Radio Group
- Federated Media
- JVC Media
- Live365
- Mereulo Media
- Midwest Communications
- Nexstar Media Group
- NZME
- Salem Media Group
- SummitMedia
- Turner Broadcasting
- Uforia Audio Network
- Uno Radio Group
- Urban One
iHeartMedia built its national event franchise around the iHeartRadio consumer brand including the iHeartRadio Music Festival, the iHeartRadio Music Awards, iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour, iHeartRadio Country Festival, iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina, iHeartRadio Wango Tango and iHeartRadio ALTerEgo.
Availability and supported devices[edit]
iHeartRadio is available in Australia, Canada, the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico and New Zealand [46] but blocks access from others such as Britain. It is available across 250 device platforms including online, and via automobiles, gaming consoles, home audio, mobile smartphones and tablets, TVs, and WatchOS.[47]
Functionality and rating system[edit]
Listeners can hear live radio stations, personalized music stations, create playlists, listen to podcasts and more. 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 provides feedback to the 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.[48] This data is used to personalize users' "My Favorites Radio" station. As My Favorites Radio learns a user's music taste over time, it adds various bonus tracks into the mix. Songs can easily be removed from the station.
For a time since the service's beginnings until 2020, iHeartRadio had a "Discovery Tuner" to the custom stations where listeners could adjust the tuner to play familiar songs – or select "Less Familiar" to play a wider variety – or "Mixed".
International[edit]
Australia & New Zealand[edit]
Before 2014, iHeartRadio operated Australian Radio Network as a joint venture with APN News and Media but now operates an Australian version wholly owned by ARN Media. New Zealand assets are now licensed by NZME.
iHeartRadio Theater[edit]
As of around 2017, iHeartRadio was regularly hosting performances at the iHeartRadio Theaters in Los Angeles and New York.[58][59]
The iHeartRadio Theater located in New York[60] at 32 Avenue of the Americas is a ground floor 250-seat theater which formerly was called the P. C. Richard & Son Theater;[61] PC Richard sponsors them.[62]
The iHeartRadio Theater in Los Angeles opened under that name in 2013.[63][59]