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BBC Radio 1 Anthems

Broadcast area	United Kingdom via BBC Sounds (currently unavailable internationally)
Frequency	DAB (in future), BBC Sounds
Programming
Language(s)	English
Format	Contemporary hit radio
Network	BBC Radio
Ownership
Owner	BBC
Sister stations	BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1Xtra BBC Radio 1 Dance
History
First air date	8 November 2024; 41 days ago (2024-11-08)
Links
Website	https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1anthems

BBC Radio 1 Anthems is a British online-only radio stream, owned and operated by the BBC and run as a spin-off from BBC Radio 1. The station launched on 8 November 2024 and plays a wide range of music and acts supported by the main Radio 1 network in the 2000s and 2010s. It broadcasts exclusively on BBC Sounds and will be fully launched on DAB+ in 2025. It is a commercial competitor to Capital Anthems, a Capital spin-off launched on September 12, 2024.

History and launch

From as early as 2019, the Radio 1 Anthems brand began appearing on the main Radio 1 network. This allowed the station to offer a variety of playlist-style shows on BBC Sounds, which was launched in 2018 and identified as a strategic priority by the BBC to expand the platform's audience.

The station rebranded its Radio 1's Greatest Hits show (Friday to Sunday, 10-11 am) as Radio 1 Anthems in July 2019. This brought it inline with existing anthems show, Radio 1's Dance Anthems, which had been part of the Friday and Saturday evening schedule in its current inception since 2012. Other playlist shows like Radio 1's Workout Mix were rebranded as Workout Anthems, the Friday edition of Radio 1's Dance Anthems was rebranded as Party Anthems, while Chillout Anthems launched in September 2019.

In November 2019, reports showed that the BBC was considering launching 'spin-off stations' of their popular music stations in order to gain more listeners. The first of these, Radio 1 Dance, launched on 9 October 2020 with Annie Mac, Danny Howard and Pete Tong hosting a 4-hour dance simulcast. Following this, the BBC launched Radio 1 Relax on BBC Sounds in April 2021. Radio 1 Relax closed on 24 July 2024.

Additional Radio 1 Anthems playlists including Pop Anthems, Festival Anthems, Ibiza Anthems, R&B Anthems and Rap Anthems launched on the network between 2020 and 2022.

In February 2024, the corporation announced plans to launch three new spin-offs, pending public consultation and regulatory approval: one from Radio 1 for “music from the 2000s and 2010s, catering to the appetite from young audiences for recent nostalgia”; one from Radio 2, with “a distinctive take on pop nostalgia’ from the 50s, 60s and 70s”; and one from Radio 3 for “calming classical music”. In addition, Radio 1 Dance would launch on DAB+ with expanded programming.

Following regulatory approval from Ofcom, the BBC announced in September 2024 that the Radio 1 strand would be Radio 1 Anthems and would launch on BBC Sounds from Friday 8 November 2024.

Aled Haydn Jones, Head of Radio 1, said: “Radio 1 Anthems is going to be a great nostalgic trip for our young audience, and to make it happen we’re going to be giving some new opportunities to people from across the UK. Radio 1 plays a crucial role in developing new talent for the entire industry, and we can’t wait to bring this new offer for our listeners to enjoy and discover.”

Programming

Programming on the stream will be existing on-demand content from BBC Radio 1 and BBC Sounds. This includes Radio 1's Workout Anthems, Radio 1's Chillout Anthems and Radio 1's Pop Anthems, and also the extensive Radio 1 archive.

See also

• BBC Radio 1 Dance
• BBC Radio 1 Relax

References

1. "What are Sounds exclusive stations? - BBC Sounds".
2. ^ "BBC Radio 1 announces 'Radio 1 Anthems' extension for BBC Sounds". BBC Media Centre. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
3. "New BBC Sounds app aims to woo younger listeners". BBC News. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
4. "Controllers for Pop Music, BBC Sounds and Radio 4 have been appointed". BBC Media Centre. 9 July 2019.
5. "BBC Radio 1 - First Radio 1 Anthems Show, Old Skool Garage Anthems". BBC. 4 July 2019.
6. Deans, Jason (28 February 2012). "Greg James to take drivetime show in Radio 1 shakeup". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
7. "BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Workout Mix". 7 November 2018. Archived from the original on 7 November 2018.
8. "BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Party Anthems, First Episode with Scott Mills". BBC. 5 July 2019.
9. "BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Chillout Anthems, First Episode of Chillout Anthems". BBC. 8 September 2019.
10. "Is the BBC planning radio spinoffs to get more listeners?". RadioToday. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
11. "Brand new Radio 1 Dance stream to launch this October". BBC Media Centre. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
12. "Brand new wellbeing stream Radio 1 Relax launches on BBC Sounds". BBC Media Centre. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
13. "Sian Eleri and Jess Iszatt present the final ever show on Radio 1 Relax!". BBC. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
14. "Radio 1's Pop Anthems". BBC Radio 1. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
15. "Radio 1's Festival Anthems". BBC Radio 1. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
16. "Radio 1's Ibiza Anthems". BBC Radio 1. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
17. "Radio 1's R&B Anthems". BBC Radio 1. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
18. "Radio 1's Rap Anthems". BBC Radio 1. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
19. McIntosh, Steven (7 February 2024). "Radio 2 spin-off among four new stations planned by BBC". BBC News Online. BBC News.
20. "Radio 1 Relax Schedule". BBC. Retrieved 22 April 2021.

• BBC Radio 1
• Digital-only radio stations
• BBC national radio stations
• Radio stations established in 2024
• 2024 establishments in the United Kingdom