BBC RADIO 1 RESHAPES NEW MUSIC STRATEGY

BBC Radio 1 is phasing out its In New Music We Trust playlist in favour of a new chart show and two extra C List spots. The news comes hot on the heels of criticism fired at the Beeb for not playing and breaking enough U.K. music.

INMWT features five fresh tracks crossing over from specialist that get five plays per week. Taking its place is two spaces on the C List, where tracks get the same amount of rotation.

What’s also recently arrived is Phil Taggart’s weekly one-hour Radio 1 Specialist Chart—a bite-size digest of the hottest music, compiled by combining the tracks most loved by the Beeb’s specialist presenters and listeners. It’s interesting to note that the first list, featuring 16 tracks, is made up of at least 14 from U.K. acts, with one from Denmark and no clues where elusive act Lully is from.

Changes are happening in order to respond to young people’s phone-centric listening habits, and to give greater impact to those new tracks and artists that do end up being added to the main Radio 1 playlist.