Bauer launches seven new streaming radio services

Seven new brand extension radio services from KISS, Kerrang! and heat have launched online today from Bauer.

KISS has launched three new online channels; KISS DNCE, KISS Garage and KISS Ibiza.

Kerrang! Radio launches Klassic Kerrang! Radio and Kerrang! Radio Unleashed,

And heat Radio has unveiled heat Radio School Disco and heat Radio Soundtracks.

KISS has also launched a new monthly podcast in association with The Prince’s Trust entitled ‘KISS Life: Let’s Talk About’. This new series explores a number of issues that face young people today.

Here’s all the information we have on the new services from Bauer:

KISS DNCE – A new station from KISS that purely focuses on the latest dance bangers, with nothing but the freshest releases and the biggest club fillers out there.

KISS Garage – With over 20 years of history, the impact and influence of UK Garage is still felt today. As original pioneers, KISS bring you this dedicated station devoted to the sound and scene of UKG. You’ll hear everything from classic tracks and the sub-genres of 2step and funky, to the latest Garage-influenced drops from newer artists.

KISS Ibiza – Whether you’re re-living your Ibiza experience, or simply wanting those white isle vibes at home, we’ve got the biggest tunes from the best DJs 24/7. Brought to you by the station that started it all on the island, KISS Ibiza is your ultimate party soundtrack.

Klassic Kerrang! Radio – This station celebrates classic tracks from the past 20 years of the alternative rock scene. A 24/7 hit of nostalgia for fans of pop punk, pop rock, nu metal and more, you’ll find seminal tracks such as Green Day’s “Basket Case”, Limp Bizkit’s “Rollin’ and KoRn’s “Freak on a Leash”.

Kerrang! Radio Unleashed – If you like it heavy you will love Kerrang! Radio’s Unleashed. Expect the darker side of Kerrang! unleashed every day with tracks from metal titans such as Metallica, Slipknot and Rammstein to new music from the likes of I Prevail, Venom Prison and Code Orange.

heat Radio School Disco – Home to all your favourite school disco anthems. Relive your holiday memories with Ibiza bangers, hear your Eurovision favourites, plus the biggest boy and girl bands on the planet. Vengaboys, Blue, Girls Aloud, Gina G are just some of the artists featured, and from time to time they’ll slow it down for the behind the bike shed smoochie songs.

heat Radio Soundtracks – Playing the songs from heat Radio’s favourite movies and TV show, including Frozen, Bridget Jones, Friends. This station is a place for Miley Cyrus when we knew her as Hannah and when Jessica Simpson was wearing her Daisy Dukes.

Dee Ford CBE, Group Managing Director for Bauer Radio said: “Anticipating consumer behaviour informs our content and distribution strategy. It’s exactly what has underpinned the roaring success of KISSTORY. The new digital station launches and KISS podcast provide even greater choice for our audiences who seek more from the brands they love.

“Creating an even deeper more tailored listening experience, they also provide exciting new opportunities for advertisers seeking highly engaged valuable audiences.”

RadioToday’s take

There appear to be a few duplicate services here, either that or Bauer is going very very niche with its new services.

Whilst KISS DNCE looks like a reaction to Heart Dance, the service will actually play the latest dance bangers, putting it more up against its own KISS and KISS FRESH.

Also, heat and Kerrang! are two of Bauer’s less loved brands, so to launch brand extensions for these stations seems odd. A more obvious choice would be for Magic to operate a station with music from stage and screen, and for Hits Radio to run high school disco hits – which itself seems to be similar to KISS IBIZA.

Then there’s the addition of two more rock stations, joining Absolute Radio, Absolute Classic Rock, Planet Rock and Kerrang! Radio.

But these are online only, and if they can attract even more people to the Bauer house, it’s a smart way to introduce them to the rest of the family.