Apple asks Internet radio stations for iTunes Radio cover art

Jump to First Reply
AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
In preparation for the rollout of iTunes Radio, Apple has started sending out emails to owners of Internet radio stations asking that they provide cover art, suggesting the streams will soon be available as part of the upcoming service.

radio
Screenshots of iTunes Radio running in iOS 7.


The emails, as first reported by MacRumors, require a fairly large 1,400-by-1,400 pixel JPEG or PNG image file, which is expected to be added to a station's iTunes Radio page. Existing Internet radio streams are not currently supported in the iOS 7 version of iTunes Radio.

From Apple's email:
Dear Internet Radio Provider,

Cover Art

The iTunes Store now requires cover art for Internet Radio stations. The cover art files must be 1400 x 1400 pixels in JPG or PNG format using RGB color space. The image URL must end in ".jpg", ".jpeg" or ".png". To add cover art to your station, send an email to itunesradio@apple.com including your contact name, station name and cover art file.

Cover art should avoid pixelation. Any text should be legible at reduced image sizes on small devices. Note that Internet Radio cover art is not currently displayed.

Questions about iTunes Radio?

Check out iTunes Radio here.

Regards,

The iTunes Internet Radio Team
While Apple's iTunes Radio will offer automatically generated playlists based on specific songs, genres, artists, and more, it appears the company is looking to add true Internet radio streams to the forthcoming service.

In the existing iTunes app for OS X, Internet radio stations are kept in a tab in a user's music library. The new cover art request suggests Apple may roll the radio streams into iTunes Radio when the feature launches on iOS and OS X this fall.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    techmanmiketechmanmike Posts: 147member


    I really do hope that they include those radio stations as well. I've really started to like some of those stations and have them saved as favorites on my ATV. I've grown so accustomed to listening to those stations that I don't really listen to over-the-air stations unless it's talk radio.

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 16
    everett ruesseverett ruess Posts: 152member
    Love Pandora but will switch to iTunes Radio
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 16
    jd_in_sbjd_in_sb Posts: 1,600member
    Does this mean they are going to compete with Tunein?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 16
    macslutmacslut Posts: 514member
    I hope they include those stations, but more so that they convince them to upgrade the bitrates and switch to AAC/HE-AAC. There's no excuse for these low quality streams anymore.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 16
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member
    Great news if true. This could turn the service into true Internet radio instead of just an iTunes stream you can buy crap from.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 16
    pmalospmalos Posts: 1member
    I so hope this is true. TuneIn has really been circling the drain lately, buggier with each release.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 16
    solomansoloman Posts: 228member
    Wouldn't Apple already have the cover art in iTunes? I don't get it.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 8 of 16
    constable odoconstable odo Posts: 1,041member
    I curious to see how much the critics hate iTunes Radio for whatever reasons. It seems to be a very exciting prospect for me. I mostly listen to my own iTunes library, but I may stray a bit now. I used to listen to the International stations in the current radio streams, but haven't for some time. I'll probably spring for the $25 a year, ad free version. I sure hope it becomes very successful for Apple despite the iHaters criticisms.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 16
    techmanmiketechmanmike Posts: 147member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Soloman View Post



    Wouldn't Apple already have the cover art in iTunes? I don't get it.


    They do have cover art in iTunes for the music that you have in your library. But in the Radio section of iTunes they don't have cover art for any of those internet radio stations. 

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 10 of 16
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Soloman View Post



    Wouldn't Apple already have the cover art in iTunes? I don't get it.


     


    There is no cover art in the "radio" section in iTunes.  It's barely even possible to find stations there and is basically just a huge inaccurate and incomplete list.  


     


    iTunes is actually so bad at Internet radio (and has been for many years) it's not even worth using it for such at the moment. 

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 11 of 16
    phone-ui-guyphone-ui-guy Posts: 1,019member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Soloman View Post



    Wouldn't Apple already have the cover art in iTunes? I don't get it.


     


    Some others answered, but not sure they were that clear. I believe this is for the "cover art" for the actual station itself and not the songs. So it is actually a branding opportunity for the stations, but also improves the user experience seeing the station graphics in the UI instead of the generic radio station icon.

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 12 of 16
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    I don't really understand this - who is the Internet Radio Provider? Are these artists, or labels, or existing internet radio stations that are being integrated with the new service?

    If the latter, I didn't know that was happening; pretty sure it wasn't mentioned when the service was announced.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 13 of 16
    lazerethlazereth Posts: 15member
    Try my app - Revo-Radio for Mac and iOS - already supports Internet Radio stations and Soundcloud - and its free - Alot of happy users...

    ios -> https://itunes.apple.com/app/revo-radio/id680091586?ls=1&mt=8

    mac -> https://itunes.apple.com/app/revo-radio/id654444302?ls=1&mt=12

    Enjoy All,
    Samuel
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 14 of 16
    AMcKinlay21amckinlay21 Posts: 125member
    Given the dimensions that Apple is requesting for iTunes radio cover art, and the fact that we all know that album artwork is usually 640x640, can these new dimensions be interpreted as a sign of upcoming retina display iMac and/or Thunderbolt Display refreshes?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 15 of 16
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    gazoobee wrote: »
    iTunes is actually so bad at Internet radio (and has been for many years) it's not even worth using it for such at the moment. 

    Totally wrong.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 16 of 16
    solomansoloman Posts: 228member
    crowley wrote: »
    I don't really understand this - who is the Internet Radio Provider? Are these artists, or labels, or existing internet radio stations that are being integrated with the new service? If the latter, I didn't know that was happening; pretty sure it wasn't mentioned when the service was announced.

    Seems like they'll be integrated into iTunes Radio, so I guess it'll be part Pandora and part TuneIn.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
Sign In or Register to comment.