EON FM poster and calendar

The commercial FM radio revolution began with a new decade, EON FM, 2DAY FM and FOX FM all launching within a month of each other in 1980. By the end of the year, the five mainland state capitals each had their own commercial FM station in place.

The first to launch, EON FM in Melbourne (later Triple M), shifted its initial playlist focus from album tracks to the Top 40, with immediate success. AM radio’s hold on the music listener would end abruptly, many of their best-known presenters and production personnel switching to FM employment throughout the 1980s.

The risqué imagery was typical for the time – but would fall out of high rotation as cultural norms evolved and radio became more representative of its audience. 

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