Parents' Guide to

iHeartRadio

By Erin Brereton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Hear live radio or custom stations; iffy lyrics possible.

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android , Kindle Fire Free Music
iHeartRadio Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • iHeartRadio App: Screenshot #1
  • iHeartRadio App: Screenshot #2
  • iHeartRadio App: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 4 parent reviews

tim oleary
tim oleary Adult
February 4, 2020
age 18+

jim fisher

iheart radio... listen up. I have been listening to Jim Fisher for years and years.... I am STUNNED that you would would let a member of this community go... ie FIRED... he is a very well read man, very intelligent, always entertaining, always up to date on local events, and just an all around good man to talk to. any time in the future that I hear I am listening to iheart radio, I will be turning it off !!!!! you took away the most valuable asset to our local radio options. I cant express how upset I am that you would make a move like this. I'm sure my words will fall on deaf ears, but I had to respond to your your "stupid ass move" Jim... I miss you and I hope you will be back on the airwaves in the QC area soon
Carol T.
Carol T. Adult
May 14, 2018
age 18+

Easy to use but commercials in Spanish annoying.

There are a lot of commercials that are very repetitive and some are in Spanish which is quite annoying when listening to an English broadcast. It is handy to use but goes silent frequently.
See all 4 parent reviews

Privacy Rating Warning

  • Personal information is sold or rented to third parties.
  • Personal information is shared for third-party marketing.
  • Personalised advertising is displayed.
  • Data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • User's information is used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Data profiles are created and used for personalised advertisements.
Learn more about our privacy ratings

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?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (9 ):

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

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 suggesting a diversity update.

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