Common Sense Media Review
By Erin Brereton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Hear live radio or custom stations; iffy lyrics possible.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
iHeartRadio
Privacy Rating Warning
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
What's It About?
Select a regional, news, or sports-based radio station from the iHeartRadio app's ample list, or create a station based on one of your favorite artists or a specific song. (The station will include that musician's songs and ones from similar artists.) You can select stations at random with the scan feature and like or dislike songs to further customize your self-made stations. The app requires you to register through Facebook or enter an email address. It's free, easy to use, and offers a hefty list of stations and songs.
Is It Any Good?
The IHEARTRADIO app offers music fans two choices: Select one of more than 800 regional radio stations, or create a personalized station based on one of your favorite artists or a specific song. (The station will include that musician's songs and ones from similar artists.) Some features echo the Pandora app -- you're encouraged to rate songs, and you can only skip so many. However, iHeartRadio's regional stations offer some unique extras. The scan feature should please incessant car radio flippers, and the station list gives a thorough mix of cities -- you can tune in to stations from Sarasota to Seattle. Stations are also listed by their musical genre and by subject matter, such as news, comedy, or sports.
Until the end of 2011, the user-created stations are commercial-free. However, if you're hoping to create or save your own station, you're required to log in using Facebook first. The app will access your basic profile information -- including your name, friend list, and other details. Custom stations may include mature content; helping kids pick musicians to create stations can also help prevent them from stumbling across content meant for older listeners.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Discuss some of the topics and events mentioned on the news stations.
Talk with kids about how to evaluate media messages and detect biased reporting. Some of the stations on iHeartRadio have a conservative or liberal slant.
Create playlists for your kids based on age-appropriate artists. Have teens create lists for you, too!
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android , Kindle Fire
- Subjects : Social Studies : events , global awareness , Arts : music , rhythm
- Skills : Tech Skills : evaluating media messages , social media , Communication : listening , multiple forms of expression
- Pricing structure : Free
- Release date : September 21, 2011
- Genre : Music
- Publisher : Clear Channel Management Services, LP
- Version : 4.0.1
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 3.0 or later; Android 2.1 and up
- Last updated : September 26, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
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