BBC Radio is set to launch four new music stations on DAB+ and BBC Sounds, featuring a mix of archival material and new commisions, simulcasting and a small amount of new live content.
BBC Radio 3's digital extension will focus on calming classical music to help listeners 'unwind, destress and escape the pressures of daily life.' It will feature familiar and newer works, combined with voices and soundscapes. The BBC has made specific reference to the inclusion of the 'new generation of artist-composers who receive a limited amount of airplay on other UK stations.'
Simulcast content from Radio 3's Night Tracks will be included on the station, along with BBC Sounds titles Mindful Mix and Ultimate Calm, as well as a selection of music specially curated to aid focus.
Mindfulness, wellbeing and sleep will be a key focus of this new Radio 3 extension, blending speech and music in the style of other popular BBC Sounds titles, The Music & Meditation Podcast, Tearjerker and The Sleeping Forecast.
'Our stations have captured the history of the UK during the past six decades for our audiences, and we now want to give them more choice from the BBC as listening habits are changing,' says Lorna Clarke, director of BBC Music. 'Our extensions for Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 3 will allow listeners to deep-dive into more pop and classical genres and periods of music they love the most, uniquely created by the BBC. They'll get a deeper listening experience than what's available elsewhere, hear brilliant storytelling through our extensive archive, and discover more music to love whatever their mood.'
