Timeline of chart shows on UK radio

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This is a timeline of the history of chart shows on UK radio.

1950s

  • 1952
    • 14 November – The very first
      New Musical Express
      .
  • 1957
    • September – For the first time, a chart rundown is broadcast on the when the format of running through the charts of the week, playing the top tens from various music papers plus entries to top 20s, is introduced as part of Pick of the Pops.
  • 1958

1960s

1970s

  • 1972
    • 24 September – Pick of the Pops is broadcast for the final time.
    • 1 October – The first edition of a new Sunday teatime programme Solid Gold Sixty is broadcast on BBC Radio 1. Presented by Tom Browne, the programme consists of two hours featuring the Radio One playlist tracks which were not in the Top 20, followed by a one-hour Top 20 rundown from 6pm - 7pm, which was carried also on BBC Radio 2's FM transmitters.
  • 1974
    • 17 March – Solid Gold Sixty is broadcast on BBC Radio 1 for the final time. It is replaced the following week by a one-hour programme which just features the top 20.
  • 1978
    • 2 April – Simon Bates replaces Tom Browne as presenter of Radio 1's Sunday teatime chart rundown show.[2]
    • 12 November – The Sunday teatime chart show is extended from a Top 20 countdown to a Top 40 countdown.

1980s

1990s

  • 1991
    • 6 January – For the first time, BBC Radio 1's Sunday chart show plays all 40 tracks and the show is renamed as The Complete Top 40.[3] This becomes possible due to an extension of the programme's duration – starting half an hour earlier at 4:30 pm.
  • 1992
    • 1 March – Mark Goodier ends his first stint as presenter of BBC Radio 1's Complete UK Top 40.
    • 8 March – Tommy Vance presents this edition of Radio 1's Top 40 programme. This is also the final time that the Radio 1 chart show runs for 2 and a half hours.
    • 15 March – Bruno Brookes begins his second stint as host of the UK Top 40 programme. The programme is extended once again and now airs from 4 pm until 7 pm, thereby allowing time for all 40 records to be played in full.[4]
    • 12 September – The first broadcast of a classical music chart takes place as the newly launched Classic FM’s output includes a weekly chart show, and is broadcast on Saturday mornings and is presented by Paul Gambaccini.
  • 1993
    • 18 April – The Official 1 FM Album Chart show is broadcast for the first time. Presented by Lynn Parsons, the 60-minute programme is broadcast on Sunday evenings, straight after the Top 40 singles chart.
    • 2 May – As part of its launch schedule, new national commercial station Virgin 1215 launches a weekly album chart show.
    • 25 July – The last Network Chart Show goes out on Independent Local Radio.
    • 1 August –
      commercial radio. The top ten is based on sales with positions 11 to 40 based on a combination of single sales and airplay
      .
  • 1996
    • September – A rebranding of the commercial radio chart show sees it lose the Network Chart Show branding and is now called the ‘’Pepsi Chart’’.[5]
  • 1997
    • 31 August – Regular programming on the BBC's radio and television stations is abandoned to provide ongoing news coverage of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Consequently, for the first time, the top 40 show is not broadcast on a Sunday afternoon. The new chart is revealed in a special programme the following day.[6]

2000s

  • 2002
    • 17 November – Mark Goodier presents the Top 40 for the final time on the 50th anniversary of the chart, and leaves the station due to falling audiences and BBC bosses considering him "too old for the job."[7][8]
    • 29 December – The last edition of the
      Pepsi Chart Show
      is broadcast on commercial radio stations across the UK.
  • 2004
    • 6 June – After 11 years of hosting commercial radio’s national chart show,
      'Doctor' Neil Fox is replaced as presenter of Hit40UK by Stephanie Hirst and Katy Hill
      .
  • 2008
    • Galaxy 40 launches towards the end of the 2008 and is broadcast across the
      Galaxy Network
      ,
  • 2009
    • March – After less than three years on air, the final edition of Fresh 40 is aired. Also ending on this day is the short-lived Galaxy 40.
    • 15 June – Commercial radio's chart show Hit40UK is relaunched as
      The Big Top 40 Show
      with Kat Shoob as the programme’s presenter.
    • 27 September – Reggie Yates becomes the sole presenter of The Official Chart.

2010s

  • 2015
    • 25 January – Clara Amfo takes over as presenter of The Official Chart.
    • 5 July – The final Sunday broadcast of BBC Radio 1's The Official Chart.[12]
    • 10 July – The first Friday broadcast of
      Greg James
      . The programme's airtime is almost halved, to just 1 hour 45 minutes with only the top 10 now being played in full

2020s

  • 2021
    • February –
      Lincs FM, having been purchased by Bauer in 2019, begin taking the UK Chart Show, replacing locally-originated programmes in the Sunday afternoon slot. The stations continue to run largely independently of the Hits Radio network at other times.[18]
  • 2023
    • 26 November – Craig Kingham, a producer on
      The Big Top 40 and its predecessors, produces his final edition of the programme, after almost 24 years and 1,200 number one singles.[20]
  • 2024
    • Lauren Layfield and Shanequa Paris become presenters of The Official Chart: First Look, replacing Vick Hope and Katie Thistleton.[21]

References

  1. ^ Smith, Alan. "50s & 60s UK Charts – The Truth!". Dave McAleer. Archived from the original on 2011-05-10. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
  2. ^ https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/radio1/england/1978-04-02> [bare URL]
  3. ^ "BBC Radio 1 England – 6 January 1991 – BBC Genome". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  4. ^ "BBC Radio 1 England – 15 March 1992 – BBC Genome". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Pepsi peps up chart backing" (PDF). Music Week. September 14, 1996. p. 3. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  6. ^ RandomRadioJottings (28 August 2017). "Reporting of the Death of Diana, Princess of Wales". Retrieved 14 July 2018 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ "... Radio 1 denied he has been fired because of falling listener figures, saying his contract is coming to an end.""DJ Goodier leaves Radio 1". Entertainment News. BBC News. 15 August 2002. Retrieved 18 May 2009.
  8. ^ "... station bosses want to replace him with someone younger, who will be more in tune with its target audience of 15 to 24-year-olds." Day, Julia (15 August 2002). "Countdown begins for Goodier's departure". Media Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 18 May 2009.
  9. ^ "Mark Goodier quits BBC for Classic FM". The Guardian. 12 November 2002. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  10. ^ Talbot, Martin (4 July 2015). "Everything you need to know about the new Official Chart". Official Charts.
  11. ^ "Radio 1 chart goes visual for last hour". Radio Today. 22 January 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  12. ^ "Lionel Richie storms album chart". BBC News. BBC. 5 July 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  13. ^ "Ed Sheeran and David Zowie top UK's first Friday pop charts". BBC News. BBC. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  14. ^ "Scott Mills to replace Greg James as Official Chart host". The Official UK Charts Company. 10 April 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  15. ^ "Hits Radio to launch own UK Chart Show", RadioToday.co.uk
  16. ^ "Wireless creates own weekly top 40 show", RadioToday.co.uk
  17. ^ Hits Radio networking starts on new Bauer stations, RadioToday.co.uk
  18. ^ "Pirate FM and Lincs FM to take Bauer's chart show", RadioToday.co.uk
  19. ^ Jack Saunders announced as new host of The Official Chart on Radio 1
  20. ^ Martin, Roy (19 December 2023). "Big Top 40 Chart show producer Craig Kingham leaves after 1200 number 1 songs". Radio Today. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  21. ^ Griffiths, George (7 March 2024). "BBC Radio 1 announces Lauren Layfield and Shanequa Paris as new Official Chart: First Look hosts". Official Charts.