The 1960s produced more enduring pop music than almost any other decade, which is why a radio station dedicated entirely to the era doesn't feel like a novelty — it feels necessary. Nation 60s is part of Nation Broadcasting, the UK media group founded by Jason Bryant that started with a single Welsh station in 2002 and grew into one of Britain's fastest-expanding radio companies. The 60s channel is one of a family of decade-specific streams — 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s all get their own home — but the 60s edition has a particular depth of identity because the music itself has such depth.
Nation Broadcasting: From Welsh Radio to a UK Decade Network
Nation Broadcasting was founded by Jason Bryant and began trading in 2002 with the launch of Radio Pembrokeshire in West Wales. Through station acquisitions, new service launches, and digital expansion, the group grew into one of the UK's leading independent broadcasters, delivering 1.3 million listeners a month across its portfolio as of 2023. Nation 60s is available across the UK online, via the Nation Player app, on Amazon Alexa, and on DAB Digital Radio in selected areas including parts of Wales and southern England. The station's Group Programme Director is Neil Greenslade, one of the UK's most experienced radio programmers.
The Sound: Motown, British Invasion, Soul, and More
Nation 60s plays a broad and well-chosen mix of the decade's defining sounds. The station's format is built around classic pop, soul, Motown, beat music, and the British Invasion catalogue. Rather than specialising in a single genre, it programs the decade the way radio actually played it: eclectic, chronologically cohesive, full of variety within a shared era. The programming includes:
- Motown classics, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops — the Detroit sound that redefined what pop could be and still sounds fresh to anyone hearing it for the first time.
- British Invasion, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Who — the moment British music changed the world and the world responded.
- Soul and R&B, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett — the emotional core of the decade's popular music and the roots of almost everything that followed.
- Beat music and pop, the lighter, joyful side of the 60s that filled the charts and still triggers instant recognition.
Weekdays feature named shows: 60s Breakfast with Dean Martin (6am-10am), 60s Workday with Tony Dibbin (10am-2pm), 60s Drivetime with Dave Brown (2pm-6pm), and 60s Chilled from 10pm, moving through the day's energy levels.
Why the 60s Still Sound New
There's a reason this decade keeps producing discovery moments for new listeners. The production techniques were still developing, which means the music has a directness and humanity that later decades sometimes traded away for polish. The songs were written to be listened to, not consumed. Nation 60s programs around that quality — it's not just nostalgia radio, it's music that still has something to say to anyone with ears.
DAB, Online, and Community
Nation 60s is available via the Nation Player app and online across the UK and worldwide. DAB coverage includes Salisbury, Wrexham, Mid and West Wales, Ceredigion, and parts of Kent and the South East. The station is part of the broader Nation Broadcasting community, which has an active social presence and regularly engages with listeners around music news and programming.
The Best Reason to Tune In
Nation 60s is the most well-programmed dedicated 60s station in the UK, built on real radio infrastructure and editorial commitment. If you're revisiting the decade or exploring it for the first time, this is the most coherent entry point — it programs the era with enough variety to hold your attention and enough focus to build a genuine sense of the decade's identity.
Stream Nation 60s Free on Radio Shuffle
Tune in to Nation 60s on Radio Shuffle — no account, no app, no fee. Press play and the Swinging Sixties are waiting.