What is tilderadio?

tilderadio is an internet radio station streamed by and for users of the tildeverse, a community of shared Unix systems. It plays continuous music through an AutoDJ when no live DJ is on air, and it also carries scheduled shows hosted by community members. You can listen in a browser at https://tilderadio.org/listen or point any media player at one of its direct stream URLs. It is a good fit if you want a small, community-run station rather than an algorithmically programmed commercial service.

How it works

The station runs a continuous stream. When no human DJ is broadcasting, an AutoDJ fills the time — the page shows the current track and a live listener count (for example, "AUTODJ 3 listening"). Scheduled shows appear in an "UP NEXT" list with UTC times, so you can plan around a specific DJ.

The site also keeps a "recently played" log with timestamps, which is useful if you heard something and want to identify it later.

How to listen

Two routes, depending on what you want:

• Web player — open https://tilderadio.org/listen and use the on-page controls (play, mute, volume).
• Direct stream URLs — paste one into VLC, mpv, or another player:

Pick Ogg if your player supports it and you want the more efficient codec; pick MP3 for the widest compatibility. The 320k options are the higher-quality streams.

There is also a curl /now API endpoint, which returns what is currently playing — handy for scripts or status displays.

What makes it different from a typical internet station

• Community-run. It is streamed by and for tildeverse users, not a commercial broadcaster.
• You can contribute. The site invites listeners to make a station ID, submit a jingle, or plan a one-off broadcast.
• Small and social. There is a #tilderadio IRC channel and a Mastodon presence for the DJs and community.
• Scheduled human shows alongside automation. The lineup mixes AutoDJ with named DJ slots (the schedule lists hosts with UTC start times).

Practical notes

• Times are UTC. The schedule and the recently-played log both use UTC, so convert to your local time before planning to catch a show.
• Listener counts are visible. The page shows how many people are tuned in, which tells you how busy a slot is.
• No pricing information is given on the page. Nothing in the available material states whether listening or contributing costs anything, so treat cost as unconfirmed rather than assuming it is free.

If you want a low-key, community-driven stream with real DJs and an open invitation to participate, tilderadio is worth adding to your player. Start with the web player to sample it, then switch to a direct stream URL once you know which format your setup handles best.