In the 1960s the channel had a high musical content.
Especially after Radio Bremen 4 was changed to be a channel with mass appeal, from 1992 Hansawelle was focused more strongly towards its target audience, with a variety of genres of music.
As Norddeutscher Rundfunk was not permitted to broadcast advertising on its radio channels until 1981, Hansawelle provided the most radio advertising in North Germany until that year.
On 30 April 2001 the channel was discontinued for financial reasons, and amalgamated with Radio Bremen Melodie to form a new channel, Bremen Eins.
This article about a radio station in Germany is a stub.