1027FM.ORG, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Just when I thought I had found the best classic rock station (Radio Fox), I find this one, which may be better. I don't know whether better is the right term. It's just different, and excellent in its own way. So all I can say is, check it out. If you like deep cuts from your favorite rock artists, stuff you don't normally hear, plus some hits to keep it interesting, then this is the place for you.
Web Site/Listen
128K Stream

"The Lunatic Fringe of the World Wide Web"

George FM, Auckland, New Zealand

A lot of great music here, from New Zealand. There are three different stations. George Jazz is a jazz station as the name implies. The other two are not so easy to classify, which I think is an asset, but so far the main feeling I get is funky jazz with a dose of hip hop. The DJs determine the playlists, so the selection of tunes is truly vast.
Web Site
Listen to George FM with MP3
Listen to Base FM with MP3
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128K Stream

"At George FM, we pride ourselves on our unstructured music format. Our 75 presenters all arrive with a crate of their favourite tunes, and they have total control over the music they play. The result? An awesome collective library of over 1,000,000 tunes, with a total absence of high-rotate top 40 pop."

City Sounds Radio Smooth Jazz, USA

A companion station to City Sounds Radio Blues, it has an equally good selection of jazz songs, good to keep you listening for hours. Music that makes you feel relaxed and energetic at the same time.
Web Site
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128 K Stream

"Where the sounds of smooth jazz come alive."

City Sounds Radio Blues, USA

Great blues you can really get your teeth into. Mostly electric, but there's acoustic stuff as well. Will definitely keep your toe tapping. Absolutely nothing to complain about so far!
Web Site
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128K Stream

"Our mission at City Sounds Radio Blues is to assist in preserving an important part of our American heritage. We do this by airplaying blues artists who are educating the listening public through the music they produce. By doing this, we play many different styles of blues music from many different areas of the country. Blues is very regional and each area is represented by it's particular slant on the proformance of the music. Well.....it may be different, but it's all blues and it's all good."

Radio Fox

A really excellent classic rock station that plays a great variety of tunes from all eras, including the current decade. So many times classic rock is the same 100 songs you've heard over and over. Not here. The variety and quality of the songs will keep you coming back.
Web Site/Listen with Player at Site
Listen with WinAmp/ITunes
128K Stream

Radio Transilvania, Romania

A pleasant station with mainly American and European pop fare. Songs are mostly in English, but there are other languages as well. Commentary is in Romanian, which I find is pretty melodic when you don't know what they're saying. Makes the commercials and the news a lot easier to take. Try it out. I think you'll like the tunes.
Web Site (in Romanian, loads slowly)
Listen with MP3
128K Stream

Decades Radio, Australia

Another web site that covers a lot of territory time-wise, this one from Australia. Because of its location, I'm hearing music that's very familiar and other stuff that may have been well-known in Australia, but isn't to me. I definitely like the mix. Nothing too heavy, just nice pop and light rock so far. This one goes back a little further than most, all the way to the 50s.
Web Site
Listen with MP3
128K Stream

Swiss Groove and Smooth Vibes, Switzerland

Two very nice stations with slightly different but equally elegant grooves. Swiss Groove is a jazzy-poppy compilation that's upbeat and soothing at the same time. Smooth Vibes is a more conventional smooth jazz station, just as enjoyable as its sister station. Check them out for something a little different.
Update 12.07 - The folks here have decided to combine the two stations into one, Swiss Groove. So Smooth Jazz Vibes is no more. But the combined station really does deliver the best of both worlds, so no harm done.
Web Site
Listen with MP3
128K Stream

Blue Ears, Paramaribo, Surinam

128K Stream
Web Site
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An absolutely terrific blues station, from Surinam in South America, no less. I knew I had a winner when I heard them play Jimmy Thackery, who in my view is the best electric blues guitarist playing today. Everything else I've heard is equally good. Hard to tear yourself away from this stuff.

"Blues and bluesy music 24/7"

SoulConnexion, UK

128K Stream
Web Site
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Soul through a British filter. This station is run by a group of British folks who obviously have a great love for soul and RnB. According to their web site, they have been obsessed with motown, soul and RnB since their early years. They claim a love for Northern soul, which may be a British thing, I don't know. I'll have to check with them on that. Stay tuned - I'll let you know. In the meantime, definitely check it out!

100.7 The Island, Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada

160K Stream
Web Site
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A nicely programmed country station from North Ontario, with a large playlist and a good mix of hits and more obscure cuts. Very good taste in their selection. Mostly music, but a little local news and advertising. Recommended.

Moonbeat Radio, Moscow, Russia

128K Stream
Web Site (in Russian)
Listen with MP3

A Russian station with pop, dance, some rock, etc. A really strange but compelling mix of songs. A lot are in English, but all of the commentary, what there is of it, is in Russian.

MOROW.com, Paris, FR

128K Stream MP3
64K Stream WMP
Web Site
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Excellent progressive rock tunes from Paris, from pretty much all over the lot. Seems to be mostly or all in English. I guess it depends on your definition of progressive rock, but this site has a lot of variety, all with a nice edge to it.

"The Best Progressive Rock from Yesterday and Today"

Belly Up 4 Blues

128K Stream
Web Site
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Wonderful blues and blues/rock. Sound quality is outstanding. A blues station with a lot of really upbeat stuff.

"BellyUp4Blues strives to bring you the very best in ass kicking Blues and Blues Rock on the internet."

Free Form Rock, Music from the Rock Garden

128K Stream MP3
96K Stream WMP
Web Site
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A truly great mix of tunes from the entire era of rock and roll. These folks really put their hearts into selecting and mixing their material. You can listen for hours to songs you remember but haven't heard for a while, and songs you've never heard but you wish you had before now!

Click n Rock, Paris, FR

160K stream
Web Site (mostly in French, but parts can be viewed in English)
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French and English pop and rock. About an equal mix of songs in each language. The commentary is French. I find that I really like the French songs, even though I don't know what they're singing about. The melodies are invariably pleasant. It's clear the program managers here have good taste no matter what the language.

Capital 95.8, London, UK

128K stream
Web Site
Listen

A commercial station in London that plays pop, rock, some hip hop, etc. Fairly typical but a nice selection. Gives a good listen-in to popular music in London.

Live 9, Paris, FR

192K Stream
Web Site
Play MP3
Play with Windows Media Player
Play with RealPlayer

Pop and rock with a definite American flavor, from Paris. No commercials, no commentary. Just a good mix of tunes you're not likely to find elsewhere.

Radio2 Live, Netherlands

128K Stream
Web Site (for those who speak Dutch)
Listen with MP3

This is a really good station actually, even though the commentary is in Dutch. The music is terrific, mostly in English and mostly American. And it's surprising how you can figure out a lot about what they're saying, because the artists' names and their song titles sound pretty much the same regardless. Definitely worth tuning in.

Ocean FM, South Coast, UK

32K Stream
Web Site
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A classic hits pop and rock station from southern England. Another opportunity to experience the sounds of everyday life in an English holiday area.

BRMB FM, Birmingham, UK

32K Stream
Web Site
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A local radio station from Birmingham, England. I love this kind of station. Even though it's part of a chain, it lets you eavesdrop on Birmingham life no matter where you are. And the music is good, too, a pop mix that's typical of what's playing in England these days. Good sound quality at 32K.

"haven't you heard?"

SKY.fm

96K Stream
Web Site
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This is part of the SKY network from Great Britain. It is a great web station that plays the best of smooth jazz. They also have other genres on the web site. These links go to the smooth jazz station, but if you select Listen Now from the banner menu on their web site, you can access equally good stations covering other music styles. A lot of good tunes here.

More Than Just Another Radio Station
"Give us a few minutes of your time and you will like all of it. Listen for an hour or two and you'll find it very difficult to tear yourself away."

SHOUTcast

Various Stream Rates
Listen/Web Site

This site has a huge variety of different stations, covering all genres. It is from Nullsoft, so all of the streams play on WinAmp. Some are good, some not so, but the vast majority offer great choices for listening. You can spend virtually a lifetime checking them all out.

"SHOUTcast Radio, the home of free Internet Radio. Tune-in to thousands of free online radio stations from DJs and broadcasters around the world."

Slacker Radio

Unknown Stream Rate
Listen/Web Site

Another of the web sites that creates custom radio stations based on your favorite artists. This one assigns similar artists to each of the artists they have in their database. When you choose an artist or artists as the basis for a station, you get the option of adding any or all of the related artists to the station's playlist. The site appears to have a wide variety of artists and songs, so you can create pretty much any kind of station you like.
Note: There's some classical here, but mainly it's more contemporary stuff.

"Slacker is a new kind of music company. We deliver personal radio that is customized for every listener. Slacker is effortless to use and the music is accessible at home, in the car, or on the go."

Pandora

Unknown Stream Rate
Listen/Web Site

This is one of a special type of sites that develops custom playlists based on artists or songs that you like. Pandora is a product of what they call the music genome project, where songs have been broken down into characteristic components and classified. When you create a station by planting an artist or a song "seed", the station plays that artist or song, plus others that have the same characteristic components. Sounds intriguing, and the results have been great so far. You can even mix your different stations, increasing the variety. A great concept. Check it out.
Note: There's no classical here yet, but they say it'll be coming soon.

"It's a new kind of radio - stations that play only music you like."

Limerick's Live95FM, Ireland

64K stream
Web Site
Listen with Windows Media Player

Another Irish commercial station, this time from Limerick, on the West Coast. I visited Limerick once. An absolutely wonderful place, full of very friendly people. And their radio reflects it, too. Lot's of bouncy songs, bound to make you feel good. I like to listen when I'm working, especially on Monday when I need a good pick-me-up.

Australian Broadcasting - dig Radio

132K Stream
Web Site
Listen

Another Australian station that puts out a great variety of very tasty blues, rock, and soul-tinged fare. Frankly, I'm amazed that a government-sponsored station could be so cool. Of course, all of the radio stations where I'm from are private, so maybe I'm just not used to it. Oh, well, take the good stuff wherever you find it, right?

"Whether you're a big music fan, or just an occasional listener, listen to dig for a diverse mix of great sounds - blues, soul, country, roots, world music, jazz, rock and lots in-between."

Cork's 96FM, Ireland

64K Stream
Web Site
Listen with Windows Media Player

A commercial pop station (probably part of a chain, but so what) with a great mix of songs you've heard and songs you haven't. Ads and commentary make you feel like your visiting Ireland. Great for those vicarious tourists out there.

"Playing the Hits You Can't Get Out of Your Head."

RadioParadise.com, Paradise, CA USA

128K Stream
Web Site
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This has been my favorite eclectic rock station for a long time now. It was one of the first ones I found, and it's still among the best, if not the best. To say it's eclectic rock is probably a misnomer, because a lot of what they play couldn't really be classified as rock. It's just good stuff, that's all.

Listener-supported web radio. No Advertising.

SmoothJazz.com, Monterrey, CA USA

128K Stream
Web Site
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One of the best smooth jazz stations that I've heard, be it on the web, over the air, or on my own stereo, for that matter. They're based in California, but their appeal is global. Great if your looking for a relaxing but stimulating groove.

"The Global Home for the Smoothest Jazz"

WUCZ 104.1 Carthage, TN USA

64K Stream
Web Site
Listen with Windows Media Player

A good quality middle-Tennessee country station, with the usual mix of sin and sentiment. Sound quality is excellent, and the DJs are easy on the ears. A comfortable place for country fans to hang out.

"Today's Hot New Country, 104.1 The Ranch"

Play Radio UK

Unknown Stream Rate
Listen/Web Site

Here's a web radio site from England that's like Live365 in the US. They have several different streams, each with a different focus. Includes rock, jazz, urban, classical, dance and others. Good selection of songs and good sound quality. Recommended.

"Play Radio UK - Playing Just Great Music from 80s, 70s and the Best of today, with the internet’s finest live DJs throughout the day bringing you news, views, special guests, exclusive interviews and the chance to win fantastic prizes."

107.8 Radio Jackie, London, UK

96K Stream
Web Site
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This is a southwest London station that plays a different group of songs than you would hear in the US (naturally). They have a commercial flavor that tends towards dance beats. Their program manager has excellent taste within these guidelines, and selects some really fine, upbeat songs. They also let people from far away eavesdrop on life in modern London. Great fun for locals and foreigners alike.

"The Sound of Southwest London"

HD Radio on the Web

Various Stream Rates
Listen/Web Site

Here's a site that has numerous US HD Radio Stations. It appears to be from Clear Channel, and it covers a lot of ground from a genre standpoint. There's a lot of good stuff here, especially if you like deeper cuts than you normally get on regular commercial radio. Several of the stations play really good tunes that you haven't heard in a while. They clearly (no pun intended) want you to try out the broadcast HD stations in your area.

"More Stations, better sound, no subscription fee. HD Digital Radio provides digital quality sound, and hundreds of additional stations. Now you can stream our new stations to experience the quality programming, commercial free."

95.7 The Ride, Charlotte/Hickory, NC, USA

64K stream
Web Site
Listen

This is the station I listen to whenever I'm near Charlotte. Mostly classic rock, but some contemporary songs as well. The playlists are always well-chosen, and sometimes they add interesting commentary about the songs and artists that make the experience even more worthwhile. Definitely a plus for those who like variety in their rock menu.

"INDEPENDENT RADIO" and you can hear the difference.

Bondi 88 FM, Bondi Beach, Australia

32K Stream
Web Site
Listen

I'm not sure if these guys are high or what, but they play really spacey music, even when it's not. They say there's something about the air in Australia that makes films and photos look magnificent. Well, there's something about the sound coming out of Bondi FM that really creates a mood, even at 32K. A mix of original rock, R&B and blues from all eras, plus covers with unexpected yet tasteful arrangements. Even the older songs sound ethereal. Great for those dreamy nights when you need to create a special mood.

"BONDI 88 FM is a small fish in the little pond that is Australian radio broadcasting but is a virtual Titan to millions worldwide who are caught up in The Net. We inform our listeners about tourist and community information, beach conditions and local arts and music events. Annually, more overseas visitors tour the Bondi 88 FM website than the number of tourists who actually visit Bondi Beach, the most famous beach in Australia, and arguably the world!