Communicorp UK has confirmed that XS Manchester will relaunch as Radio X 90s later this month, as first revealed RadioToday in January.
Radio X 90s will take on the 106.1 FM frequency on February 24th 2025.
The Manchester service will be owned and operated under a brand licence by Communicorp UK from Global.
XS Manchester started life as Rock Radio after GMG Radio won the licence from Ofcom and launched the service as a classic rock service in May 2008.
It later rebranded to Real XS to match Real Radio North West, based in the same building in Salford Quays. It later became XS when Real rebranded to Heart.
A format-change request by Communicorp in 2019 was refused by Ofcom to change the station into Capital XTRA, leading backlash from listeners.
Mark Lee, Communicorp UK’s Chief Executive Officer, told RadioToday: “In the year that the Oasis reunion tour takes place, it could not be a better time to launch Radio X 90s in Manchester. Playing the standout tracks of the Britpop era, Radio X 90s will let listeners relive the defining music scene of the 90s.”
Communicorp UK is already a brand licensee for Heart, Capital and Smooth, and now adds Radio X 90s to its portfolio.
Radio X 90s in Manchester will broadcast on 106.1 FM Manchester from City Tower in Manchester’s city centre, and will be based in the XYZ building in the Spinningfields district of Manchester, alongside Global.
It plays the likes of Oasis, Blur, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, Manic Street Preachers, R.E.M., Pulp, Radiohead, Supergrass, Stereophonics and many, many more. It launched with 129,000 listeners in its first RAJAR survey (Q4, 2024).
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