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iHeartRadio

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Spreaker)

iHeartRadio
Type
Country
  • United States (including Puerto Rico)
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • Canada
  • Mexico
HeadquartersSan Antonio, Texas, U.S.
OwneriHeartMedia
Key people
Bob Pittman
(Chairman/CEO, iHeartMedia, Inc.)
Rich Bressler
(President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, in iHeartRadio, Inc.; CEO, iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group)
Conal Byrne
(CEO, Digital Audio Group, iHeartMedia Inc.)
Launch date
August 1, 2008; 17 years ago (2008-08-01)
Affiliations
Official website
iHeartRadio

iHeartRadio (often shortened to iHeart) is the flagship brand of iHeartMedia, an American mass media company. First used in August 2008 to market Clear Channel Communications' freemium radio and music streaming service,[1][2] the umbrella brand was progressively broadened to encompass Clear Channel's national radio network[3] and other consumer-facing ventures,[4] culminating with Clear Channel itself rebranding as iHeartMedia in 2014.[1] Its main radio competitors are Audacy, TuneIn and SiriusXM.[5]

History

[edit]

iHeartRadio is owned by iHeartMedia, which was rebranded from Clear Channel in 2014.[6] Prior to 2008, Clear Channel Communications' various audio products were decentralized.[citation needed] Individual stations streamed from their own sites (or, in many cases, did not, owing to voluminous syndication and local advertising clearance issues), and the Format Lab website provided feeds of between 40 and 80 networks that were used primarily on Clear Channel's HD Radio subchannels, many of which transitioned to iHeartRadio unchanged.[citation needed] In August 2008, Clear Channel launched[buzzword] the iHeartMusic website, featuring[buzzword] entertainment news, national news, music content including albums, singles on demand, music videos, and access to over 750[peacock prose] Clear Channel radio stations online.[citation needed][promotion?]

On October 7, 2008, Clear Channel Radio launched[buzzword] the first version of iHeartRadio iPhone OS app. 12 radio stations in 8 markets were included in this first release.[7][8][better source needed] In 2009, iHeartRadio was made available to[buzzword] BlackBerry devices and the Android operating system[9][10][11] and then Sonos[12] in 2010. September 2011 marked the official launch[buzzword] of the free, all-in-one[buzzword] iHeartRadio service featuring[buzzword] thousands of live radio stations and custom artist stations.[13][peacock prose] The launch coincided with the inaugural iHeartRadio Music Festival, the annual two-day event hosted by Ryan Seacrest at the MGM Grand Las Vegas.[14][buzzword]

The app was expanded to the Xbox 360[15] and webOS.[16] On April 20, 2012, iHeartRadio launched[buzzword] on the iPad.[17] On June 8, 2012, iHeartRadio concluded a deal to power[buzzword] Yahoo! Music's Radio service, previously powered by CBS Radio.[citation needed][promotion?]

In mid-October 2012, iHeartRadio launched[buzzword] online audio news, weather and traffic streams for major American metropolitan areas, branded as "24/7 News".[18][promotion?] On March 1, 2013, iHeartRadio was added to the Roku digital media receiver.[19] As of 2019, the app was available on more than[peacock prose] 250 devices and platforms.[20]

In July 2013, iHeartRadio began adding stations from outside the United States like CHUM-FM and CFBT-FM in Canada and Virgin Radio Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.[21] On July 14, 2013, iHeartRadio launched in New Zealand and Australia.[22]

On July 24, 2013, iHeartRadio launched a new talk radio feature: iHeartRadio Talk. It featured[buzzword] original on-demand programming from celebrities like Ryan Seacrest and allowed users to upload their own content through Spreaker.[23] In 2014, the iHeartRadio Talk feature was renamed "Shows & Personalities" in 2014 and "Podcasts" in 2016.

On November 10, 2015, iHeartRadio launched a spin-off app known as iHeartRadio Family—a curated experience targeting children.[promotion?] It features a simplified interface and a selection of age-appropriate stations (such as Radio Disney, and stations curated by artists and personalities popular among the demographic).[promotion?] Build-A-Bear Workshop served as a launch sponsor[buzzword] for the app, which included the addition of a "Build-a-Bear Workshop Radio" channel in the app.[24][25]

In 2016, iHeartMedia announced subscription based on demand services "iHeartRadio Plus" and "iHeartRadio all Access powered by Napster".[26] On December 1, 2016, iHeartMedia launched[buzzword] the services in beta on iOS and Android to the American users.[citation needed]

iHeartRadio launched[buzzword] in Canada on October 7, 2016, in association with[buzzword] Bell Media.[27]

At the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show, iHeartRadio expanded Plus and All Access to other platforms including desktop.[28][29][30]

iHeartRadio launched in Mexico on October 29, 2018, in association with[buzzword] Grupo ACIR.[31]

Parent company iHeartMedia filed for bankruptcy in 2018, due in part to competion from Spotify and SiriusXM.[32]

From the start of service, many of its own radio stations that identified with a callsign and the metro area they serve have the end tag that identifies them as "An iHeartRadio Station", or for live national music stations such as Eclectic Rock or iHeart80s, their end tags identify them as "An iHeartRadio Original Station" (they also ID the HD2/HD3 stations that simulcast). Though starting in 2019, iHeartRadio introduces its own "Sonic Logo", a five-note sounder with two heartbeats at the end. It includes specific variations (including vocal versions) for different formats or productions.[33]

iHeartRadio offices in San Francisco

In 2019, The New York Times described iHeartRadio as the largest radio broadcaster in the United States, with 848 terrestrial stations.[5] While being considered for purchase by Liberty Media in early 2020, iHeart fired employees en masse[34] in what the bankrupt[32] company as technology-driven layoffs.[35] Reporting on the number of firings ranged from dozens[34] or hundreds[36] to "as many as 850"[37] or more than 1,000[36][38] of its then-12,500 employees.

On April 23, 2020, the iHeartRadio app was launched in association with[buzzword] Uno Radio Group, which owns the NotiUno, Salsoul, Fidelity and Hot 102 brands in Puerto Rico.[citation needed]

On December 1, 2021, iHeartRadio signed a deal with Roku to provide The Roku Channel a dozen live radio stations as FAST channels with Music Choice-style imagery.[39]

On September 27, 2023, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx announced that their radio broadcasts would move to the iHeartRadio app, with the majority of Lynx games and some Timberwolves games simulcast on co-owned KFXN-FM.[40]

Acquisitions

[edit]

In September 2018, iHeartMedia announced it would acquire U.S. podcast publisher Stuff Media, LLC, formerly the podcast publishing division of HowStuffWorks, for $55 million. [41]

As of 2022, iHeartRadio is the leading[buzzword] podcast publisher on Podtrac, with over 400 million downloads each month.[42] In November 2018, iHeart also bought Jelli.[43] In October 2020, it was announced[by whom?] that the company would acquire Voxnest, the parent company of Spreaker, a podcast-hosting company.[44][45] iHeart has since also bought Triton Digital from Scripps.[46] In February 2022, iHeartMedia invested in Sounder.[47]

Availability and supported devices

[edit]

iHeartRadio is[when?] available in Australia, Canada, the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and New Zealand,[48] but blocks access from others such as Britain.

Launched in 2011, the iHeartRadio app has more than 188 million registered users and is available on over 500 platforms and over 2,000 different connected devices — including smart speakers, digital auto dashes, tablets, wearables, smartphones, virtual assistants, televisions and gaming consoles.[49]

In 2024, iHeartMedia made major changes to the iHeartRadio apps' user interface. The changes were intended to mimic features from a car radio, including tuners, live radio, and song lyrics.[49]

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.[50] 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.

Canada

[edit]

On January 6, 2016, iHeartMedia announced that the iHeartRadio service would expand into Canada as part of a licensing deal with Bell Media. The company described the Canadian version of the service as being a "franchised" operation; Bell handles Canadian music licensing, marketing, and distribution of the service, and provides content from its properties. Bell also gained rights to organize Canadian versions of the company's branded events, such as the Jingle Ball,[51] and co-branded the annual awards show organized through its cable channel Much as the iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards.[52][30][53][54]

The service went live in Canada on October 7, 2016, and on December 4, 2017, additional features were added to the service, including podcasts, additional stations, and a deal with Evanov Radio Group to add its stations to the service.[55][56] Stingray Radio similarly joined in June 2023,[57] followed by Corus Entertainment in May 2024,[58] Pattison Media in November 2024,[59] and Vista Radio in April 2025.[60]

Its main competitor is Radioplayer Canada, which is backed by a consortium of other Canadian radio broadcasters.[57]

Mexico

[edit]

iHeartMedia announced iHeartRadio's expansion to Mexico on October 29, 2018, through an exclusive partnership with Grupo ACIR, a Mexican broadcasting company. iHeartRadio México includes all 56 Grupo ACIR and 850 iHeartMedia live broadcast radio stations from across Mexico and the U.S., including music, news/talk, comedy and sports content.[61] Through the expansion, listeners also have access to all of iHeartMedia's exclusive digital-only iHeartRadio Original stations spanning all genres of music, as well as Grupo ACIR's own offer of digital-only stations featuring the most popular genres in Mexico. Users can also access the top English and Spanish language podcasts and on-air personalities.[31]

Brand expansion

[edit]

Clear Channel/iHeartMedia built its national event franchise around the iHeartRadio consumer brand, beginning with the iHeartRadio Music Festival in 2011. The next year, the annual Jingle Ball concert in Los Angeles was expanded into a national iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour. Other music festivals followed: the iHeartRadio Country Festival, iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina, and ALTer Ego.

Programming produced under iHeartRadio billing includes iHeartRadio Countdown, the iHeartRadio Music Awards, and the iHeartRadio Podcast Awards. As of around 2017, iHeartMedia also operated iHeartRadio Theaters in Los Angeles and New York City.[62][63] The iHeartRadio Theater in New York City,[64] formerly the P. C. Richard & Son Theater,[65][66] is a ground floor 250-seat theater at 32 Avenue of the Americas. The iHeartRadio Theater Los Angeles, located at The Burbank Studios in Burbank, opened in 2013. The theater is a converted soundstage that was previously used by The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.[67][63] Both theaters are generally used for private promotional performances, with attendees exclusively consisting of radio contest winners, VIPs, and the like.[68][66]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 "Company Overview of iHeartMedia and Entertainment, Inc". Business Week. Bloomberg LP. 2014. Archived from the original on December 27, 2008. Retrieved September 20, 2014. On September 16, 2014, Clear Channel Broadcasting, Inc. changed its name to iHeartMedia and Entertainment, Inc.
  2. ↑ "iHeartRadio". iHeart. July 24, 2021. Archived from the original on July 24, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  3. ↑ "iHeartMedia/Pushkin Industries Release Study On "The New American Consumer 2.0"". RadioInsight. September 10, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  4. ↑ Smith, Craig (June 25, 2015). "20 Amazing iHeartRadio Statistics". DMR. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Sisario, Ben; de la Merced, Michael J. (April 3, 2019). "The Radio Giant iHeartMedia Prepares for Possible I.P.O." DealBook. The New York Times.
  6. ↑ Sisario, Ben (September 16, 2014). "Clear Channel Renames Itself iHeartMedia in Nod to Digital". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  7. ↑ "No AM/FM receiver required: Clear Channel brings top radio stations to Apple iPhone, iPod touch". Mac Daily News. October 13, 2008. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  8. ↑ iHeartRadio iPhone App reaches 1 million downloads. "iHeartRadio iPhone App reaches 1 million downloads". Orbitcast. Archived from the original on April 28, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ "IHeartRadio, Launches Streaming Radio Application!". CrackBerry.com. March 16, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  10. ↑ Wauters, Robin (December 24, 2009). "Clear Channel Radio Debuts Android Version of iheartradio App". TechCrunch. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  11. ↑ "MediaPost Publications – Home of MediaDailyNews, MEDIA and OMMA Magazines". December 29, 2011. Archived from the original on December 29, 2011. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
  12. ↑ Taub, Eric A. (May 20, 2010). "An Upgrade for Sonos". The New York Times. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Clear Channel's iHeartRadio takes on Pandora". USA Today. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  14. ↑ "iHeartRadio: Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Kenny Chesney Close Out Music Festival (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  15. ↑ "iHeartRadio on Xbox 360". www.xbox.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2014. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
  16. ↑ Palm (July 3, 2011). "iHeartRadio palm webOS application". Archived from the original on October 1, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Clear Channel Radio Releases iheartradio App For iPad On The App Store". Clear Channel Radio. April 20, 2012. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013.
  18. ↑ IHeartRadio Adds Local News Streams For 20 Cities – RadioInsight.com (released October 18, 2012)
  19. ↑ Roku Channel Store: iHeartRadio Retrieved March 1, 2013
  20. ↑ "iHeartRadio – iHeartRadio News & Entertainment". iHeartRadio. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  21. ↑ "IHeartRadio Launches International Suite". RadioInsight. July 7, 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  22. ↑ "iHeartRadio Launches in New Zealand". scoop.co.nz. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Clear Channel Launches iHeartRadio Talk, Letting Everyone From Jimmy Kimmel To Joe Six Pack Be Heard". July 24, 2013.
  24. ↑ "iHeartMedia Launches iHeartRadio Family Music Streaming App". Adweek. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  25. ↑ Ifeanyi, KC (November 10, 2015). "The iHeartRadio Family App Is Here, With Help From 30 Kids And A "Bug Bash"". Fast Company.
  26. ↑ "iHeartRadio All Access". iHeartRadio. Retrieved December 3, 2016.[dead link]
  27. ↑ "Bell Media officially launches iHeartRadio". Media in Canada. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  28. ↑ "iHeart officially rolls out its Spotify rival". CNET. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  29. ↑ McIntyre, Hugh. "iHeartRadio Launches On-Demand Streaming Apps To Compete With Spotify". Forbes. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  30. 1 2 "Rob Farina Talks 1M Apps, Radio & iHeartRadio". FYIMusicNews. May 10, 2017. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  31. 1 2 Glicksman, Josh (October 29, 2018). "iHeartRadio Launching in Mexico Following Pact With Grupo ACIR". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  32. 1 2 "iHeartMedia, largest U.S. radio station operator, files for bankruptcy to cut huge debt load". The Los Angeles Times. March 15, 2018.
  33. ↑ iHeartMedia – Sonic Logo – iHeartMedia (accessed April 4, 2022)
  34. 1 2 Leggate, James (January 15, 2020). "iHeartRadio owner lays off dozens including popular hosts". Fox Business.
  35. ↑ Resnikoff, Paul (January 15, 2020). "iHeartRadio Just Replaced Hundreds of Human Workers With 'Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI)'". Digital Music News.
  36. 1 2 Foran, Chris (January 14, 2020). "V100's Reggie Brown, Madison sports-talk host Mike Lucas among the hundreds laid off at iHeartMedia stations nationwide". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Industry reports estimate the cuts could total more than 1,000 jobs more to come this week
  37. ↑ <ref name="Leight2020a">Leight, Elias (January 15, 2020). "'The Culling Has Begun': Inside the iHeartMedia Layoffs". RS Pro. Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  38. ↑ Cite error: The named reference Leight2020a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  39. ↑ iHR Brings Free Music Stations to Roku's Live TV Guide – Radio Online (published December 1, 2021)
  40. ↑ "Timberwolves, Lynx and iHeartMedia Minneapolis Announce Multidimensional Streaming and Radio Partnership" (Press release). NBA. September 27, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  41. ↑ Mullin, Benjamin; Steele, Anne (September 13, 2018). "iHeartMedia Buys Stuff Media for $55 Million". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  42. ↑ "REVISED: November 2022- Top Podcasts, Publishers and Sales Networks". Podtrac. December 19, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  43. ↑ "iHeartMedia to acquire radio adtech company Jelli". TechCrunch. November 19, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  44. ↑ "iHeart Purchases Spreaker's Parent Company Voxnest". Radio Ink. October 23, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  45. ↑ "iHeartMedia to Acquire Voxnest". iheartmedia.azurewebsites.net. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  46. ↑ Spangler, Todd (February 17, 2021). "iHeartMedia to Acquire Audio Ad-tech Firm Triton Digital from Scripps for $230 Million". Variety. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  47. ↑ Chan, J. Clara (February 16, 2022). "iHeartMedia Invests in Podcast Platform Sounder from Former Spotify, Google Executives". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  48. ↑ "Is iHeartRadio available in my country?". iHeartRadio. Archived from the original on July 4, 2014. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  49. 1 2 "iHeartRadio Launches Its Most Significant App Revamp". RadioInsight. December 12, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  50. ↑ "Editing your thumbs on iHeartRadio.com". Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  51. ↑ "Jingle Ball North Comes To Toronto On December 9th". All Access. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  52. ↑ "iHeartRadio Beach Ball bounces into PNE". Vancouver Sun. August 31, 2017. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  53. ↑ "iHeartRadio joins Canada's streaming market through partnership with Bell". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  54. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (April 8, 2016). "Nick Jonas to Perform at iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  55. ↑ "iHeart boosts app in Canada with 10x the stations". Cartt.ca. Retrieved December 8, 2017.[permanent dead link](subscription required)
  56. ↑ "iHeartRadio Canada Releases Revamped, Enhanced App". All Access. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  57. 1 2 Thiessen, Connie (June 5, 2023). "Stingray Radio signs on to iHeartRadio Canada app". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  58. ↑ Summerfield, Patti (May 9, 2024). "iHeartRadio partners with Corus to add 39 radio stations". Media in Canada. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
  59. ↑ "Radio & Podcast News - Pattison stations join iHeartRadio Canada app". Broadcast Dialogue. November 21, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
  60. ↑ Hathout, Ahmad (April 2, 2025). "iHeartRadio Canada adds 51 Vista Radio stations". Cartt.ca. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
  61. ↑ "iHeartRadio Is Now Available in México". www.iheartmedia.com. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  62. ↑ "Review: John Mellencamp triumphs at iHeartRadio Theater in New York (Includes first-hand account)". April 28, 2017. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  63. 1 2 John Salangsang (April 25, 2015). "A Rapid Rise by Shawn Mendes, in Tune With Social Media". The New York Times.
  64. ↑ "Zayn Starts Off His Solo Career With a No. 1 Album". The New York Times. April 4, 2016.
  65. ↑ "Nosy Neighbor: P.C. Richard & Son Theater". Tribeca Citizen. November 8, 2010. Archived from the original on July 10, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  66. 1 2 "iHeartRadio Theater". QRO Magazine. December 4, 2009. Archived from the original on September 11, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  67. ↑ "Katy Perry to Open Clear Channel's iHeartRadio Theater Los Angeles". The Los Angeles Times. October 3, 2013. at Burbank Studios in the former home of The Tonight Show
  68. ↑ "IHeartRadio Theater Los Angeles".
[edit]
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