FIP

FIP has been on the air in Paris since 1971, and for most of that time it has done something no commercial station would dare: play almost anything, and talk almost never.

A typical half hour moves from a Brazilian bossa nova to an Ethio-jazz instrumental to a French pop song from the sixties, then into a film score. The presenters are famous for their soft, short announcements, and the transitions are planned so carefully that genres stop mattering. It's public radio, so there are no adverts.

Cooking, reading, working, or any time you want music that's interesting without demanding attention. It's also one of the best ways to find music you'd never search for.

FIP is consistently one of the most played stations on Vibique from France. If you like the mix, Radio Paradise works the same way from California, and NTS Radio 1 brings a younger, rougher London take. See more radio from France.