KCRW vs The Current Music
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
KCRW
Access a curated selection of music, news, and cultural content. Enjoy new livestreams, real-time song information, and exclusive member benefits.
- Curated music and shows
- New livestreams (Dance24, Vintage24)
- Real-time "Now Playing" information
- Member perks
- Redesigned interface
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Your shortcut to the music, shows, and city you love. The KCRW app is your home for in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free music discovery. Stream live, catch up on shows, and hear real-time Now Playing. New in this version: Explore LA. Discover events, places, and cultural picks curated by KCRW, browse hand-picked collections from local experts, and see what's happening near you on an interactive map. Bookmark your favorites to revisit or share, and keep all your member perks in one place. With livestreams including Dance24 and Vintage24, member perks in your pocket, and now a curated guide to the city, there's more to discover than ever.
The Current Music
Stream live radio from an independent public radio station featuring authentic and independent new music. Access additional curated music streams directly within the app.
- Livestream The Current
- Additional music streams
- Radio Heartland stream
- Local Current stream
- Rock the Cradle stream
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The Current is an independent, member-supported public radio station in Minnesota that plays the best authentic and independent new music alongside the music that inspired it. Livestream The Current and additional streams like Radio Heartland, Local Current, Rock the Cradle, and more directly from the app. Great Music Lives Here.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: The Current Music at 4.7 against KCRW's 2.9. KCRW's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (400 vs 10). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
The Current Music holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: KCRW has 400 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 32% of KCRW's written reviews are positive against 24% of The Current Music's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | KCRW | The Current Music |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (400 ratings) | 4.7 (10 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 31.9% of reviews — better | 24.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 400 — better | 10 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 121 MB | 93 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | KCRW | Minnesota Public Radio |
Customer experience
KCRW
The Current Music
Bugs and requests
KCRW
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes on launch
- Incompatible with older iOS versions
- Notification badge won't clear
- Streaming cuts out frequently
- Eclectic 24 playlist not updating in real-time
Requested features
5 requests- Resume playback from where left off
- Improved song/artist information display
- Chromecast/AirPlay support
- Ability to save/favorite songs
- Landscape mode support on iPad
The Current Music
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
KCRW
No in-app purchases
The Current Music
No in-app purchases
