Essex Radio Online: Stations Streaming Live

Published 2 October 2026

You can listen to Essex radio online in any browser, with no download and no account: open 72FM, search for a station's name, and press play. Essex streams BBC Essex, Heart and Radio Essex, community radio from Brentwood to Chelmsford, and Radio Caroline, the former offshore pirate.

BBC and commercial

• BBC Essex — the BBC's local radio station for the county.
• Heart Essex 96.3 & 102.6 — hot adult contemporary pop.
• Radio Essex — Top 40 and pop hits.

Community and local

• Phoenix FM — community radio for Brentwood and Billericay.
• City Sound — community radio and pop from Chelmsford.
• Chelmsford Community Radio — local music, talk and community programmes from Chelmsford.

Pirate heritage and internet

• Radio Caroline — the former offshore pirate station, now playing classic and album rock.
• Forest Gold — classic hits and golden oldies from Epping.
• Street Sounds Radio — funk, soul, rare groove and old-skool dance.
• Funky SX — garage, house, drum and bass, dub and reggae.
• YellowTealPurple — ambient, techno and plunderphonics.

The sound of the county

In the 1960s the pirate ships of Radio Caroline and Radio London were anchored off the Essex coast near Frinton-on-Sea. Basildon gave the world Depeche Mode, Braintree The Prodigy and Canvey Island the pub rock of Dr. Feelgood. UK radio, pirate radio history and London radio go further.

Listening from elsewhere

Essex keeps UK time — GMT in winter and an hour ahead (BST) in summer.

A route in

1. BBC Essex, for county news.
2. Radio Caroline, for album rock.
3. Forest Gold, for the oldies.

Across the Thames estuary, Kent radio online is next.