More than a playlist. More than a station. 518 Radio is the home of the Capital Region's music culture — bringing together the artists, DJs, producers, and fans who make the 518 one of New York's most creative communities.

Discover the newest releases, revisit local classics, and hear the voices shaping the next generation of music. Whether you're from Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Saratoga, or anywhere the 518 reaches — this is your platform.

Built by the community. Powered by local talent. Streaming the soundtrack of Upstate New York.

Welcome home. Welcome to 518 Radio.

• A live community radio station for 518 artists.
• A song chart where tracks rise on their own merit.
• A place to discover local music, not chase clout.

• No artist rankings or "top artist" boards.
• No follower counts or monthly-listener scores.
• No popularity contest. The song is the star.

• Tune into Live Radio — a continuous, shuffled stream of the 518.
• Browse the Top Songs chart and play any track.
• Tap the heart to show love — every reaction counts.
• Explore artist pages and the memorial Hall of Fame.

We're rolling out the full platform right after launch. Here's what's dropping:

• Listener accounts — make a free account and unlock the extras below.
• Artist accounts — our debut roster claims their pages with a private code; later, new 518 artists can apply.
• Submissions — upload your music with cover art; reviewed, then it goes live on the chart.
• Search — find any artist or song across the station.
• Live Chat — talk with the room in real time (messages vanish after 2 minutes).
• Collab Wishlist — vote two 518 artists into the studio together.
• Build-your-own playlist — your custom rotation, unlocked after 15 hours of listening.
• Represent cards — share what you're playing, Apple-Music style.

• Debut day, everyone listens free — no account needed, just press play.
• Soon after, accounts open. Make one to react, chat, search, vote, and build playlists.
• 518 artists claim their pages with the code we send them — then they control their own profile.
• The station stays live and growing — new songs, new artists, and live shout-outs straight from the booth.

EVERY artist in the 518 will be able to upload — not just our debut roster. This isn't a popularity contest. It's a platform for the whole community.

Starting the beginning of August, every artist gets 1–2 uploads a month. Same for everyone — nobody gets more, nobody gets over.