How to request a song to air on Apple's Beats 1 radio station

By Roger Fingas

Something not widely known about Apple's Beats 1 radio station is that listeners can make song requests, in a process that's a little different from conventional, terrestrial radio stations.

Beats 1 DJ Julie Adenuga.

Apple has set up a special Request a Song page on Tumblr, with lists of phone numbers covering regions like Canada, the U.S., Germany, Japan, and Australia. In the case of Canada, the U.S., and the U.K., toll-free numbers are available. People from outside the listed regions must call a U.S. number where long-distance charges apply.

The full list of numbers includes:

Callers are asked to leave a recorded message with their name, location, and the song before hanging up. Request messages themselves may be played on the air, but there is no guarantee that one of Apple's DJs will accept a request, and some shows are either repeats or do not accept listener suggestions.

An alternative option involves using the Messages app for iOS or Mac to send a request to beats1radio@icloud.com.

Beats 1 debuted on June 30, and is anchored by three main DJs: Zane Lowe, Ebro Darden, and Julie Adenuga. There are also a variety of celebrity shows however, hosted by names like St. Vincent and Elton John.