Absolute Radio sister stations

The British radio station Absolute Radio has operated a number of subsidiary radio stations operated over digital platforms in recent years. Six such services are currently on air, and a number of others have previously been provided. The majority of the stations have been associated with the Virgin/Absolute service by inclusion of the parent brand within the station name, though this has not been the case for all services. The stations have principally broadcast on DAB digital radio and/or digital television platforms, as streaming services on the Internet, and, more recently, as apps for devices such as smartphones and tablets.

This station, playing classic rock music from the sixties to the nineties, was established as online back-to-back music service Virgin Classic in 2000, capitalising on the popularity of classic rock music within the general Virgin Radio schedule. The station was relaunched as a presenter-led service under the name Virgin Radio Classic Rock in 2004, and launched onto DAB in London (replacing Liquid). The station was subsequently made available on Virgin Media, Sky and, from 2008, Freesat. As part of the 2008 rebrand of Virgin Radio to Absolute Radio, Virgin Radio Classic Rock was renamed Absolute Classic Rock. The availability of Absolute Classic Rock was extended in late 2010 when the service was rolled out to a number of other DAB multiplexes, mainly in the north of England where it replaced Global Radio-owned Gold on several Bauer Media-owned DAB platforms. (Global later reintroduced Gold to these areas in January 2011 by withdrawing their own rival classic rock service The Arrow from MXR North East and three local multiplexes in Yorkshire, and putting Gold in its place.)

In October 2011, Absolute announced the imminent launch of two new stations to complete their series of decade-themed services. The first of these, Absolute Radio 60s, covers a range of 1960s music, stretching from British pop/rock bands of the era such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to soul and Motown tracks. The 60s service began broadcasting from 22 November 2011 on various DAB multiplexes around the country and online. A holding website went live at absoluteradio60s.co.uk following the announcement, with basic information including the proposed station schedule. It was later revealed that Absolute Radio 60s would broadcast on various DAB multiplexes on which Absolute Classic Rock currently broadcasts, with Classic Rock reducing its broadcast capacity on each multiplex to release space for the 60s service.

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