June 30, 2024: Radiooooo

One thing that's always fascinated me about music is how it can't be confined to national or cultural borders. Whether by radio waves, mixtapes, or even contraband recordings, music finds a way to migrate. And as it does, it takes on new qualities that draw upon traditional sounds or new technologies (such as synthesizers). Ethnomusicologists dedicate their lives to studying this phenomenon, but if you're a dabbler like me, you probably lack the time and money to pursue every sonic rabbit hole that piques your interest. 

 

Fortunately, Radiooooo is here to help. This unique Internet radio station features a curated selection of songs from around the world and broadly categorizes them based on country, decade, and three styles – Fast, Slow, and Weird. Paid access to the service opens up more features, including Islands, which focus on specific artists and genres, and Taxi Mode, which allows you to shuffle multiple countries and decades for a musical tour. The latter is especially fun for creating a specific atmosphere or learning how a particular decade sounded in different countries. (For example, you can use Taxi Mode to listen to music Allied troops may have heard during World War II.) It's a fascinating experience no matter what genres you may prefer.

 

I'll be the first to admit that Radiooooo lacks a lot of the basic functions of the big streaming services – you can't look up specific artists, nor can you listen to complete albums. But if the thought of a magical mystery musical tour appeals, you'll love what this site has to offer. You may even find a new favorite artist from a place you'd never expect.

 

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