KCRW announced Wednesday that it will launch a new collection of free on-demand music channels in its mobile app, offering listeners curated playlists organized around different moods and activities throughout the day.
The feature, called Mood Mixes, will be available exclusively through the KCRW app and includes six themed channels: Wake, Sweat, Drive, Focus, Lounge and Sleep, according to the radio station.
Each channel will feature six two-hour mixes curated by station DJs and guest music specialists as an alternative to algorithm-driven music recommendations, officials said.
“KCRW has always pushed itself to find new ways to expand how audiences discover music,” KCRW Music Director Alejandro “Ale” Cohen said in a statement.
“We listened closely to what our audience wanted from the app and created something intentional, algorithm-free, and adaptable to the rhythms of real life. Mood Mixes gives listeners a new way to engage with KCRW through the voices and musical tastes of our DJs they already trust.”
KCRW said the channels are designed to match different parts of a listener’s day, ranging from morning music and workout playlists to programming intended for concentration, social gatherings and sleep.
Contributing DJs include Jason Bentley, Tyler “Boogie” Boudreaux, Cohen, Chris Douridas, LeRoy Downs, Francesca Harding, J.Rocc, Olive Kimoto, LUXXURY, Nassir Nassirzadeh, SiLVA, John Tejada and Wyldflower.
The station described Mood Mixes as its first original app-native music experience and said the project is part of a broader effort to strengthen direct connections with audiences and promote music discovery.
KCRW is NPR’s flagship Southern California member station and a service of Santa Monica College.