I guess I just feel completely in tune with the playlist despite them ditching bucketloads of my favourite acts over the years, want to live in the musical present and am sick and tired of being told to piss off!
I'm happy that they are still supporting bands like Kasabian and Foo Fighters, Radio 1 still probably plays more bands than most other stations that aren't solely dedicated to rock music like Absolute. Like I've said Absolute 00s is a good listen if you want more of the old radio 1, its the sort of station that should be national on FM then would attract some well known names also.
Ben Cooper is never going to get rid of me. I'm 32 and feel insulted by the idea that I'm too old to be tuning into Radio 1. There's people out there that grew up with acid house, jungle and gangsta rap, probably still have the same passions and are hardly going to be catered for by Radio 2 or commercial radio. I know the government has told Cooper to lower the average age but there seems to be no consideration for the fact that the musical gap between teenagers and thirtysomethings is basically non-existent.
Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran and George Ezra make music that's just as insipid as the dreck Chris De Burgh et al were putting out in the eighties, but no raver who grew up in the nineties is likely to see the likes of Chase and Status or Clean Bandit as too abrasive. The BBC Trust are just going to have to accept this and stop trying to alienate everyone over 24. The whole situation just frustrates me so much it's unbelievable. I know we have Spotify but that's a pretty lonely experience, and 6Music is just indie snobbery at its worst.
Thirtysomething pop-pickers need somewhere to go, and no other station offers such a diverse playlist!
I guess I just feel completely in tune with the playlist despite them ditching bucketloads of my favourite acts over the years, want to live in the musical present and am sick and tired of being told to piss off!
On the button.
I'm in my 40s. I've heard George Michael and Abba songs, many many times. I don't particularly need to hear them again!
That does actually worry me. I don't know how she is going fit in/cope with doing a radio show 5 nights a week during the festival and autumn tour period etc. The best thing to do would be to get people like Huw Stephens to cover for Monday's and Tuesday's during the festival/gig periods.
I think Annie might be a short term replacement till maybe Phil Taggart is ready to take over,or poss Huw Stephens with Phil taking over the 10pm slot
Ben Cooper is never going to get rid of me. I'm 32 and feel insulted by the idea that I'm too old to be tuning into Radio 1. There's people out there that grew up with acid house, jungle and gangsta rap, probably still have the same passions and are hardly going to be catered for by Radio 2 or commercial radio. I know the government has told Cooper to lower the average age but there seems to be no consideration for the fact that the musical gap between teenagers and thirtysomethings is basically non-existent.
Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran and George Ezra make music that's just as insipid as the dreck Chris De Burgh et al were putting out in the eighties, but no raver who grew up in the nineties is likely to see the likes of Chase and Status or Clean Bandit as too abrasive. The BBC Trust are just going to have to accept this and stop trying to alienate everyone over 24. The whole situation just frustrates me so much it's unbelievable. I know we have Spotify but that's a pretty lonely experience, and 6Music is just indie snobbery at its worst.
Thirtysomething pop-pickers need somewhere to go, and no other station offers such a diverse playlist!
Great post
I totally agree with you and I'm older than you.
I grew up with Nirvana & the Prodigy. Why should I want to drift into nostalgia or the sleepy beigeness f R2 just co's I'm older??
I agree that many of the big stars of today are bland. R1 play Ed Sheeran & George Ezra to death. Would they seem REMOTELY out of place on R2?? They are music that kids & parents will happily listen to together (whether this is really desirable is another question)
And Ben Cooper is in his 40's the bloody hypocrite!!
How much Nirvana and the Prodigy did daytime Radio 1 play?
I was actually listening to Radio 1 when Kurt Cobain's death was announced - it's one of those "where were you?" moments - but I don't remember the station playing a lot of his music.
Great post
I totally agree with you and I'm older than you.
I grew up with Nirvana & the Prodigy. Why should I want to drift into nostalgia or the sleepy beigeness f R2 just co's I'm older??
I agree that many of the big stars of today are bland. R1 play Ed Sheeran & George Ezra to death. Would they seem REMOTELY out of place on R2?? They are music that kids & parents will happily listen to together (whether this is really desirable is another question)
And Ben Cooper is in his 40's the bloody hypocrite!!
Definitely agree.
Would a Sounds of the 90s be too much to ask for? Steve Lamacq, Jo Whiley or Chris Moyles would jump at the chance I'm sure!
How much Nirvana and the Prodigy did daytime Radio 1 play?
I was actually listening to Radio 1 when Kurt Cobain's death was announced - it's one of those "where were you?" moments - but I don't remember the station playing a lot of his music.
Uh- quite a lot actually! But not to the insane degree Ed Sheeran so played nowadays. It really is tiresome.
Definitely agree.
Would a Sounds of the 90s be too much to ask for? Steve Lamacq, Jo Whiley or Chris Moyles would jump at the chance I'm sure!
That's too nostalgic. I hate the "old hit were the best" attitude. I wouldn't deny Sherran/Smith etc aren't talented it's that they're horrifically over exposed. Turn on a radio anywhere in the UK, turn the dial. You're likely to find an Ed Sheetan song playing somewhere. It's not right that such a tiny amount of artists are allowed to dominate the airways like this,
I'm happy that they are still supporting bands like Kasabian and Foo Fighters, Radio 1 still probably plays more bands than most other stations that aren't solely dedicated to rock music like Absolute. Like I've said Absolute 00s is a good listen if you want more of the old radio 1, its the sort of station that should be national on FM then would attract some well known names also.
Not surprised they're still playing Kasabian but wouldn't be surprised if this was the last album they supported. Suppose Foo Fighters are too big to ignore completely, too commercial to leave to Radio 6 and too loud for Radio 2. "Congregation" stands out like a sore thumb on their playlist though, sounds very seventies.
This playlist tells you all you need to know about 6 Music. It's not as bad as XFM but does feature a number of veterans going through the motions and is predominantly indie-rock, a genre I am a fan of but don't think is necessarily superior to any other. 6 Music's refusal to step out of the nineties is irksome, apparently Maconie spent the most of his show waxing lyrical about the Blur's new glorified demo, The Charlatans new future "classic", Noel Gallagher and Garbage's new tour the other afternoon.
Absolute 00s wouldn't appeal to me because I want to switch the radio on and be in 2015. The odd thing like the Nixtape or Pick of the Pops is okay but if I want old music, I'll put Spotify on.
I'm in my 40s. I've heard George Michael and Abba songs, many many times. I don't particularly need to hear them again!
I feel the same about The Clash and The Smiths, so that's 6 Music (apparently an option after Radio 1) out!
I remember when I worked in one of the offices of a major kitchen company doing early starts for two days in 2012 and they had Classic Gold 60s on or something. Wall-to-wall Kinks, Stones and Beatles first thing in the morning (until they switched to Talk Sport at lunchtime). It was horrible.
If I had to listen to this all day interspersed with tiresome British indie-pop mainstays we've all heard 18 million times like Parklife, I am the Resurrection and Supersonic, I would also want to shoot myself in the face. Although I'm amazed to see Rae Morris on there, is that an accident?
This playlist tells you all you need to know about 6 Music. It's not as bad as XFM but does feature a number of veterans going through the motions and is predominantly indie-rock, a genre I am a fan of but don't think is necessarily superior to any other. 6 Music's refusal to step out of the nineties is irksome, apparently Maconie spent the most of his show waxing lyrical about the Blur's new glorified demo, The Charlatans new future "classic", Noel Gallagher and Garbage's new tour the other afternoon.
There's stuff on that playlist that I like a lot: the new Belle & Sebastian album is pretty good, the new Death Cab for Cutie song is good, likewise the Decemberists' album, Toro y Moi is always interesting, the latest Panda Bear album is great... If 6 Music as a whole sounded like that I'd listen.
Radio 1 playing new Ben Howard track at the moment which will appeal to older (>25 years old) listeners, but I can't think of any commercial stations playing this (too mellow for XFM?) so Radio 1 continues to appeal to older listeners by playing new music no one else will touch.
Problem is as soon as Ben Cooper twigs onto this issue the new artists who may attract older listeners will be dropped so they can repeat One Direction or Taylor Swift more often and compete more with Capital who are much more focused on Radio 1's target audience than Radio 1.
Why do the BBC Trust insist on Radio 1 targeting an audience already well catered for by Capital, Kiss and XFM? Same with 1xtra and Capital Xtra, even sharing part of their name as well as target audience.
Shouldn't BBC radio be targeting listeners not catered for by commercial Radio?
I always thought it odd the proposed axing 6Music will easily passed the public interest test when they would of had a much stronger argument for axing Radio 1.
Given 6 Music's continued success at attracting audiences not catered for by commercial radio shouldn't it be given Radio 1's FM slot, Radio 1 to go DAB only this could then be the real driver for the DAB switch over. Although I suspect this would show how poor Radio 1's output has become and it only pulls it's large audience by having the unfair advantage of being the UK's only national chart music station on FM.
I always thought R1 shouldn't be doing what commercial stations are doing;what they said before the changes came in 1993 sucks, they're just overriding that now to deliberately carboncopy those stations, PATHETIC. Radio 1 is becoming a copycat clone of those commercial stations quite basically.
Radio 1 playing new Ben Howard track at the moment which will appeal to older (>25 years old) listeners, but I can't think of any commercial stations playing this (too mellow for XFM?) so Radio 1 continues to appeal to older listeners by playing new music no one else will touch.
Problem is as soon as Ben Cooper twigs onto this issue the new artists who may attract older listeners will be dropped so they can repeat One Direction or Taylor Swift more often and compete more with Capital who are much more focused on Radio 1's target audience than Radio 1.
Why do the BBC Trust insist on Radio 1 targeting an audience already well catered for by Capital, Kiss and XFM? Same with 1xtra and Capital Xtra, even sharing part of their name as well as target audience.
Shouldn't BBC radio be targeting listeners not catered for by commercial Radio?
I always thought it odd the proposed axing 6Music will easily passed the public interest test when they would of had a much stronger argument for axing Radio 1.
Given 6 Music's continued success at attracting audiences not catered for by commercial radio shouldn't it be given Radio 1's FM slot, Radio 1 to go DAB only this could then be the real driver for the DAB switch over. Although I suspect this would show how poor Radio 1's output has become and it only pulls it's large audience by having the unfair advantage of being the UK's only national chart music station on FM.
I always thought R1 shouldn't be doing what commercial stations are doing;what they said before the changes came in 1993 sucks, they're just overriding that now to deliberately carboncopy those stations, PATHETIC. Radio 1 is becoming a copycat clone of those commercial stations quite basically.
To go back to the original OP, it certainly does seem that the recent departures/replacements were not planned for by Cooper.
I can well understand Clara getting the chart after Jameela but putting her on a six day week by then suddenly having her replace Fearne, and then Annie Mac with no transition moving into Zane's slot but remaining in a pivotal dance slot on Friday, smacks of a knee jerk reaction.
I'm well outside R1's age range, but I'm quietly wondering how many young people ironically are quietly alienated by the culture of the station. I appreciate that the station given headlines in recent years has somewhat of a chequered past, but listening to the tone of the links of some of the DJs, if I was a teenager again I'd find some of the "cliquey" content quite intimidating.
Ironically Pete Tong in his 50s, consummate professional that he is, never does this and commands a very high listenership with young audiences.
What on earth is Pete Tong going to do, when he's too old for the club scene?
I can't see him moving to Radio 2.. progression onto easy listening music. lol
Maybe he could branch into more ambient / chillout styles
Sadly, no-one stays forever young
Like John Peel, I think Pete and Annie N have legendary status so will never be sacked from Radio 1 they will stay as long as they want.
Both have been demoted to low profile slots, Pete from prime start of the weekend slot to 10pm and Annie mid weeks 1am, so not going to cause Radio 1 problems by having elderly presenters in high profile slots.
The thing is Pete Tong still sounds so fresh on a Friday night and loves the music he plays, I can see him being there for a few more years, he is still massively respected by the younger audience and the older ravers. 6 music would be a little too indie for me I think whilst I would like some of the output. Radio 1 still plays more rock on it's daytime playlist than the likes of Heart or Capital, those stations barely touch any alternative/rock acts. Radio 1 also still plays artists like Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith first long before Capital starts endlessly repeating the tracks for example. So for those reasons I stick with it.
Radio 1 playing new Ben Howard track at the moment which will appeal to older (>25 years old) listeners, but I can't think of any commercial stations playing this (too mellow for XFM?) so Radio 1 continues to appeal to older listeners by playing new music no one else will touch.
Problem is as soon as Ben Cooper twigs onto this issue the new artists who may attract older listeners will be dropped so they can repeat One Direction or Taylor Swift more often and compete more with Capital who are much more focused on Radio 1's target audience than Radio 1.
Why do the BBC Trust insist on Radio 1 targeting an audience already well catered for by Capital, Kiss and XFM? Same with 1xtra and Capital Xtra, even sharing part of their name as well as target audience.
Shouldn't BBC radio be targeting listeners not catered for by commercial Radio?
I always thought it odd the proposed axing 6Music will easily passed the public interest test when they would of had a much stronger argument for axing Radio 1.
Given 6 Music's continued success at attracting audiences not catered for by commercial radio shouldn't it be given Radio 1's FM slot, Radio 1 to go DAB only this could then be the real driver for the DAB switch over. Although I suspect this would show how poor Radio 1's output has become and it only pulls it's large audience by having the unfair advantage of being the UK's only national chart music station on FM.
Capital is completely different to radio1 they don't play and rock indie or much pop come to that it's mainly dance and urban.
I agree about 1xtra it can be catered for on radio1 it doesn't need a separate station.
To go back to the original OP, it certainly does seem that the recent departures/replacements were not planned for by Cooper.
I can well understand Clara getting the chart after Jameela but putting her on a six day week by then suddenly having her replace Fearne, and then Annie Mac with no transition moving into Zane's slot but remaining in a pivotal dance slot on Friday, smacks of a knee jerk reaction.
I agree that by replacing these two key presenters by giving them to people who also retain their other roles is obvious cost cutting. Annie doing all week is particularly jarring, it doesn't feel like the start of the weekend on a Friday when she's been on all week anyway.
Clara has only been on Radio 1 five minutes and now gets a massive weekday show.
They also seem to have no proper cover presenters now with Matt Edmondson and Alice Levine's sick leaves being filled by 3 different people over the last 2 weekends, mostly randoms from 1xtra who have no particular strong link to Radio 1 listeners. Gone are the days when strong voices like Sara Cox were the cover.
What on earth is Pete Tong going to do, when he's too old for the club scene?
I can't see him moving to Radio 2.. progression onto easy listening music. lol
Maybe he could branch into more ambient / chillout styles
Sadly, no-one stays forever young
Pete Tong is a very in-demand DJ who is paid a considerably large amount of cash per set he does. Money wise he doesn't really need Radio 1. I think he's in a "they need me more than I need them" position to be honest.
He could quite easily live of his DJing alone if he ever left.
Last I checked his net worth was $30 million & he's now quite big in the states
Ben Cooper is never going to get rid of me. I'm 32 and feel insulted by the idea that I'm too old to be tuning into Radio 1. There's people out there that grew up with acid house, jungle and gangsta rap, probably still have the same passions and are hardly going to be catered for by Radio 2 or commercial radio. I know the government has told Cooper to lower the average age but there seems to be no consideration for the fact that the musical gap between teenagers and thirtysomethings is basically non-existent.
Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran and George Ezra make music that's just as insipid as the dreck Chris De Burgh et al were putting out in the eighties, but no raver who grew up in the nineties is likely to see the likes of Chase and Status or Clean Bandit as too abrasive. The BBC Trust are just going to have to accept this and stop trying to alienate everyone over 24. The whole situation just frustrates me so much it's unbelievable. I know we have Spotify but that's a pretty lonely experience, and 6Music is just indie snobbery at its worst.
Thirtysomething pop-pickers need somewhere to go, and no other station offers such a diverse playlist!
Bang on!
I am 38 years old and a jaded raver. I feel there is nowhere for me to turn to on FM.
Just read the BBC Trust report, the chart on page 20 is interesting, Radio 1 has lost listener share between 09-10 and 13-14 in every age group except 1... the over 45s!!!
So Ben Coopers soul aim of increasing younger listeners has failed, all he has done is lost young listeners and gained a few over 45s, what's he doing wrong? Maybe the youngsters preferred Moyles to Grimmy after all.
Over 45 listeners have gone up 5% by the way so quote a significant increase, whilst target 15-29 audience has dropped 7%.
Comments
On the button.
I'm in my 40s. I've heard George Michael and Abba songs, many many times. I don't particularly need to hear them again!
I think Annie might be a short term replacement till maybe Phil Taggart is ready to take over,or poss Huw Stephens with Phil taking over the 10pm slot
I totally agree with you and I'm older than you.
I grew up with Nirvana & the Prodigy. Why should I want to drift into nostalgia or the sleepy beigeness f R2 just co's I'm older??
I agree that many of the big stars of today are bland. R1 play Ed Sheeran & George Ezra to death. Would they seem REMOTELY out of place on R2?? They are music that kids & parents will happily listen to together (whether this is really desirable is another question)
And Ben Cooper is in his 40's the bloody hypocrite!!
How much Nirvana and the Prodigy did daytime Radio 1 play?
I was actually listening to Radio 1 when Kurt Cobain's death was announced - it's one of those "where were you?" moments - but I don't remember the station playing a lot of his music.
Definitely agree.
Would a Sounds of the 90s be too much to ask for? Steve Lamacq, Jo Whiley or Chris Moyles would jump at the chance I'm sure!
That's too nostalgic. I hate the "old hit were the best" attitude. I wouldn't deny Sherran/Smith etc aren't talented it's that they're horrifically over exposed. Turn on a radio anywhere in the UK, turn the dial. You're likely to find an Ed Sheetan song playing somewhere. It's not right that such a tiny amount of artists are allowed to dominate the airways like this,
Not surprised they're still playing Kasabian but wouldn't be surprised if this was the last album they supported. Suppose Foo Fighters are too big to ignore completely, too commercial to leave to Radio 6 and too loud for Radio 2. "Congregation" stands out like a sore thumb on their playlist though, sounds very seventies.
This playlist tells you all you need to know about 6 Music. It's not as bad as XFM but does feature a number of veterans going through the motions and is predominantly indie-rock, a genre I am a fan of but don't think is necessarily superior to any other. 6 Music's refusal to step out of the nineties is irksome, apparently Maconie spent the most of his show waxing lyrical about the Blur's new glorified demo, The Charlatans new future "classic", Noel Gallagher and Garbage's new tour the other afternoon.
Absolute 00s wouldn't appeal to me because I want to switch the radio on and be in 2015. The odd thing like the Nixtape or Pick of the Pops is okay but if I want old music, I'll put Spotify on.
I feel the same about The Clash and The Smiths, so that's 6 Music (apparently an option after Radio 1) out!
I remember when I worked in one of the offices of a major kitchen company doing early starts for two days in 2012 and they had Classic Gold 60s on or something. Wall-to-wall Kinks, Stones and Beatles first thing in the morning (until they switched to Talk Sport at lunchtime). It was horrible.
If I had to listen to this all day interspersed with tiresome British indie-pop mainstays we've all heard 18 million times like Parklife, I am the Resurrection and Supersonic, I would also want to shoot myself in the face. Although I'm amazed to see Rae Morris on there, is that an accident?
So yeah, Radio 1 it is.
There's stuff on that playlist that I like a lot: the new Belle & Sebastian album is pretty good, the new Death Cab for Cutie song is good, likewise the Decemberists' album, Toro y Moi is always interesting, the latest Panda Bear album is great... If 6 Music as a whole sounded like that I'd listen.
But it doesn't.
Problem is as soon as Ben Cooper twigs onto this issue the new artists who may attract older listeners will be dropped so they can repeat One Direction or Taylor Swift more often and compete more with Capital who are much more focused on Radio 1's target audience than Radio 1.
Why do the BBC Trust insist on Radio 1 targeting an audience already well catered for by Capital, Kiss and XFM? Same with 1xtra and Capital Xtra, even sharing part of their name as well as target audience.
Shouldn't BBC radio be targeting listeners not catered for by commercial Radio?
I always thought it odd the proposed axing 6Music will easily passed the public interest test when they would of had a much stronger argument for axing Radio 1.
Given 6 Music's continued success at attracting audiences not catered for by commercial radio shouldn't it be given Radio 1's FM slot, Radio 1 to go DAB only this could then be the real driver for the DAB switch over. Although I suspect this would show how poor Radio 1's output has become and it only pulls it's large audience by having the unfair advantage of being the UK's only national chart music station on FM.
To go back to the original OP, it certainly does seem that the recent departures/replacements were not planned for by Cooper.
I can well understand Clara getting the chart after Jameela but putting her on a six day week by then suddenly having her replace Fearne, and then Annie Mac with no transition moving into Zane's slot but remaining in a pivotal dance slot on Friday, smacks of a knee jerk reaction.
I'm well outside R1's age range, but I'm quietly wondering how many young people ironically are quietly alienated by the culture of the station. I appreciate that the station given headlines in recent years has somewhat of a chequered past, but listening to the tone of the links of some of the DJs, if I was a teenager again I'd find some of the "cliquey" content quite intimidating.
Ironically Pete Tong in his 50s, consummate professional that he is, never does this and commands a very high listenership with young audiences.
I can't see him moving to Radio 2.. progression onto easy listening music. lol
Maybe he could branch into more ambient / chillout styles
Sadly, no-one stays forever young
Like John Peel, I think Pete and Annie N have legendary status so will never be sacked from Radio 1 they will stay as long as they want.
Both have been demoted to low profile slots, Pete from prime start of the weekend slot to 10pm and Annie mid weeks 1am, so not going to cause Radio 1 problems by having elderly presenters in high profile slots.
He's got 20 years to catch up with Annie Nightingale,and she's not finished yet either !
Capital is completely different to radio1 they don't play and rock indie or much pop come to that it's mainly dance and urban.
I agree about 1xtra it can be catered for on radio1 it doesn't need a separate station.
But I think 6music is far too niche
I agree that by replacing these two key presenters by giving them to people who also retain their other roles is obvious cost cutting. Annie doing all week is particularly jarring, it doesn't feel like the start of the weekend on a Friday when she's been on all week anyway.
Clara has only been on Radio 1 five minutes and now gets a massive weekday show.
They also seem to have no proper cover presenters now with Matt Edmondson and Alice Levine's sick leaves being filled by 3 different people over the last 2 weekends, mostly randoms from 1xtra who have no particular strong link to Radio 1 listeners. Gone are the days when strong voices like Sara Cox were the cover.
He has his own show in America!
http://www.kiisfm.com/go/evolutionwithpetetong/
He'll just focus on that I guess if R1/Ben Cooper "send him to the pension"
Pete Tong is a very in-demand DJ who is paid a considerably large amount of cash per set he does. Money wise he doesn't really need Radio 1. I think he's in a "they need me more than I need them" position to be honest.
He could quite easily live of his DJing alone if he ever left.
Last I checked his net worth was $30 million & he's now quite big in the states
Bang on!
I am 38 years old and a jaded raver. I feel there is nowhere for me to turn to on FM.
So Ben Coopers soul aim of increasing younger listeners has failed, all he has done is lost young listeners and gained a few over 45s, what's he doing wrong? Maybe the youngsters preferred Moyles to Grimmy after all.
Over 45 listeners have gone up 5% by the way so quote a significant increase, whilst target 15-29 audience has dropped 7%.