Streaming apps and players typically provide technical information alongside stream requests that help reporting systems identify where listening activity originated.


This may include:

  • Platform identifiers

  • App identifiers

  • Device information

  • Listener IDs

  • Other metadata provided by the player or application


Modern first-party apps and web players often provide significantly richer identification data than older platforms or third-party aggregators.


This information allows reporting systems such as Radar to:

  • Classify listening by platform

  • Distinguish between app, web, smart speaker, and aggregator listening

  • Analyse audience behaviour across different listening environments

  • Improve the consistency of audience reporting


The quality and consistency of this identification can vary depending on how the app or player has been implemented.


For more information on how listener and platform identification works in modern streaming environments, see:
Why Metrics Can Change After Player or App Upgrades
Understanding Digital Radio Metrics