Yesterday Chris Moyles announced that he would be leaving Radio One in September. Funnily enough, I have been thinking for a while that surely soon he would have to leave, as he must be deemed as being ‘too old’ now to be a Radio One DJ. I don’t know if he was pushed or he left of his own accord, but personally I think it’s a shame for two reasons:
1. I enjoy listening to his show and the banter. I don’t listen every day as I once did now I am a SAHM, but whenever I do tune in I like it. It feels familiar and friendly and makes me laugh.
2. Another celebrity is being replaced by a younger star. However, this time the celebrity in question is the same age as me!!
Does this mean I am now too old to listen to Radio One?
I have to be honest, I always told myself that when Chris Moyles left I would stop listening to the station because it’s presenters are all younger than me now. In fact recently I have been listening to the Greg James show (since he took over from Scott Mills – another ‘older’ DJ who must be on the way out soon ?!) while I travel home from my Mums each week, and I have found myself wondering if the content is actually relevant to me now. I mean the callers are usually students and school pupils, and the things that are seen as funny by Greg James and his audience are a bit ……well unfunny to me now, because its the kind of stuff I got up to when I was a student myself!!
Also, I don’t really know the current ‘in’ stars of music anymore. I hear songs being played often enough, but some artists I have never heard of. This would have never been the case once upon a time.
O.M.G! I sound like my Mum or Dad!!
I think that’s why I enjoy the breakfast show hosted by Moyles because I can relate to the content, the humour and the stories he talks about from his past because they are songs/TV shows / memories which I can remember. Ones I can share. I don’t feel too old listening to his show, because the callers tend to be more ‘my age’ I guess.
I assume this is what Radio One is trying to move away from – people like myself because we don’t fit in with their demographic of listeners.
For as long as I can remember, I have always listened to Radio One. I grew up with it. I have fond memories of Mum playing it in the kitchen and in the car, playing songs loudly and singing along to them! Sat in the car while she did her sandwich round having to listen to Simon Bate’s Our Tune (which I didn’t really like but it was huge back then)! The chart show hosted by Bruno Brooke’s and Mark Goodier; the breakfast show with Mike Smith and then Simon Mayo and the Steve Wright afternoon show were all ones I listened too avidly when I was at school.
I have been to two Radio One Roadshows: one when I was very young with my Mum (Dave Lee Travis I think!), and the second time when I was about 17 at Bude to see Simon Mayo which was great fun!!
Then once I was at university, I listened less to the day time shows (unsurprisingly!!) and more to the Friday evening ones instead, featuring Pete Tong and his Essential Sounds which my housemates and I would listen to before a night out.
I know that among my friends I am probably one of the only ones who still listens to Radio One, as they switched over to local stations or Radio 2 a few years ago. I suppose I continued to support the Radio One because there were still DJ’s broadcasting my age or older.
But now, well now I feel lost. Which station will I listen to come September? Tonight on the way home from my Mum’s I flicked between Heart FM and Radio 2, to see what they had top offer. I guess the former plays better music, more of a mix of old and new music, but the adverts are annoying!
Do you know what though?
The truth is I think the problem I have, indeed the dilemma I face, is this:
if I stop listening to Radio One then I am admitting I am old?
(it’s ok I know I am hardly ancient ).
It’s the realisation that I am now a proper grown up I guess. No longer a hip happening youngster who knows all there is to know about the state of the charts, who is who in the world of celebrity etc…
I am past it in Radio One terms and this makes me sad.
Sad that I have to face the fact that I am 38 years old god dammit, and a Radio One ‘has-been’!
Sad that I have to face the fact that I am 38 years old god dammit, and a Radio One ‘has-been’!
By the time my boys are ready for Radio One, I will be sooooo behind with the times won’t I?
*shakes head sadly*
Any radio show recommendations would be greatly appreciated by the way!
I am linking this up to Flashback Friday
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Thank you xx
Thank you xx
Completely with you! No idea what happens next!! I was entertained by some reports around Radio 1 needing to attract the under-30 audience, I wondered what the BBC were doing about the over-30s who didn’t find Radio 2 appealing… I suspect my morning drives of the future will involve lots of CDs rather than radio (I am sure I am meant to say MP3 or ipod). We love 6 Music at home, but think my car would need something doing to get this on the road.
I won’t admit to getting old, my dad played radio 1 every morning that I remember till I moved out (at 20!). I have a few years left in me. If Radio 1 don’t want me… I’ll find a DJ (does the term DJ still exist?!) who does!
I still listen to Radio 1 in the car, although I don’t usually like much of it, it’s mainly so I don’t sound old by asking the kids ‘what’s this record?’……’what’s a record Mum’!…..I went to a Radio One roadshow in the Isle of Wight – Noel Edmonds was on stage!! x
Whilst you are not too old to listen to Radio One (you are only as old as you feel after all!) the radio controllers think you are as they want to get their average listener age down from 32 to 15-29-years-old – they have crossed over too much into Radio 2’s territory (which I think has also gone down due to the likes of Chris Evans/Dermot/Zoe Ball). I listen to the radio all the time – always on and in the morning I listen to Absolute Radio – not sure where you live because I don’t think you can pick it up everywhere. Then in the day I tune into BBC Radio 6 which plays an amazing range of music – stuff you never hear anywhere else and then back to Absolute. Christian O’Connell does the morning show and it’s really funny. The music is quite indie though so you won’t get the pop that you get on Radio 1. However, I still seem to be ‘with it’ as you hear so much of those tunes in shops/adverts and on TV. (BTW I am also 38 and Christian O’Connell is 39). If all else fails stay with RAdio 1 – why not if that’s what you like?! x
I’ve never really been a Radio One fan. I was always into Kiss, or as it was called here before then Vibe FM which was the dance, rnb .
When I met my husband 10 years ago I then became passionate about local radio and the importance of local radio within the industry. Although, nowadays this sense of locality is limited due to bigger companies buying them out.
I tend to listen a lot to whichever radio station my husband works on and although I hate/d the adverts my husband explained that it’s those adverts that pay our mortgage, bills etc as they bring in the money. This isn’t the case now as his own business brings in the money but his Saturday breakfast show certainly helps.
I do enjoy listening to the local BBC stations and, at 26, am not ashamed to say that I have recently tuned Radio 2 into my radio more often than Kiss! I really enjoy Jeremy Vine. On a Sunday morning we listen to BBC Radio Norfolk as they do a local treasure hunt thing (almost like the Aneeka Rice tv programme) and I dream of doing that job.
Radio One is aimed at young’uns, I think I may even soon be out of their target audience.
The music on most stations is based on market research and regular surveys. The DJs (or broadcasters to use their official title) have a playlist to follow and my biggest pet hate is when listeners blame the DJs for the choice of music (not that you have done that) Someone constantly complains to my husband that he isn’t playing Queen or Meatloaf on his Saturday show but he can’t because he would get in trouble.
The playlist is normally based around the results of the market research. So if the majority of people surveyed say they LOVE Adele then they will play lots of Adele. Much to the annoyance of other listeners and the presenters.
I went to a Radio One RoadShow in Great Yarmouth. It was great, I think they only ever did the one. Maybe I can find the photos for that and use it in a Flashback Friday and link back to this post!
Anyway, I leave you with a couple of random facts.
My husbands now boss is mentioned in Chris Moyles’ autobiography for sacking him.
Oh and he used to work on a radio station in Bedford (Chiltern) and my husband worked on that station too (not at the same time)
xx
I don’t think that the radio station you listen to should reflect your age, everyone prefers a different style of presenting, content or music 🙂
I used to love Radio 1 in the mornings, but after awhile Chris Moyles (and his team) started to grate on me and I didn’t find it funny anymore. My favourite presenter has always been Sarah Cox and she’s around the same age as Chris, but somehow her humour just works for me. I’m also partial to Annie Mac and Zane Lowe with their alternative evening programmes!
I’m not ashamed to say (as a 22 year old) that after leaving Radio 1 I turned to Radio 2, Radio 6 and BBC Leeds, and I actually really enjoyed them! Makes a change hearing topical conversations and listening to ‘proper’ music 😉 I’ve kept trying the local stations too, but the amount of adverts can get really annoying at certain points in the day.
Basically I think that as long as you enjoy what is being played, it doesn’t matter what the station’s demographic is!
I am already old, I listen to the local radio or Kiss. I can’t stand all the talking on Radio 1, yet I also can’t stand the adverts on local radio either. Thats why i have an ipod dock- then I can just listen to music! 😉 x
Apparently Radio 1 needs a certain ‘age demographic’ and Chris Moyles appeals to ‘older’ people! Like you, I have listened to Radio 1 since I was young and loved the road show era (although I never went to one!) and have listened less as they have slowly got rid of DJ’s I liked. Chris Moyles and Scott Mills were really entertaining and it think that the BBC are crazy as surely any listeners are better than none? I shall stop now which as I am 41 they would probably consider me too old, I am probably in the Radio 4 demographic!
I am old already too! I literally have no idea who is singing most of the music on Radio 1 these days! I used to be so cool, sob. Soon Iyla will be too embarrassed to walk down the street with me! x
I never listened to Radio one before Moyles as I always preferred Capital radio – used to go to their roadshows when I was younger. but in the last few years I got to like Moyles and really missed the breakfast show after Leo was born and then when we moved ( used to listen in the car on way to work) I went through a stage of listening online at the more sensible start time here of 8am before Leo demanded dvds instead!
Now I have no clue about ‘current music’ as I never listen to the radio or go out – so I feel really old, went out in Agia Napa recently and saw everyone dancing and singing to stuff I had NO idea of!
Fab flashback pics 🙂 Nothing wrong with Radio 2 Jen, I have listened to it for at least the last decade and they play a wide selection of music. Some of the old favourites from Radio 1 now broadcast on Radio 2 i.e. Chris Evans, Steve Wright and Simon Mayo. Enjoy! Kxxx
Omg this is exactly how I feel!! I’m gutted Chris Moyles is leaving. I listen to him every morning when I’m going to work. He’s really funny. Who the heck is Nick Grimshaw? His humour is going to be so you g. I can just about bear Fearne but don’t like Greg James. I dont mind Scott though. But I don’t like Radio 2 at all. Chris Evans just annoys me… I’ve no idea what I’m going to listen to now…. Humph 🙁
i am sure Radio 2 is great, its just admitting that I am too old for the content on Radio 1 !!! thanks for commenting BF x
i think that when you have children you start to get out of touch with music because you spend more time getting to know CBeebies instead lol x
ha ha that made me laugh!!! i think its more that we end up getting bogged down by CBeebies and we are unable to listen to the radio anymore x
i was thinking that I should listen to my own songs in the car but whenever i have tried that before, I get complaints from the back of the car and end up having to sing nursery rhymes instead!! x
i think you are right Michelle it is about the music , but i think i will trial a few different stations too as its good to hear some new options, and thanks to this post to have some to try out now x
thanks so much for your post Lauren! lots of great and informative things. i have ben trying out my local station since I wrote this and yeah the adverts are annoying but the music is good as I am enjoying the variety which Radio One never has. xx
thanks for commenting MIchelle. I think that maybe now is a good time to shop around a bit and see if i can discover a station i like after all its good to have a change and maybe Radio One is over for me for now, after all the banter that the young presents waffle on about is not really for me. and the music is try samey as it can’t play old tunes, another thing which the breakfast show would do on a friday.
onwards and upwards maybe?? xx
thanks for your comment and for agreeing with me.i think they have made a mistake letting him leave the breakfast show and Nick Grimshaw is def not for me! i have been trying out my local one since i wrote this post and although the adverts are a pain, the actual music played is varied and i quite like that.
ps. i used the term DJ several times – eeeek i am so out of touch lol x
I’m in the same boat as you Jenny, although I do quite like Nick Grimshaw so might hold onto my youth for a bit longer!!!