BBC radio stations explained: frequencies and which one to choose
Updated · World Radio Stations · 8 min read
The BBC runs more than a dozen national radio stations, each with a clear job: Radio 1 for new pop, Radio 2 for pop and rock aimed at adults, Radio 3 for classical music, Radio 4 for news and drama, 5 Live for news and sport, 6 Music for alternative music and the World Service for international news. Radios 1 to 4 are on FM, 5 Live is on medium wave (AM), and all of them are on DAB and online. You can stream every one free from our player.
BBC radio stations and frequencies at a glance
FM frequencies vary by area: your local transmitter uses one frequency within each range.
| Station | What it’s for | FM | AM | DAB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radio 1 | New pop, dance and chart music | 97.1–99.8 MHz | — | Yes |
| Radio 1Xtra | Hip-hop, R&B, grime and Afrobeats | — | — | Yes |
| Radio 1 Dance | Non-stop dance music | — | — | DAB+ |
| Radio 1 Anthems | Hits of the 2000s and 2010s | — | — | DAB+ |
| Radio 2 | Pop, rock and personality shows | 88.1–90.2 MHz | — | Yes |
| Radio 3 | Classical, jazz, arts, the Proms | 90.2–92.6 MHz | — | Yes |
| Radio 3 Unwind | Calming classical music | — | — | DAB+ |
| Radio 4 | News, current affairs, drama, comedy | 92.5–96.1 and 103.5–104.9 MHz | Long wave ended June 2026 | Yes |
| Radio 4 Extra | Archive comedy and drama | — | — | Yes |
| Radio 5 Live | Rolling news and live sport | — | 693 and 909 kHz MW | Yes |
| 5 Sports Extra | Extra live sport | — | — | Yes |
| Radio 6 Music | Alternative, indie, eclectic | — | — | Yes |
| Asian Network | British Asian music and talk | — | Not nationally | Yes |
| World Service | International news | Overnight on Radio 4 | — | Yes |
All of these stations also stream on BBC Sounds. Stations marked DAB+ need a radio that supports DAB+. For commercial stations as well as the BBC, see our UK radio frequencies guide.
Which BBC radio station should you listen to?
- Latest hits and new artists: Radio 1, or Radio 1Xtra for hip-hop and R&B.
- Familiar pop and rock with well-known presenters: Radio 2.
- Classical music: Radio 3, or Radio 3 Unwind for something calmer.
- News, debate and drama: Radio 4.
- Football commentary and sport phone-ins: 5 Live.
- Indie, alternative and music discovery: 6 Music.
- World news in English: the World Service.
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 launched on 30 September 1967 as the BBC’s answer to the offshore pirate stations that had made pop radio popular. Today it aims at younger listeners with chart hits, dance music, new artists and live sessions. It broadcasts on FM between about 97.1 and 99.8 MHz, depending on where you are.
In September 2025 the BBC moved two Radio 1 spin-offs onto DAB+: Radio 1 Dance, a dance-music station built around DJ sets, and Radio 1 Anthems, which plays hits from the 2000s and 2010s. Both had been streaming on BBC Sounds since 2024.
Listen if you want: the newest pop and dance music.
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 also began on 30 September 1967, replacing the BBC Light Programme. It plays pop and rock from recent decades, presented by some of the best-known names in British radio. According to RAJAR, it reached more than 12 million listeners a week in 2026, which is more than any other UK station. Radio 2 is on FM between 88.1 and 90.2 MHz.
Listen if you want: familiar music and big-name presenters.
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 took over from the Third Programme in 1967. It is the BBC’s home for classical music, jazz, world music and arts programming, and every summer it broadcasts every concert of the BBC Proms. It is on FM between 90.2 and 92.6 MHz. Since September 2025 it has had a sister station on DAB+, Radio 3 Unwind, which plays calmer classical music. For more classical stations, see our best classical radio stations.
Listen if you want: complete concerts, opera and thoughtful presentation.
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 replaced the Home Service in 1967. It is the BBC’s main speech network, with news and current affairs (including the morning Today programme), drama, comedy, documentaries and the Shipping Forecast. On FM it uses frequencies between 92.5 and 96.1 MHz, plus 103.5–104.9 MHz in some areas.
Long wave has gone. Radio 4 broadcast on 198 kHz long wave from 1978, but the BBC switched that service off on 27 June 2026, saying the transmitters had reached the end of their life. To hear Radio 4 now, use FM, DAB or BBC Sounds. Overnight, Radio 4 hands its airtime to the BBC World Service.
Listen if you want: news, ideas, drama and comedy without music.
BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live went on air on 28 March 1994, replacing the original Radio 5 with a 24-hour mix of rolling news and live sport. It is based at MediaCityUK in Salford. 5 Live has no FM frequency. Its analogue service is medium wave on 693 and 909 kHz, and the BBC is closing those transmitters one at a time: Redruth and Folkestone were due to close in July 2026, and Exeter and Brighton in September 2026. The BBC plans to close its whole AM network by the end of 2027, so DAB or BBC Sounds is the safer long-term choice.
5 Sports Extra started on 2 February 2002. It is a digital-only companion station for extra live sports coverage.
Listen if you want: breaking news, phone-ins and live commentary.
BBC Radio 6 Music
BBC Radio 6 Music launched on 11 March 2002 as a digital-only station for alternative, indie and eclectic music. In 2010 the BBC proposed closing it, but after a large listener campaign the BBC Trust rejected the plan in July that year. It is still digital-only: listen on DAB, BBC Sounds or digital TV.
Listen if you want: music discovery and specialist shows.
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service began in 1932 as the Empire Service, an English-language channel for listeners across the British Empire. Today it broadcasts news and analysis in more than 40 languages. In the UK the English service is on DAB, and it is also heard overnight on Radio 4.
Listen if you want: world news with a global perspective.
The other national stations: 1Xtra, 4 Extra and Asian Network
- Radio 1Xtra launched on 16 August 2002. It is a digital station for hip-hop, R&B, grime, Afrobeats and related music.
- Radio 4 Extra began in December 2002 as BBC 7 and took its current name in April 2011. It plays archive comedy, drama and documentaries.
- Asian Network began as a regional service in the English Midlands and became a national station on DAB on 28 October 2002. It is based in Birmingham and plays British Asian music and culture.
BBC radio in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England’s regions
Besides the national networks, the BBC runs stations for each nation: BBC Radio Scotland and the Gaelic-language BBC Radio nan Gàidheal; BBC Radio Wales and the Welsh-language BBC Radio Cymru; and BBC Radio Ulster, with BBC Radio Foyle in Derry. In England and the Channel Islands, 39 BBC Local Radio stations cover counties and cities. You can find many of them on our United Kingdom page.
Popular commercial alternatives include Classic FM, LBC and talkSPORT.
How to listen to BBC radio online
Open the player and choose United Kingdom, or use the station guides linked above, each with a live player. Listening from abroad? Read how to listen to radio from another country. For stations beyond the UK, see our European radio guide.
FAQ
What are the BBC radio frequencies?
On FM, Radio 1 is on 97.1–99.8 MHz, Radio 2 on 88.1–90.2 MHz, Radio 3 on 90.2–92.6 MHz and Radio 4 on 92.5–96.1 MHz (plus 103.5–104.9 MHz in some areas). 5 Live is on 693 and 909 kHz medium wave. 6 Music, 1Xtra, 4 Extra, 5 Sports Extra and Asian Network are digital-only, on DAB and BBC Sounds.
Which BBC radio station is best for news?
Radio 4 for in-depth news and analysis, 5 Live for rolling news mixed with sport, and the World Service for international news.
Is BBC Radio 4 still on long wave?
No. The BBC closed Radio 4’s 198 kHz long wave service on 27 June 2026. Radio 4 is still on FM, DAB and BBC Sounds.
Is BBC Radio 6 Music on FM?
No. 6 Music has never had an FM or AM frequency. It is available on DAB digital radio, digital TV and online.
Station guides from this article
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