Originally named The Groove, it was rebranded as a Virgin Radio station in 2004 and closed at the end of 2007. Absolute Radio is a British independent national radio station owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Absolute Radio Network. As part of the deal, Absolute Radio International, operator of two FM licences in Oxford, would manage the station. This trial was cancelled without further notice in autumn 2014, along with the live webcams and the public playlist API.

Virgin Radio was also among the first to explore the opportunities for delivering its services to mobile phones. They share their personal struggles, to shine a light on men's mental health and the help that is out there.With Rod Stewart, David Bowie and Prince as highlights of the station's broadcast, it plays music originating from the 1970s. David Campbell, previously managing director of one of Virgin's post-production television companies, [14] was the chief executive at launch. A radio station on DAB, Virgin Media, Sky and the internet playing classic rock from the 1960s to the 1990s. Coldplay played an unforgettable show for us at the London Palladium and Elbow, Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher, Biffy Clyro, Manic Street Preachers and Stereophonics have all performed gigs in out-of-this-world places for Absolute Radio.

Absolute Radio Extra has subsequently ceased operation: the core Absolute service on DAB continues to relay the shared programming output of the national AM/London FM service.Evans wrote in his autobiography that "the management wanted to stick to our original brief of expansion, whereas our investors only cared about extracting the added value. Haven't enjoyed the first hour much,sounds dull and I've never liked the trailers on Absolute,before you say give it chance I will but if you are tuning around you need to be drawn in by what they are putting out otherwise you might not bother again.

By focusing on current country, it gave it a USP in the UK, but sadly it'll be another broad country product where new country will share a playlist with Jolene and other well known classic country tracks. Must be the "joined up thinking" mindset that seems to have finally made it into Bauer HQ, particularly with Ben Cooper joining.

The station used the 1215 MW frequency to play songs from The Andrews Sisters, Vera Lynn, Billie Holiday, Judy Garland, Glenn Miller, Bing Crosby, Doris Day and Gracie Fields for 24 hours with Dave Berry, [149] Leona Graham [150] and Claire Sturgess presenting shows, which included archive and reminisces from VE Day veterans. Evans was subsequently fired by his new employer in 2001 for failing to report into work for five consecutive days while reportedly partying with his then wife Billie Piper. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. I'm in the USA, and although they do adhere to a playlist, and you will hear the same songs pretty much everyday, it's different same stuff than over here.

I can’t get this station being in the South assume Bauer think they can’t compete with Smooth Country available on DAB across most of the South. In January 1997, Chris Evans left his role as presenter of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show as a result of a disagreement between him and the programme controller Matthew Bannister (Evans had asked for Fridays off to allow more time for him to work on his Channel 4 television show, TFI Friday). Rock station that is finally on a roll: The wrong music policy and poor reception gave Virgin a shaky first year".Given that in respect of country music it is not a question of the UK download popularity, I can only conclude that the reason is due to deals between Bauer Media and specific record companies. Listen for free to all 10 of our radio stations, playing the best music from the 60s to the present day, as well as exclusive podcasts, documentaries, and guests from the likes of Liam Gallagher and Dave Grohl, to Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence.