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Amazon’s virtual assistant can play almost any radio station thanks to new Alexa skills. Fortunately, all Alexa skills are completely free, so you can start listening to your favorite stations on your Amazon Echo or Fire Tablet without subscribing to a third-party service.
Most, but not all, Alexa skills are compatible with Amazon Sonos sound systems. Alexa is not available for older Kindle Fire models.
MyTuner Radio lets you tune into 50,000 stations from all parts of the world.
You can ask for stations like NPR and BBC, or you can request a random station specializing in a certain genre, such as jazz, news, or sports. Just say, “Alexa, ask MyTuner Radio to play station/genre.”
You can even get more specific. For example, try, “Alexa, ask MyTuner Radio for the best hip-hop stations in Columbia.” Alexa will give you a list of stations to choose from.
Best for History Buffs: Radio D-Day
To relive one of the decisive moments of World War II, say, “Alexa, open Radio D-Day” to hear an actual broadcast from June 6, 1944, that provided complete coverage of the invasion of Normandy.
If you want to skip ahead to the Allied victory, say, “Alexa, next.”
If you’re particularly interested in that time period, Radio Complete Day is another Alexa skill you need. Say, “Alexa, open Radio Complete Day” to hear a whole day of broadcasting from WJSV in Washington D.C. on September 21, 1939.
Best for Nostalgia Lovers: Radio Fun Time
If you’re a fan of old-school radio programs like Gunsmoke, Dragnet, and the Abbott & Costello Show then Radio Fun Time was made for you.
Begin by saying, “Alexa, open Radio Fun Time.” You can request a specific show, or ask Alexa for recommendations from a certain genre. Say “Alexa, next” to skip to another episode.
Can’t decide what you want to listen to? Say, “Alexa, open Radio Paradise skill.” You’ll hear a song from a random genre curated by professional DJs who specialize in serving diverse musical tastes.
If you like what you hear, just say, “Alexa, ask Radio Paradise what’s playing.”
To skip ahead to another song, say, “Alexa, next song.”
Best for News Junkies: Radio Anchor
No one should rely on one source for their news. Fortunately, Radio Anchor simplifies seeking out different perspectives.
Try commands like “Alexa, ask Radio Anchor to play sports stories from The New York Times,” or “Alexa, ask Radio Anchor to play news stories from All India Radio” to expand your worldview.
The only downside is Radio Anchor doesn’t actually play live radio streams; instead, Alexa reads the news aloud.
How to Listen to the Radio With Alexa
To enable Alexa skills on your Amazon Echo or Fire Tablet so you can listen to the radio, in the Alexa app select More > Skills & Games > Categories > Music & Audio or News to browse specific stations and skills > Enable Skill.
Alternatively, you can just say, “Alexa, open skills,” and tell Alexa which skill you want to enable.
If Alexa presents you with a numerical list of options, just say a number to confirm your choice.
Can Alexa Play Local Radio Stations?
There’s a chance Alexa can already play your favorite local station without the need for any skills; try saying, “Alexa, play station.” You can request stations by name, frequency, or call letters.
Likewise, you can request certain old-time radio shows by name like “Radio Mystery Theater.” If Alexa can’t find what you want to hear, try enabling the following skills to vastly expand her repertoire.
Radio-Locator is a helpful tool for finding information about your local stations, including frequencies and call numbers.
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