Hearts of Space

Hearts of Space
GenreAmbient, new-age, electronic, space, and related contemplative music
Running time60 minutes, weekly
Country of originUnited States
Language(s)English
Syndicatesself-distributed to 100+ public radio stations (2009),[1]
PRX
Hosted by1973–1974
Stephen Hill
1974–1986
Stephen Hill,
Anna Turner
1987–present
Stephen Hill
Created byStephen Hill[2][3]
Produced bySteve Davis
Executive producer(s)Stephen Hill
Recording studioSan Rafael, California
Original release1973 –
date
Websitewww.hos.com Edit this at Wikidata

Hearts of Space is an American weekly syndicated public radio show[4] featuring music of a contemplative nature[5] drawn largely from the ambient, new-age and electronic genres, while also including classical, world, Celtic, experimental, and other music selections.[6][7][8] For many years, the show's producer and presenter, Stephen Hill, has applied the term "space music" to the music broadcast on the show, irrespective of genre.[9] It is the longest-running radio program of its type in the world. Each episode ends with Hill gently saying, "Safe journeys, space fans ... wherever you are."

  1. ^ An option for This American Life, self-distribution dwindles among public radio producers
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference creation1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference creation2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Herberlein, L.A. (2002). The Rough Guide to Internet Radio. Rough Guides. p. 95. ISBN 1-85828-961-0.
  5. ^ "When you listen to space and ambient music you are connecting with a tradition of contemplative sound experience whose roots are ancient and diverse. The genre spans historical, ethnic, and contemporary styles. In fact, almost any music with a slow pace and space-creating sound images could be called spacemusic." Stephen Hill, co-founder, Hearts of Space, What is spacemusic?
  6. ^ HOS, "Hearts of Space - History": "The program has defined its own niche — a mix of ambient, electronic, world, new age, classical and experimental music. [...] Slow-paced, space-creating music from many cultures — ancient bell meditations, classical adagios, creative space jazz, and the latest electronic and acoustic ambient music are woven into a seamless sequence unified by sound, emotion, and spatial imagery." (Stephen Hill, "Contemplative Music, Broadly defined")
  7. ^ Hearts of Space Playlist - Complete list of genres
  8. ^ Lancaster, Kurt (1999). Warlocks and Warpdrive: Contemporary Fantasy Entertainments with Interactive and Virtual Environments. McFarland. p. 26. ISBN 0786406348.
  9. ^ HOS, "Hearts of Space - History": "A timeless experience... as ancient as the echoes of a simple bamboo flute or as contemporary as the latest ambient electronica. Any music with a generally slow pace and space-creating sound image can be called spacemusic. Generally quiet, consonant, ethereal, often without conventional rhythmic and dynamic contrasts, spacemusic is found within many historical, ethnic, and contemporary genres." (Stephen Hill, "What Is Spacemusic?" sidebar to "Contemplative Music, Broadly Defined")