About OldSoulRadio
A free streaming station dedicated to preserving and sharing the earliest recorded jazz and blues — music the world forgot to lock up.
The Mission
Between 1900 and 1930, American musicians created some of the most influential recordings in history. Jazz was born. The blues found its voice. And for the first time, sound could be captured and shared.
These recordings are now in the public domain — legally free for anyone to listen to, share, and build upon. But most of them sit buried in archives, unheard and unappreciated.
OldSoulRadio changes that. We surface these recordings from the Internet Archive and present them as they deserve to be heard: with context, care, and respect for the artists who made them.
What We Believe
Our values
Preservation
Every recording on OldSoulRadio comes from the Internet Archive — the world's digital library. We surface music that might otherwise be forgotten.
Public Domain
All recordings are pre-1930 and free from copyright restrictions. This music belongs to everyone, and we believe everyone should hear it.
No Algorithms
No engagement metrics, no recommendation engines optimizing for attention. Just curated playlists and a catalog you can explore on your own terms.
Free Forever
The core listening experience will always be free. Premium features support the station, but the music stays accessible to all.
A Brief History
The era we celebrate
Thomas Edison invents the phonograph
The earliest sound recordings become possible.
First commercial recordings
Acoustic horn recording captures early ragtime and brass bands.
First jazz record: "Livery Stable Blues"
Original Dixieland Jazz Band releases what's widely considered the first jazz recording.
The golden age begins
Electric microphones revolutionize recording. Jazz and blues explode across America.
Electric recording era
Western Electric's new microphones capture a wider frequency range, bringing recordings closer to live sound.
The crash
The Great Depression devastates the recording industry. Many labels fold, but the music survives.
How It Works
OldSoulRadio streams recordings directly from the Internet Archive, a non-profit digital library. We catalog, curate, and present these recordings with artist information, era context, and genre classification.
All recordings were originally published before 1930 and have entered the public domain in the United States. This means they are free to listen to, download, remix, and share without restriction.
The station is built with modern web technology and works on any device with a browser. We also offer a Roku channel for living room listening.
Ready to listen?
Start Listening