Andrew Heinzman
You can’t stop the inevitable. Following the April launch of its ad-supported Sonos Radio service, Sonos is pushing a paid version of the platform called Sonos Radio HD. At $8 a month, Sonos Radio HD offers an ad-free experience with exclusive artist-curated stations, 16-bit FLAC audio, and the ability to skip or replay songs.
Like the ad-supported Sonos Radio service, Radio HD only works on Sonos speakers and doesn’t offer on-demand content. You can’t look up a song or artist on Sonos Radio HD, but you can check out exclusive artist-curated playlists and radio shows. In other words, Sonos Radio is comparable to SiriusXM, and it isn’t a replacement for Spotify or Apple Music.
Sonos Radio HD subscribers get all the free Sonos Radio content in CD-quality audio with no ads. Subscribers will also get five exclusive artist-curated stations in early 2021, beginning with Dolly Parton’s Songteller Radio. (Free shows hosted by David Byrne Thom Yorke, Brittany Howard, and Jack White are still available to regular Sonos Radio users for free.)
Radio HD also includes some exclusive Sonos-curated channels, like Full Symphony (classical music), Chill Beats (mellow hip hop), Mellow Morning (acoustic guitar), Unforgettable (jazz classics), Americana Ramble (folk and country), and The Inner Now (new age music).
Sonos Radio HD is available for $8 a month through the Sonos app (Android/iOS). Sign up now for a free 30-day trial, or try out the ad-supported version of Sonos Radio through your Sonos app. Keep in mind that Sonos Radio and Sonos Radio HD only work with Sonos connected speakers—you can’t use the services on your computer or in your car.
Source: Sonos via TechHive
