Radio X Chilled streams mellow, stripped-back versions of big indie and alternative rock hits, from acoustic takes to laid-back deep cuts, live from the UK. Press play on Radio Shuffle and it's on instantly, free, no account needed.
Part of the Biggest Single Station Launch in UK Radio History
Radio X Chilled launched on September 12, 2024, alongside eleven other new stations in what Global billed as the biggest single launch in UK radio history, according to coverage from World DAB. The batch included two other Radio X spin-offs, Radio X 90s and Radio X 00s, each one narrowing the flagship station's broad indie rock identity down to a more specific mood or era rather than trying to serve every kind of listener on one signal.
The Same Guitar Bands, Turned Down a Few Notches
Where the main Radio X station built its identity on loud, guitar-driven indie rock, Chilled takes artists like Oasis, Coldplay and Radiohead and leans into their quieter side, stripped-back acoustic versions and mellower deep cuts rather than the arena-sized anthems those bands are best known for. It is less a different genre than a different register, the same core British indie rock canon heard at a lower volume and a slower pulse.
A London Signal With a Global Reach
Unlike the main Radio X station, which carries a national DAB license, Radio X Chilled's digital radio coverage is limited to London, sitting on the capital's London 3 multiplex. Everywhere else, the station is available through the Global Player app, smart speakers, and the Radio X website, part of a now-familiar pattern among UK commercial broadcasters: launch a themed spin-off without chasing full national spectrum, and let streaming carry the station to listeners the DAB signal cannot reach.
Rooted in a Station Built From a Pirate Signal
Radio X itself traces back to Q102, a pirate station launched on January 1, 1989 by Sammy Jacob, which eventually became the licensed Xfm in 1997 before rebranding as Radio X in 2015. Chilled is one of several modern spin-offs, alongside Classic Rock and the 90s and 00s channels, that let a brand built on nearly four decades of guitar music keep expanding without diluting its original flagship signal.
Listen to Radio X Chilled Free on Radio Shuffle
Tune in to Radio X Chilled on Radio Shuffle, no account, no app, no fee. Press play and hear the same indie rock bands you already know, stripped down and slowed right down.