... at the BBC

A look back at the 60s icon, girl-group pioneer and frontwoman of The Ronettes, Ronnie Spector, who was known for hits like Be My Baby and Walking in the Rain. This journey through the archives features Ronnie in her own words discussing her life and career through the years, as well as great performances in shows such as Later… with Jools Holland, David Essex, and The Old Grey Whistle Test - and not forgetting her most recent appearance on the Park Stage at Glastonbury Festival in 2016.

Dolly Parton is one of the biggest and best-loved music stars on the planet. Here, we celebrate all things Dolly with a look back at some of her greatest performances on the BBC, incorporating all her biggest hits and finest moments. From Jolene and 9 to 5, to Islands in the Stream and Here You Come Again, this collection showcases the enduring songwriting talents and the sense of humour that first made her name back in the 1970s.

Elaine Paige OBE is Britain’s biggest and most enduring star of musical theatre, enjoying success for over four decades in the West End, on Broadway, and on TV, radio and the pop charts. This selection of some of her best-loved songs and finest performances at the BBC features huge hits like Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, Memory and I Know Him So Well. There are also rarely seen archive gems from the earliest days of Elaine’s career, as well as her own unique interpretations of musical masterpieces from shows like Chess and Anything Goes, which all underline why she has stayed at the very top for as long as she has.

The Motown child prodigy who evolved into a true genius, Stevie Wonder is one of soul music's all-time legends, a groundbreaking master blaster responsible for some of the best - and best-selling - songs to grace the pop charts. This collection gathers together some of Stevie's best BBC moments, from huge hits like I Just Called to Say I Love You and Happy Birthday to fan favourites like He's Misstra Know-It-All and Love's in Need of Love Today. Together, these songs underline why Stevie remains one of the music world's most respected artists and showcase how, even after all these years, this most aptly named star still leaves audiences with a true sense of wonder.

o celebrate St David’s Day, this trip through the BBC’s music archives features a selection of tracks from some of the most important and innovative Welsh artists of the past few decades. The programme includes performances by Manic Street Preachers, Catatonia, Super Furry Animals, Marina and the Diamonds, Stereophonics, Feeder, Shakin’ Stevens, Bonnie Tyler, Dame Shirley Bassey and Sir Tom Jones.

They're Britain's best-loved and most enduring boys-to-men band, and here we celebrate a selection of Take That's greatest BBC appearances from their long and varied career. This collection contains all the biggest hits that you'll never forget, from both phases of the band's existence: the glorious early days of nonstop number ones, when Gary, Robbie, Mark, Howard and Jason were everyone's favourite pop pin-ups; and then the 21st-century comeback that nobody expected, where the fans' patience paid off and the band reinstated themselves at the top of the charts. Of course, everything changes over the years, and we capture them as a five-piece, a quartet and a trio, but what shines through at all times are the quality of the songwriting and performances, and that magical connection with the audiences that's made them such a hit for so long.

It's been over 30 years since the Mistress of Melisma Mariah Carey stepped onto our screens and started giving us Emotions. To celebrate the singer who conquered the 1990s and changed the sound of pop and R&B forever, we delve into the BBC archives to bring you all of her best-loved hits, from Vision of Love through to Honey and Shake It Off. We embrace the highest notes in pop with Open Arms and prove once and for all that when it comes to our Hero Mariah, it's true that We Belong Together.

She’s got one of pop’s most powerful voices and has belted out some of the greatest love songs of all time, so prepare to swoon as Celine Dion gets the At the BBC treatment. This collection of Celine’s best performances from the biggest shows includes all her most famous hits and moments, from the 1988 Eurovision performance that first introduced her to British audiences to the Oscar-winning soundtrack smashes she enjoyed with Beauty and the Beast and, of course, Titanic’s My Heart Will Go On.

She's been one of the world's most successful and talked about performers of the century, and last year's triumph of the #FreeBritney campaign means she's still relevant more than two decades after she first grabbed our attention. Her explosive arrival on the music scene aged just 16 made Britney a frequent visitor to some of TV's biggest shows, and here we've captured the biggest and best of those performances, with hits including Crazy, Overprotected, Toxic and Oops! I Did it Again. So, why not join us and revisit her best BBC moments One More Time?

Join us for this celebration of pop's greatest LGBTQ+ stars whose gender and sexuality are central to the story of their individual careers and the amazing songs they've created. Our rainbow alliance of amazing artists includes George Michael, Boy George, Freddie Mercury, Beth Ditto, MNEK, Lil Nas X and Barry Manilow. Some pushed boundaries and challenged gender stereotypes from the very start, others only revealed their true selves after years of success and speculation – but all have played their part in changing the world of popular music and the sounds that we listen to and love.

A look back through the BBC's archives, celebrating the best Brummie bands, artists and performances from the past five decades. This collection of Birmingham's finest acts showcases how England's second city has led the way when it comes to musical diversity, with a range of tracks covering reggae, metal, ska, dance, rap and pure pop. Amongst the hit acts featured are UB40, Dexys Midnight Runners, Duran Duran, Judas Priest, Joan Armatrading, ELO, Laura Mvula, The Streets and Black Sabbath, whose classic track Paranoid gets its first BBC outing since 1970 – a rare chance to see a young Ozzy Osbourne doing what he did best before becoming a reality TV superstar.

Enjoy the Thrill of It All and Dance Away the Evening for this dive into the BBC's archives to look over some of the finest performances from both Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry. As a band, they were innovative, helping create the look and sound of the 1970s, and Ferry's solo career saw him hit new heights as the embodiment of sophisticated cool. Amongst the hits included are classics like Do The Strand, Avalon, Slave to Love and In Every Dream Home a Heartache…but the programme covers their entire careers, do prepare for More Than This.

A journey back in time for a selection of Kylie's best and biggest performances on the BBC. It's a journey from the early, girl-next-door days with Stock Aitken Waterman to the boundary-pushing dance sounds of the 90s, 00s and beyond. Along for the ride are some of the eclectic mix of stars Kylie has collaborated with over the years, including Robbie Williams, Nick Cave and Jason Donovan. Together, this collection of magical BBC moments highlights why Kylie has always had a special place in the British public's hearts.

A special tribute to the much-loved star, who died in August 2022 at the age of 73 after a music career spanning over five decades and years spent raising awareness of breast cancer.

Key songs and anthems taken from a selection of Coldplay's finest TV performances, following the incredible journey that's taken the band from promising new talents to stadium-filling superstars.

A special celebration of Dame Cleo Laine's finest moments on the BBC to coincide with her ninety-fifth birthday. Britain's ‘First Lady of Jazz' became a star after joining The John Dankworth Seven in the 1950s and then marrying the bandleader. Internationally renowned for her mastery of the ‘scat' singing style, and with a voice that has been described as ‘one of the richest contraltos in recording history', Cleo has now enjoyed over six decades of success and acclaim here and across the world.

Ed Sheeran at the BBC A look back at the best BBC moments of Ed Sheeran, who’s been bringing his A game to viewers and listeners since before his first big hit, The A Team. Since that debut, he has enjoyed 13 number ones and had so many hits that the rules on how many singles could enter the charts had to be rewritten. It’s a career that’s seen Ed dazzle audiences on a huge range of BBC shows and special concerts, so prepare for Shivers with this selection of his most Perfect performances. Release date: 29 October 2022 59 minutes On TV Tomorrow 20:35 BBC TWO

As the legendary Petula Clark prepares to celebrate her ninetieth birthday, we look back on an extraordinary career that has stretched across eight decades and made her one of our most popular, successful and enduring stars.

A collection of songs from the kings and queens of the keyboards, whose performances have captivated audiences over the decades and across a selection of the BBC’s best-loved music programmes.  From piano pioneers like Little Richard, Nina Simone and Ray Charles, who showed the world that the new sounds of pop and rock didn’t just revolve around guitars, right through to modern maestros like Elton John, Lady Gaga and the BBC’s own Jools Holland, these are the big names who got us tapping our feet by letting their fingers do the talking. 

Robbie Coltrane at the BBC A look back at the life and career of Robbie Coltrane, one of Britain’s best-loved stars and a giant of both the big and the small screen. His death earlier this year was one of the big shocks of 2022. Here, Celia Imrie narrates an affectionate tribute to one of Scotland’s favourite sons, telling his story through a selection of interviews and special moments from his appearances on BBC shows over the decades. This retrospective is a reminder of how Robbie first grabbed audiences’ attention as an exciting new comedy star in the 1980s, and the transition he made in the 1990s into cinema success and international stardom with roles in some of the movie world’s biggest blockbuster franchises. Release date: 26/12-2022 at 21:00 BBC 4

A chance to look back at an amazing 12 months of live music at the BBC. Lauren Laverne leads us through a year of unforgettable performances – from the 6 Music Festival to Glastonbury, Radio 1’s Big Weekend to Later... and featuring some of the world’s biggest artists as well as some exciting new talent.