Radio Dead: There is now a station only playing songs by dead musicians

Playing the likes of Elvis, David Bowie and Michael Jackson

David Bowie changed British culture for decades (Getty)

The past few months have been desperately sad for the music industry with the loss of the likes of Motörhead’s Lemmy, David Bowie and The Eagles’ Glenn Frey.

To ‘celebrate’ their lives, one man has set up a radio station that only plays hits by dead musicians. The criteria to be played on the online-only station, called Radio Dead, is for one member of the group to be deceased. According to Sky News, former Capital and Virgin Radio DJ Steve Penk is behind the ‘joyous’ station.

"The immediate perception of this radio station, before listening to it, might be that it's in bad taste, but the reality is a joyous radio station celebrating the music of so many brilliant artists who are sadly no longer with us," he said.

"I want listeners to enjoy and remember the incredible music these artists have left behind, it's a great, positive listen.”

Penk went on to describe how the succession of recent high-profile deaths in the music industry led to the idea.

"When I sat down to put the radio station together I was amazed at the list I was slowly building of dead music stars,” he continued, “and so many of them never get played on the radio anymore, how sad, what a tragedy.”

The DJ has done started niche radio stations before, having created one dedicated just to prank phone calls. However, Radio Dead is no prank.

"There is nothing negative or depressing about Radio Dead, it's a positive, joyous celebration of amazing artists who've all left behind wonderful music, let's not forget the great music they gave us."