AzuraCast — Self-Hosted Web Radio Management Suite

Introduction

AzuraCast is a self-hosted web radio management suite that provides everything needed to run an internet radio station. It bundles streaming software, a media library, scheduling tools, and a public-facing player into a single Docker-based deployment.

What AzuraCast Does

• Stream live audio via Icecast or Shoutcast protocols
• Manage a music library with automated playlist scheduling
• Provide a public-facing player page with album art and now-playing info
• Support live DJ connections via ICES, Mixxx, or Butt
• Generate listener statistics and analytics reports

Architecture Overview

AzuraCast runs as a Docker Compose stack with containers for Nginx, MariaDB, Redis, and the streaming backend (Icecast or Shoutcast). Liquidsoap handles audio processing and playlist automation. The web UI is built with PHP and Vue.js.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Install via the provided Docker installer script on any Linux server
• Set station name, genre, and streaming mount points through the web UI
• Upload media files or import from external storage
• Configure playlist rotation schedules and jingles
• Enable HTTPS via the built-in Let's Encrypt integration

Key Features

• Multi-station support from a single installation
• Live DJ handoff with automatic fallback to scheduled playlists
• Built-in StereoTool audio processing for broadcast-quality sound
• REST API and webhooks for integration with external services
• Embeddable player widgets for websites

Comparison with Similar Tools

• Icecast — bare streaming server; AzuraCast wraps it with management, scheduling, and analytics
• LibreTime — fork of Airtime focused on terrestrial radio; AzuraCast targets internet streaming
• Mixxx — desktop DJ software; AzuraCast is a server-side automation and streaming platform
• RadioBoss — commercial Windows scheduler; AzuraCast is free, open-source, and Linux-based

FAQ

Q: Can I broadcast live? A: Yes. Connect with any source client (Mixxx, BUTT, Ices) to your station's DJ mount point.

Q: How many listeners can it handle? A: It depends on server bandwidth. A standard VPS can support hundreds of concurrent listeners.

Q: Does it support scheduled programming? A: Yes. Create playlists with time-based or weight-based rotation rules.

Q: Is there a mobile app? A: No dedicated app, but the public player works on mobile browsers. The REST API enables third-party app integration.

Sources

• https://github.com/AzuraCast/AzuraCast
• https://www.azuracast.com/docs