It began broadcasting test transmissions in August 2008 from its studio in the Custard Factory (see 2008 in British radio).

[1] Following a successful relaunch of its website in December 2009, Rhubarb Radio introduced listen again services for all of its programming.

[2] As of July 2009, it was streaming from 23 live music venues in Birmingham, and had plans to increase the number to 100 over the following eighteen months.

It was established in response to what was considered a lack of "localness" on BBC and commercial radio in Birmingham.

[5] The station's approach inspired similar initiatives in Berlin, Germany and Barcelona, Spain.