Music websites and applications are hugely popular in the music scene today. Websites like pandora.com and last.fm, and applications like Spotify give listeners a chance to listen to new music in a different way than the radio, as users can find stations that relate to one specific band, song, or genre. 8tracks.com gives a different and creative approach to the online radio craze.

The first thing that one will notice when they go to the 8tracks website is that it is not required to create an account, which users of the site all appreciate. To find a playlist, 8tracks lets users choose from a variety of genres, ranging from the expected “rap,” “rock” and “country” genres to the broader “indie,” “summer” and “upbeat” categories. A second list of genres appears after one chooses the first, so the playlists that 8tracks offers listeners will fit in further with what one cares to listen to at the time. The most unique difference between 8tracks and other online radio stations is that the playlists/stations 8tracks offers are user-made. The playlists, that generally range from one to two hours long, play songs streamed from YouTube, and the whole playlist is commercial-free. Users can like playlists and follow other users if they choose in order for them to easily find a playlist they thoroughly enjoyed before.

Overall, 8tracks.com is a fantastic site to find new music, and with the added bonus of no advertisements, no sign-ups, and  like and follow capabilities, it may even be better than other popular online radios. 8tracks also has an app for iPhone and Android.