Use the player below to stream BBC Radio 1 Online Radio
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BBC Radio 1 Radio 1 specialises in the best new music and entertainment. You’ll get all the hits here, presented by the likes of Edith Bowman, Jo Whiley and Chris Moyles. |
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Since its beginnings in the 60’s, Radio 1 has provided entertainment to a wide range of listeners with its mix of contemporary tunes and chat. It is aimed mainly at the 15 to 29-year-old audience, but appeals to a much wider fan base too. It has always championed new and emerging artists especially home-grown UK talent, and offers news, documentaries and advice. Radio 1 was launched on 30th September 1967 after offshore pirate radio stations were forbidden by an Act of Parliament. The BBC wanted to provide a solution for fans of popular pirate stations like Radio Caroline which had been taken off the air. The first DJ to broadcast on the brand new Radio 1 was Tony Blackburn, who was a favourite on Radio Caroline and Wonderful Radio London for his cheerful style. He was given the prime slot on what became known as the Radio 1 Breakfast Show –called the Tony Blackburn Show by Blackburn himself. The first words to be broadcast - after a countdown a jingle - were "...And good morning everyone. Welcome to the exciting new sound of Radio 1". This was the first time American-style jingles had been used on BBC radio. The first complete record played on Radio 1 was "Flowers in the Rain" by The Move. Along with Tony Blackburn, the first presenters on Radio 1 included John Peel (who stayed until his death in 2004), Terry Wogan, Jimmy Young, Dave Cash, Kenny Everett, Pete Murray, Simon Dee, and Bob Holness. The station wasn’t popular at first because it shared a lot of airtime with Radio 2, and seemed to target older audiences. But as time went on, Radio 1 secured its own airtime and its popularity rocketed. The station grew throughout the 70’s with the Top 40 Singles Chart on Sunday afternoons, and popular evening programmes like Sounds of the Seventies and the John Peel show. The early 90’s saw the beginnings of what was to come as controllers directed the station towards a younger audience. The ground-breaking ‘Loud’n’Proud’ series was the UK's first national radio series aimed at a gay audience, and paved the way for BBC coverage of the 1994 Gay Pride march. The late 90’s was the era of Chris Evans, Zoe Ball and Sara Cox, and the station gained even more popularity as a platform for Britpop music. In 2006 a new evening schedule was brought in with Mondays dedicated to rock, Tuesdays R&B and hip-hop, and Thursday and Fridays featuring dance, with specialist R&B and reggae shows. Chris Moyles now hosts the popular morning show, and Radio 1 maintains its place as one of the UK’s best loved stations. |
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