BBC Radio 1

BBC Radio 1
	Logo used since 2021
London and Salford;
Broadcast area	United Kingdom
Frequencies	FM: 97.1 MHz–99.7 MHz; DAB: 12B (BBC National DAB); Freesat: 700; Freeview: 700; Sky (UK only): 0101; Virgin Media: 901; Virgin Media Ireland: 907; Astra 2E (28.2°E); Intelsat 901 (18°W);
RDS	BBC R1
Programming
Language	English
Format	Contemporary hit radio, with specialist programming at night
Ownership
Owner	BBC
Sister stations	BBC Radio 1Xtra; BBC Radio 1 Anthems; BBC Radio 1 Dance
History
First air date	30 September 1967
Former call signs	BBC Light Programme
Former frequencies	FM: 104.8 MHz (London); 96.0 MHz (Belfast); AM: 1053 kHz; 1089 kHz; ; 1214 kHz;
Technical information
Licensing authority	Ofcom
Links
Website	BBC Radio 1 via BBC Sounds

BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music, current chart hits and future hits. It also plays a wide range of genres, including pop, hip-hop, R&B, dance, electronica, rock, indie and alternative music every day. Radio 1's sister stations are 1Xtra, which plays Black contemporary music, Radio 1 Dance, dedicated to dance music, and Radio 1 Anthems, dedicated to throwback music.

Radio 1 broadcasts throughout the UK on FM between 97.1 MHz and 99.7 MHz, digital radio, digital TV and BBC Sounds. It was launched in 1967 to meet the demand for music generated by pirate radio stations, when the average age of the UK population was 27.^[1] The BBC claims that it targets the 15–29 age group,^[2] and the average age of its UK audience since 2009 is 30.^[3] BBC Radio 1 started 24-hour broadcasting on 1 May 1991.^[4]

According to RAJAR, the station broadcasts to a weekly audience of 7.39 million with a listening share of 4.8% as of May 2025.^[5]

^ "Annual Population Survey" Archived 10 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Office for National Statistics, 1967.
^ "Radio 1 Service Licence (Issued 30 April 2007)" (PDF). BBC Trust. 30 April 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2008.
^ "Music radio performance analysis" (PDF). March 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022.
^ "Radio Rewind – BBC Radio 1 History – Main Events". Radio Rewind.
^ "RAJAR DATA RELEASE Q1 25 May 15th 2025" (PDF). www.rajar.co.uk.

[1] "Annual Population Survey" Archived 10 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Office for National Statistics, 1967.

[2] "Radio 1 Service Licence (Issued 30 April 2007)" (PDF). BBC Trust. 30 April 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2008.

[3] "Music radio performance analysis" (PDF). March 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022.

[4] "Radio Rewind – BBC Radio 1 History – Main Events". Radio Rewind.

[5] "RAJAR DATA RELEASE Q1 25 May 15th 2025" (PDF). www.rajar.co.uk.

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