Radio BBC 6 Music

BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years.

It is available on digital media: DAB radio, the Internet, digital television and in northern Europe through the Astra 2A satellite. The station plays "alternative" genres of music, including Indie, Classic rock, Punk, Jazz, Funk, Hip hop and Classic Dance. It is an alternative to the mainstream, chart orientated Radio 1 and Radio 2. BBC 6 Music is the sister station of Radio 2.

Many BBC 6 Music shows play a lot of the BBC session and live music archives (including the "Peel Sessions" put together by the late John Peel from the late 1960s to his death).

There are live music studio sessions with contemporary artists, reminiscent of "unplugged sessions", especially in the 6 Music "hub" started by Gideon Coe on his morning show and in the studio on the Evening Sequence show with Tom Robinson. See 6 Music Hub Sessions

There is a lot of cooperation with the audience, using the World Wide Web, text messaging and emails . Listeners can in vivo decide which songs will be played. Listeners can also use the website to listen again to a show, find out more about the playlists and presenters and hear breaking music news.

At first the presenters were regarded as experts in their field. Their sophistication and the inclusion of listeners is reflected in the station's slogan, "closer to the music that matters."