If you're a big fan of Internet radio, and streaming audio of all kinds, probably you have a problem with it - once you listen to it, it's gone. Most streaming broadcasting companies don't want listeners to record their broadcasts. Applications such as RealPlayer or Windows Media Player don't include record options. But there are a lot of programs that lets you save streaming music or other live Internet broadcasts to your PC.

Analog audio interceptor
Audio interceptor is a crude method, but it works! Take the analog audio out of your sound card and route it to the audio input of the same sound card. Then use any audio recording application to digitally re-record the input signal. However, this method is a hassle to set up, and the analog quality isn't nearly as good as is the original digital broadcast quality.

Digital audio interceptor
Ideally, you'd intercept and record the digital audio signal. That way, there's no hardware to set up and the audio quality remains digital. The application re-records and recompresses the signal, but the audio is still digital.

Here are some applications for intercepting digital audio to try.

Note that many Streaming Video Recorders can download streaming audio as well as streaming video.

Live Stream Recorders

• Super MP3 Recorder Pro lets you save any audio stream coming into your sound card. It automatically chooses the best recording options, and then saves the stream as .mp3, .wav, .wma, .vqf and .ogg files. Records streaming audio in many formats, including Windows Media Player, QuickTime, RealPlayer, and Flash. Can start and stop recording at any time you set. Have sound editing feature.
  Standart version is less powerfull, but costs $10 less. (Shareware - $29.95/Windows)
• Real MP3 Recorder is a sound recording program. It records sound generated, or requested, by other computer programs, such as RealPlayer, Windows Media Player, Quick Time, WinAmp, and many others. Saves the streams as MP3 or WAV files only. (Shareware - $29.95/Windows)
• Total recorder saves any kind of audio files (RealAudio, MP3, Windows Media Player), streaming to your computer from a source such as an online radio station. (Shareware/Windows)

• HiDownload - is the leading download manager that download streaming media and record shoutcast. You can evaluate it for FREE (50 days trial period). ($29.95/Windows)
• RipCast Streaming Audio Ripper allows you to connect to various SHOUTcast compatible servers/broadcasters and save the streaming audio to one or more MP3 files. This program even has the smarts to save each song as a separate MP3, rather than saving them all as a single file! RipCast comes with RipCast Agent, a utility that allows you to easily download from streams you find in your Web browser. It also builds and organizes your MP3 collection with an easy-to-use interface and allows you to browse for the type of music you like ($11.98/Windows)
• INet Stream Archiver ($15/Macintosh) - allows you to record Shoutcast and Icecast internet radio. While recording, it will check the track name being played and make a new mp3 file when a new song starts - each mp3 file will have the right song name. You can also record multiple radio stations, depending on how much bandwith you have.
• StreamRipperX (Free/Macintosh) - Records from multiple stations at the same time Hundreds of radio stations supported: iTunes radio stations, Shoutcast / Icecast compatible stations

• Replay Radio ($49.95/Windows) - One of the best VCR-style recorders for the PC. This simple application lets you record a live stream. It also lets you program the dates and times of your favorite shows. Just enter the station's URL, the date, and the time to record.
  Once your show is recorded, Replay Radio makes MP3 files for listening with an MP3 player or your PC. Or, you can have Replay Radio automatically make an audio CD for playback on a home or car CD Player.
  You can record anything you hear on the PC, including streaming audio broadcast from Internet radio stations. You can even use Replay Radio as a general purpose recorder for archiving audio books, saving music, monitoring online police scanners, recording from devices attached to your PC (like cassette decks or radios), or other uses.
• Blaze Audio Power Record ($19.95/Windows)- Power Record is good not only for instant recording, but also for scheduled events. You can set up an unlimited number of events for one-time, daily, weekly or monthly recording. The program can playback your recordings and convert them to MP3 with either Fraunhofer or Lame encoders.