Absolute Radio 80s (known on-air as Absolute 80s) is a national digital radio station, owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Absolute Radio Network. Its main output is non-stop 1980s hits.

History

Absolute Radio 80s launched at 7.00pm on 4 December 2009, replacing Absolute Xtreme. The marketing plan for Absolute 80s started with targeted sampling at 80s events such as Madness,

Pet Shop Boys Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 100 million records worldwide and were listed as the most successful duo in UK music h ...

and

Depeche Mode Depeche Mode are an English electronic music, electronic band formed in Basildon, Essex in 1980. Originally formed with the line-up of Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher (musician), Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke, the band currently consists ...

at the

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Erasure Erasure may refer to: Arts and media * Erasure (duo), an English pop group * ''Erasure'' (album), 1995, by the British group Erasure * Erasure poetry, a form of found poetry created by erasing words from an existing text * ''Erasure'' (novel), ...

at the NEC Birmingham and

Simple Minds Simple Minds are a Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977, becoming best known internationally for their song "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Billboard Hot 100, Hot 100 ...

at the

Wembley Arena Wembley Arena () (originally the Empire Pool, currently known as OVO Energy, OVO Arena Wembley for sponsorship reasons) is an indoor arena next to Wembley Stadium in Wembley, Greater London, England. The 12,500-seat facility is Greater Lond ...

. The first track to play on the station was "

(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" (shortened to "Fight for Your Right" on album releases) is a song by American hip hop/rap rock group Beastie Boys, released as the fourth single from their debut album '' Licensed to Ill'' (1986). O ...

" by the

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. On 14 May 2010, Absolute 80s began broadcasting in mono at 64 kbps on

Digital One Digital One is a national commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, owned by Arqiva. , the multiplex covered more than 90% of the population from 137 transmitters. Coverage was extended to Northern Ireland in July 2013. It conta ...

national DAB digital radio. On 29 February 2016, the station switched to the newly launched

Sound Digital Sound Digital is a semi-national commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, owned by Arqiva, Bauer Media Group and News Broadcasting. The multiplex covers 73% of the population from a total of 45 transmitters. History Follow ...

multiplex (an "upgrade" to 80 kbps in mono) although it continued to broadcast on Digital One until the end of April 2016. On 16 October 2023, Absolute 80s switched to DAB+ broadcasting in stereo. On 12 December 2023, Absolute Radio 80s was removed from

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, followed by

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and

Virgin Media Virgin Media Limited is a British telecommunications company which provides telephone, television and internet services in the United Kingdom. Its headquarters are at Green Park in Reading, England. It is owned by Virgin Media O2, a 50:50 ...

on 13 December, along with every other radio station owned by Bauer Media on either of the three TV platforms.

DJs

The station's DJs include

Leona Graham Leona Graham (born 18 January 1971) is a British radio broadcaster and voiceover artist. She is currently a presenter of Absolute Radio (formerly Virgin Radio), a position she has held since 2000. She can also be heard on the digital stations ...

, Sarah Champion, Richie Firth and Chris Martin. Claire Sturgess hosts a live 80s show every Friday on sister station

Absolute Radio Absolute Radio is a British digital radio station owned and operated by Bauer Media Audio UK as part of the Absolute Radio Network. It broadcasts nationally across the UK via digital audio broadcasting. The station focuses on alternative ...

that is also simulcast live on Absolute 80s called Friday Night 80s. The Dave Berry Breakfast Show is also simulcast live on Absolute 80s. Weekend programming saw

Tony Hadley Anthony Patrick Hadley (born 2 June 1960) is an English pop singer. He rose to fame in the 1980s as the lead singer of the New wave music, new wave band Spandau Ballet and launched a solo career following the group's split in 1990. Hadley retur ...

, the former lead singer of

Spandau Ballet Spandau Ballet ( ) were an English new wave band formed in Islington, London, in 1979. Inspired by the capital's post-punk underground dance scene, they emerged at the start of the 1980s as the house band for the Blitz Kids (New Romantics), ...

, used to host the two-hour ''80s Party'' on Saturdays from 6pm, that ended in December 2019. On Sundays, Sarah Champion looks back on the chart hits of the decade on the 80s Chart Show. It airs during the same timeslot - 4pm to 7pm - that the singles chart programme used to air on both

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and Contemporary hit radio, current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including ...

and commercial radio. This is followed by a follow-up programme in which Chris Martin looks at the album charts of the two years featured on the 80s Chart Show. At 9pm Matthew Rudd presenting Forgotten 80s, featuring lesser-played hits of the decade. From 23 September 2019, Absolute Radio's ''Hometime with Bush and Richie'' is simulcast on weekdays, with the same "split playlist" system as used at breakfast allowing relevant music to be played on each station.

References

External links

* Absolute Radio Radio stations established in 2009 2009 establishments in the United Kingdom 1980s-themed radio stations Bauer Radio {{UK-radio-station-stub