Clever music radio 2022
Here are a few high-end FM + web radio stations to change your sad, spotified, musical background universe from “whatever runs” to something daring, fearless, curious
Stations below inspire every day. They don’t support a daft mainstream, are usually non-commercial and independently run. Donate to them, if you like their services.
Online radios are sometimes using services like Mixcloud, Mixlr, Soundcloud etc. Those stations might still appear, but rather at the list end and with much less description, because we have no respect for their technological unawareness. Using services that profit from unhindered tracking of user behaviour while offering sketchy “pro” memberships, only to enable proper functioning, seems highly questionable.
List ordered by gusto.
Click 🔊 to listen right away.
🔊 Radio Mulot
Experimental, underground, avantgarde, radio art, contemporary, noncommercial, no moderation.
This entirely not-so-legal French underground radio station has broadcasted since the end of the 1990s, also on FM. But we only recently found it, and are AMAZED at their selection of tastes and quality work.
They run 24/7. If radio slowly creeps into your phone universe, because Spotify only sells you the most common demonimator, then you have a solution to improving your cultural being right at your finger tip.
Bomba!
Last played tracks
Bandcamp for radio supporters
🔊 SFSound
Contemporary composition and similar genres, no moderation.
This radio from the SF bay area broadcasts contemporary acoustic, electro-acoustic or electronic music works.
Brilliant, no moderation. You could almost call it composer’s radio. If you never heard of Eliane Radigue, Monte Young, György Ligeti or Delia Derbyshire you will get to know them here, though these are among the oldest works SFSound are broadcasting. There’s a wealth of really new music and similar sounding genres here. Bay area composition makes a big part of that as well. And: They are not afraid of harmonies, despite all the atonal stuff. You’ll be surprised, what music offers beyond money making and stardom.
Last played tracks
🔊 Cashmere Radio
Community run, radio art, experimental and club music, political, independent, partly moderated.
50++ show hosts from Berlin are broadcasting here in multiple languages. Their regular broadcasts already cover loads of different music tastes and from all over the planet. Plus a multitude of special guest shows and collaborations with other radios. This is a very diverse place, always open to new expertise and ideas. Most broadcasts are live from the studio. Those yet don’t show track titles. However they are archived some days later (then run in between live broadcasts) and usually also have a tracklist then, depending on the show hosts.
Archived shows here.
Partly on regional FM.
Our friends of Biesentales Radio also have a show there, you can find all of them either listed locally or here including tracklistings.
Note: Mixcloud players use user tracking.
🔊 WFMU
The mothership, listener-financed, any style, moderated
It seems odd to list WFMU so far down on this list. The multitude of musical wisdom, talk radio & political braodcasting from Brooklyn is so rich, that we can’t ever hope to pay back other than by donating each year again. Also on regional FM.
Corax Radio Radioart
Radio art on Leipzig’s Corax Radio.
This shall be enough for now, however expect this list to get longer over time.
We’re happy to hear your suggestions for other stations on the comments below.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jane is K.O. aka jayrope is a Berlin-based composer, producer and musician.
More info: jayrope.com
