Sonos Radio: New $8/Month Streaming Service Launched

While numerous choices exist for streaming music, Sonos believes there’s room for another option. After introducing Sonos Radio with advertisements in April, the company has revealed a premium subscription level, Sonos Radio HD, priced at $7.99 per month. It’s important to note that this is a radio streaming service, not a comprehensive music platform similar to Spotify or Apple Music.

The “HD” in the name indicates a significantly improved bit rate. It streams at 16-bit quality, compared to the standard radio’s 128kbps, achieving a level comparable to lossless CD audio. The premium, ad-free version also introduces the functionality to skip tracks and replay selections, features unavailable in the standard Sonos Radio experience.

A selection of exclusive stations are available only with Radio HD. Beyond the existing artist-curated stations from Thom Yorke, Brittany Howard, Jack White and Ludwig Göransson, subscribers gain access to Dolly Parton’s Songteller Radio. Given Dolly Parton’s widespread popularity, this addition is a welcome one. More artist-led stations are planned for future release.

Several additional genre-based stations have been added, alongside a variety of “soundtracks” designed for specific atmospheres, such as relaxation and enhanced focus. These soundtracks include options like white noise, pink noise, brown noise, rainfall, rainforest ambiance, and piano melodies.

Sonos reports that the original Sonos Radio is currently the fourth most popular streaming service on Sonos devices. Its free access has undoubtedly contributed to this success. However, it remains to be seen whether a premium service at $8 per month will attract a similar audience, considering the many alternatives available.

The service is launching today in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and a one-month free trial is being offered to new subscribers.