Goodbye to 50s and 60s music on BBC Radio – Yorkshire Post Letters

ALONG with your contributor A Shipman (The Yorkshire Post, January 21), I have noticed an imbalance in the selection of music on BBC Radio.

Having been a teenager through the 1960s, I of course remember the music of that decade, and to some extent the late 1950s. I agree that, particularly on BBC Radio Leeds, 1960s and earlier music is rarely played, and music from the past two decades makes up most of the ‘playlist’.

Your correspondent suspects a change of policy at the BBC. I suggest that this could date back to 2016, when experienced (older) presenters, such as Martin Kelner, left the BBC.

In his career profile, on a website, it is stated ‘Due to a change in direction of the station, Kelner left Radio Leeds again’ (March 2016). Many will remember his entertaining presentational style, choice of music for all age groups, also his hilarious late night shows.

The new generation of radio presenters are not to blame, although they are employed to play music, even if they might 
not appreciate all the older music.

This topic has been aired previously. During a conversation, an employee of Radio Leeds explained to listeners that the music ‘playlist’ for their radio programmes was selected by a computer.

Although this might have the advantage of avoiding repetition, it would be of interest to know which BBC music libraries (local or national) are used for this automated selection, and if those libraries still hold music of all decades, from 1950 to present.

A Shipman informs us that BBC Radio 2 and Radio 1 are becoming rather similar, but as a contrast BBC Radio 3 is understood to have attracted a wider audience during the pandemic, and offers an 
unusual selection of music, including classical, folk and world music.

From: Ian Barnes, Salvin Road, Stamford Bridge.

THE letter from Mr Shipman stated that there was a lack of 1960s music on Radio 2.

I looked up the playlist last Wednesday and on the Steve Wright’s show he included music from Stevie Wonder, The Beach Boys, Ricky Nelson, The Bees Gees, The Detroit Spinners and The Rolling Stones.

Zoe Ball featured Glen Campbell, Queen plus other artists going back in time, as did Ken Bruce, Jeremy Vine and Sara Cox.

Negative correspondence about the BBC usually doesn’t stand up to scrutiny and seems to be the usual ‘I’ll jump on the bandwagon and kick the BBC, without having any reality to the facts’.

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