Key 103 was a station playing a mixture of contemporary and hit music located across Manchester. First broadcasted in 1974, the station served for 30 years under the Key 103 moniker on 103 FM, renamed in 1988. It was renamed Hits Radio Manchester in 2018.

Discovered in similarly to Bauer City 1, local station was bought out by the network and learned about the history of the station, since it was the core station of the network. The name Key 103 just had a night rhythmic ring to it. I also got interested to its jingles as well.

I have no clue how this station got into my concious, but I ain't complaining. It certainly feels like a massive staple of Mancunian culture, of which I've oddly seem to have adopted despite being Welsh... oops. But, the jingles and overall vibes of the station in the 00's / 10's is what keeps me coming back. And that flower logo, my goodness, it's such an instantly recognizable icon. It's probably one of my favourite logos ever with that Handel Gothic-esque font. Gutted to hear how iot's become the catalyst for the biggest disaster in radio. Odd to see a non-London station becoming national, but I guess that's where efficiencies were needed to keep the station's integrity alive.