Smooth 80s Radio

Smooth 80s is a full-time station for popular songs from the 1980s. It launched in September 2024 as one of the specialist additions to the Smooth family. Madonna, Wham! and Michael Jackson were among the artists used to introduce the service, placing recognisable pop performers at the centre of its musical identity.

The programme ranges across the decade's different mainstream sounds. Its published music history includes UB40 and Chrissie Hynde, the Pointer Sisters, Luther Vandross and John Parr. Strong lead vocals, synthesiser arrangements, guitar parts and polished harmonies contribute to a mix that extends from pop-reggae to dance-influenced songs and powerful rock vocals.

Records listed by the station include I Got You Babe, Jump (For My Love), Give Me the Reason and St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion). This range gives space to both British and American performers, with softer vocal material alongside more emphatic choruses. The selections make the eighties focus audible through different arrangements and singing styles, rather than treating the whole decade as having one uniform sound.

Nigel Freshman fronts Smooth 80s Breakfast, with music-led afternoon, evening and overnight blocks continuing the decade's songs around the presented programme. The service is part of Global and is available nationally on digital radio and through Global Player. Within Smooth's range, the eighties provide a clear musical focus: established pop voices and memorable singles remain central throughout the schedule, rather than appearing only within a mixed-decade selection. Its repertoire connects the decade's different styles through an emphasis on accessible, melodic songs.