Streaming music service Radical.FM launched a new iOS app today, providing users with access to more than 22 million songs at no cost and with no advertising. Rather than charging a subscription fee, Radical.FM asks its customers to "pay what you can" for the service.

radicalfm
While Radical.FM is similar to Pandora in that it allows users to create personalized stations, Radical.FM's content is centralized around genres rather than specific songs and artists. Users can select a percentage of each genre to listen to in one station, creating a playlist that mixes a variety of content.

Radical.FM is a complete music and audio content delivery service with unique features and controls. Unlike other services, Radical’s Stations do not "guess" what you might like based on song choices and subjective computer parameters. Instead, Radical divides its library into Genres and allows you to blend as many as desired and assign each a value relative to the others. Blending can be changed instantaneously, creating an endless stream of precisely the kind of music and other material toy want to hear at any given moment.

In addition to allowing users to create genre-based playlists, the app also includes tools for blocking unwanted songs and artists and functionality that lets users add and delete genres and adjust genre values.

Radical.FM is a universal app that can be downloaded for free. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

163 months ago
I rather pay by how much I listen too. This is why I no longer pay for cable tv, xm radio, or music subscriptions.

I used to have two cars with xm. I was only driving my second car 1-2x a week. Of those 1-2x a week, I mostly listened to my iPod. Yet I was paying $7/mo for xm as a second radio. That's really expensive!

Instead, I turned to pay per tv episode, pay per movie, pay per song. It's cheaper for me and I get what I want, when I want, and how I want. I control everything.

The point of cable tv was no commercials. The point of xm was no commercials. Both play commercials. Both charge a lot of money even if you only watch/listen to it for 2 hours a week.

This method is no longer appealing to our generation.

----------

What is the deal for the artists (and/or labels, for that matter)? If everyone chooses to pay "zero", how do artists get paid?

This all sounds too good to be true.

The company will get a big fat bill. Can't pay it and shutdown. The end. NEXT!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonnysods Avatar
163 months ago
An honor system? Good luck guys.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
163 months ago
What incentive does anyone have to pay for this? iTunes radio, for example, gives you a commercial-free experience if you pay for iTunes match.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DrMotownMac Avatar
163 months ago
"Pay what you can???"

So, in other words, when I ask them, "How much is this service?"
They answer, "How much you got?"
"No, I'm asking YOU, 'How much is it?'"
"And we're asking you, 'How much you got?!'"

Where have I heard this before? Oh yeah....

National Lampoon's Vacation "& I'm askin' you how much you got?!" (http://youtu.be/yMf5dvUlYko)

Interesting business model.... :rolleyes:
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gasu E. Avatar
163 months ago
What is the deal for the artists (and/or labels, for that matter)? If everyone chooses to pay "zero", how do artists get paid?

This all sounds too good to be true.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jclo Avatar
163 months ago
22 million songs at no cost and with no advertising. Rather than charging a subscription fee, Radical.FM asks its customers to "pay what you can" for the service.

Lol wat? I cant pay anything do I still get all the goodies?

Yes.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

M3 iPad Air

Apple's Next Two Products Are Coming Soon

Thursday February 12, 2026 11:17 am PST by
Apple plans to release an iPhone 17e and an iPad Air with an M4 chip "in the coming weeks," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple retail employees say that inventory of the iPhone 16e has basically dried out and the iPad Air is seeing shortages as well," said Gurman. "I've been expecting new versions of both (iPhone 17e and M4 iPad Air) in the coming weeks."...
Apple Sales Coach App

Apple Launching New 'Sales Coach' App

Friday February 13, 2026 2:01 pm PST by
Apple plans to launch a rebranded "Sales Coach" app on the iPhone and iPad later this month, according to a source familiar with the matter. "Sales Coach" will arrive as an update to Apple's existing "SEED" app, and it will continue to provide sales tips and training resources to Apple Store and Apple Authorized Reseller employees around the world. For example, there are articles and videos...
m5 macbook pro deal

Why You Shouldn't Buy the Next MacBook Pro

Tuesday February 10, 2026 4:27 pm PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models as soon as early March, but if you can, this is one generation you should skip because there's something much better in the works. We're waiting on 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, with few changes other than the processor upgrade. There won't be any tweaks to the design or the display, but later this...
Coffee Burgundy and Purple iPhone 18 Pro Mock

Five iPhone 18 Pro Features Revealed in New Report

Friday February 13, 2026 8:43 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still seven months away, an analyst has revealed five new features the devices will allegedly have. Rumored color options for the iPhone 18 Pro models In a research note with investment firm GF Securities on Thursday, analyst Jeff Pu outlined the following upgrades for the iPhone 18 Pro models: Smaller Dynamic Island: It has been rumored...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3

Wednesday February 11, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3, the latest updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out in September. The new software comes almost two months after Apple released iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, ...