Use the links below to listen to Skylab Radio programmes on demand, please allow a few seconds for all the shows to load. The most recent shows added will appear at the top of the page. The 'Mixed Feelings', 'Suburban Calm' & 'The Space Station' playlists, as well as our 'Specials' can be found at the bottom of the page. This facility is currently under test, so be patient with us! Recent Programmes Programme Playlists Club Aeterna Guest Mixes (Limited Edition) Specials

'THE SPIRIT OF 303' - CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF BEACON RADIO BEACON RADIO 303 commenced broadcasting on Monday 12th April 1976 and quickly became a firm favourite within the West Midlands and beyond, despite extensive radio competition both locally, and on a national basis from the BBC , or Radio Luxembourg at night. Early Beacon was modelled on another legendary radio station - '93/KHJ in Los Angeles. The playlist policy included a significant focus on the Billboard Hot 100TM US chart rundowns and album tracks in particular - ensured a strong ‘Mid-Atlantic’ feel to the station. Disco and Soul was also a large part of the early station, peppered with big 'oldies' tracks called 'Supergold' . The overall playlist was intentionally small, just like many radio stations in North America which led to a high rotation (or high repetition) of songs... aspects which are taken for granted in modern UK radio. Beacon's presentation style was described as utilising 'neutral' accents, but it was also fast-moving and focused mainly on the music played. All this was highly unconventional within legalised UK local radio in the 1970s... and regarded as controversial. It was no surprise to report that Beacon attracted the attention of the erstwhile Government regulator - the INDEPENDENT BROADCASTING AUTHORITY (IBA) . By the end of the 1970s, Beacon Radio had to change its management and on-air style in order to stay on-air , and also better reflect the communities which make up the West Midlands. However, a Mid-Atlantic feel to its music policy was still evident in the 'Better Music Beacon' era of the mid-1980s... albeit watered down. In July 1987; Beacon expanded into SHROPSHIRE with a new service on 103.1 FM and a new office in Shrewsbury . The company also launched an 'Easy Listening' sister station in January 1989 - NICE 'N' EASY RADIO WABC . The name of the AM service was eventually shortened to RADIO WABC following a format change to 'The Best Mix of Golden Oldies'. (ED: Yes the cat really does have eyes!) Despite the strong emphasis on music, Beacon's voices became household names in the area. Speech elements over the years were equally memorable - such as The Nearly Famous Pat & Pete Show, The Kremlin Krew, The Talk of The Midlands, Midnight Line, along with the hour-long nightly news programme - BEACON REPORT . There were also the longstanding staples such as The Beacon Song Search, Beacon's Big Deal, Supergold Sunday, Beacon by Request, The Wide World of Sport and Night School. Beacon maintained a strong presence across the area with regular outside broadcasts or other promotional activities - cultivating into The Beacon Radio Motor Show at Himley Hall . The station also gave away many cars through the years, plus £10,000 and even a new-build house to listeners in various competitions. If you tune into Beacon's former FM and DAB frequencies in the West Midlands and Shropshire right now... the station is still broadcasting, however it is now part of Bauer Media's wider ‘ HITS RADIO ’ brand across the UK. Beacon Radio was a pioneering station which inspired many of ‘Team Skylab’ and friends of the station. Without Beacon and its one-time stablemate 'Chill.' ... Skylab Radio wouldn’t be here. In April 2026 - Local radio people in the West Midlands, along with former staff of 267 Tettenhall Road wished BEACON RADIO 303 a very Happy 50th Birthday . Skylab joined in with our own small tribute to a legendary radio station. 'THE SPIRIT OF 303’ - Skylab's love letter to the power of radio and the ability to inspire listeners, many of whom became broadcasters themselves in some capacity. We also play some of the songs Beacon made famous in the 1970s and 1980s. Join Skylab Radio Station Director - Paul Teague, along with Head of Programming - Katy Jay, Neal Bowden, Victoria Shotton-Oza, Rob Tovey, and Pam Stratton from Stockport Community SSDAB for an affectionate look at Beacon and radio in general. 'THE PRODUCER'S CUT' - features material not broadcast on Skylab Radio. Hear the never-aired 'THE SPIRIT OF 303' - PART 2 music mix. ALL MATERIAL is protected under Copyright - the applicable producer and has been included in this file for archive and/or demonstration purposes only. Our sincere thanks go to Simon Prentice and Steve England at S2Blue , Jonathan Wolfert at JAM Creative Productions Inc , Linden Wade at Jingle Works , Muff Murfin and TM Studios. SUGGESTED READING Independent Local Radio (ILR) in the West Midlands, 1972-1984: a comparative study of BRMB Radio and Beacon Radio - Derek Allen Beacon Radio in 1979 - Transdiffusion ILR in the West Midlands (November 1980) - Transdiffusion Why advertise on Beacon? (1987) - Transdiffusion SUGGESTED VIEWING (YOUTUBE) The Launch of Beacon Radio - ATV News Beacon Radio's abandoned channel The Tettenhall Road Years - David Lloyd Radio FURTHER LISTENING Beacon Radio / Radio WABC / Free Radio (BC & SH) Aircheck Playlist - Mixcloud The Beacon Radio Years - Mixcloud Memories of WABC - Mixcloud Aircheck Downloads

SUPPORT US Skylab Radio is proud to adhere to its launch principles of being a not-for-profit radio project. One of our core beliefs is that Skylab Radio's musical flow is continuous, with few interruptions. Quite simply; if you want to chillout with us...then Skylab will endeavour to broadcast as few elements of clutter as possible, such as no advertising. Whilst these princip les are nice, they don't pay the bills! For Skylab Radio to exist; we have to pay DAB multiplex carriage fees, PRS and PPL licensing fees to stream music, regulatory costs (Ofcom etc), website and stream hosting, plus various other overheads such as station identification. Skylab Radio currently has no paid advertising. Although you may hear from time-to-time DAB "Get Digital" promotions and Government public information announcements, which are aired free-of-charge. Our funding model will change where we will still remain not-for-profit in our make up, but invite some form of on-air sponsorship. Any introduction of sponsorship will be done in a way that does not intrude considerably on our listeners enjoyment of Skylab. In the meantime; the owner of the station funds the bulk of Skylab's costs and this is not done begrudgingly. We adore Skylab Radio and believe passionately in what the station is achieving. Meanwhile the feedback we receive from listeners reinforce the value of Skylab Radio, regarding the station as a 'safe space'. This is particularly apt during these times of instability, unpredictability and anxiety, where Skylab is utilised by some listeners as a very personal form of coping mechanism. If you enjoy listening to Skylab Radio and would like to support us with a donation...we would be delighted! Please use the secure PAYPAL donate button below or you can 'Buy us a Coffee' . If you wish to give us a few pounds, dollars, euros etc...then please feel free to do so. Any contribution, however large or small will be greatly appreciated. We would like to thank Skylab Radio's amazing listeners and supporters who have kindly donated to the station. Thank you! x

Music for the Mind, Body & Soul. Mood station, playing chillout, lounge, ambient and soft house.

Skylab Radio - Music for the Mind, Body & Soul. Mood station, playing chillout, lounge, ambient and soft house. WELCOME ABOUT LISTEN LIVE

DAB+ DIGITAL RADIO Skylab Radio can be heard on *DAB+ Digital Radio in the following areas... WEST MIDLANDS - Wolverhampton & The Black Country SHROPSHIRE - Telford & Shrewsbury GREATER MANCHESTER - South Manchester, Stockport, Tameside & Trafford Most digital radios in vehicles will find new stations automatically, however you may need to rescan your digital radio in order to find us by using the "Full Autotune" or "Rest of the World" button. Then press in a preset or 'favourites' button to easily find Skylab in future. Please note; DAB reception coverage varies from area to area, and also upon radio listening equipment used. Check manufacturer's instructions for details. *Skylab Radio broadcasts via DAB+ This means some older or incompatible digital radio sets may not support DAB+ and will be unable to find this service, although most modern car radios are compatible. As a guide, look for one of the DAB+ logos and the green Digital Radio tick mark to be certain of purchasing a radio which supports DAB+. Alternatively you can hear Skylab Radio online via this page. For more information; please click on the GET DIGITAL RADIO website and also check manufacturer's instructions for details. LISTENING ON YOUR SMART SPEAKER Amazon Echo It's very easy to listen to Skylab Radio on your Amazon Echo, via our free skill . Anytime you wish to listen to us, just say... "Alexa, play Skylab Radio" Its as easy as that! SONOS Add Radioplayer in the Sonos app under Services, and play Skylab Radio . Don't forget to save Skylab Radio as a favourite, so you can easily find us in future! ONLINE LISTENING Skylab Radio is also available on your Smartphone, Tablet or Desktop, via Nation Player (App Store or Android ), RadioPlayer , TuneIn , Radio.Garden , Radio Feeds (UK & Ireland) , Online Radio Box , Liveradio.ie and Apple TV . High Quality Stream (Opens up External player) High Quality Stream (For Chrome and Firefox/Morzilla) PLEASE NOTE: If you're experiencing a technical issue listening to Skylab Radio, please go to our Contact Us page and fill in our technical reporting form .

Skylab Radio is about to offer advertising and sponsorship packages for the first time! Skylab Radio will be in a position to offer a whole range of on air advertising and sponsorship campaigns, bespoke to your business and priced to ensure you get the best value over longer time periods. Soon, your message could be heard by a potential audience of around *1.8 million adults within... West Midlands (Wolverhampton and The Black Country), Greater Manchester (South Manchester, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford), and along sections of strategic commuter routes into the two conurbations, such as the M6, M54/A5, M56, A34 and A449 corridors . Did you know that according to **Radio Joint Audience Research (RAJAR), 87% of the UK's population (aged 15+) on average listen to the radio on a weekly basis? If you run a business and are looking to advertise on Skylab Radio, please register your interest right now. * Potential adult population coverage based on indictative mapping from Ofcom (indoor coverage) and multiplex operators. ** Source - RAJAR Q1, 2026 NAME* BUSINESS NAME* EMAIL* MESSAGE* Submit