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Rdio Adds Nearly 500 Live Broadcast Radio Stations

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Step aside, Apple Music. Rdio is getting into the live Internet radio game as well.

The music-streaming service on Wednesday announced it is added nearly 500 live broadcast radio stations to its free and paid tiers in the U.S. That includes popular stations like Indianapolis's 93.9 The Beat, LA's 95.5 KLOS, Nashville's 95-5 NASH Icon, New York's NASH FM 94.7, and San Francisco's KFOG.

As part of the new live radio feature, you can check out profiles of local stations and get new music recommendations from DJs. Rdio said it plans to launch additional radio stations later this year in the U.S. and a number of its international markets.

Rdio's new live radio feature also includes sports content. The company plans to roll out 24/7 stations focused on major events like NCAA March Madness, The Masters Golf Tournament, and The Kentucky Derby, as well as on-demand access to popular sports shows from audio content platform Westwood One, like the The Jim Rome Show, Tiki & Tierney, and The Doug Gottlieb Show.

"We are committed to providing Rdio customers around the world with easy access to the audio content they want to hear through innovative features that enhance listening," Rdio CEO Anthony Bay said in a statement. "Broadcast radio brands and talent continue to be the dominant tastemakers in music, so integrating live broadcast radio into Rdio's critically acclaimed customer experience is an exciting development that we are thrilled to introduce."

If you hear a song you like on a live broadcast station, you can quickly mark it as a favorite, share it, start a custom station based on that jam, or view more music by the same artist. Those who subscribe to Rdio's $4 monthly "Select" or $10/month "Unlimited" plans, and those on a free trial, can also download the song for unlimited listening, add it to a custom playlist, and listen to recently played songs on that station as often as they want.

The new live radio station feature will live alongside Rdio's existing "algorithmically programmed" streaming stations and expert-curated stations, which are tailored to specific interests and regions. Paid subscribers can also listen to any song in Rdio's library of more than 35 million jams on demand.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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