There is no denying that the use of the Internet is growing dramatically. Nearly one billion people worldwide use the web; almost 70 percent of Americans have Internet in their homes, while a third of the U.S. population can jump online at the workplace. For this reason it is no wonder why so many consumers also use Internet radio.

However, the real question is: why do so many people — especially young people and users in offices — prefer online radio over conventional radio.

As opposed to off-air radio stations, consumers love listening to online radio because of many reasons. For one, Internet radio provides a much larger selection of streaming radio stations and programs.

Consumers can listen to music, bands and artists not available on traditional radio stations. This means they can explore new bands as well as independent bands not on the radio. Consumers can also find unique, niche content on the web, such as specialist music, education programs and ethnic radio stations.

Another reason why Internet radio is so popular is because consumers can control and select the type of music they hear. For example, consumers can search for radio stations by various categories, including genre, such as country music, or time period, such as 70s music.

Along with greater variety of music and control, people listen to Internet radio as opposed to over-the-air radio for many other reasons, including fewer commercials and less talk by the DJ or host. Some internet radio stations even have no commercials at all. Finally, e-radio stations also have clearer signals.

In addition to benefiting the consumer, Internet radio is also beneficial for the radio stations. For example, conventional radio was often limited by barriers to public transmission. However, online radio is void of these barriers. This means, even a local jazz music station can become a worldwide favorite.