#R1BW Norwich 2015
Leave a commentApril 20, 2015 by johnnyseifertradio
The BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend line up was announced this morning with artists including Taylor Swift, David Guetta, 5SOS and Olly Murrs taking to the stage over the three day festival in Norwich:
Whilst the stereotypes of popular culture music at the moment including Taylor Swift have made the line up, this year for the first time since I have been couch-potato-going to the festival back in 2007 I have been disappointed in the line up.
Hold on that is a lie-I was disappointed when the soundclash of Chris Moyles Vs Tim Westwood scheduled for 16:00-17:00 on the Saturday was cancelled…anyway, changes have happened and as we now know BBC Radio 1 is ‘Where It Begins’..and where I want to have a presenting career if I am still eligible to get a job after this blog (thank g-d all the bosses are at the #SRACon in Exeter this week. This morning it was announced that The Foo Fighters and Muse will headline the Saturday and Sunday night:
In the past we have had acts including Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars,Rihanna headline the main stage one night with the second night being a bit alternative including Foo Fighters previously headlining in 2011 and Biffy Clyro in 2013 so why have we got two alternative acts playing?
The argument as seen is that BBC Radio1 want to be different to Capital who do their Summertime Ball with acts that arguably could be seen as Heart FM branded acts such as Take That and R1 want to be at the opposite end of the scale. BBC Radio 1 have moved their Rock Show with Dan P Carter to Sunday nights from 19:00-22:00 but that is because the once Switch stranded programming for teenagers, are now watching the X Factor and BGT on Sunday nights and therefore the listenership was low during that slot…a good decision that Ben Cooper made to make Radio 1 distinct. But when it comes to BBC Radio 1 as an over all station, the station that is producing a new show to take over the chart with the use of working with CBBC to bring in a new audience of 12 year olds, is it right to have the Foo Fighters and Muse as their billboard or the music Radio 1 play and target- No!
If this is the case then surely BBCR1 is going wrong in the way they are encouraging new audiences to listen. Last week it was announced that Adele Roberts, 36 would be making the transition from BBCR1Xtra to BBCR1 to take over Gemma Cairney’s 04:00-06:30 slot. I like the idea that BBC Radio 1 have employed Gemma to take over and be an ambassador for Radio 1’s social action campaigns through their documentaries but hiring Adele for that slot was the wrong decision. In the past presenters such as Greg James, Scott Mills and Chris Moyles have learnt their craft in that slot. The problem is what is Adele’s career lifespan at BBCR1? We have already seen in the past three years presenters including Sara Cox, Edith Bowman and Vernon Kaye leaving the station as they have been seen to be too old for the station so where does that leave Adele? Ideally, they should have given Adele the 16:00-19:00 slot on a Sunday once the chart goes.
Back to #R1BW, I was expecting when the line up was announced that a big american act such as John Legend would play.
But I want to know today who you wanted to headline BBC Radio1’s Big Weekend or are you happy with the decision of who was chosen….let me know!
Johnny Seifert 