WELCOME

Welcome to Solar FM Radio, established in 2003 We are dedicated to bringing you the best music and engaging content, connecting our community through the power of sound. Tune in and enjoy a diverse mix of Soul, Funk, Jazz, and House local news, and exciting events that make us your go-to station. Join us on this journey as we continue to celebrate music and community together!

UK SOUL CHARTS TOP 30

May 04, 2026

1 (1)Julian Jonah ft Robbie Love & Sugar Rainbow - Take My Love / Tell Me

2 (NE)Lukas Setto - Sweet Lovin

3 (5)James Day - Rewind Vol. 1 /Album

4 (13)Dennis Collins ft Ada Dyer - What Can I Do For You (Mixes)

5 (NE)Terri Green ft Dino Sirius & Brandon Lane - Starlight

6 (2)Ty Juan - The Signature /Album

7 (10)James Day - Rewind Vol. 2 /Album

8 (9)Hil St Soul - System Is So Broken/ Nasalifya

9 (19)The New Jersey Connection - Good Time 2026 (Chris Baxter Remix)

10 (6)Georgie B & The Groove Association - My Time To Shine /Album

11 (NE)Down To The Bone ft Hil St. Soul - Get Up & Dance

12 (3)Rich Beggar - Gift from above

13 (7)Kinsman Dazz Band ft Heidi Tann - Soul jam

14 (11)Dave Hollister - Thought You Knew

15 (17)Lance Vantile Whitfield - Heart & Soul (The Bounce Mix)

16 (4)Louise Marshall - Wheres The Party/And I Was Like

17 (18)Kem - One Love

18 (15)DJ DMG & October London - Midnight In Houston /Album

19 (23)MT Jones - Joy /Album

20 (16)Don E - One In A Billion

21 (24)Kea - Divided

22 (21)Shaila Prospere - Expectation

23 (29)Debbie Ryvers - Risin To The Top (Brian Power Mix)

24 (NE)Mamas Gun - Dig /Album

25 (14)Sir Spencer - All Night

26 (26)Dexter Wansel ft Terri Wells - The Sweetest Pain

27 (28)Lindsey Webster - Music In Me /Album

28 (NE)Thee Sacred Souls - Any Old Fool

29 (13)Bey Bright - BVE Soul and Rhythm EP Vol.1

30 (20)Myles Sanko - Is It Love

STORY OF SOUL

Soul music grew out of a powerful mix of gospel, rhythm & blues, jazz, and blues in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s — especially in African American communities in the South. It wasn’t just a music style; it was emotion, identity, struggle, celebration, and spirituality all rolled into one.

At its heart, soul took the passion and call-and-response energy of church gospel music and blended it with the groove and storytelling of R&B. Artists sang with raw feeling rather than polished perfection — that “from the gut” sound became the signature of soul.

A few key cities shaped it:

Memphis — home of the legendary Stax Records sound: gritty, funky, emotional.
Detroit — where Motown created smoother, crossover soul hits.
Muscle Shoals — famous for deep Southern soul recordings.
Chicago and Philadelphia later developed their own lush soul styles too.

Some of the giants who defined the genre include:

Ray Charles — often called one of the founders of soul.
Sam Cooke — brought gospel emotion into pop music.
Aretha Franklin — the “Queen of Soul.”
Otis Redding
Marvin Gaye
Stevie Wonder
James Brown — who pushed soul toward funk.

Soul music also became deeply tied to the Civil Rights Movement. Songs weren’t only about love and heartbreak — they were about dignity, freedom, pride, and social change. Tracks like A Change Is Gonna Come became anthems of hope.

By the 1970s, soul branched into:

Funk
Disco
Philly soul
Neo soul
Modern R&B

You can still hear soul’s DNA everywhere today — from Amy Winehouse to Adele, John Legend, and Leon Bridges.

What makes soul music special is that it sounds human in the fullest sense — joy, pain, love, heartbreak, faith, resilience. You don’t just hear it. You feel it.

Upcoming Albums

Blue Lab Beats – The Blue Lab Beats Show (May 8)

Szymon Justyński – Last Romantic Warrior (May 8)

Isaiah Kaleo – icymi (May 8)

Mack Keane – Wide Eyed (May 8)

Stix Hooper – Cookin’ Up The Groove (May 8)

Hil St. Soul – Nasilyfa (May 8)

Matthew Stevens – Matthew Stevens (May 7)

Brother Wallace – Electric Love (May 8)

Chris Brown – BROWN (May 8)

Token Honey – Token Honey (May 8)

James Savage – PINE (May 13)

Karen Bernod – Iris (May 13)

Dua Selah – Of Earth And Wires (May 15)

The Elovaters – Shark Belly Motel (May 15)

Drake – Iceman (May 15)

Beverley Knight – The B-Funk (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) (May 15)

Shane Sato – Wavelength (May 15)

Giveon – BELOVED: ACT II (Deluxe) (May 15)

Stella Heath – For Billie (May 15)

Down To The Bone – This Way Forward (June 5)

Shaggy – Lottery (May 15)

Ras-I – Heart Of Love (May 15)

Brooklyn Funk Essentials – Black Butterfly (May 15)

Tank and The Bangas – The Last Balloon (May 15)

Mýa – Retrospect (May 16)

The Fifth Dimension – Let The Sunshine In (6 CD set) (May 22)

6LACK – Love Is The New Gangsta (May 22)

Thee Marloes – Di Hotel Malibu (May 22)

MitchumYacoub – A Way In (May 26)

Kat Eaton – What Happens Now (May 29)

Brian Jackson – Now More Than Ever (May 29)

Alicia Waller – Louder, Then (May 29)

Skye Newman – SE9 (May 29)

Saint Harison – ghosted EP (May 29)

Amani Burnham – Roots and Wings (May 29)

Latto – Big Mama (May 29)

Joey Quiñones – Inna Soul Steady Situation (May 29)

Allen Toussaint – Songbook (Deluxe Edition) (May 29)

Architects Of Sound – Architects Of Sound II (June 5)

Jalen Ngonda – Doctrine of Love (June 5)

Lakecia Benjamin – We Dream (June 5)

Mica Miller – A Little Bit of Me (June 5)

Lizzo – Bitch and Vince Staples – Cry Baby (June 5)

Myles Smith – My Mess, My Heart, My Life. (June 12)

Mare – Becoming (June 19)

The 7:45s – Spin Off (Deluxe version of “Spinning” LP) (June 19)

Glam Sam and his Combo & Angelina – Talkin’ In Colour (June 19)

PJ Morton – Saturday Night, Sunday Morning (June 19)

The War and Treaty – The Story of Michael and Tanya (June 19)

Nectar Woode – Naturally (June 26)

Jon Lampley – Notes To Self (June 26)

Omar – Brighter The Days (The Remixes) (June 26)

Devon Gilfillian – Time Will Tell (June 26)

The Mighty Rootsmen, Toots & The Maytals and Mykal Rose – The Mighty Rootsmen Strike Back (June 26)

John & The All-Stars – Smooth & Groovy (June 28)

Madonna – CONFESSIONS II (July 3)

JYN – SUN (July 9)

Martin Luther McCoy – Welcome Back Love (July 17)

Sandollar – Sunny Day (July 17)

MTN LION – Stealth (July 24)

Nia Archives – Emotionsl Junglist (July 24)

Jonah Smith ft. Family Company – Satisfied (July 24)

Tyla – A*POP (July 24)

Shaboozey – The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales (July 31)

Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics – TBA (August 10)

Jungle – Sunshine (August 14)

The Womack Sisters – The Womack Sisters (August 14)

Zenesoul – Under the Same Sky (August 21)

Skinny Hightower – Feels Like Destiny (August 21)

Chaka Khan – Chakzilla (September 18)

Magdalena – Magnetism (October 23)