The best radio stations in Australia to stream online

Updated October 21, 2026 · World Radio Stations · 6 min read

The best radio stations in Australia to stream online include triple j for new music, the ABC’s networks (local ABC Radio, RN, ABC Classic and Double J) for news, talk and culture, and commercial favourites such as smoothfm, Nova 96.9, Triple M and Gold 104.3. For talkback, try 3AW in Melbourne and 2GB in Sydney. All of them stream free, and you can listen in your browser or browse every station on our Australia page.

Australia’s best radio stations at a glance

triple j: the home of new Australian music

triple j is the ABC’s youth music station and Australia’s most famous outlet for new music. It started in Sydney on 19 January 1975 as 2JJ (“Double J”), an AM station. It moved to FM on 105.7 in 1980 and became 2JJJ, the name that gave us “triple j”. From 1989 it spread to other capital cities, and today it broadcasts nationally: 107.5 FM in Melbourne, 107.7 FM in Brisbane, 105.5 FM in Adelaide and 99.3 FM in Perth.

Its best-known traditions are the Hottest 100, a listener-voted countdown of the year’s favourite songs, and Like A Version, the in-studio series of cover versions that has been running for more than 20 years. Its Unearthed platform and digital station showcase unsigned Australian artists.

Best for: alternative, indie and new Australian music. Stream it on its station guide.

ABC Radio: the national broadcaster’s networks

“ABC radio” is not a single station. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation runs several networks, and all of them stream live in the ABC listen app.

ABC local radio

The ABC runs local stations in the capital cities and across regional Australia, with local news, talk and emergency information. The two biggest are ABC Radio Sydney on 702 AM and ABC Radio Melbourne on 774 AM. The Melbourne station has been on air since 1924.

Best for: local news, conversation and emergency updates.

ABC Radio National (RN)

RN is the ABC’s national network for specialist talk: long interviews, documentaries and features. In Sydney it broadcasts on 576 AM and in Melbourne on 621 AM.

Best for: curious listeners who like radio that takes its time.

ABC Classic

ABC Classic is the national classical music network, heard on 92.9 FM in Sydney. For more stations like it, see our best classical radio stations.

Best for: classical music to work, study or relax to.

Double J

Double J is a digital-only spin-off of triple j. It replaced the ABC’s Dig Music station on 30 April 2014, and the name is a nod to triple j’s original call sign. It mixes new releases with songs from the triple j archive and was aimed from the start at listeners aged roughly 30 to 50.

Best for: triple j graduates who still want new music.

ABC News on radio

The ABC’s rolling news network was called ABC NewsRadio until 2017, when it became ABC News. It is also the network that broadcasts federal Parliament live.

Best for: breaking news and Question Time.

smoothfm and Nova: Sydney’s FM favourites

smoothfm 95.3

smoothfm plays relaxed easy listening and adult contemporary music with minimal chatter. It is one of the most popular stations in the country: smoothfm 95.3 was the No. 1 station in Sydney in GfK’s sixth radio survey of 2026.

Best for: easy, relaxing music. It also suits our chill mood collection.

Nova 96.9

Nova 96.9 is the Sydney flagship of the Nova network and plays contemporary hits and pop.

Best for: current pop and chart music. Stream it on its station guide.

More big commercial stations

KIIS 1065 (Sydney)

ARN’s Sydney station KIIS 1065 is in the middle of a reset. Kyle and Jackie O left its breakfast show in early 2026, and a new breakfast team of Dr Chris Brown, Amy Gerard and Jack Charles is due to start on Monday 9 November 2026. Find it on our Australia page.

Best for: mainstream Sydney commercial radio.

Triple M

Triple M is Southern Cross Austereo’s rock network, with its Sydney station on 104.9 FM.

Best for: rock fans.

Gold 104.3 (Melbourne)

ARN’s Gold 104.3 plays hits from the 1970s through to the 2010s, and its breakfast show is hosted by Christian O’Connell. It was Melbourne’s second-ranked station in GfK’s sixth survey of 2026.

Best for: singalong hits from several decades.

Talkback giants: 2GB and 3AW

Talkback is a huge part of Australian radio, and these two stations are its biggest names. 3AW in Melbourne was the city’s No. 1 station in GfK’s sixth survey of 2026, and 2GB was Sydney’s second-ranked station. Both were part of Nine’s radio business, including 4BC and 6PR, which was sold to the Laundy Family Office in a deal completed on 30 April 2026.

Best for: opinionated talk and news. Find both on our Australia page.

How to listen to Australian radio online

The fastest way is our player: pick Australia, or open the Australia country page, then search for any station above by name. Star your favourites for next time, or hit Surprise me for something new. The ABC listen app carries every ABC network live, and the commercial networks have their own apps.

Listening from overseas? Our guide on how to listen to radio from another country covers the basics. Across the Tasman, try RNZ National from New Zealand.

FAQ

What are the best radio stations in Australia?

For new music, triple j. For news and talk, your local ABC station and RN. For music without much talk, smoothfm and ABC Classic. In GfK’s sixth survey of 2026, smoothfm led Sydney and 3AW led Melbourne, with Gold 104.3 second in Melbourne. For pop and rock, try Nova 96.9 and Triple M.

Can I listen to Australian radio stations online?

Yes, for free. Choose Australia in our player to stream Australian stations without signing up, or use the ABC listen app and each network’s own app.

What is triple j?

triple j is the ABC’s national youth music station. It began in Sydney in 1975 as 2JJ and is known for championing new Australian music, the Hottest 100 countdown and Like A Version. In Sydney it broadcasts on 105.7 FM.

What is ABC Radio?

ABC Radio is the radio arm of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It includes local stations such as ABC Radio Sydney (702 AM) and ABC Radio Melbourne (774 AM), plus national networks: RN, ABC Classic, ABC News, triple j and Double J.