BBC Sounds is an over-the-top audio streaming and download service from the BBC that includes live radio broadcasts, audio on demand, and podcasts. The service is available on a wide range of devices, including mobile phones and tablets, personal computers, cars, and smart televisions. As of 21 July 2025, BBC Sounds is only available for UK-based listeners and doesn't feature commercial advertising; international listeners can find BBC Radio 4 and World Service on the BBC.com website and app, along with podcasts. All other radios (such as Radio 1, 6 Music, and others) are also available on alternative radio sources internationally using TuneIn.
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👉 BBC Sounds in the context of BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasting House, London. Since 2019, the station controller has been Mohit Bakaya. He replaced Gwyneth Williams, who had been the station controller since 2010.
Radio 4 is broadcast throughout the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands on FM, LW and DAB, and on BBC Sounds, it can also be received in the eastern counties of Ireland, northern France and Northern Europe. It is available internationally via the BBC.com website and app. It currently reaches over 9.2 million listeners, making it the UK's second most-popular radio station after BBC Radio 2.
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BBC Sounds in the context of BBC Radio London
BBC Radio London is the BBC's local radio station serving Greater London.
It broadcasts on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at Broadcasting House in Langham Place, London.
BBC Sounds in the context of IPlayer
BBC iPlayer (stylised as iPLAYER or BBC iPLAYER) is a video on demand service from the BBC. The service is available over-the-top on a wide range of devices, including mobile phones and tablets, personal computers and smart televisions. iPlayer services delivered to UK-based viewers are free from commercial advertising. To use the service, a valid TV Licence is required by law.
The terms BBC iPlayer, iPlayer, and BBC Media Player refer to various methods of viewing or listening to the same content. BBC iPlayer launched in 2007. Previously, a separate BBC iPlayer Radio brand was used for radio services but this was replaced with BBC Sounds in 2018. The current logo and rebranding to "iPLAYER" has been in use since 2021.
BBC Sounds in the context of BBC Radio
BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927. The service provides national radio stations covering the majority of musical genres, as well as local radio stations covering local news, affairs, and interests. It also oversees online audio content.
Of the national radio stations, BBC Radio 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 Live are all available through analogue radio (1, 2, 3 and 4 on FM and 5 Live on MW; BBC Radio 4 additionally broadcasts on longwave) as well as on DAB Digital Radio and BBC Sounds. BBC Radio 1Xtra, 1 Dance, 1 Anthems, 3 Unwind, 4 Extra, 5 Sports Extra, 6 Music, Asian Network and the World Service broadcast only on DAB and BBC Sounds.All of the BBC's national radio stations broadcast from bases in London and Manchester, usually in or near to Broadcasting House or MediaCityUK. However, the BBC's network production units located in Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff and Glasgow also make radio programmes.
BBC Sounds in the context of BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music, current chart hits and future hits. It also plays a wide range of genres, including pop, hip-hop, R&B, dance, electronica, rock, indie and alternative music every day. Radio 1's sister stations are Radio 1 Anthems, dedicated to throwback music, Radio 1 Dance, dedicated to dance music and Radio 1Xtra, which plays black contemporary music.
Radio 1 broadcasts throughout the UK on FM between 97.1 MHz and 99.7 MHz, digital radio, digital TV and BBC Sounds. It was launched in 1967 to meet the demand for music generated by pirate radio stations, when the average age of the UK population was 27. The BBC claims that it targets the 15–29 age group, and the average age of its UK audience since 2009 is 30. BBC Radio 1 started 24-hour broadcasting on 1 May 1991.