Max
Where The 80s Live
Max is a Newcastle-based digital radio station built around 1980s music and nostalgia. Rather than sticking to the safest obvious hits, it goes deeper into the decade with a broader selection of chart records, strong North East flavour and regular themed features that give the station a more distinct personality than a generic 80s playlist.
About Max
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Frequencies & locations:
- DAB – Newcastle small-scale DAB
- Online – Live web stream
Max is an 80s-led digital station serving Newcastle and Gateshead, and its positioning is sharper than most decade stations. The official line is simple: this is where the 80s live. But the station is not built around endlessly recycling the same biggest hits. Its own description says it goes deeper into the chart and plays a broader mix of the songs that made the decade, which gives it a more interesting sound than a lowest-common-denominator retro service.
The North East angle is part of what makes the station fit a Newcastle page rather than just a generic national stream. Max publicly highlights North East artists in its mix, including names such as Prefab Sprout, Sting, Kane Gang, Bryan Ferry and Chris Rea, and the station relaunched on Newcastle small-scale DAB at the end of 2024 under John Ryan, who previously worked as a BBC radio executive. That local anchor matters, because without it this would just be another internet oldies stream with a good logo.
The programming itself leans hard into nostalgia without becoming lazy. Max80s Prime Time is built around a deeper selection of 1980s songs, regular Max Classic Album selections, 20/20 Trivia, Maxematics and hourly top stories from the 80s instead of current news. The schedule also includes Max80s Overnight, keeping the same musical identity through the early hours. It is a tight format, but at least it knows what it is, which is more than can be said for plenty of half-baked local DAB launches.
Notable Presenters & Shows: Louise Jameson is the publicly named voice of Max and is heard regularly across the station’s output, providing the personality links and nostalgia cues that shape the brand. John Ryan is publicly identified as Programme Controller and the driving force behind the station’s relaunch in Newcastle. The key named shows and features include Max80s Prime Time, Max80s Overnight, Maxematics, 20/20 Trivia, Max Classic Album and the hourly 1980s news retrospectives.
Notable shows & presenters are:
- Louise Jameson: The publicly named voice of Max, heard regularly across the station with nostalgia-led links and branded features.
- John Ryan: Programme Controller and station director, publicly identified as the driving force behind Max and its Newcastle relaunch.
Contact Information
Official website:
https://max80s.co.uk/
Studio email:
john@2zy.co.uk
Postal address:
Newcastle upon Tyne
North East England
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaxDigitalRadio/
X / Twitter: https://x.com/maxdigitalradio
Max FAQ
What is Max?
Max is a Newcastle-based digital radio station focused on 1980s music, deeper catalogue choices and nostalgia-led features.
Where can I listen to Max?
You can listen to Max online through Radio Player UK and on Newcastle small-scale DAB.
What kind of music does Max play?
Max plays music from the 1980s, going deeper than the standard biggest hits and mixing pop, new wave, rock, disco and other sounds from the decade.
Who is heard on Max?
Louise Jameson is the publicly named voice of Max, while John Ryan is identified as the station’s Programme Controller and the figure behind the service.
How can I contact Max?
You can contact Max by email at john@2zy.co.uk, through the official Max website, or via its X and Facebook pages.