Q Radio was a British

digital radio Digital radio is the use of digital technology to transmit or receive across the radio spectrum. Digital transmission by radio waves includes digital broadcasting, and especially digital audio radio services. This should not be confused with In ...

station broadcasting

online In computer technology and telecommunications, online indicates a state of connectivity, and offline indicates a disconnected state. In modern terminology, this usually refers to an Internet connection, but (especially when expressed as "on lin ...

, on DAB and DTV across the UK. The station launched in 2008 as an alternative to the UK's rock and alternative stations, with a strong relationship with ''Q'' magazine. The station formed part of the Bauer Passion Portfolio. Coinciding with the launch of

Kiss A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...

spin-off stations

Kisstory Kisstory is a British digital radio station owned and operated by Bauer Media Audio UK as part of the Kiss Network. Playing "old skool and anthems", it is a sister station to Kiss. As of March 2025, the station has a weekly audience of 2 mill ...

and Kiss Fresh, Q Radio closed in 2013.

History

After running for several years as an online digital jukebox, former controller of

BBC 6 Music BBC Radio 6 Music is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It primarily plays a wide range of alternative music, from established and emerging artists and bands. In 2002 it was the first national music radio station t ...

and

Capital Radio Capital London is an Independent Local Radio station owned and operated by Global Media & Entertainment as part of its national Capital (radio network), Capital Network. As Capital Radio it was launched in the London area in 1973 as one of Bri ...

, and

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British record chart television programme, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its histo ...

executive producer Ric Blaxill was recruited to form a full station. Q Radio launched on DAB in London on 2 June 2008 with a full schedule including Samanthi (formerly of XFM and BBC2's "Desi DNA") and comedian and 2008

If.comeddies The Edinburgh Comedy Awards (formerly the Perrier Comedy Awards, and also briefly known by other names for sponsorship reasons) are presented to the comedy shows deemed to have been the best at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. Establ ...

nominee

Russell Kane Russell Kane (born Russell David Anthony Grineau; 19 August 1975) is an English writer, comedian, and actor. He has four times been nominated at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, winning the Best Comedy Show award in 2010. Although known mainly for ...

. Co-founder of

Acid Jazz Acid jazz (also known as club jazz, psychedelic jazz, or groove jazz) is a music genre that combines elements of funk, soul music, soul, and hip hop music, hip hop, as well as jazz and disco. Acid jazz originated in clubs in London during the 1 ...

records

Eddie Piller Eddie Piller is a British DJ, radio show host, and founder/managing director of Acid Jazz Records. Early life and career Piller was born in 1963 and grew up in Essex. His father ran a firm of bookmakers and his mother ran the Small Faces' fa ...

also presented a weekly show and musician

Billy Bragg Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, author and political activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that mostly span political or romantic th ...

presented a monthly programme. The station launched with a

Coldplay Coldplay are a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer and percussionist Will Champion, and manager Phil Harvey (band m ...

interview with Samanthi on QPM, where

Chris Martin Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and producer. He is best known as the vocalist, pianist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Born in Exeter, Martin went to University Colleg ...

revealed that the band planned to release sessions with

Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Frequently referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Princess of Pop", she has achieved recognition in both the music industry and fas ...

. Other guests in interview and sessions between June 2008 to March 2009 included

Lily Allen Lily Rose Beatrice Allen (born 2 May 1985) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. List of awards and nominations received by Lily Allen, Her accolades include a Brit Award, alongside nominations for a Grammy Award and a Laurence Olivi ...

Kim Deal Kimberley Ann Deal (born June 10, 1961) is an American musician. She was the original bassist and co-vocalist in the alternative rock band the Pixies (band), Pixies from 1986 to 1993 and again from 2004 to 2013. She is the frontwoman of the Bre ...

Jane Birkin Jane Mallory Birkin ( ; 14 December 1946 – 16 July 2023) was a British and French actress, singer, and designer. She had a prolific career as an actress, mostly in French cinema. A native of London, Birkin began her career as an actress, ...

Pete Shelley Pete Shelley (born Peter Campbell McNeish; 17 April 1955 – 6 December 2018) was an English singer, songwriter and guitarist. He formed early Punk rock, punk band Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto in 1976, and became the lead singer and guitarist ...

The Futureheads The Futureheads are an English post-punk band from Sunderland, formed in 2000. The band consists of Ross Millard (vocals and guitar), David "Jaff" Craig (vocals and bass guitar) and brothers Barry Hyde (vocals and guitar) and Dave Hyde (drums) ...

The Young Knives Young Knives are an English indie rock band from Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, currently based in Wantage, Oxfordshire. The group consists of brothers Henry Dartnall and Thomas Bonsu-Dartnall (the latter known professionally as "The House ...

, White Lies, Ladyhawke and

We Are Scientists We Are Scientists is a New York City-based rock music, rock band that formed in Berkeley, California, in 1999. It consists primarily of guitarist and vocalist Keith Murray and bass guitarist Chris Cain, with drummer Keith Carne joining the band ...

. The first song played live on the station was Rocks by

Primal Scream Primal Scream are a Scottish rock music, rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie (vocals) and Jim Beattie (musician), Jim Beattie (guitar). The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes (guitar), Simon ...

. The station relaunched in April 2009 with a new playlist and all-new line-up. It moved to

Kerrang! Radio Kerrang! Radio is a British specialist rock music radio station related to ''Kerrang!'' magazine, broadcast nationally on DAB and online. Launched in 2002, it is owned and operated by Bauer Media and forms part of the Kerrang! Network, which ...

's headquarters in Birmingham, West Midlands and was run by Kerrang! Radio's programming team. The playlist itself was managed by James Walshe and Loz Guest, both of whom also ran the playlist at

. In May 2009, the station was removed from Virgin Media and Sky, along with

The Hits Radio Hits Radio is a network of 26 contemporary hit radio stations in the United Kingdom, owned and operated by Bauer Media Audio UK. The network launched in 2018 with the rebranding of Bauer's Manchester station Key 103 and its merger with The Hi ...

Heat Radio Heat Radio is a British digital radio station, owned and operated by Bauer Media Audio UK. It originally launched in 2003, related to the ''Heat'' magazine. Heat Radio currently broadcasts on DAB in London and nationwide online. As of Decem ...

Smash Hits Radio Smash Hits Radio was a UK-based digital radio station owned and operated by Bauer Radio based in Manchester. It was available throughout the UK on Freeview channel 712. The format was based on the now defunct Smash Hits Magazine. It was a Conte ...

and

. In May 2010, it was taken off DAB. Although cost of carriage on DAB was suspected, the reason given by Bauer Media was: "At this stage of its development, it has become clear that Q Radio is best served by having national coverage on Freeview and online." Coinciding with the launch of

spin-off stations

and

KissFresh Kiss XTRA (formerly Kiss Fresh), is a British digital radio station owned and operated by Bauer Media Audio UK as part of the Kiss Network. As of May 2025, the station has a weekly audience of 209,000 listeners, according to RAJAR Radio ...

, Q Radio closed on 7 May 2013.

Former presenters

*Samanthi *

*The Broken Hearts *

David Quantick David Quantick (born 14 May 1961) is an English novelist, comedy writer and critic, who has worked as a journalist and screenwriter. A former freelance writer for the music magazine ''NME'', his writing credits have included '' On the Hour'', ' ...

*Mark Somers *Lynsey Hooper *Adam Catterall *Phil Marriott *Allan Lake *Dave Everly *Ted Kessler *Jim Coulson *Dan Morfitt *Simon Hill *Craig Pilling *Luke Wilkins *Amy Jones *Emma Scott *Stuart Cable *Henry Evans *James Everton *Matt Stocks *Simon James *

Pete Allison Pete Allison is a broadcast journalist and presenter, currently at Newsbeat on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 1Xtra and BBC Asian Network. Early career Allison joined Nottingham Trent University's student radio station, Fly FM, in 2009 and was nomin ...

*Jake Thomson *Paul Rees * Danielle Perry *Alex James *Vicky Warham *Andy Westcott * Matthew Rudd *Louis Chadwick *

Dan Black Daniel Edward Black (born 16 November 1975) is an English singer-songwriter and vocalist. He was a member of alternative rock band the Servant, before their split in 2007. He is also a vocalist for the Italian British group Planet Funk. Afte ...

*Phil MacKenzie *Kevin Hingley *Loz Guest * Pete Bailey *Michelle Owen *Jon Jackson

References

External links

Official site
{{Bauer Verlagsgruppe Digital-only radio stations Bauer Radio Defunct radio stations in the United Kingdom Radio stations established in 2008 Radio stations disestablished in 2013

History

Former presenters

See also

References

External links