BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927.

The BBC today runs ten national domestic radio stations, four of which are only available in a digital format: via DAB Digital Radio, UK digital television (satellite, cable and Freeview) plus live streams and listen again on the Internet.

The "main" radio stations, available via both analogue (FM & AM frequencies) and Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), are:

BBC Radio 1 - youth oriented, mostly contemporary pop music (including Top 40 singles), plus news, original in-house live music sessions, original live music concerts & music documentaries.

BBC Radio 2 - adult oriented entertainment, wide range of music - especially adult contemporary and middle of the road, also talk, comedy, plus news, original in-house live music sessions, original live music concerts & music documentaries.

BBC Radio 3 - arts and high culture, special-interest music (classical, jazz, world music), plus news, original in-house live music sessions, original live music concerts & music documentaries.

BBC Radio 4 - news, current affairs, arts, original in-house drama, original in-house first-run comedy, science, books and religion

BBC Radio 5 Live - news, sports, talk.

The new Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) only radio stations are:

BBC Radio 1Xtra - new urban music, plus news, original in-house live music sessions, original live music concerts & music documentaries.

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra - a companion to Radio 5 Live for additional sports events coverage

BBC 6 Music - rock, funk, punk and reggae, plus news, original in-house live music sessions, original live music concerts & music documentaries.

BBC 7 - classic comedy, drama, books, science fiction, fantasy and children's programmes

BBC Asian Network - aimed at the large South Asian community in the UK (primarily a digital radio station, but available in parts of the Midlands on mediumwave)

The BBC also runs radio stations for three of the nations of the UK. These stations focus on local issues to a greater extent than their UK counterparts, organising live phone-in debates about these issues, as well as lighter talk shows with music from different decades of the 20th Century. Compared to many advertising-funded Independent Local Radio (ILR) stations, which often broadcast contemporary popular music, BBC nations' radio stations offer a more "serious" alternative.

BBC Radio Scotland - Scottish news, debate, music and sport.

BBC Radio nan Gàidheal - Scottish Gaelic station.

BBC Radio Shetland - News, music, sport and talk from Shetland.

BBC Radio Orkney - News, music, sport and talk from Orkney.

BBC Radio Wales - Welsh news, music and sport.

BBC Radio Cymru - Welsh language network.

BBC Radio Ulster - News and music from Northern Ireland.

BBC Radio Foyle - News and music from County Londonderry.

There exist many BBC Local Radio services across England, often catering to individual counties.

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