When choosing the best radio stations for music in Scotland, locals and visitors alike have many options to explore. Although Scotland, like many parts of the world, has seen a slight decline in radio fans, plenty of people are still tuning in to the ether.
Around 49.7 million adults (89 per cent of the Scottish population) listen to the radio at least once a week, according to a report in 2023.
The average person in Scotland also listens to around 20.3 hours of radio per week, making the country a great place for broadcasters.
The challenge for most fans is figuring out which channel to choose. With dozens of options to choose from, streaming both on FM frequencies and online, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
Luckily we’re here to help you with our picks of the best radio stations in Scotland, ideal for listening to all types of music genres.
The 13 best music radio stations in Scotland
Compared to other countries like the US, Australia and Canada, Scotland has fewer radio stations to choose from.
But about 20 national services, 37 DAB stations and a host of other community and public channels are available, according to Ofcom.
Because opinions can vary widely on what constitutes the “best” music station, today we’re going to look at the most popular stations with the most listeners.
We’ve researched a range of radio stations to make sure you can find something to listen to, whether you’re a hip hop fan or a rock ‘n’ roll enthusiast.
1. BBC Radio Scotland
As Scotland’s official national radio station, BBC Radio Scotland is by far one of the most popular channels for music lovers today.
Broadcasting on FM, AM and DAB frequencies through to various Smart TV channels, BBC Scotland is easy to find anywhere in the country.
Its programming includes music, news and talk-style shows.
First launched in 1978, BBC Radio Scotland is a department of the BBC with some fantastic talent on board. Kirsty Wark even launched her career on the channel.
Also notable presenters for music lovers include Vic Galloway, Gary Innes, Cathy MacDonald and Ricky Ross.
Website: BBC Radio Scotland
2.Clyde 1
Clyde 1, a Glasgow based independent radio station, is owned by the Bauer company as part of the hit Radio Network.
As of 2022, the channel had a weekly audience of over 660,000 listeners.
Clyde 1 grew out of the broadcast sharing law enforced by UK regulators in the 1990s and grew into a popular top 40 radio station.
The channel is best known for sharing top and trending music, generally from the pop genre.
It also previously hosted an event called Clyde 1 Live, which included shows from the likes of Calvin Harris, Olly Murs and Jessie J.
In addition to music, Clyde 1 also airs regular news and sports programs with an emphasis on local announcements.
Website: Clyde1
3. Capital of Scotland
Capital Scotland, formerly known as Beat 106, XFM Scotland and Galaxy Scotland, is a regional radio station owned by Communicorp UK.
It was first launched in 1999 and broadcasts to the central belt area of Scotland surrounding Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Capital Scotland primarily presents playlists in the Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR) format.
The station had briefly replaced its morning and weekend shows with networked programming when the group was sold to Communicorp.
However, in 2023, the channel announced that it would bring daily programming back to its playlist as part of an expansion project.
Website: Capital of Scotland
4. Heart Scotland
Heart Scotland is a Glasgow city center regional station owned by Global Radio as part of the wider UK Heart Network.
The channel originally broadcast as Scot FM until it was bought by Guardian Media Group in 2001.
The Herzstation follows the hot contemporary format for adults with its music program and plays different songs from different genres.
Though Heart’s listenerships fell in 2014, they’ve gradually picked up over the past few years.
In 2023, Heart announced it would be adding new daily programs to its playlists, including breakfast, daytime and weekend shows, hosted by famous faces from the Scottish media landscape.
Website: Heart Scotland
5. Smooth Radio Scotland
Smooth Radio Scotland, also known as Smooth Scotland, is an independent radio station.
As well as being broadcast on the Glasgow area FM channel, Smooth is also broadcast on DAB in the east of Scotland and online for international listeners.
Following the adult contemporary format, Smooth is one of Scotland’s top music radio stations if you’re looking for a mix of modern and classic hits.
In addition to various playlists, the station is known for its regular programs such as Smooth ride home with Angie Greaves and Smooth breakfast with John Mellis.
Website: Smooth Scotland
6. Next 1
Forth 1 is an independent Edinburgh station owned and operated by the Bauer brand and operated under the Hits Radio network.
It has an average weekly audience of around 331,000 listeners and airs CHR and pop music on its regular playlists.
The well-known programs of the station include Boogie in the morningbroadcast direct from the Radio Forth studios in Edinburgh.
Forth 1 also keeps its listeners informed with regular hourly newscasts, weekdays from 6am to 7pm and weekends from 7am to 1pm.
The station also broadcasts networked programs from Tay FM in Dundee, Clyde 1 in Glasgow and Hits Radio in Manchester.
Website: For 1
7. Tay FM
Another well-known Bauer-branded Scottish radio station, Tay FM, operates in Dundee, Perth and the Tayside region.
The channel earns the attention of around 122,000 weekly listeners and broadcasts pop and top trending hits.
As well as a wide range of compelling playlists, Tay FM is also known for its local programming which has been specially designed for Scottish listeners.
The program is produced and broadcast from Tay’s Dundee Studios from 6am to 10am on weekdays and 6am to 9am at weekends.
Like many other channels within the Bauer Hits Radio network, Tay FM broadcasts regular local news programs on an hourly or half-hourly basis.
Website: Tay FM
8. Celtic Music Radio
Celtic Music Radio may have just the thing if you’re looking for something a little different from your Scottish radio station.
This community station broadcasts to the Greater Glasgow region via FB, Edinburgh via DAB and online internationally.
The channel’s playlists focus on contemporary and traditional Celtic-influenced music from Ireland and Scotland.
The hosts also play folk, world music, and Americana songs.
Celtic Music Radio is a member of the Scottish Community Broadcasting Network and the Community Media Association.
Website: Celtic Music Radio
9. Subcity Radio
Subcity Radio is a persuasive not-for-profit radio station, events organizer and art collector based at the University of Glasgow.
It is run almost entirely by university volunteers and members of the local community. It aims to provide an alternative to standard mainstream radio options.
The station also offers an extensive audio catalog available online for on-demand listening, podcasts, recorded live stream sessions and interviews.
For most listeners it’s a great place to find independent and alternative music from emerging Scottish artists and creators from around the world.
Subcity doesn’t have a dedicated playlist and moderators can broadcast whatever they want.
Website: Lower Town
10. West Sound
West Sound, also known as Greatest Hits Radio Aryshire, is an independent local radio station in Glasgow.
Bauer operates and owns it as part of the Greatest Hits Network. West Sound focuses primarily on broadcasting classic hits from all decades.
Much of the station’s daily programming is produced at various Greatest Hits radio studios in Glasgow, Dundee and Edinburgh.
Like many popular music radio stations in Scotland, West Sound broadcasts hourly local news programs and half-hourly updates during drivetime shows and breakfast programmes.
Website: GHR Ayrshire
11. Nation Radio Scotland
Nation Radio Scotland, formerly known as Rock Radio Real and XFM Scotland, is an independent station owned by Nation Broadcasting Company.
It broadcasts music to listeners across Glasgow, West Central Scotland and Renfrewshire, focusing on chart and classic pop music.
When Nation Radio was founded, it was a classic rock station focused on sharing the top hits of rock legends.
However, after an acquisition, the station changed its format and focused more on pop music. The channel now primarily broadcasts on FM channels, with a stream also available online for listeners.
Website: Nation Radio Scotland
12. CamGlen Radio
CamGlen Radio, a local radio station based in Rutherglen, South Lancashire, began full-time broadcasting in 2015.
The channel primarily focuses on sharing a combination of modern and classic songs from the modern adult contemporary and pop genres.
If you’re looking for the best music radio stations in Scotland with minimal program breaks, this could be the channel for you.
The daily edition usually features a 3:1 mix of music and speech. Additionally, 90 percent of all music aired on the channel is locally produced, so it’s a great way to get exposure to relevant local artists.
Website: CamGlen Radio
13. Nevis Radio
Finally, Nevis Radio is a local community radio station broadcasting from the Fort William region of Scotland.
It is a registered charity that shares music and programs 24 hours a day. Part of the day consists of original local programming, while playlists are repeated at other times.
The station focuses mainly on a contemporary music format with different genres to discover, from rock to pop.
Nevis also broadcasts events in its coverage area including hustings, farming shows and various Highland Games.
Website: Nevis Radio
