YleX is the Finnish public broadcaster's radio channel for pop and new music, aimed at listeners roughly aged 15 to 34. It broadcasts across Finland on FM, including 91.9 MHz in Helsinki, and you can hear it live on Radio Shuffle for free, from anywhere in the world.
What YleX Plays
According to Finnish Wikipedia, YleX is a music media channel from Yleisradio focused on new music and popular culture, emphasising emerging Finnish and international artists and giving space to independent and small-label releases. Its daily schedule includes the weekday morning show YleX Aamu from 6:30 to 10:00, Uuden musiikin X, a showcase of new music, and evening and weekend programmes. The station also runs on ylex.fi and social media, so the radio is one part of a wider youth offering.
The Mornings and the Hosts
YleX Aamu has a history of its own. The Finnish Wikipedia article on YleX Aamu notes that the morning show started in 2003 and followed Radiomafian Aamu, which began in 2000. Breakfast radio for young listeners is where a channel's personality shows most, and YleX uses a rotating team of presenters to keep the tone lively.
From Radiomafia to YleX
YleX began in January 2003 as the successor to Radiomafia, a Yle channel for teenagers and young adults that launched on 1 June 1990, as English Wikipedia's Radiomafia entry records. Radiomafia is remembered for shaping Finnish youth culture, notably by introducing electronic music such as drum and bass through shows like Juha Ponteva's, who performed as Dizzy. When Yle restructured its radio channels, Radiomafia ended on 12 January 2003 and some of its programmes moved to other Yle stations.
Finnish Public Radio Without Ads
As a Yle service, YleX is funded by public service rather than advertising, which lets it take chances on new artists that commercial pop stations might skip. For listeners abroad it is a handy way to hear what young Finland is streaming, from pop to hip-hop and beyond.
Listen to YleX Free on Radio Shuffle
Tune in to YleX on Radio Shuffle. No account, no app, no fee. Press play and hear Finland's new sound.