IHeartRadio

History

iHeartRadio is owned by iHeartMedia, which was rebranded from Clear Channel in 2014. Prior to 2008, Clear Channel Communications' various audio products were decentralized. 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. In August 2008, Clear Channel launched the iHeartMusic website, featuring entertainment news, national news, music content including albums, singles on demand, music videos, and access to over 750 Clear Channel radio stations online.

On October 7, 2008, Clear Channel Radio launched the first version of iHeartRadio to the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch through the App Store. Twelve radio stations in 8 markets were included in this first release. In 2009, iHeartRadio was made available to BlackBerry devices and the Android operating system and then Sonos in 2010. September 2011 marked the official launch of the free, all-in-one iHeartRadio service featuring thousands of live radio stations and custom artist stations. The launch coincided with the inaugural iHeartRadio Music Festival, the annual two-day event hosted by Ryan Seacrest at the MGM Grand Las Vegas.

The app was expanded to the Xbox 360 and webOS. On April 20, 2012, iHeartRadio launched on the iPad. On June 8, 2012, iHeartRadio concluded a deal to power Yahoo! Music's Radio service, previously powered by CBS Radio.

In mid-October 2012, iHeartRadio launched online audio news, weather and traffic streams for major American metropolitan areas, branded as "24/7 News". On March 1, 2013, iHeartRadio was added to the Roku digital media receiver. , the app was available on more than 250 devices and platforms.

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. On July 14, 2013, iHeartRadio launched in New Zealand and Australia.

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

On November 10, 2015, iHeartRadio launched a spin-off app known as iHeartRadio Family—a curated experience targeting children. 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). Build-A-Bear Workshop served as a launch sponsor for the app, which included the addition of a "Build-a-Bear Workshop Radio" channel in the app.

During the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Festival, iHeartMedia announced subscription based on demand services "iHeartRadio Plus" and "iHeartRadio all Access powered by Napster". On December 1, 2016, iHeartMedia launched the services in beta on iOS and Android to the American users.

iHeartRadio launched in Canada on October 7, 2016, in association with Bell Media.

In 2017, iHeartRadio expanded Plus and All Access to other platforms including desktop in January 2017 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

iHeartRadio launched in Mexico on October 29, 2018, in association with Grupo ACIR.

In 2018, iHeartMedia, aiming to cut its debt of around $20 billion in half, filed for what was described as the largest bankruptcy of that year and the 30th largest ever. The Los Angeles Times observed at the time that "About 265 million people in the U.S. still tune in to iHeart's stations at least once a month, but newer media such as Spotify's streaming service and SiriusXM's satellite broadcasts have cut into the audience and put a damper on sales."

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.

In 2019, The New York Times described iHeartRadio as the largest radio broadcaster in the United States, with 848 terrestrial stations.{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/03/business/dealbook/iheartmedia-ipo-radio.html

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

On December 1, 2021, iHeartRadio signed a deal with Roku to bring a dozen of their live radio stations to The Roku Channel's live TV lineup in the form of FAST channels. The ad-supported stations (which include iHeartCountry, Alt Radio, The Beat (now Hip-Hop Beats), Classic Rock, Hit Nation, Latino Hits, iHeart80s, and iHeart90s as well as select holiday-themed stations when available) are to feature imagery to complement and enhance the audio experience, similar in fashion to Music Choice on digital cable and satellite TV.

On September 27, 2023, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx announced that their radio broadcasts would move to the iHeartRadio app. Every game would air on the app, while the majority of Lynx games and select Timberwolves games would be simulcast on co-owned KFXN-FM.

Acquisitions

In September 2018, iHeartMedia announced it would acquire Stuff Media, LLC, a U.S. for-profit publisher of podcast content listeners, which included the HowStuffWorks podcasting business division as well as its slate of premium podcast content, for $55 million. With Stuff Media and iHeartMedia having had around 5.3 million and 5.6 million monthly listeners beforehand, respectively (according to Podtrac), the acquisition increased iHeart's lead as largest commercial podcast publisher, although it was still trailing behind NPR.

As of 2022, iHeartRadio is now the leading podcast publisher on Podtrac, with over 400 million downloads each month. In November 2018, iHeart also bought Jelli. In October 2020, it was announced that the company would acquire Voxnest, the parent company of Spreaker, a podcast-hosting company. iHeart has since also bought Triton Digital from Scripps.

Investments

• Stuff Media: In September 2018, iHeartMedia acquired Stuff Media, the publisher behind HowStuffWorks podcasts, for $55 million, enhancing its podcast content offerings.
• Jelli: In November 2018, the company purchased Jelli, a platform specializing in programmatic buying for radio advertising, to bolster its ad tech capabilities.
• Voxnest: In October 2020, iHeartMedia acquired Voxnest, the parent company of Spreaker, a podcast hosting company, to strengthen its podcasting infrastructure.
• Triton Digital: In February 2021, iHeartMedia announced the acquisition of Triton Digital, a digital audio technology and advertising company, for $230 million, aiming to enhance its streaming and advertising technologies.

In February 2022, iHeartMedia invested in Sounder.

Availability and supported devices

iHeartRadio is available in Australia, Canada, the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and New Zealand, 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.

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.

Functionality and rating system

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. 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

Australia & New Zealand

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

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, and co-branded the annual awards show organized through its cable channel Much as the iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards.

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. Stingray Radio similarly joined in June 2023, followed by Corus Entertainment in May 2024, Pattison Media in November 2024, and Vista Radio in April 2025.

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

México

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 México and the U.S., including music, news/talk, comedy and sports content. 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 México. Users can also access the top English and Spanish language podcasts and on-air personalities.

Brand expansion

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 iHeartRadio 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. The iHeartRadio Theater in New York City, formerly the P. C. Richard & Son Theater,{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710072440/https://tribecacitizen.com/2010/11/08/nosy-neighbor-p-c-richard-son-theater |archive-date=July 10, 2019 |url-status=live}} 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.{{cite news

References

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