The Music Machine (TMM) is a pair of British radio stations that broadcast an alternative music format. It is owned by Sammy Jacob,[1] founder of the original XFM. The station dates back to NME Radio which broadcast from 2008 to 2013. It relaunched in 2018 under NME branding before renaming to TMM in 2023.
The two channels, TMM 1 and TMM 2, are broadcast 24/7, with regular news bulletins and features.[2] They can be heard online via TuneIn or through the TMM website, and on DAB locally in Norwich and in North London[3] where TMM 1 broadcasts alongside sister station CDNX.[4][5]
Initial plans for an NME-branded radio station were revealed to the media in late 2007 by Sammy Jacob, creator of XFM, who left the station following its purchase by Global Radio.[6] The station began operating under licence soon after by DX Media, a company operated by Jacob.[7][8] Broadcast from studios in the Blue Fin Building in the South Bank of London, also home to IPC Media, NME Radio was launched on 24 June 2008 with its first track being "Knights of Cydonia" by British rock band Muse.[8][9] The presenting line-up at launch included Neil Cole and Claire Sturgess.[10] The station launched on 87.7 FM in Manchester temporarily in November and December 2008.[11] It broadcast temporarily here again in May 2009.[12]
NME Radio
On Friday 11 June 2010, almost two years after its launch, The Guardian reported that NME Radio was to cease broadcasting on DAB digital radio, Sky, Virgin Media and Freesat platforms, and would revert to an online only "jukebox" format after DX Media had decided to end the agreement to operate the service.[13][14]
On 21 July 2010, IPC Media signed a new licence agreement with local radio group Town and Country Broadcasting.[15] NME Radio relaunched in September 2010 and returned to some regional digital audio broadcasting (DAB) multiplexes. The station returned to Freesat and Sky, where it was available until 5 December 2011. Following the new licensing agreement, operation sites were split between IPC Media's London HQ and Town and Country Broadcasting's station in south Wales, Nation Radio.
NME Radio, under Town and Country Broadcasting, unexpectedly ceased broadcasting on 25 March 2013 at midday.[16]
NME 1 and 2
NME Radio relaunched on 13 June 2018 with two stations, NME 1 and NME 2,[17][18][19] taking over online from Sammy Jacob's Camden Xperience Radio channels (CDNX), which were operated on a trial basis, with the idea that CDNX would be relaunched at a later date on DAB in the London area.[20][21][22] Initially, the new NME channels were available on DAB in Norwich and Brighton.[17]
In 2023, the contract with NME magazine ended and as a result, NME 1 and NME 2 were renamed to TMM 1 and TMM 2, under The Music Machine branding. The change took effect on DAB in London on 10 December 2023.[23]
Programming
The first iteration of NME Radio when under the control of DX Media, the station featured a variety of presenters including Claire Sturgess, Iain Baker, Neil Cole, and Chris Martin.[24] Its music was focused on modern indie alternative rock.[25] Following the purchase of the stations by Town and Country Broadcasting, some daytime programmes were initially introduced.
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