BBC Radio 6 Music: Last News

Nick Grimshaw has spoken to NME about stepping into his role as host of the coveted BBC 6 Music breakfast show in place of Lauren Laverne – as well as sharing his advice for aspiring radio DJs.Last year saw Laverne take a hiatus from her radio duties after sharing her cancer diagnosis. The host and former Kenickie star announced that she had been given the “all clear” back in November, before the new daytime schedule was revealed with her hosting a new mid-morning show and Grimshaw taking over the breakfast slot after his tenure of standing in for her.“I just want it to start now,” said Grimshaw, meeting NME in the 6 Music studio the week before his new full-time show kicks off.

BBC Radio 6 Music has announced a series of programming and a one-off Leeds show from Big Special to celebrate Independent Venue Week 2025.This year’s IVW will run across seven days between January 27 to February 2, with hundreds of live shows set to take place across the UK. Gwenno and rEDOLENT were announced as official ambassadors last month.Now, 6 Music has shared details of a week of programs to coincide with the celebrations – including “a five-day deep-dive into the UK’s independent, live music industry”.

BBC Radio 6 Music has announced its new daytime schedule, which is set to be implemented later this year.This morning (January 9), Lauren Laverne took to BBC Radio 6 Music to announce that she would be stepping down from hosting the Breakfast Show, which airs weekdays between 7:30am and 10:30am. She had been in the role for six years, and will be replaced by presenter Nick Grimshaw.In the announcement, Laverne also confirmed that, while she will no longer be hosting the Breakfast Show, she will be returning to the station mid-mornings to present a new weekday programme.

Stephen Fry, Eddie Marsan and Carey Mulligan are among the entertainment figures included in the New Years Honours list for 2025.The list of honours, which celebrates individual outstanding achievements and contributions to British society, was revealed earlier today (December 31) to mark the new year.The veteran music broadcaster Lamacq receives an OBE for his services to broadcasting and music venues. He started out as a music journalist in the 1980s, including becoming a celebrated writer for NME for many years, and later became best known for his long career on BBC Radio, launching the Radio 1 Evening Session show with Jo Whiley in 1993.

BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Lauren Laverne has said she has been given the “all clear” following her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.In August, the popular music broadcaster, 46, revealed that she had received the diagnosis, which she noted they had “caught early and unexpectedly during a screening test”. She added at the time that she “expected to make a full recovery”.On Sunday (November 24), Laverne gave an update on her Instagram page, confirming that she has now been given the “all clear” and would be returning to work on the BBC’s The One Show on Tuesday (November 26).Alongside a smiling photo of herself wearing a ‘Life Is Beautiful’ jumper, she wrote: “Well hello there! Just a quick update from me to say that after taking some time off to get better I’ve had the all clear and will be back to work on your TV this Tuesday with the wonderful @bbctheoneshow team.”A post shared by Lauren Laverne (@laurenlaverne)She went on to reveal that she has been working on new episodes of the long-running BBC Radio 4 interview show Desert Island Discs, which she has hosted since 2018, and added that she is “looking forward” to returning to 6 Music in the New Year.“I want to say a huge thank you to the brilliant medical teams who took such great care of me, to the thousands of people who sent me such beautiful and encouraging messages, the friends and acquaintances who took the time to support me after going through cancer themselves – and most of all to my family: my two astounding kids and especially my husband Graeme, who was absolutely extraordinary throughout.”“It’s been a difficult time but one that has taught me so much about what really matters.

Mercury Prize nominations are set to be announced later this week, and it has been confirmed that the live final ceremony has been scrapped.The shortlist of 12 albums will be unveiled live on BBC Radio 6 Music from 11am by Tom Ravenscroft on Thursday (July 25).As always, they will be chosen by an independent judging panel which this year includes Jamie Cullum and Mistajam for albums released between July 15, 2023 and July 12, 2024.The overall winner of the 2024 Mercury Prize will be revealed in September, with the Prize’s broadcast partner BBC Music providing television and radio coverage but not the usual live performance at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith. Further details on this will be announced closer to the event.Introducing the judging team for the 2024 Mercury Prize.

The Smile headlined the third night of the BBC 6 Music Festival last night (March 9), alongside the London Contemporary Orchestra – check out the video below. The COVID-formed, loose experimental band, comprised of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, alongside Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner, played a lengthy set at Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse, the main body of which saw them joined by the classical orchestra.

CMAT was joined on stage by John Grant in Manchester last night (March 8) for a version of their collaborative song ‘Where Are Your Kids Tonight?’ – check it out below. The performance came as part of BBC’s 6 Music Festival, which is currently taking place across Greater Manchester this weekend. CMAT was playing the O2 Victoria Warehouse, in the slot immediately before headliner Gossip.

BBC has denied that Róisín Murphy’s publicised views on puberty blockers are the reason that a scheduled programme about her has been removed.Five hours of the Irish singer’s songs, interviews and concert highlights were due to play on BBC Radio 6 Music next week as part of the station’s Artist Collection series.Murphy caused controversy last month when previous comments that she made on Facebook about puberty blockers surfaced.“Please don’t call me a terf [trans exclusionary radical feminist]. But puberty blockers ARE FUCKED, absolutely desolate, big Pharma laughing all the way to the bank.

Limited Edition radio show is returning to BBC Radio 6 Music this month.The actor and musician has hosted two previous instalments of the show, both in the autumns of 2020 and 2021, and kicks off this year’s 10-part series on September 17.Murphy will broadcast a “nocturnal playlist to end the weekend” from 10pm-12pm on Sundays in which he’ll “share songs from all corners of his record collection and share why they hold a special place in his life”, a press release states.The Oppenheimer star announced the news during a chat with Nemone (sitting in for Lauren Laverne) on BBC Radio 6 Music earlier today (September 1). You can listen back to the interview here (at 9.05am or 1 hour and 35 minutes into the programme).Murphy said: “It’s been a while, but I am thrilled to be back playing tunes on 6 Music, my favourite radio station in the world… the show will be a sound collage of new, old and limited edition tunes for your discerning ears… can’t wait.”Artists whose records were featured across the previous two series include Bicep, Big Thief, Carly Simon, David Bowie, Grace Jones, Julia Holter, Laura Marling, Laura Veirs, Madlib, Marvin Gaye, Max Richter, Micah P.

The Rise And Fall Of Britpop, explores Pulp’s impact on the scene alongside the rivalry between Blur and Oasis.Steve Lamacq and Jo Whiley developed and present the podcast, which released its first four episodes last week (July 10), charting how Britpop rose to domination and its lasting effect on the UK music industry and pop culture.Episodes five to eight have now been made available to listen to on BBC Sounds, while the four new instalments will be broadcast on BBC 6 Music on July 19.The fifth episode will turn the lens away from the heavyweights of Blur and Oasis, focusing instead on Sheffield’s Pulp. The episode will tell the Jarvis Cocker-led band’s story, from recording in a semi-detached house in their hometown to writing songs in a tent the night before headlining Glastonbury.Episode six will return to catch up with Blur and Oasis who, at this point in time, were embroiled in a bitter chart battle in August 1995.

NME about the new BBC podcast The Rise And Fall Of Britpop – and the chances of a similar cultural phenomenon taking place again today.Launched this week, the new eight-part series sees 6 Music DJ and former NME journalist Lamacq – along with fellow BBC DJ and former Evening Sessions co-host Jo Whiley – delve deep into the rise of UK indie in the ’90s with new interviews, archive interviews and more, featuring prominent artists from the scene.To get a feel for the new series, NME spoke to Lamacq about life before Britpop, how it wouldn’t have been possible without the death of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, the characters it gave us, and what caused the scene’s demise…Lamacq: “The start of the ‘90s was a little grim, grey and downtrodden. The rise of dance music through the late ‘80s and into the ‘90s was a reaction to that – and an escape from that. In musical terms, we had the shoegaze movement in the early ‘90s, which brought some quite good stuff.

The Rise And Fall Of Britpop is developed by Steve Lamacq and Jo Whiley, and explores how the genre first came into formation. Through the course of the series, the two hosts will also hold interviews with various musicians from across the scene, and delve into how the genre impacted both the music industry and UK pop culture.It also arrives on what the BBC is describing as the 30th anniversary of the genre, and seeks to not only detail how it rose to prominence but also dive into the archives and share never-before-heard stories from those who understand it best.“It’s easy to forget the environment Britpop landed in; The passing of power from Thatcher to Major, Britain embroiled in war and the Union Jack derided as a symbol of the far right.

BBC Radio 6 Music Festival will return to Manchester next month, with Christine And The Queens, Arlo Parks and Loyle Carner all set to headline.This year’s edition of the station’s annual live event is due to take place in Greater Manchester between March 23-26. Tickets go on general sale at 10am GMT this Thursday (February 16) – you’ll be able to buy yours here.Per a press release, the festival will boast “global premieres of brand new live shows, new music debuts, unique collaborations and surprise guests” across the four days.

6 Music stage at this year’s All Points East festival will feature performances from Gilles Peterson, Norman Jay, Sherelle and more.Returning to the Victoria Park festival as official broadcast partners, 6 Music has today (May 25) announced the line-up for its stage at the two-weekend event, taking place August 19-20 and August 25-28.Peterson along with fellow 6 Music presenters Mary Anne Hobbs, Tom Ravenscroft, AFRODEUTSCHE, Jamz Supernova and Don Letts will curate the stage; each presenter will also perform DJ sets themselves on the days they oversee.Acts performing on the stage across the two festival weekends include Benji B, Colleen “Cosmo” Murphy, LUXE, Nabihah Iqbal, Nia Archives, Planningtorock, Shy One, Tash LC & Mina and more.“After our hugely successful first year of welcoming BBC Radio 6 Music as All Points East’s broadcast partner in 2021, it’s brilliant to have them back hosting the 6 Music stage,” Jim King, CEO of European Festivals at AEG Presents, said in a press release.

BBC Radio 6 Music has posted record listening figures in the first quarter of its 20th year of operation, the BBC has announced.The radio station was launched in 2002 with a focus on alternative music. At the time, it was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years.According to the BBC, more than 2.8million listeners tuned in to BBC Radio 6 Music in the first quarter of the year.

6 Music are among the major UK radio stations to have enjoyed promising listening figures in the latest data to be published by RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research Ltd).RAJAR have this week shared their quarterly listening figures for Q4 2021, which covers September 20 through to December 19. This is the second set of figures to be determined through a new methodology after the coronavirus pandemic suspended RAJAR’s operations in March 2020.The latest figures show that 34.51million people tuned in each week for live output across BBC Radio during the final quarter of 2021, giving the BBC an overall share of 49.9 per cent of all radio in the UK.BBC Radio 1 pulled in 8.97million listeners aged 10 and over during Q4 2021, with the Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Greg James attracting 4.85million 10+ listeners.

BBC Radio 6 Music’s weekday afternoon show, it has been confirmed.The DJ and comedy actor will begin presenting the show, which airs from 1pm-4pm, from October.Charles, who is already known for his popular Funk and Soul show on the station, replaces Keaveny after his 14-year stint at the station.“I’m made up to be able to present a brand new show on 6 Music later this year,” Charles said in statement.My funk soul brother, you’re one of my favourite people in broadcasting. You know this.

Sir Paul McCartney reflected on his early memories of rock and roll in a message to share what would have been Record Store Day.