VL Radio — live online radio from Beirut

Listen to VL Radio live from Beirut, Lebanon: a handpicked mix of 80s favourites, 90s classics, indie and alternative music, new wave, pop-rock and chillout. Our music time machine connects familiar songs, overlooked gems and discoveries from today.

Founded as Vibe Lebanon in 1998, VL Radio brings music from Lebanon, the Middle East and around the world to listeners everywhere. Start the live player above, discover our radio shows or explore original music from VL Records.

1980s: Synths, drum machines and the first music videos

1980: New wave goes mainstream. Post-disco and new wave take over the airwaves, and the Rubik's Cube becomes a worldwide craze.

1981: MTV signs on. MTV launches on August 1 and music videos begin reshaping pop, while the first Space Shuttle lifts off.

1982: Thriller and the compact disc. Michael Jackson releases Thriller, and the first compact discs go on sale in Japan.

1983: Synths learn to talk to each other. The MIDI standard and Yamaha's DX7 synthesizer reshape how pop is made, and the sound of the decade takes shape.

1984: Purple Rain and the first Mac. Prince releases Purple Rain, Apple unveils the Macintosh, and Los Angeles hosts the Summer Olympics.

1985: Live Aid. Live Aid links Wembley and Philadelphia in one of the biggest music broadcasts ever, and the Nintendo Entertainment System reaches North America.

1986: Hip-hop meets rock. Run-DMC and Aerosmith team up on 'Walk This Way', and Halley's Comet makes its once-in-76-years visit.

1987: The Joshua Tree and Bad. U2 release The Joshua Tree, Michael Jackson follows Thriller with Bad, and The Simpsons make their TV debut.

1988: Acid house and Seoul. Acid house sparks Britain's 'Second Summer of Love', Public Enemy release It Takes a Nation of Millions, and Seoul hosts the Olympics.

1989: The Wall comes down. The Berlin Wall falls, Nintendo launches the Game Boy, and house music and hip-hop go global

1990s: Grunge, Britpop, hip-hop's golden age and electronic dance

1990: Mandela walks free. Nelson Mandela is released, Germany reunifies, and MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice take hip-hop to the top of the charts.

1991: Nevermind. Nirvana's Nevermind brings grunge to the mainstream, and the World Wide Web opens to the public.

1992: The Chronic. Dr. Dre's The Chronic defines West Coast hip-hop, Barcelona hosts the Olympics, and the first text message is sent.

1993: Wu-Tang and the web browser. Wu-Tang Clan's debut reshapes hip-hop, Jurassic Park roars into cinemas, and the Mosaic browser helps the web spread.

1994: Britpop takes off. Blur's Parklife and Oasis's Definitely Maybe launch Britpop, the Channel Tunnel opens, and the first PlayStation goes on sale in Japan.

1995: Morning Glory. Oasis release (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, Toy Story becomes the first fully computer-animated feature film, and Windows 95 arrives.

1996: Wannabe. The Spice Girls burst out with 'Wannabe', Dolly the sheep becomes the first cloned mammal, and DVD debuts in Japan.

1997: OK Computer. Radiohead's OK Computer and Daft Punk's Homework arrive, and IBM's Deep Blue beats chess champion Garry Kasparov.

1998: Google, iMac and Vibe Lebanon. Google is founded, Apple's iMac arrives, Britney Spears debuts with '...Baby One More Time', and Vibe Lebanon, the region's first internet radio station, goes on air.

1999: Napster and Y2K. Napster launches and changes how people find music, The Matrix hits cinemas, and the world braces for Y2K

2000s: File sharing, the iPod and the digital turn in music

2000: A new millennium. Radiohead's Kid A turns electronic, Sydney hosts the Olympics, and the Nokia 3310 becomes a pocket classic.

2001: The iPod. Apple unveils the iPod, Daft Punk release Discovery, and Wikipedia goes online.

2002: Euros and Norah Jones. Euro notes and coins enter circulation, Norah Jones's Come Away with Me becomes a global hit, and the World Cup is held in Korea and Japan.

2003: The iTunes Store opens. The iTunes Store opens, OutKast's 'Hey Ya!' is everywhere, and MySpace begins.

2004: Facebook and Confessions. Facebook launches from a Harvard dorm room, Usher's Confessions dominates the charts, and the Olympics return to Athens.

2005: YouTube arrives. YouTube goes online, Kanye West releases Late Registration, and Gorillaz bring Demon Days to the world.

2006: Twitter and the Wii. Twitter launches, the Arctic Monkeys' debut becomes the fastest-selling in UK history at the time, and the Nintendo Wii arrives.

2007: The iPhone. Apple launches the iPhone, and Radiohead let fans pay what they want for In Rainbows.

2008: Spotify and Beijing. Spotify launches in Sweden, Lady Gaga's The Fame arrives, and Beijing hosts the Olympics.

2009: I Gotta Feeling. Dance-pop and electro rule the charts with the Black Eyed Peas' 'I Gotta Feeling', Bitcoin goes live, and Avatar pushes 3D into cinemas.

2010s: Streaming takes over and pop goes global

2010: iPad, Instagram, vuvuzelas. The iPad arrives, Instagram launches, and the World Cup in South Africa fills the air with vuvuzelas.

2011: Adele's 21. Adele's 21 becomes the sound of the year, EDM breaks into the mainstream, and the Arab Spring reshapes headlines across the region.

2012: Gangnam Style. 'Gangnam Style' becomes the first YouTube video to reach a billion views, and London hosts the Olympics.

2013: Get Lucky. Daft Punk's 'Get Lucky' is the song of the summer, and Beyonce drops a surprise self-titled album.

2014: Happy and 1989. Pharrell's 'Happy' and Taylor Swift's 1989 dominate the charts, and Germany wins the World Cup in Brazil.

2015: Streaming goes mainstream. Apple Music launches, Kendrick Lamar releases To Pimp a Butterfly, and Adele's 'Hello' breaks records.

2016: Lemonade and Pokemon Go. Beyonce releases Lemonade, Pokemon Go sends people outdoors, and Rio de Janeiro hosts the Olympics.

2017: Despacito. 'Despacito' becomes a global streaming phenomenon, Ed Sheeran's 'Shape of You' is everywhere, and the Nintendo Switch launches.

2018: This Is America. Childish Gambino's 'This Is America' sparks conversation, 'Shallow' from A Star Is Born becomes a hit, and France wins the World Cup.

2019: Old Town Road. Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road' sets a record 19 weeks at number one, and Billie Eilish arrives with her debut album.

2020s: Short video, streaming-first releases and borderless pop

2020: Music in lockdown. The world goes into lockdown, TikTok and livestreamed concerts change how music is shared, and The Weeknd's 'Blinding Lights' becomes a defining hit.

2021: drivers license. Olivia Rodrigo's 'drivers license' breaks streaming records, BTS's 'Butter' tops the charts, and Tokyo hosts the delayed Olympics.

2022: Harry's House and Renaissance. Harry Styles's 'As It Was' and Beyonce's Renaissance lead the year, and Argentina win the World Cup in Qatar.

2023: The Eras Tour. Taylor Swift's Eras Tour begins, Miley Cyrus's 'Flowers' tops the charts, and AI becomes part of everyday conversation.

2024: Brat summer. Charli xcx's Brat turns the summer green, Sabrina Carpenter's 'Espresso' is everywhere, and Paris hosts the Olympics.

2025: Halftime and Mayhem. Kendrick Lamar headlines the Super Bowl halftime show, Lady Gaga returns with Mayhem, and Bad Bunny releases Debi Tirar Mas Fotos.

2026: The year we're in. The year we're living in. Every new track you hear on VL Radio is part of its story.

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