The other night my friend Amy, who is currently living in Mexico, posted on Facebook the coolest thing that she discovered recently. It’s called Radio Garden. Via the Radio Garden website (to find it online, I googled Radio Garden and clicked on it; otherwise it is something like radio.garden/listen/name of radio station) or the get the free downloadable phone app (here’s the link to download the app from the Apple Store and the link to the app on Google Play), you can list to more than 25,000 radio stations live from all over the world!
I spent a couple of hours on Saturday night clicking on random green dots on the map of the world so I could hear what they were up to. Although I was shocked how much bad techno music is on the radio worldwide, there was a lot to like. I love to listen to foreign languages – whether I speak them or not, so Radio Garden provides me with thousands of opportunities. I spent about 20 minutes listening to a woman speak Icelandic on a radio station in Reykjavik. I checked out stations in Africa, a tiny Canadian island off the coast of Newfoundland, a Chinese station broadcasted from the UK, and I was amazed to listen to Arabic music from a radio station in war torn Syria. While clicking around the world, I listened to Italian “folk” music broadcast from Naples and French rap from Marseille.
I am a lover of classical music and jazz. In the US over the years, radio stations playing those two formats have become few and far between. But worldwide, there are lots more opportunities. Right now, I am listening to classical music on Deutschlandfunk Kultur in Berlin. Their playlist is varied and truly engaging. Now, they are playing a gorgeous piece by the 20th century Czech composer Josef Suk, a composer that at least in the Boston area we don’t get to hear enough of. A lot of the music on this station is from live performances in Germany. Plus, I love listening to the announcers and conductors speaking German. When the Deutschlandfunk Kultur switched to another format at 11pm their time, I switched to a Klaasikaraadio in Tallinn, Estonia. 🙂 Another good thing is that you can “favorite” the stations that you like most for easy access.
I was surprised by how many American stations there are around the world. In Berlin alone, two familiar ones popped up: KISS FM and KCRW.
Another cool feature of Radio Garden is that you can click to zoom in on the radio station on the map, and if you get in close enough, you can see the building where the station is broadcast from as well as the surrounding area. Truly fascinating!
Even though I can’t travel now, the world is my oyster with Radio Garden. If you already knew about it, tell me what you listen to. If you check it now on your computer, tablet or phone, let me know what you think!
Good morning 🙋🏻♀️😷🌻🌻 Thanks for sharing Allison. This App will be so nice. I listen to lots of music, especially while crocheting. I will down load the App on my IPod too. Here’s a germ free hug…..🤗
Thank you, DiEtta, and back at you xoxo I am really having fun with this app, and I hope you will, too. I started a new crochet shawl pattern after a long hiatus from crocheting. I couldn’t see well enough before my cataract surgery to crochet, and recently, I’ve had to get used to putting on reading glasses to crochet, the opposite of what I did before. But I’m getting back in the swing of things and enjoying it. <3
This is so cool! Thank you so much for sharing it!
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What an interesting idea. I had no clue. My mother would have loved hearing the music around the world.
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I also listen to world music. On Netflix, I like to watch international movies (with subtitles). I like to pay attention to the environment, background, etc. Today I’m starting African dance fitness, I saw one last night and thought it would be nice to add it to my routine. Btw, I love classical and jazz too. I play a lot of jazz music at home and in our medspa
Let me know if you see any international movies that you like. I love foreign movies as well. Curious about your African dance fitness!
This is so neat!