BBC Music

Captured during his live appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in July 1980, this highly energetic concert reinforces Marvin Gaye as the undisputed prince of Motown. He performs many of his timeless classics, including Let’s Get It On, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, What’s Going On and I Heard It Through the Grapevine, resulting in thundering appreciation and applause from his audience. One of the most gifted talents to come up through the ranks of the Motown label, Marvin Gaye paved the way for the unrelenting progression of popular black tracks.

Live from Vienna. The Vienna Philharmonic perform their traditional feast of waltzes and polkas.

In 1965, some of Motown’s brightest new stars, including The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Martha and the Vandellas, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, arrived in London for a tour that would change the face of British music history. At that time, pop music fans in the UK were unlikely to hear black music on mainstream radio, and names like Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson still meant nothing to most British people. But thousands of miles away from where these exciting new sounds were being recorded in Detroit, a small group of dedicated British music fans had stumbled across the songs and began championing its artists. This is the story of how, by doing so, they paved the way for the first Motown tour of Britain, changing the country’s popular culture forever and helping propel the Motown artists to international stardom.

Rod Stewart has already been honoured with one BBC celebration of his great career, but the man Elton John called Phyllis has had so many hits and is held in such affection by his army of fans that it's time for another deep dive into the TV archives. This second collection of songs from the gravel-voiced legend brings us up to date with some of Rod’s more recent appearances and features some magic mic-stand-twirling moments from exclusive live shows. Plus rarely seen BBC performances of some of his biggest hits from over the years, including Tonight’s the Night, It’s a Heartache, Have I Told You Lately and Sailing.

Soul singer Dana Masters traces the story of Ottilie Patterson, who for a dazzling few years in the late 1950s and early 1960s was a pioneer of British music. One night in 1959, a 27-year-old female singer took to the stage at Muddy Waters' renowned blues club in Chicago. After a stunning set, a member of the rapturous African American audience called out: 'Hey lady, you sing real pretty. How come you sing like one of us?' The singer was Ottilie Patterson. And she wasn’t black. She wasn’t even American. She was from the small town of Comber, in County Down, just ten miles from Belfast. A rising star of British jazz and blues music, she was the acclaimed singer with the Chris Barber Band who paved the way for bands like The Rolling Stones and The Pretty Things, inspiring their passion for American blues.

A multi-platinum artist. An iconic venue. One unforgettable show. Sam Smith - the artist whose music you’ve danced to, cried along with and loved - performs at the Royal Albert Hall. Sam takes to the stage with their band, dancers, a full choir and orchestra to play an extremely special show, filmed in October 2022, coinciding with the success of unstoppable smash hit single Unholy - Sam's eighth number one - and their fourth studio album, Gloria. Sam performs songs spanning all four of their albums, including chart-topping smashes Stay With Me, Dancing with a Stranger and I’m Not the Only One, and new material from Gloria. And there is an appearance from a very special guest as pop diva Kim Petras – Sam’s co-singer on Unholy – joins them on stage.

Classic heart-breaking BBC performances from some of music's biggest stars, including George Michael, Amy Winehouse, Sam Smith, Taylor Swift and - of course - the queen 'Heartbreaker" herself, soul legend Dionne Warwick.

A stunning selection of perfect performances of love songs from the BBC's music archives, including the sounds of Nat King Cole, Shania Twain, Billy Joel, Ed Sheeran and many, many more.

A selection of some of the best BBC moments and classic archive performances from those singers and bands who cracked Hollywood as well as the pop charts. These are the tunes that get hummed when leaving the cinemas over the years from blockbusters, Oscar winners, comedies and family favourites, featuring a selection of soundtrack stars including Destiny’s Child, Paul Simon, All Saints, Simple Minds and Dolly Parto

Legendary Welsh band The Manic Street Preachers return to perform in their hometown of Blackwood for the first time in over 25 years. This intimate gig at the historic Miners' Institute features exhilarating live versions of hits that span three decades, exclusive behind-the-scenes content, and an insightful interview with the band themselves.

A look at the real Dionne Warwick, the artist behind timeless hits such as What the World Needs Now, Say a Little Prayer and Don’t Make Me Over. Behind the iconic music is a strong woman whose fierce determination not only brought her worldwide success but also a voice she used to fight for humanitarian causes. Featuring heartfelt contributions and interviews from Alicia Keys, Snoop Dogg, Stevie Wonder, Burt Bacharach, Bill Clinton, Cissy Houston, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, Barry Gibb, Gloria Estefan, Olivia Newton-John, Elton John and Warwick herself.

A second chance to explore the BBC’s archives with one of British music’s biggest and best-loved stars, Dusty Springfield. The great soul diva and her haunting voice are captured once again in selection of BBC performances from over the years, including You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me, Son of a Preacher Man, and Bacharach and David’s Look of Love. Together, these songs underline why Dusty earned her reputation as one of pop’s great talents, who deserves her ranking alongside fellow singing legends like Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick.

Ain’t Nobody quite like Chaka Khan, and the proof of that comes courtesy of the BBC’s music archives, which have been plundered for this celebration of one of the all-time great queens of soul. This selection of Chaka’s finest BBC moments covers five decades of performing, reflecting a career that started in the 70s with her partnership with Rufus and eventually led to the massive number one hit I Feel for You, which helped bring rap right into the mainstream, and I’m Every Woman, an instant anthem that made her a lifelong female icon.

To mark his 75th birthday, the composer takes a nostalgic journey through the BBC archives, looking back on a collection some of his biggest and best-loved songs, with performances by stars like Barbra Streisand, Elaine Paige, Diana Ross, Michael Ball and Michael Crawford. Andrew also shares stories from behind scenes of his most popular works, shedding light on how he knew Madonna would perform Evita years before she did, how the cast of Starlight Express ended up on roller-skates, and how Jason Donovan and his Technicolour Dream Coat had a new generation falling in love with musical theatre.

When Burt Bacharach passed away in February 2023 at the age of 94, the world said goodbye to one of the all-time songwriting greats. This celebration of the man and his music features a selection of the finest songs from his extraordinary back catalogue and some ‘magic moments’ from the BBC’s archives. With performances from artists like Aretha and Adele, Dusty and Dionne, Cilla Black and the White Stripes, this is a collection that highlights exactly why Burt was considered a legend by fans, critics and fellow artists, demonstrating once again why he and his compositions are universally loved by ‘anyone who had a heart.’

British choir Tenebrae perform a specially created programme combining Bach’s motets with a newly commissioned work by celebrated Scottish composer Sir James MacMillan.

She was just 17 when she wrote the pop classic Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow - a calling card that over the years Carole King has delivered on time and time again. The most successful female singer-songwriter of all time, and one of modern music’s standout geniuses, Carole’s catalogue of hits, many written with her songwriting partner and first husband Gerry Goffin for both herself and some of pop and rock’s biggest stars, is second to none. This celebration of the best of Carole King features a collection of irresistible performances from her and a range of other great artists, taken from a selection of BBC shows from over the decades.

Little Richard can stake a claim on having invented rock 'n' roll. A black artist who grew up in the segregated south of the United States, Richard Penniman broke down barriers and took 1950s America by storm. The Beatles and The Rolling Stones supported him and drew inspiration from his musicianship and stagecraft. He went on to influence artists as diverse as David Bowie, Elton John, Michael Jackson and Prince.

A joyful celebration of 17th-century folk music, fiddle tunes, drinking songs and sea shanties, brought vividly to life by virtuoso musicians Bjarte Eike and Barokksolistene.

It’s the city that gave birth to The Beatles, inspired Gerry to ride that ferry, and spawned Bunnymen and Atomic Kittens. Now with all eyes – and ears – on Liverpool for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, a look into the BBC’s archives for a selection of performances from some of Merseyside’s biggest and best-loved musical stars. Forget house music - this is scouse music, rich and varied, with some songs that conquered charts across the world and others that struck a special chord here – from The Story of the Blues to You’ll Never Walk Alone, and inevitably, in a city with two massive football teams, Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s Two Tribes.

Guy Barker’s Big Band and the BBC Concert Orchestra join forces at this year’s Cheltenham Jazz festival, hosted by Marcus Brigstocke, bringing together the very best in jazz and soul.

World-famous jazz club Ronnie Scott’s hosts a tribute to Burt Bacharach - a songwriter, producer and pianist who us widely seen as one of the most important songwriters of the 20th century. Clive Myrie is at the show, which features brand new jazz-inspired arrangements of some of Burt Bacharach’s best-loved music by the club’s artistic director James Pearson. The setlist spans Burt Bacharach’s epic career and includes The Look of Love, Alfie, Wives and Lovers, Do You Know the Way to San Jose and That’s What Friends Are For.

As a schoolboy aged 14, Nick Broomfield met Brian Jones, by chance, on a train. Brian was at the height of his success, with the world at his feet, but just six years later, he would be dead. This film takes a look at the relationships and rivalries within The Rolling Stones in their formative years, exploring the iconoclastic freedom and exuberance of the 60s, a time of intergenerational conflict and sexual turmoil that reflects on the present day. Featuring revealing interviews with all the main players and unseen archive released for the first time, this documentary explores the creative musical genius of Jones, key to the success of the band, and uncovers how the founder of what became the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world was left behind in the shadows of history.

A look back at one of British music’s most enduring and significant partnerships, Pet Shop Boys, with highlights from Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe’s appearances on the BBC.

English National Opera’s sparkling new production of the much-loved Gilbert and Sullivan classic, set in the Tower of London. The dashing Colonel Fairfax is under sentence of death. Can his old friend, the Beefeater Sergeant Merryl, save him? And what of Merryl’s daughter Phoebe, who has fallen hopelessly in love with the colonel? A fast-paced caper with forbidden romances, fantastical plots and unrequited love unfolds, with some surprising twists at the end. Widely regarded as one of Sullivan’s finest scores, the opera is full of delightful tunes, including I Have a Song to Sing, O!, When a Wooer Goes a-Wooing and Free From His Fetters Grim. The action has been shifted to the 1950s, the time of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, and the stellar cast includes Tony and Olivier Award-winning stage and screen actor Richard McCabe, who makes his operatic debut in the role of the travelling jester Jack Point, the opera’s comic baritone.

The latest in John Bridcut’s collection of award-winning films about British composers features the life and music of Sir Michael Tippett, who died 25 years ago in 1998. For many years, Tippett dominated the contemporary classical music scene in the UK. His life spanned almost the whole of the 20th century, and embraced many of the social issues of his time, from pacifism to homosexuality. His most popular work, the oratorio A Child of Our Time, made his name in 1944. Provoked by Kristallnacht – the 1938 Nazi-led pogrom against German Jews – it continues to speak powerfully about refugees and persecution. This performance-based documentary features extracts from the full range of Tippett’s music, specially filmed in Glasgow with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Bearsden Choir.

George Michael was one of Britain’s best-loved and most acclaimed music stars. With Wham!, the group George formed alongside best friend Andrew Ridgely, he created an 80s phenomenon – heartthrob chart-toppers across the globe and the first Western pop act ever to perform in China. His subsequent solo work took his career to a whole new level, making him one of the key cultural figures of the day. This collection of George’s solo performances and Wham! classics comes from his appearances on a selection of BBC programmes that demonstrate perfectly why he remains so fondly remembered, featuring hits such as Club Tropicana, Freedom, Faith, Outside and Amazing.

The former Wham! frontman, George Michael, is filmed at his final two concerts at London's Earls Court arena on 24 and 25 August 2008 in front of 40,000 screaming fans. Part of his 25 Live tour, the shows marked a triumphant return to live performance for the singer, with the songs featured including Careless Whisper, Faith, Fast Love, Jesus to a Child and I'm Your Man, drawn from every stage of his career.

As the excitement builds for Glastonbury 2023, this is a trip down memory lane as some of the festival’s biggest fans take a look at some of their favourite performances and the stories behind them. Noel Gallagher, Self Esteem, Jessie Ware, Nish Kumar, Kerry Godliman, Joe Wicks and more reflect on seeing the likes of Pet Shop Boys, Beyoncé, Janelle Monáe, Foo Fighters, Miley Cyrus and The Killers at Glastonbury.

Archive performances by the band, from their first TV appearance on a Saturday morning show hosted by Cheryl Baker of Bucks Fizz right through to their headlining slots at Glastonbury. This collection features Country House, Parklife, Girls & Boys, Coffee & TV, Beetlebum, Tender and Out of Time.

A collection of Shania Twain’s biggest moments from the BBC archives, including live performances, her earliest UK TV appearances from the days of her debut hit Still the One and the karaoke classics That Don’t Impress Me Much and Man! I Feel Like a Woman! So grab a hairbrush and - to quote the title of her biggest-selling album - Come on Over.

Bananarama are the girl group with more chart entries than any other in the world, and now they are getting the ‘at the BBC’ treatment with this collection of performances from the BBC archives, featuring many of the 25 Top 40 singles they released over their career. It’s a selection that covers those early days when Fun Boy Three first introduced pop fans to the original line-up of Keren Woodward, Sara Dallin and Siobhan Fahey, as well as the end of the 1980s when Siobhan left and was replaced by Jacquie O’Sullivan. We also bring things right up to date and feature the band’s current status as a duo, with Sara and Keren keeping the flame alive. Over all those years, Bananarama have never claimed to be the greatest singers or dancers, but together they somehow still created pop magic – so fans, settle back and witness how their durability proves beyond doubt that It Ain’t What You Do, it’s the Way That You Do It.

A selection of the Grammy-winning American singer-songwriter's performances on BBC music programmes, featuring the hits Fallin', No One, Girl on Fire and Empire State of Mind.

Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman were the producers who came, SAW and conquered the UK charts in the 1980s, spinning the music scene right round like a record with their instantly recognisable brand of disco floor-filling pop hits. The trio divided the nation between those who loved their Hi-NRG sound and the singers they transformed into tabloid sensations, and a music press that loathed them for turning record producing into a production line. Today, many of SAW’s most memorable hits are considered classics of their time, and the very best of them are celebrated in this new selection, featuring such artists as Rick Astley, Dead or Alive, Donna Summer, Bananarama, Mel & Kim and, of course, Kylie and Jason.

Opera North and Phoenix Dance Theatre power an epic, heart-rending journey of the soul. A contemporary dance staging of Mozart’s great choral lament, choreographed by Dane Hurst.

A celebration of R&B superstar Mary J Blige that spans the highlights of her groundbreaking career and features the very best of her appearances on a selection of BBC shows. From the early songs of the mid-1990s right up to her acclaimed 2015 performance on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, this collection demonstrates why Mary has been labelled as ‘the queen of hip-hop soul’, featuring such hits as Just Fine, Everything and No More Drama. The programme also includes her collaborations with U2, George Michael and the man who once said Mary possesses 'one of the best voices you’re ever going to hear', Sir Elton John.

A celebration of one of the most successful Anglo-American musical partnerships of all time with a look into the BBC archives for Fleetwood Mac's finest performances.

A trip through the BBC archives for this chance to ‘Shout’ about one of the greatest, best-loved and most enduring entertainers – Lulu. This collection of her most popular hits, covers and classics features magic moments from the 1960s right up to recent years and performances on a huge range of shows, including her own multiple series and TV specials that were a hallmark of the BBC’s light entertainment schedules. This compilation also sees Lulu duetting with a variety of big name singers, including Neil Diamond, Bill Withers, Shirley Bassey and Al Green, and features iconic songs like To Sir with Love, The Man with the Golden Gun and the Bowie-penned The Man Who Sold the World.

A special one-off concert celebrating the music of the iconic sci-fi series to mark its 60th anniversary. Recorded live in Cardiff for Radio 2's Sunday Night is Music Night, Jo Whiley presents with exclusive interviews from showrunners past and present, including Russell T. Davies, Steven Moffat, and Chris Chibnall. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the BBC Singers, conducted by Alastair King, perform fan favourites from composers Murray Gold and Segun Akinola, who give insights into the music that has accompanied the Doctor and the TARDIS on six decades of time travel.

Watch the story behind the last Beatles song, with exclusive footage and commentary. Now and Then's eventful journey to fruition took place over five decades and is the product of conversations and collaborations between the four Beatles that go on to this day.

The relationship between The Beatles and the BBC has always been a special and fascinating one. This programme looks back at some key moments that saw the BBC document the band’s journey as they went from Merseybeat heroes with mop-tops and MBEs to seeing out the sixties as long-haired heroes of the counter-culture. In the early years, an interview on the BBC was something the band would pursue and embrace, but as their fame spread, their TV appearances became increasingly rare. The changing dynamic is captured here through a combination of classic music performances and the very best moments from the BBC’s archives. Songs featured include the fresh sound of She Loves You to the era-defining special performance of All You Need Is Love.

When Blondie first exploded onto the music scene with their debut UK hit Denis, they were an immediate sensation and instantly embraced by the British record-buying public. Debbie Harry’s inimitable cool and the band’s pioneering new wave, New York sound made them one of the most significant bands of the era – and gave them an impressive six number one singles. With them every step of the way have been the BBC’s biggest music shows, and this programme takes a trip through the archives to sample the best of Blondie over the years, with appearances from the late 1970s up to recent times and performances confirming the enduring strength of songs like Call Me, Atomic, Picture This, Rapture and The Tide Is High.

In 1977, a small and relatively unknown group called Blondie arrived in Bournemouth ahead of their first ever UK tour. This is the story of the key part Britain played in helping break one of the world’s most influential bands and examines a special relationship that has endured for nearly 50 years. Featuring rare and unseen archive material – including photographs taken by guitarist Chris Stein - this documentary charts Blondie’s rise from that first student union gig in Bournemouth, supported by Squeeze (including a 19-year-old Jools Holland) through to 2023 and an unforgettable performance on Glastonbury’s iconic Pyramid Stage.

A showcase of Bob Dylan with his band in an intimate setting as he performs songs from his extensive body of work, including Forever Young, I'll Be Your Baby Tonight, It's All Over Now Baby Blue and many more. This performance film marks Bob Dylan's first concert since 2019 and his first performance since his acclaimed album Rough and Rowdy Ways.

Another slice of disco delight with a celebration of nightclub classics taken from the very best of the BBC’s archives, including Rock Your Baby, Ring My Bell and Yes Sir, I Can Boogie.

A performance by acclaimed singer-songwriter Gregory Porter.

Country Christmas 2023, hosted this year by country music stars Amy Grant and Trisha Yearwood, brings some of country music’s most beloved artists together for a night full of festive classics. Join Jordan Davis, Amy Grant, Lady A, Ashley McBryde, Jon Pardi, Lindsey Stirling, The War and Treaty, Zach Williams, Lainey Wilson and Trisha Yearwood for a show full of Christmas favourites. Filmed in Nashville in front of a live audience, the holiday special showcases one-of-a-kind musical performances to get you in the Christmas spirit.

Another fantastic selection of dance floor disco classics, featuring a wealth of performances from the BBC’s music archives, including Tina Charles, The Real Thing, Sister Sledge and The Bee Gees.

Aretha Franklin is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest singers of all time, and yet more proof of that can be found in this collection of her performances on BBC programmes from across the decades. From a stunning 2015 performance of You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman) that had President Barack Obama in tears to gems from the 1970s, when Aretha dropped in to be the guest star on shows hosted by Cliff Richard and Lulu, these songs and her voice will remind everyone why she is still to this day considered the ultimate queen of soul.