I was a latecomer to Radio One. It was Chris Evan’s breakfast show that drew me in to the happy happy sound when I was 16. Still it was refreshing to listen to a station that wasn’t spoiled by adverts every ten minutes and dared to play some different music rather than safe pop all day. Since 1996 I’ve listened to more Radio One. Chris Morris’s mid-90s stuff on there was pure genius. (Blue Jam, Jimmy Savile dieing and the infamous Stephen Hawking wanking broadcast.) Initially I loathed Mark & Lard but they and the Chris Moyles Show following them soon became must listens.
But something that the birthday celebrations on the station made me aware of was that Radio One has eras. Talk to people and they’ll have distinct ideas of what their Radio One sounded like.
The 60s saw the rebellious Radio One, fresh sounds for young people. In the 80s Radio 1 was cheesy. If anything distinctly unfashionable until Matthew Bannister’s infamous DJ cull. Now Radio One is the station trying desperately to be the cool but relaxed champion of new music.
There comes a time though when Radio One slips away from you. As the 40th birthday celebrations end I think the time is nigh on my listenership. Over the last few years I’ve noticed my dial drifting to other stations anyway. Radio 2 for a bit but more and more over to Six Music – the station that truly champions new music despite what Radio One claims.
Happy birthday One FM, I’ll still be listening though it may only be because my DAB radio is out of reach…
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