I don't really know how popular 8Beats Radio actually is. All I know is that what Lucas and Jesse created five years ago holds a truly special place in my heart. Launched in 2021, 8Beats Radio is a 24/7 web radio station entirely focused on airing video game music through its resident shows (I host one of them). Yesterday, we learned that it will be shutting down on August 31st.
That's a huge loss for video game music fans, but also for the creators who contributed to the platform to share some VGM goodness.
The decision makes a lot of sense, though, and Jesse's motives for shutting the radio down are as understandable as they are relatable. For years, 8Beats Radio was a one-man operation, and I can only imagine the sheer amount of time required to manage over 50 shows, upload them all to the website, and promote them properly on social media. It's just not sustainable, and while his passion never faded, “what I don't have anymore is the time and resources to give it what it deserves,” he wrote in his Instagram post. “A sustainable business model was never found, and despite all the projects we had to grow the station, the path forward always stayed limited.”
Even though my contributions were modest and I was never deeply involved in 8Beats' growth and development, I'll always be grateful for the trust Lucas and Jesse put in NOWPLAYING since day one. I started my show in 2022, and their support meant the world to me as I felt like the smallest fish in a pond of already well-established VGM creators like Hammock, ElFamosoDemon, moonflowersoft, Professor Tom, and many more. It opened many doors, and I feel really lucky to have been part of this project—all the more so because it's French!
All I can do now is encourage you to stream the shit out of 8Beats Radio while it lasts, and to give all these wonderful creators a follow on social media. Not all of them are as active as they once were, but rest assured that the VGM flame is kept ablaze for many of them.
Thank you for everything, 8Beats. Until next time.
