radiostreams

Radiostreams are digital audio streams delivered over the Internet, allowing listeners to access live radio broadcasts and on‑demand audio through streaming protocols. Streams are typically encoded in formats such as MP3, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, or Opus and delivered over HTTP or through dedicated streaming servers.

Common delivery infrastructures include SHOUTcast and Icecast servers, which provide metadata in formats like ICY and ID3 to convey artist and track information. Radio streams may be delivered using HTTP progressive download, or via adaptive streaming methods such as HLS or DASH. Clients range from dedicated music players and mobile apps to embedded web players. Streams can be linear, representing continuous live programming, or on-demand, consisting of archived programs or podcast episodes.

Technical considerations include choice of codec and bitrate, buffering strategy, and latency. Lower bitrates reduce bandwidth use but may affect quality, while higher bitrates require more network capacity. Reliability depends on server infrastructure, redundancy, and connection to the content source. Metadata handling is important for listener experience and licensing reporting.

Radiostreams emerged in the 1990s with early audio-on-Internet formats, gaining popularity with the spread of broadband. Today they support a wide range of use cases, including internet radio stations, personal streams, and event broadcasts. Legal considerations include licensing for music and content, often managed through collective rights organizations, with regional variations in requirements.