iHeartRadio Review



I have decided to review the iHeartRadio web app/site. I use it regularly at work for background noise and energy boost. I just type iHeartRadio into the browser search bar and its the first link that pops up.

I find that using it is fairly easy. I usually go to straight to the live radio section, choose my station and press play. You can also look for stations in other cities, and while you are encouraged to make an account, you do not need one to use this site, so it is free to use. You also do not have to spend time crafting a playlist due to the live radio feature, though you can if you want. There is a playlist tab. The 'For You' tab has the typical options of any music streaming site, crafting your own station based on what or who you like to listen to. It also works on your mobile phone google/safari without downloading the app.

One of the features I personally love is that you can go back and explore the other pages on the site while still listening to your music. It stays while you move around. This is a common feature in other music streaming apps, but considering I literally pressed the back button on the entire site and that bottom section of music just kept going uninterrupted and unmoved, I deem this feature extraordinary. And it works on the mobile phone the same way without having to download the app -- if you pull it up on your phones browsers, and back out of it and turn the screen off, it still plays. 

The design of it is very clean and minimal, using just red and white as their color palette makes other colors, the stations' icons or the song's icon, easier to see. The pages can get a little busy at times with the adds, maybe at first when you initially land on the home page, and at first glance once your station is pulled up. But its relatively easy to sort out the links and icons displayed. And ignore the adds. 

It functions wells, but it does not have all radio stations. While this does make sense, not all stations may have the capability or interest to join the iHeartRadio community, this is really the only reason i use it in the first place - to quickly listen to music that people around me will generally like and not judge. So I would recommend having an actual 'radio' function, tunning to actual ongoing stations like you would in the car. I would also refocus the intention of the News and Photos sections of the 'More' Tab - its gets a bit too ''Buzzfeed''. Also, clicking on any of the options opens in a new tab, which is not bad but I personally do like my 'tab space' used up. I think the site could also benefit in informing about actual concerts, events and tickets in addition to their iHeartRadio stuff.

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