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UK-wide national radio stations serving the United Kingdom
This is our UK radio station directory. Our maps link to more stations & frequencies

From BBC Radio 1 & BBC Radio 2 to BBC 5 Live, Absolute Radio to Classic FM;
you'll find links to these and more stations covering the UK below...

on this page: National radio stations for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
on other pages: local & regional radio stations | Freeview radio EPG | Sky digital radio

last updated: 30th January 2012

DAB Digital Radio
There are two national digital radio multiplexes serving the UK, with bundles of radio stations carried on each. The BBC national multiplex broadcasts on channel 12B. The national commercial multiplex broadcasts on channel 11D in England and 12A in Scotland and is operated by Digital One. In Northern Ireland a separate national commercial multiplex broadcasts on channel 12D. This multiplex is operated by Bauer Digital Radio.
What is digital radio?
Which radios can I buy?

Service summary key:
station on-air on DAB
forthcoming station (launch date)
(m) indicates mono service
(pt) indicates part-time service
(d) indicates data service e.g. EPG (electronic programme guide), etc.

BBC National: channel 12B
BBC Asian Network (m)
BBC Radio 1
BBC 1Xtra
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 Extra (m)
BBC Radio 5 Live (m)
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra (m/pt)
BBC 6 Music
BBC World Service (m)
BBC EPG Guide (d)
BBC Five Live Olympics Extra (during 2012 games)
stations no longer on multiplex »

National commercial:
channel 11D or 12A
(not Northern Ireland)
Absolute 80s
Absolute Radio 90s
Absolute Radio
Absolute Radio Extra (m)
Amazing Radio (m)
BFBS
Classic FM
Jazz FM (m)
Planet Rock
Premier Christian Radio (m)
Smooth Radio (m)
Smooth Radio 70s (m)
talkSPORT (m)
UCB UK (m)
stations no longer on multiplex »

You can also view commercial radio stations on DAB in Northern Ireland.

DAB digital radio
coverage information

BBC national multiplex current DAB digital transmitter locations.

Between 2012 and 2017, the BBC is proposing to build and switch on more than 150 DAB digital radio transmitters. Our radio news page will keep up-to-date with the switch-ons.

View a list of current transmitters for the national commercial DAB multiplex. View details of locations of future transmitters.

Find my nearest national commercial DAB transmitter in...
Scotland
North England
Midlands
Wales
Eastern Counties
South East
London
South West

DAB digital radio postcode check

Find out which stations you can receive by a postcode check.

Radio Times Logo
What's on now and next
Find out which programmes are on now and up later today on many UK radio stations, including BBC 6 Music and talkSPORT from the Radio Times online

Absolute 80s

1980s pop and rock classics with an up-tempo party feel at night

available on the Digital One national DAB digital radio multiplex

Absolute 80s is Great Britain's only all-80s music radio station. The station offers a real nostalgia trip, encompassing music from artists such as Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Simple Minds, Duran Duran, Prince, ABC, Depeche Mode, Blondie and Bon Jovi, with a smattering of hits from Madonna, Michael Jackson and Culture Club. Turn it up and party hard as the station ups the tempo at night.

Absolute Radio 90s

1990s pop and rock classics

available on the Digital One national DAB digital radio multiplex

The only totally 90s music UK radio station on DAB digital radio, Absolute 90s brings you the musical spirit of the decade, capturing the britpop era forged by Oasis and Blur, and taking in artists such as Primal Scream, Chemical Brothers, Radiohead, Portishead, Stone Roses and Guns 'n Roses along the way: anything popular from the era, with a guitar slant.

Absolute Radio

adult contemporary music; football results; rock and guitar-led classics

1215

1197

1233 (some areas)

1242

1260

105.8 (London, Home Counties & South-East England)

also available on the Digital One national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live on our audio pages

Absolute Radio on facebook

formerly Virgin Radio

With live match day football coverage, the Christian O' Connell Breakfast Show and Sony-award winning Frank Skinner on Saturdays from 8am, Absolute plays guitar-based current and classic rock music, with comedy, sports and gigs news.

Absolute Radio Extra

comedy shows and live music from festivals and gigs

live commentary of Premiership football matches

part-time service, available on national DAB digital radio

Want some live football coverage on Saturday afternoons? Well, Absolute Radio Extra on your DAB radio has a package of 32 Premiership games from 3pm during the season. Absolute's live music sets are broadcast uninterrupted on the station, plus there's even time to squeeze in extra comedy from Frank Skinner and Dave Gorman.

Amazing Radio

music from unsigned artists: acoustic, country, dance, indie, pop & rock

available on the Digital One national DAB digital radio multiplex

Amazing Radio on facebook

Here's something unique - a radio station that plays only music emerging and independent music, from unsigned bands. Artists can upload music as MP3s to the station's linked website.

BBC Asian Network

programmes, music and features for Asian listeners

also available on the BBC national DAB digital radio multiplex

in addition to local areas of England on mediumwave

listen live on our audio pages

BBC Radio 1

top 40 chart music; live music and interviews;

dance; alternative; rock; urban and r&b

97.6-99.8

also available on the BBC national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live on our audio pages

listen again to BBC Radio 1 programmes from the last 7 days

BBC Radio 1 on facebook

Our links help keep listings FREE for stations and visitors

BBC 1Xtra

black urban music; UK garage; hip-hop; r&b; drum 'n' bass; reggae

available on the BBC national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live on our audio pages

BBC Radio 1Xtra on facebook

BBC 1Xtra across the UK plays the latest hip hop, r&b, garage, drum 'n' bass and dancehall as well as other styles like house and soca. If you like current music and Radio 1 is not quite to your taste, its sister station could well be worth a try.

BBC Radio 2

adult contemporary and MOR music; oldies and easy listening

country; folk; classical; comedy programmes in the evenings

88.0-90.2

also available on the BBC national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live on our audio pages

listen again to BBC Radio 2 programmes from the last 7 days

BBC Radio 2 on facebook

The UK's most popular radio station, with Chris Evans at breakfast and Simon Mayo for the drive home. Live recordings are provided by 'In Concert' on Thursday evenings.

BBC Radio 3

classical; opera; jazz; World music at certain times

90.2-92.4

also available on the BBC national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live on our audio pages

listen again to BBC Radio 3 programmes from the last 7 days

BBC Radio 3 on facebook

Home of the BBC Proms, we all know Radio 3 covers serious classics with aplomb, but dig deeper and you'll find world music, featuring traditional and roots revival artists, jazz and the Late junction - a varied mix of laid-back musical recordings from the ancient to the contemporary.

BBC Radio 4

news and current affairs; arts and science; plays;

weather and shipping forecasts; farming

live test match cricket coverage on the LW frequency

92.4-94.6

103.6-104.9 (some areas)

720

198

also available on the BBC national DAB digital radio multiplex,

with programming on longwave broadcast as a secondary service

and sports programming on longwave broadcast via 5 Live Sports Extra

listen live on our audio pages

listen again to BBC Radio 4 programmes from the last 7 days

due to broadcasting rights issues, not all coverage is streamed on the web

BBC Radio 4 on facebook

BBC Radio 4 Extra

speech, drama, comedy and novels; extra Radio 4 content

available on the BBC national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live now to BBC Radio 4 Extra

formerly BBC Radio 7

BBC Radio 4 on facebook

BBC Radio 4 Extra is the home of Ambridge Extra, the Archers' show that delves into the lives of its characters in a little more depth. With comedy shows from the archives, factual programming such as Loose Ends and Front Row interviews, 4 Extra draws on the BBC's extensive archives, bringing you classic and current drama, plays and comedy.

BBC Radio 5 Live

news and sport; live sports commentary; phone-ins and special guests

Premiership football matches & Superleague rugby championships

909

693

990 (some areas)

also available on the BBC national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live on our audio pages

listen again to BBC Radio Five Live programmes from the last 7 days

due to broadcasting rights issues, not all coverage is streamed on the web

BBC Radio 5 Live on facebook

Join Nicky Campbell and Rachel Burden from 6am weekdays for 5 Live Breakfast featuring all the news and travel you need. The inimitable Peter Allen anchors 5 Live Drive with Aasmah Mir: Tune in from 4pm to hear the day's big stories and sports news. There's extensive Premiership football action and match reports on matchdays.

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

coverage of live sporting events

International golf, Formula 1 racing, tennis & cricket commentary

a part-time service available on the BBC national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live to BBC Five Live Sports Extra on our audio pages

(when broadcasting)

due to broadcasting rights issues, not all coverage is streamed on the web

Extra sports coverage: Test match cricket commentary, F1 formula 1 practice sessions, tennis matches - that's what Sports Extra is all about. Baseball, rugby league coverage and football are also covered by the station. It's not carried on Five Live's UK radio frequencies, but can be found on DAB digital radio, on Freeview and online, for example.

BBC Five Live Olympics Extra

coverage and commentary from the Games from 27 July to 12 August 2012

available on the BBC national DAB digital radio multiplex during the Games

BBC Radio 6 music

new rock, indie and alternative music; soul and funk music;

classic Peel session recordings; entertainment news; live acoustic sets

available on the BBC national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live on our audio pages

listen again to BBC 6 Music programmes from the last 7 days

BBC Radio 6 music on facebook

Download today's MPFree courtesy of Laurne Laverne, from 10am weekdays. Then join Radcliffe and Maconie from 1pm with The Chain, a never-ending record list, with the next tune loosely linked to the last. Steve Lamacq hosts the Roundtable on Thursdays from 6pm, discussing and debating the week's new music releases.

BBC World Service

world news and current affairs; sport; other features

available on the BBC national DAB digital radio multiplex

and on BBC Radio 4 after closedown

listen live on our audio pages

BFBS

connecting the British Forces community in the UK with families overseas

available on the Digital One national DAB digital radio multiplex

BFBS Radio on facebook

Classic FM

classical music; opera; features

99.9-101.9

available on the Digital One national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live on our audio pages

Classic FM on facebook

Wake up to the nation's favourite classical music UK radio station from 6am, with the More Music Breakfast. Join John Suchet from 9am with listeners' Most Wanted selection. From 10pm, Margherita Taylor presents Smooth Classics - four hours of the smoothest wind-down tracks and relaxing classical music.

Jazz FM

uptempo and downtempo jazz

available on the Digital One national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live on our audio pages

Jazz FM on facebook

The UK's sole national jazz radio station, Jazz FM covers the seven genres: mainstream, straight-ahead, smooth, funky, traditional, latin, and Big Band, as well as soul music and blues. Join Sarah Ward and Helen Mayhew from 7pm weekdays, who split the duties playing music to unwind to. Claire Anderson presents The Late Lounge on Mondays to Thursdays from 10pm; a great way to listen to some laid-back beats.

Planet Rock

classic rock music

available on the Digital One national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live on our audio pages

Planet Rock on facebook

If it's some classic rock with a sprinkling of heavy metal you're after, you should tune to Planet Rock. Die-hard ACDC fans rarely tune away from this national radio station, available on DAB digital radio. Make sure your volume is turned up to eleven.

Premier Christian Radio

christian worship radio

available on the Digital One national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live on our audio pages

Smooth Radio

easy listening contemporary and classic hits

available on the Digital One national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live on our audio pages

Smooth Radio 70s

seventies pop classics

available on the Digital One national DAB digital radio multiplex

until further notice

A UK-wide radio station playing the best tracks from the last five decades, join broadcasting stalwarts Simon Bates, David Jensen, Mark Goodier and Lynn Parsons playing an eclectic mix of music from the comtemporary to the classic.

talkSPORT

sports phone-ins and talk shows

Premiership football match analysis and reports

1053

1089

1107 (various other locations)

1071 (various other locations)

also available on the Digital One national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live on our audio pages

talkSPORT on facebook

For 'men who live to talk sport', this station broadcasts on AM throughout the UK on several radio frequencies (it can also be found on DAB). With football very much on the agenda and live commentaries on Saturday afternoons, talkSPORT covers the beautiful game, F1, golf and rugby news as it breaks.

Traffic Message Service

traffic message channel broadcasting on the RDS of Classic FM

and used in cars with the necessary on-board computers

UCB UK Christian

christian worship radio

available on the Digital One national DAB digital radio multiplex

listen live on our audio pages

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