The BBC is expanding its broadcast radio network with three new music stations – a move described as a “significant milestone” in the history of BBC Radio.
The three new station extensions from BBC Radio 1 and Radio 3 are the first to be added to the BBC’s music portfolio since 2002, when the BBC launched 6 Music, 1Xtra and Asian Network.
After launching on BBC Sounds as streams last year, they will now be available to listen to on DAB+ radio following Ofcom approval. The new brand extensions will continue to live on BBC Sounds, as well as on DAB+.
However, the new stations will not go down well with advertiser-funded commercial radio, which has consistently pushed back against BBC expansion. The commercial sector won a partial victory with the blocking of a proposed Radio 2 nostalgia station by Ofcom, which identified a negative impact on direct competitors such as Boom Radio.
While welcoming the decision on the Radio 2 spin-off last year, commercial radio trade body Radiocentre cast doubt on the distinctiveness of the three new stations and questioned their public service role as part of the licence fee-funded broadcaster.
“The fact that the other spin-offs will now go ahead is disappointing, especially given their lack of distinctiveness or news output,” said CEO Matt Payton. “We expect Ofcom to monitor these new BBC services closely and hope it will reconsider the case for insisting on enhanced public value on these stations in future.”
BBC brand extensions into online digital streams, such as its 24-hour BBC Radio 1 dance service, prompted calls for an Ofcom review of BBC Sounds in 2020.
The three new digital stations are targeted at an audience the BBC said was previously underrepresented in their offering.
Radio 1’s two DAB+ stations – Dance and Anthems – provide younger listeners (15-24) with greater variety in music genres and eras, along with established and newly introduced presenting talent.
R1 Dance and R1 Anthems provide a strong and confident offer for younger listeners
Aled Haydn-Jones
BBC Radio 1 Dance launches on September 15 with a mix of new and archive sets from various DJs among its programming.
Radio 1 Anthems features songs from the 2000s and 2010s, including ‘workout anthems’ and Radio 1’s ‘chillout anthems’.
Aled Haydn-Jones, head of Radio 1, said: “I’m delighted to bring Radio 1 listeners not one, but two incredible new genre-led networks on DAB+. R1 Dance and R1 Anthems provide a strong and confident offer for younger listeners – delivering more choice and music to match every mood.
“Both stations bring together the very best expert DJs, rising presenting talent, exciting events and the best of British music for our audiences to discover. More than two decades since the launch of 1Xtra, this marks another exciting chapter in Radio 1’s history as the number one radio station for younger listeners.”
The new Radio 1 stations present a potential challenge to existing commercial operators including Kiss and Capital Dance, which has been a ratings success since its launch five years ago.
Meanwhile, Radio 3 Unwind aims – launching today (September 12) – aims to broaden the audience for classical music in the UK with a schedule designed for younger listeners (35-54) than other classical stations and is designed for a modern audience.
BBC Radio 3 Unwind features wellbeing content, combining classical music with mindfulness.
Sam Jackson, Radio 3 controller, said: “Radio 3 Unwind has already been positively received as a stream on BBC Sounds and I’m really pleased to now bring it to a wider audience on DAB+. The station offers a wide-ranging selection of calming classical music—perfect for listeners seeking an escape from the demands of daily life. It’s a fresh way to enjoy classical music, designed to be both welcoming and enriching.”
I’m really pleased to now bring Radio 3 Unwind to a wider audience on DAB+
Sam Jackson
When Music Week interviewed Radio 3 controller Sam Jackson last year, he stressed the distinctive nature of the BBC Sounds digital stream of Unwind – now upgraded to a DAB+ station.
“It has to be [distinctive], if it’s from the BBC, it absolutely has to be,” he said last year. “That’s our job to offer distinctive content that you can’t get elsewhere, and we’re working really hard to make sure that Radio 3 Unwind gives you exactly that. We really want to focus on recordings from the last 10 years or so to champion the recorded music industry. I think there’s more that we could be doing to support labels and artists who are recording really exciting stuff within classical music. Because we’re the BBC, we have an opportunity to really broaden the range of music that is heard. It would be all too easy simply to play the ‘hits’ on a station like this, to play the very well known classical repertoire. We’re not here to do that.”
BBC ‘commitment to new music and British artists’
The BBC has said the new stations reinforce its “commitment to championing new music and supporting British artists”.
Radio 1 Dance showcases the BBC’s investment in dance music, reflecting all sub-genres, from chart hits to house and drum & bass. The schedule reflects the full range of electronic music and dance trends across the UK and globally.
British artists make up a third of Radio 1 Anthems’ airplay, with a quarter of the tracks unlikely to get regular play on key commercial stations.
The new extension plays a broader range of music than any comparable station, according to the BBC, with a music policy developed by collaborating with the Student Radio Association and designed to resonate with younger listeners.
Radio 3 Unwind broadcasts exclusive recordings from the BBC’s own orchestras and choirs. Living composers feature throughout the schedule, with a particular focus on both established and emerging homegrown British talent.
The station also reflects under-represented composers, including women and ethnically diverse composers. The dedicated new music programme Soundwaves, presented by Afrodeutsche, provides a platform for contemporary voices including BBC Introducing artists.
Digital listening habits
The BBC’s decision to launch three stations on DAB+ underscores the evolution of the audio landscape over the past decades, with 75% of the population now listening to the radio digitally (DAB/DAB+ and online).
It also marks the first DAB+ music stations launched by the BBC. Existing networks use the older DAB technology, though recent digital radios should be able to access both.
The BBC cited research showing that music streaming dominates among under-35s, who spend just 27% of their audio time with live radio compared to 49% with streaming services.
Despite this shift, radio still reaches 13.6 million under-35s each week and remains a key source of music discovery across all age groups.
The rise of new stations on DAB/DAB+ reflects where the majority of live radio listening is projected to take place by 2030.
DAB/DAB+ covers 97% of the UK population and 87% of major roads. It is also available in 100% of all new cars. 68% of households claim to have a DAB/DAB+ radio.
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