Is Internet Radio Changing How We Discover Global Music?

Online radio is booming: how can global artists connect with new audiences?

Emily Dust by Freethought
Erica McKoy by Worldwide FM
Karen Nyame by @calebandthecam
Naina Sethi by Blaow

Session 19

Chaired by Emily Dust (UK), Soho Radio

with Erica McKoy (UK), Worldwide FM;
Karen Nyame (UK), Foundation FM/Red Bull Music UK;
Naina Sethi (UK), Reprezent/Beats 1 Apple Music

In the face of rising rents, club closures and streaming, are physical music scenes at risk? Where do scenes form in 2019?

Birthed from the deep roots of pirate radio, online radio is booming. Stations like NTS, Soho Radio, Worldwide FM, Reprezent and Foundation FM are vital platforms for emerging DJs and artists.

These stations have helped build UK audiences for artists like Bryte and MC Bin Laden, as well as supporting the growth of homegrown scenes like grime and Afroswing.

The world is listening. Even if streaming is available in their region, listeners crave the curation and community of radio. With fast broadband more accessible than ever, there’s also a rise in global community radio hubs like Rinse France, Seoul Community Radio and Quantica.

What’s next for these stations? How easy is it to set one up? And how do you monetise it when everyone’s in it for the love of music?