We have all heard of streaming and most of us experience it on a daily basis. Whenever you connect to YouTube or a similar video sharing platform, you get to experience streaming. It is not live streaming, unless you watch a live stream, but it is still streaming content using the internet.
At some point in time, streaming became the norm for listening to music. What about the radio? The Buggles classic Video Killed the Radio Star from 1980 talks about the death of the radio, and so does Queen’s Radio Ga Ga. Is the radio truly gone and is it surpassed by online streaming? What are the benefits of both? Let us take a look.
Radio Waves – They Are Everywhere
Radio waves are the basis of wireless technology, everything from bluetooth, WiFi, cellular signal, everything we use to wirelessly communicate is based on radio waves. Due to that very fact, the radio is one of the technologies that will be with us for a while.
While most people don’t really play the radio, they do play streams from radio stations. However, when you go for a drive and you turn on the radio, it is definitely a radio that you’re listening to, and not a stream. Newer cars have access to the internet and also have online streaming, but typically, you will find an old-fashioned radio in your car.
Streaming – It Is Easy and Effective
Online music streaming is great and very practical. You can choose what you want to listen to. You can make your own playlist and start a journey that you are familiar with. Online radios are also an option, radios that are streamed. Nowadays, there are many radios that play only a specific genre or music from a specific decade.
Those who love the 80s, for example, will play an 80s radio station. Some prever RNB while others are more into electronic dance music, or EDM. You can play what you want, because you have that option while streaming. Some say that’s a great feature, while others aren’t too happy about it.
Radios Are More Than Music
When listening to a radio, you can listen to various broadcasts that have nothing to do with music. Some radio stations play music, in fact, most of them do. You have adverts on the radio, or radios which are completely dedicated to news.
Shortly, radio stations can be listened to for a plethora of reasons and music doesn’t have to be one of those reasons. There is a certain charm in listening to a radio for music, because you get to discover new things, without having any say in the matter, other than selecting a certain radio station.
Whether you prefer the radio or online streaming when it comes to music, you will likely have the option to listen to both for a very long time. Streaming is only going to get more popular and given that the radio infrastructure is already there and will be there for decades to come, radio stations will also be available for a long time.
