# Absolute Radio 80s

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Absolute_Radio_80s
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Absolute_Radio_80s.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_Radio_80s
> Source revision: 1342556889
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

[51°30′44″N 0°08′13″W / 51.512248°N 0.136937°W / 51.512248; -0.136937](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Absolute_Radio_80s&params=51.512248_N_0.136937_W_)

Radio station in London, England

Absolute Radio 80s London United Kingdom Frequency DAB+: 11A Sound Digital (UK) Branding Absolute 80s Programming Format 1980s rock/pop Network Absolute Radio Network Ownership Owner Bauer Radio Sister stations Absolute Radio Absolute Radio 60s Absolute Radio 70s Absolute Radio 90s Absolute Radio 00s Absolute Radio 10s Absolute Radio 20s Absolute Radio Classic Rock Absolute Radio Country History First air date 6 December 2009 (2009-12-06) Links Webcast Rayo Website www.absolute80s.com

"Virgin Radio Xtreme" redirects here. For the older station from 2005 to 2008, see [Absolute Xtreme](/source/Absolute_Xtreme).

**Absolute Radio 80s** (known on-air as **Absolute 80s**) is a national digital radio station, owned and operated by [Bauer](/source/Bauer_Radio) as part of the [Absolute Radio Network](/source/Absolute_Radio_Network). Its main output is non-stop 1980s hits.

## History

Absolute Radio 80s launched at 7.00 pm on 4 December 2009, replacing [Absolute Xtreme](/source/Absolute_Xtreme).[1]

The marketing plan for Absolute 80s started with targeted sampling at 80s events such as [Madness](/source/Madness_(band)), [Pet Shop Boys](/source/Pet_Shop_Boys) and [Depeche Mode](/source/Depeche_Mode) at the [O2 Arena](/source/The_O2_Arena), [Erasure](/source/Erasure_(duo)) at the [NEC Birmingham](/source/National_Exhibition_Centre) and [Simple Minds](/source/Simple_Minds) at the [Wembley Arena](/source/Wembley_Arena). The first track to play on the station was "[(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)](/source/(You_Gotta)_Fight_for_Your_Right_(To_Party!))" by the [Beastie Boys](/source/Beastie_Boys).[2][3]

On 14 May 2010, Absolute 80s began broadcasting in mono at 64 kbps on [Digital One](/source/Digital_One) national DAB digital radio.

On 29 February 2016, the station switched to the newly launched [Sound Digital](/source/Sound_Digital) multiplex (an "upgrade" to 80 kbps in mono) although it continued to broadcast on Digital One until the end of April 2016.[4]

On 16 October 2023, Absolute 80s switched to DAB+ broadcasting in stereo.[5]

On 12 December 2023, Absolute Radio 80s was removed from [Freesat](/source/Freesat), followed by [Sky](/source/Sky_UK) and [Virgin Media](/source/Virgin_Media) on 13 December, along with every other radio station owned by Bauer Media on either of the three TV platforms.[6]

## Presenters

The station's presenters include [Leona Graham](/source/Leona_Graham), [Sarah Champion](/source/Sarah_Champion_(presenter)), Richie Firth and Chris Martin.

Absolute 80s also simulcasts [Absolute Radio](/source/Absolute_Radio)'s breakfast ([Dave Berry](/source/Dave_Berry_(presenter))) and drivetime shows, using a split playlist system which allows relevant music to be played on each Absolute station.

Former presenters include ex-[Spandau Ballet](/source/Spandau_Ballet) lead singer [Tony Hadley](/source/Tony_Hadley), who presented a Saturday evening *80s Party* show until December 2019.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Absolute 80s to launch tomorrow"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110724095912/http://www.theairwaves.net/index.php/radio/3990-absolute-80s-to-launch-tomorrow). The Airwaves. 3 December 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Absolute 80s ready to launch"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120313161334/http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.5432). Radio Today. 3 December 2009. Archived from [the original](http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.5432) on 13 March 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Absolute readies 80s push"](http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/absolute-readies-80s-push/3007428.article). Marketing Week. 2 December 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Absolute 80s, Planet Rock, Heat and Kisstory to end dual DAB transmission"](http://www.a516digital.com/2016/04/absolute-80s-planet-rock-heat-and.html). a516digital.com. 15 April 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Colothan, Scott (6 October 2023). ["Absolute Radio Country and Absolute Classic Rock go national with DAB+"](https://planetradio.co.uk/absolute-radio/competitions/win/roberts-radio-competition-ar/).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Bauer to remove all radio stations from satellite and cable TV platforms"](https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/11/bauer-to-remove-all-radio-stations-from-satellite-and-cable-tv-platforms/). 28 November 2023.

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.absolute80s.com)

v t e Absolute Radio Sister stations Absolute Radio 60s Absolute Radio 70s Absolute Radio 80s Absolute Radio 90s Absolute Radio 00s Absolute Radio 10s Absolute Radio 20s Absolute Radio Classic Rock Absolute Radio Country Former shows The Christian O'Connell Show Sunday Night Show The Geoff Show Geoff Lloyd with Annabel Port Pete and Geoff Related/other Absolute Radio Extra Absolute Xtreme Virgin Radio Groove Dabbl Bauer Media Audio UK TIML Radio STV Group Golden Square Timeline of Absolute Radio

v t e Bauer Media Group Publishing Germany Adel exklusiv Alles für die Frau Astrowoche Auf einen Blick Auto Zeitung Auto Zeitung Classic Cars Auto Zeitung Gebrauchtwagen Avanti Bella Bravo Bravo Girl Bravo Sport Bummi Bussi Bär Card Collector Closer Cosmopolitan Das Neue Das Neue Blatt einfach.sein Fernsehwoche Freizeitwoche Good Health Happinez Heidi In meiner Küche inTouch inTouch Style Joy kochen & genießen Laura Laura Wohnen Kreativ Lecker Lissy Mach mal Pause Maxi Mehr Spass Mein Hund & Ich Mein Lieblingsrezept Mein TV & Ich Meine Melodie Meins Mini Mutti Myway Neue Post Pflege & Familie Rezepte Pur Schöne Woche Selbst ist der Mann Shape Super Freizeit tina tina GESUND&Fit tina Koch&Back-Ideen tina WOMAN&Style tv14 tvpur tv!top TV Hören und Sehen TV Klar TV Movie TV Movie digital Volksstimme Welt der Wunder Woche Heute Wohnidee United Kingdom Angling Times Bella Bike Bird Watching Car Classic Bike Classic Cars Closer Empire FHM Golf World Grazia Heat Match Model Rail Mojo More! Motor Cycle News (MCN) Parker's Performance Bikes Pop Practical Classics Practical Fishkeeping Practical Photography Pregnancy & Birth Rail Take a Break That's Life! Today's Golfer TV Choice TV Quick Zoo Radio Denmark Nova The Voice Radio 100 Pop FM myROCK Radio Soft Finland Radio Nova Iskelmä Radio City SuomiRock NRJ Radio Nostalgia Kasari Radio Pooki Radio 957 Auran Aallot KISS Germany Radio Hamburg (25%) Ireland 98FM Newstalk SPIN 1038 SPIN South West Today FM Norway KISS Norsk Pop P24-7 MIX Radio 1 Radio Norge Radio Rock Radio Topp 40 Radio Vinyl Poland Radio 90 FM Radio GRA Radio Jura RMF Classic RMF FM RMF MAXXX RMF Ukraina Portugal Cidade FM M80 Radio Rádio Comercial Smooth FM Vodafone FM Slovakia Europa 2 Rádio Expres Rádio Melody Rádio Rock Sweden Gold FM Mix Megapol NRJ Lugna Klassiker Rockklassiker Radio Active Radio Disney Retro FM Svensk Pop Topp 40 Vinyl FM Ukraine RMF Ukraina United Kingdom Networks Absolute Radio Greatest Hits Radio Hits Radio KISS Magic Radio Digital Absolute Radio Country Heat Radio Hits Radio Pride Jazz FM Kerrang! Radio Magic Classical Planet Rock Stand-alone Cool FM Downtown Radio Downtown Country Former Bauer City 3 Mojo Radio Q Radio Radio City Talk Smash Hits Radio Sam FM 3C Magic

v t e Media in the United Kingdom UK national newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals Newspapers (history, circulation) Broadsheet Financial Times The Daily Telegraph The Sunday Telegraph The Sunday Times Compact The i Paper The Times The Guardian The Observer Middle-market Daily Express Daily Mail The Mail on Sunday Tabloid Daily Mirror Sunday Mirror Morning Star The Sunday People Daily Star Daily Star Sunday The Sun Sunday Sport Weekend Sport Midweek Sport Online 5Pillars The Independent Magazines and other periodicals List of magazines in the United Kingdom List of magazines by circulation Radio in the UK National stations BBC BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1Xtra BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 Extra BBC Radio 5 Live BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra BBC Radio 6 Music BBC Asian Network BBC World Service BBC National DAB (multiplex) Independent / commercial Absolute Radio Network Boom Radio BFBS Radio Capital Capital Xtra Classic FM Digital One (multiplex) Gold Greatest Hits Radio Heart Hits Radio Jazz FM Kiss Network LBC LBC News Magic Magic Classical Premier Christian Radio RNIB Connect Radio Sound Digital (multiplex) Smooth Radio talkSPORT TalkRadio Times Radio UCB UK Virgin Radio UK Radio X Regional and local stations BBC List of BBC Local Radio stations BBC Radio Scotland BBC Radio nan Gàidheal BBC Radio Ulster BBC Radio Foyle BBC Radio Wales BBC Radio Cymru Cymru 2 Independent / commercial List of community radio stations List of local commercial radio stations List of semi-national / regional analogue and digital radio stations Other stations List of hospital radio stations Pirate radio Restricted Service Licence (RSL) List of RSL stations List of student radio stations Other Broadcasting House FM broadcasting Radio Academy Radio Academy Awards Radio Independents Group RAJAR Most listened to programmes Television in the UK Principal channels (list) BBC/UKTV BBC One BBC Two BBC Three BBC Four BBC News BBC Parliament BBC Alba BBC Scotland CBBC CBeebies U&Alibi U&Dave U&Drama U&Eden U&Gold U&W U&Yesterday ITV ITV1/STV/UTV ITV2 ITV3 ITV4 ITV Quiz Channel 4/S4C Channel 4 S4C E4 E4 Extra Film4 More4 4seven Paramount 5 5Star 5USA 5Select 5Action Comedy Central Comedy Central Extra MTV Nickelodeon Nicktoons Nick Jr. Sky UK Challenge Sky Arts Sky Atlantic Sky Cinema Sky Comedy Sky Crime Sky Documentaries Sky History Sky History 2 Sky Kids Sky Mix Sky Nature Sky News Sky One Sky Sci-Fi Sky Sports Box Office F1 News Racing Sky Witness Warner Bros. Discovery Animal Planet Boomerang Cartoon Network Cartoonito CNN International Discovery Channel Discovery History Discovery Science Discovery Turbo DMAX Food Network Investigation Discovery Quest Quest Red Really TLC TNT Sports Narrative Entertainment UK Limited Great! Action Great! Movies Great! Romance Great! Real Great! TV Services and platforms Current Amazon Prime Video BBC iPlayer cable Channel 4 digital digital terrestrial List of channels Disney+ EE TV 5 Freely Freesat Freesat+ Freeview high-definition List of channels ITV ITVX STV Player local television Now Netflix Paramount+ Restricted Service Licence satellite Sky Group Sky Q Sky Glass Sky Stream TalkTalk TV TVPlayer U Virgin Media FilmFlex TiVo YouView Defunct analogue analogue terrestrial BBC Store Film4oD Pop Player Real Digital Sky Group Freesat from Sky On Demand Sky+ Sky+ HD TalkTalk TV Store Top Up TV Virgin Media V+ Studios Current 3 Mills Studios BBC Cymru Wales New Broadcasting House BBC Elstree Centre BBC Pacific Quay The Bottle Yard Studios Broadcasting House Broadcasting House, Belfast Broadcasting House, Bristol Dock10 Elstree Studios (Shenley Road) Gas Street Studios The Leeds Studios The Maidstone Studios Mailbox Birmingham MediaCityUK Old Granada Studios Riverside Studios Roath Lock The Sharp Project Sky Campus Space Studios Manchester Television Centre, London Defunct Broadcasting House, Cardiff Dickenson Road Studios Fountain Studios The Hospital Club Lime Grove Studios Limehouse Studios The London Studios MGM-British Studios New Broadcasting House, Manchester Pebble Mill Studios Teddington Studios Television Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne Television Centre, Southampton Upper Boat Studios Other Television in Northern Ireland in Scotland in Wales Defunct channels Edinburgh International Television Festival History List of years Viewing statistics Most-watched broadcasts Companies and organisations Major companies Banijay UK Productions Bauer Media Audio UK BBC Bloomsbury Publishing BT Group Channel Four Television Corporation Daily Mail and General Trust Dentsu International Economist Group EMI Music Publishing Future plc Global Media & Entertainment Guardian Media Group Haymarket Media Group Informa ITN ITV plc National World News Broadcasting News UK Newsquest Pearson plc Press Holdings Reach plc RELX Reuters Sky STV Group Syco TalkTalk Group Paramount Networks UK & Australia Virgin Media O2 The Walt Disney Company (UK) Ltd. Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA Resources Arqiva List of largest UK book publishers Government and regulatory bodies Advertising Standards Authority BBC Board (formerly: BBC Trust Board of Governors of the BBC) British Board of Film Classification British Film Institute Culture, Media, and Sport Select Committee Department for Culture, Media and Sport Independent Press Standards Organisation Ofcom Press Recognition Panel S4C Authority Industry and trades bodies British Academy of Film and Television Arts British Phonographic Industry Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union Clearcast Digital TV Group Equity Everyone TV Federation Against Copyright Theft Independent Publishers Guild National Union of Journalists The Publishers Association Royal Television Society United Kingdom Independent Broadcasting Other BBC Academy National Film and Television School National Science and Media Museum Regional, student and community media Regional media Media in England Birmingham London Manchester Media in Scotland Aberdeen Dundee Glasgow Media in Wales Cardiff Student media Student television Student press Community media Islam21c Category

v t e Decades themed radio stations 1940s '40s Junction 1950s '50s Gold iHeart50s 1960s '60s Gold '60s Vibrations Absolute Radio 60s Greatest Hits Radio 60s iHeart60s Nation 60s 1970s '70s on 7 Absolute Radio 70s Heart 70s iHeart70s Nation 70s Smooth 70s 1980s '80s on 8 Absolute 80s Heart 80s iHeart80s The 80s iHeartRadio Nation 80s Smooth 80s 1990s '90s on 9 Absolute Radio 90s Heart 90s iHeart90s The 90s iHeartRadio Nation 90s Radio X 90s 2000s Pop2K Absolute Radio 00s Heart 00s iHeart2000s Nation 00s Radio X 00s 2010s The 10s Spot Absolute Radio 10s Heart 10s iHeart2010s 2020s Absolute Radio 20s

This article about a radio station in the United Kingdom is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

- [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:UK-radio-station-stub)
- [t](/source/Template_talk%3AUK-radio-station-stub)
- [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:UK-radio-station-stub)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Absolute Radio 80s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_Radio_80s) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_Radio_80s?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.