[8][9] Broadcast from studios in the Blue Fin Building in South Bank, 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.

[9][10] The presenting line-up at launch included Neil Cole and Claire Sturgess[11] 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.

[12][13] On 21 July 2010, IPC Media signed a new licence agreement with local radio group Town and Country Broadcasting.

[14] NME Radio relaunched in September 2010 and returned to some regional digital audio broadcasting (DAB) multiplexes.

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.