iTunes Radio is a new and very accessible music streaming feature for iOS devices or Macs. It lets you create your own stations based on genre, artist, or song. iTunes Radio presents a list of ever-changing, pre-programmed featured stations. iTunes Radio is built directly into Apple's music app so you don't have to download and open a separate application.
iTunes Radio first became available with the release of iOS7. Shortly thereafter, it became available with OS X Mavericks for Mac computers.
One of the main features of iTunes Radio is that stations are synced between your devices and your Mac. There are ads, but you can avoid them subscribing to iTunes Match, a paid music storage service from Apple.
Setting Up iTunes Radio on an iOS Device
When the Music app loads, iTunes Radio is the first tab at the bottom of the screen. Select it with a one-finger double tap. At the top left of the screen is a "History" button. After iTunes Radio is set up and after it has been used, activating the button will bring up a list of some of the previous songs that were played and buttons to purchase the songs from iTunes store. When the History screen is active, there is a "Clear" button on the top left of the screen and a "Now Playing Back" button at the top right.
If you're not sure where you are on your device screen, make sure VoiceOver is on and flick right or left with one finger. VoiceOver will speak everything on the screen.
The "Now Playing Back" button is also available on the main iTunes Radio screen, in the upper right corner. Flick right with one finger to bring you to a list of Featured Stations. These stations are pre-selected by iTunes and they do change. Double tap a station to play it.
When Music is Playing
Whether you are using a featured station or a station that you created, information on the screen will change when music starts playing. There will be a "Back" button in the top left corner of the screen. Next is an "Info" button. Activating this button loads a new screen containing the name of the artist, the song title, an option to view information about the song in iTunes store, a button to buy the song without going into iTunes store, a button to create a station from the artist and a button to add the station to your station list. Next is a button that will either say "one" (to allow explicit content) or "zero" (to prevent it). If you want to change this setting, perform a one-finger double tap. The final control is a "Share" button. Activating this button brings up options for sharing the current song via texting, e-mail, Twitter, etc. Activate the "Done" button in the upper right to get back to the song page.
Flick right and the next item is artwork for the song. Next is the track position, followed by the Artist, and then the song's title. Next is a button that says "Like or Dislike Song." Activating this button brings up several additional buttons: "Play More Like This," "Never Play This Song," "Add to iTunes Wish List," and "Cancel." After the "Like or Dislike Song" buttons are different buttons labeled "Play" and "Next Track." The "Play" button becomes a "Pause" button while music is playing. The final control on the page is Volume.
Your Stations
After the iTunes Featured Stations on the iTunes Radio home screen is the heading "My Stations." You can get to this heading by flicking past all the Featured Stations or just set the rotor to headings and navigate directly there. There will be buttons for each of your stations and then a button labeled "New Station." If you haven't created any stations, only the "New Station" button will be available.
Activating the "New Station" button loads a new page with an edit box to enter an artist, song, or genre. Search results are under the edit box. Add a station by double tapping on its name. The station will contain a mix of songs and artists based on your search query. For example, if you choose an artist, your radio station results will include that artist plus artists making similar music.
Another way to create a station is to flick past the edit box and review the extensive list of genres. Selecting one of the genres will bring up a list of available stations. For example, the Pop Hits option brought up a list of 14 different stations including "iTunes Weekly Top 50," "3 of a Kind: Robin Thicke, Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake" and "Dance Pop." Performing a one-finger double tap on any result will start an audio preview where you'll hear brief sound clips of songs played on that station. Under the selected station's name are two buttons: an "Audio Preview" button and a button labeled "Add Genre as a New Station." If you do not want to add this station, activate the "Audio Preview" button. This will stop the music and the station will not be added. If you want to add the station to your "My Stations" list, activate the "Add Genre as a New Station" button and it will automatically be added.
Skipping Songs
When a station is playing and you don't want to hear a song, you can skip it by activating the "Next Track" button. You are allowed six skips per station. Reset skips by going to a different tab in the music app, such as Artists or Songs, and then re-launch iTunes Radio or close the Music app, wait a few seconds, and re-launch it. Going to a different station will not reset your skips on other stations.
The Edit Menu
The Edit menu is located to the left of the My Stations heading. An easy way to get there is to locate the heading and then flick left. On the next screen will be a list of all your stations and a button to add a new station. Swipe up or down on a station's name to delete or activate it.
At the top left of the same screen is another edit button. Activating this button allows you to delete a station or re-order it in the list. The button to re-order the station is to the right of the station's name. Double tap and hold until you hear a three-note sound. Then slide your finger until you get to the position you want. VoiceOver speaks the station's new position as it is moved. When finished editing, activate the "Done" button in the upper left corner. That will bring you back to the first edit screen. Activate the "Done" button in the upper right to get back to the iTunes Radio home page.
iTunes Radio on a Mac
Navigating iTunes Radio on the Mac is somewhat more complicated than on an iOS device, but it is definitely accessible.
Open iTunes and go to the pop-up menu. If Music isn't selected, open the menu and select it. Then go to the button that says "Radio" and select it. VO+Right Arrow to the "Start Listening" button and select it. There is a chance that this action will bring you to the LCD section at the top of the iTunes window. In that case, close iTunes and re-launch it. This will only happen the first time you use iTunes Radio. If you're not on the pop-up menu when iTunes is re-launched, go there and make sure the Music button and then the "Radio" button are selected.
The My Stations Grid
The area for creating stations and playing featured stations is called the My Stations Grid. It's not difficult to navigate, though the grid can't be set as a list view. You can VO+Right Arrow to it or try VO+FN+Right Arrow or VO+End. Get there the same way as you would get to any other table such as your music library. In order to navigate the grid it is necessary to interact with it.
If you created any stations on the iOS device, they will appear in the grid. Navigate with VO and the arrow keys. When you find the station you want, select it the same way as any other menu item. Once the station is selected, VoiceOver will say the station's name followed by the word "group." Interact with the group. There will be a list of options including Close, Play and Share. There will also be options to Play More Like This and Never Play this. Select the "Play" button to start the music. The "Play" button does not turn into a "Pause" button when it's activated. If you want to skip a song, type Command+Right Arrow. In the group is a button with the station's name. To change the name, activate the button and type the new name.
To the right of all your stations is another group labeled Featured Stations, Add a Station, Settings Group. Interact with the group. The first option is the Featured Stations grid. These are the same featured stations as described in the iOS section above. Interact with the Featured Stations grid to review the choices. Start playing a station by selecting it.
Adding a Station
Next to the Featured Stations Grid option is a button to add a Station. If this button is selected you'll be prompted to add an artist, genre, or song. Type your selection and press the enter key. The search results table will be to the right of the edit box. Review the results and if you find something you like, select it. The new station will automatically be added to your list of stations and the new station will start playing.
The final item in the Featured Stations, Add a Station, Settings group is a button to allow explicit content. It is off by default. Select it if you want explicit content.
iTunes Radio with the LCD Section
The LCD section at the top of the iTunes window provides an accessible interface for playing iTunes Radio. Interact with the section to start using it.
The LCD section will contain information about the song that's playing, including title and artist. There's an "Action Menu" button. This menu offers many options including Play More Like This, Never Play This Song, New Station from Artist, New Station from Song, and Show in iTunes Store. To the right of the Action Menu is the option to purchase the currently playing song without going into the iTunes store or the Action Menu.
The Play/Pause and Next buttons are not located within the LCD section. Move to the right to find them. From outside of the LCD section, VO+Right Arrow to the buttons.
Skipping Songs
As with iTunes on an iOS device, you do not have an unlimited number of skips per station. Even after closing iTunes for five minutes then going to a different station, I was still unable to skip a song on my original station.
Conclusion
iTunes Radio is very accessible and offers the flexibility to create stations based on your choice of artists, songs, or genres. Although it is somewhat easier to set it up on an iOS device, it can readily be used on a Mac. Happy listening!
