SomaFM is an independent Internet-only streaming multi-channel radio station, supported entirely with donations from listeners.

[1][2][3] The response to the project was sufficiently positive that Rusty Hodge launched it as a full-time internet radio station in February 2000.

[4] In May 2002, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel rate ruling came into effect, requiring internet broadcasters to pay a per song per listener royalty to SoundExchange for the performance of the sound recording, retroactively through October 1998.

The royalty was later reduced by half, but that rate still would require payments by SomaFM that exceeded their revenues.

[14] In 2014, SomaFM partnered with Qualcomm to include Allplay (part of the AllJoyn open source software framework) for wireless speakers in their mobile apps.