Icecast sends your radio station's audio to listeners over the internet. You supply the live show or music; the server handles the connections from everyone tuning in.
This guide covers what Icecast is, how it works, and what to look for in an Icecast hosting package.
What is Icecast?
Icecast is a free, open-source streaming server for audio and video. It supports formats including MP3, Ogg Vorbis, Opus and WebM. Your source client and your listeners' players also need to support the format you choose.
Most people use Icecast to run internet radio stations, but it does more than that: a private jukebox, live event audio, real-time podcasts, or audio relayed between two locations. The project is maintained by the Xiph.Org Foundation, the organisation behind the Ogg and Vorbis formats.
A brief history
Icecast was created in 1998–1999 by Jack Moffitt and Barath Raghavan as an open-source way to stream audio. It grew out of a college radio station at SMU that kept losing its licence and could only be heard inside its own building.
Every dorm on campus already had Ethernet, so streaming the station was the obvious answer. The catch was RealAudio, the only streaming software of the day, which cost far too much. So Moffitt wrote his own server, and the station could reach the whole campus with no transmitter and no licence.
The first version streamed MP3; Vorbis came later. Icecast 2, a complete rewrite built for more formats and more listeners, was started in 2002 and released in 2004. Icecast v2 is the version that runs thousands of internet radio stations today.
How Icecast works
An Icecast setup has two parts:
- The source client runs wherever the audio is made: your studio, your laptop, your bedroom. It captures the audio and sends it to the server. Icecast has its own source client, IceS, and popular tools such as BUTT, Mixxx and SAM Broadcaster work too.
- The Icecast server runs where there is plenty of bandwidth, usually a data centre. It receives the stream from your source client and sends it to every listener at the same time.
Since version 2.4.0, source clients can also connect with a standard HTTP PUT request instead of Icecast's own SOURCE method, which makes Icecast easier to use with other tools.
That split is the reason Icecast hosting exists. A home connection can send one stream to a server comfortably, but it cannot serve hundreds of listeners at once. A hosted Icecast server in a data centre does that part for you.
What Icecast hosting gives you
You can run your own Icecast server, but a hosting provider takes care of setup, bandwidth, uptime and upkeep, so your time goes into the broadcast. A good package includes:
Live broadcasting
Stream live to listeners anywhere in the world. Listener statistics show how many people are tuned in and where they are, which helps as you grow an audience.
Mount points that switch for you
Icecast's mount points hand listeners between AutoDJ and your live show automatically. Go live and your audience switches over; sign off and AutoDJ takes over again. No manual switching and no dead air.
AutoDJ
With Icecast hosting from Comcities, AutoDJ is included. Upload your music, build playlists and schedule them, and your station keeps playing 24/7, even when you are nowhere near a computer.
Reliability
Hosted Icecast servers sit in data centres with fast connections and redundant hardware, so your stream stays online whether you have 10 listeners or 1,000.
Who is Icecast hosting for?
- Online radio stations, from hobby broadcasters to community and commercial stations
- DJs and musicians streaming live sets and mixes
- Churches and community groups broadcasting services and events
- Podcasters who want a live channel alongside their recorded episodes
- Businesses running in-store audio or a branded radio channel
Frequently asked questions
Is Icecast free?
Yes. The Icecast software is free and open source. With Icecast hosting you pay for the server, the bandwidth and the management needed to deliver your stream reliably to many listeners at once.
Do I need a licence to broadcast with Icecast?
The Icecast software is free to use, but that does not give you permission to stream someone else's content. Broadcasting and music-rights requirements depend on where you operate, your audience and what you play. Check the requirements with the relevant authorities and rights organisations before going live. Hosting does not include those permissions.
What is the difference between Icecast and Shoutcast?
Both are popular streaming servers. Icecast is fully open source, supports more formats (including Ogg and Opus) and runs many mount points on one server. Shoutcast is the server many stations already know, with a large public directory. We host both at the same price: see Shoutcast hosting for the other side.
Ready to go on air?
To start streaming, you need a server, a source client and audio you have permission to broadcast. Choose a listener limit and bandwidth allowance that fit the audience you expect.
Compare our Icecast hosting plans to find one that fits your station, with AutoDJ, live broadcasting and listener statistics included.