BBC Music

The Vienna Philharmonic's annual New Year's Day concert.

Brit Award nominee and Ivor Novello-winning artist RAYE takes to the stage of this legendary London venue to perform new arrangements of songs from her Mercury Prize-nominated album My 21st Century Blues, accompanied by the Heritage Orchestra, conducted by Tom Richards, the Flames Collective choir and organist Anna Lapwood. Highlights include Oscar Winning Tears, the searingly honest Ice Cream Man, a show-stopping version of Worth It and global smash-hit single Escapism.

Her incredible voice delivered so much more than most other singers, so it feels only right to return to the BBC archives for a second collection of great songs and lung-busting performances from the girl from Tiger Bay. This programme features Shirley’s inimitable take on a rich collection of hits - from pop favourites to film themes and songs from the shows, taken from a selection of programmes she appeared on over the years and her own hugely popular TV show that ran throughout the 1970s. Amongst the classic tracks featured here are My Way, The Way We Were, Copacabana and even her own, unmissable version of The Beatles’ iconic Hey Jude.

A celebration of the songs of Cyndi Lauper, who took the charts by storm in 1984 with her debut international hit Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, released in the same week as Madonna’s first hit, Holiday. Cyndi surprised the critics of the day almost immediately and showed she deserved so much more than labels like ‘kooky’ and ‘quirky’, with sensitive songs like Time After Time and True Colors that still resonate as strongly today as they did back in the 1980s. This trip through the BBC’s archives follows Cyndi’s journey from the start, and captures why she became, and remains, one of the most positive female forces in modern pop music.

There's more musical time-travelling through the BBC’s archives with this trip back to 1984 which proves that, unlike Orwell’s predictions, this was a truly great year. Wham! were offering the prospect of Freedom, Frankie were encouraging everyone to Relax, U2 filled us all with Pride, and Phil Collins was battling Against All Odds. And that was just the UK’s biggest chart stars - when it came to American acts, Stevie just called to say he loved us, Madonna was still Like a Virgin and Lionel Richie just offered a simple Hello. All were huge hits then, and they - and many more - remain some of the best-loved and most familiar songs.

This collection of hits features several of Elaine Paige’s personal favourites from the BBC's song and dance archives. Amongst them are some of the world’s best-loved musicals, from Cats and The Lion King to Funny Girl and My Fair Lady, and from Sunset Boulevard and West Side Story to A Little Night Music and The Sound of Music. Together, they promise an irresistible mix for lovers of show tunes, highlighting some of the amazing performances that have lit up stage and screen over the past few decades.

A look into the BBC’s music archives to examine the all-time classic tracks that seem to have been around forever, and get everywhere - apart from the UK Top 40. It’s a journey that sees us heading back in time to the Summer of ‘69 with Bryan Adams and takes in Bowie’s Changes, Dolly’s 9 to 5 and Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire – just some of the most surprising favourites to feature in this selection of the biggest, most enduring tracks ever written that mysteriously failed to have an impact on the charts the first time around. With crowd-pleasers that still get everyone on their feet and anthems everyone can sing along to, these songs are forever part of the soundtrack to people's lives but always leave them wondering 'why was this not a hit?'

It's one of the reasons the music charts have always been so compelling: the cruel reality that the exciting new act that has taken the Top 40 by storm may not in fact be the next Beatles, Beyonce or even Basement Jaxx – but could be one more case of here today, gone and forgotten tomorrow. Or almost forgotten – because this is a look into the darkest corners of the BBC’s music archives for a reminder of songs by the likes of The Las, The Mock Turtles, Joan Jett and Kim Carnes. There are also some surprising names on the list: Don Henley, Patti Smith, Curtis Mayfield and John Denver - stars who perhaps enjoyed hit albums, or success with other groups, but when it came to singles, once was sadly enough.

More of the greatest sad songs ever, featuring classic tracks from the likes of Sade, The Righteous Brothers, Toni Braxton, Lewis Capaldi and many more stars who broke the charts whilst also breaking hearts.

This third volume of romantic hits from the BBC archives includes classic tracks from the 70s, 80s and 90s, with songs from likes of The Carpenters, The Three Degrees, Simply Red, Meatloaf and Sting, as well as some 21st-century songs to swoon to from Rihanna and Harry Styles.

Prepare for a blockbuster show of stars and performances on another trip through the BBC’s music archives, here exploring more of the greatest movie themes to ever light up the UK pop charts. It’s a rich selection from across the decades, with Lulu’s To Sir with Love representing the 60s, Isaac Hayes and the Bee Gees showcasing the best of 70s funk and disco, and a whole host of big names taking us from the 80s to the present - with the songs including Kate Bush’s This Woman’s Work, Lisa Loeb's Stay, Bruce Springsteen's Streets of Philadelphia and a special BBC Piano Room performance of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Murder on the Dancefloor.

Sharleen Spiteri takes a dive into the BBC’s music archives for a look back at some of Texas’s greatest appearances on a selection of programmes and live events from across their 35-year career. It’s a collection featuring all the band’s biggest hits, from I Don’t Want a Lover and Black Eyed Boy to Summer Son and Say What You Want, combined with Sharleen’s memories of several of her own favourite moments, including 2023’s triumphant return to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, dressing up as Elvis and a key collaboration with hip-hop icons Wu-Tang Clan. For fans, this collection shows exactly how Texas rose to become one of Scotland’s finest groups and demonstrates how they’ve managed to stay on top for so long.

A look back through the BBC’s archives at the work of an artist with whom nothing compares – the acclaimed, unique and always controversial Sinéad O’Connor. This collection highlights how, from the very start, Sinéad refused to be categorised in one single musical genre, and with tracks like Mandinka, Black Boys on Mopeds and Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home, she bared her soul in her songs, using them to challenge expectations of a popular artist with an international following. This playlist also features Sinéad’s collaborations with Shane MacGowan and Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, and some iconic covers of much-loved songs, with that incredible voice tackling The Animals’ House of the Rising Sun and the song that made her a star, Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U.

Prepare for a musical chain reaction with an hour lit up by one shining moment after another in this celebration of the best BBC performances from soul legend Diana Ross. From The Supremes to some of her most supreme solo hits, this collection from the archives underlines exactly why Ms Ross has been one of the biggest and most enduring names in music. With songs like Baby Love, I’m Still Waiting and Why Do Fools Fall in Love? from Diana’s visits to the BBC on programmes like Top of the Pops, Wogan and the National Lottery show, this is a must for all fans that promises to leave them Upside Down and enjoying a massive Love Hangover.

When Terry Hall died in December 2022, at the age of 63, we lost one of British music’s most influential, unpredictable and adored singer-songwriters of recent times. Here, take a trip into the BBC’s archives to look back on Terry’s extraordinary, genre-hopping career - from his early, decade-defining days as front man with The Specials, to Fun Boy Three, The Colourfield and his acclaimed solo career. Along the way, there were also multiple collaborations, ranging from Mark Ronson to Bananarama, the best of which are captured here in performances of hits including Gangsters, Thinking of You, Sense and Our Lips Are Sealed from shows like Top of the Pops, Whistle Test, Live in Session for BBC 6 Music, Glastonbury, the pioneering Oxford Road Show – and even some Cheggers Plays Pop. What shines through in these performances is Terry’s love of all kinds of music and his desire to never stand still and always try something different.

Ella Fitzgerald was one of the best-loved, most-respected and successful stars of the 20th century – often referred to as the ‘First Lady of Song’ and noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction and improvisational abilities, she recorded more than 200 albums and over 2,000 songs. Those unique qualities are demonstrated here in some her finest performances, captured over the years in programmes like the 1965 BBC special Ella Fitzgerald Sings, a selection of concerts recorded at Montreux, and the legendary London jazz venue Ronnie Scott’s. Among the classic songs included in the collection are her interpretations of favourites like Day by Day, Cheek to Cheek, Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye and Too Marvellous for Words.

Using previously unheard interviews with the band, this is the story of the Swedish super group’s 50-year relationship with the UK. From their first visit, for the Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton in April 1974, to their first ever UK concert in Birmingham in 1977, to the groundbreaking ABBA Voyage concerts in London - this documentary looks at Britain’s impact on the band and the legacy they have left on generations of fans in the UK, as well as the influence of British bands like The Beatles on ABBA. Contributors include musicians who performed with ABBA, superfans whose lives were changed after hearing their music, the British Eurovision judge who scored them ‘nul points’ in 1974, the producers behind ABBA Voyage, and a now-famous member of the children’s choir which accompanied ABBA at their Wembley Arena concerts in 1979. The documentary will also feature interviews with musicians who have been influenced by the band, including Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie and Blossoms

As ABBA mark 50 years since winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, it's time to take another voyage into the archives for more of the Swedish supergroup’s best BBC moments. As well as looking back, this collection brings things right up to date, capturing the excitement and sounds of their recent, technologically pioneering stage shows. Sitting alongside the new material are plenty of classics that highlight Benny and Bjorn’s fondness for a song title that repeats itself: Ring, Ring, Honey, Honey, Money, Money, Money and I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do. And there's also an exclusive performance of the song So Long, which had been lost from the BBC archives and was assumed to be missing forever but has been recovered and restored and is shown again here for the first time since its original transmission in 1974.

A celebration of some of the biggest names in music, offering an epic compilation of 60 songs performed over the past 60 years to celebrate BBC Two's diamond anniversary. All the performances featured originated on BBC Two and have formed an important part of the channel's output over its 60-year history. Featuring such musicians as Joni Mitchell, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Dolly Parton, Stormzy, Sam Smith, Kylie Minogue, Bob Marley, Blondie and Queen.

2024 is the 50th anniversary of ABBA’s iconic performance and victory at Eurovision. With the contest taking place in Sweden, this film celebrates that historic occasion by telling the epic story of ABBA’s greatest period of musical achievement.

A look through the BBC archives for moment after moment from the 'empress of soul’, Gladys Knight. Combining classic tracks alongside The Pips with her own inimitable solo songs, this collection shows why Gladys Knight has powered through seven decades as singer and performer. This hour in the presence of a music legend features such songs as Baby Don’t Change Your Mind, The Way We Were and Help Me Make It Through the Night, drawn from Gladys’s appearances on Top of the Pops, The Old Grey Whistle Test and The Harry Secombe Show.

Vienna Philharmonic’s annual Summer Night Concert takes place in the unique setting of the spectacular Schönbrunn Palace Gardens in Vienna.

A collection of hits from one of pop music’s greatest geniuses - Prince, aka ‘The Artist Formerly Known as Prince’, aka ‘the Unpronounceable Symbol’, and more. Whichever alias he assumed, Prince was always fascinating as both a performer and songwriter, and here are the best of his own appearances on a selection of BBC shows, alongside a rich selection of performances from artists who covered his songs over the years. The playlist includes Beyonce, Muse, Tom Jones, The Bangles, Pink, Alicia Keys, Michael Kiwanuka, Chaka Khan and, of course, Sinead O’Connor, all brought together to demonstrate beyond doubt why Nothing Compared 2 Him.

The singer Jack Jones once said 'there is no greater tribute in the music business than an affectionate nickname'. Known as Sassy, Sarah Vaughan forged a career across five decades, making a reputation in New York clubs, then combining a highly successful recording career with her outstanding work as a live performer. Craig Charles leads us through some of her best-known tracks recorded for the BBC on flagship programmes, including Jazz Scene and Music from Montreux to light entertainment staples, appearing with Jack Jones and Cleo Laine. Once described as ‘the ageless voice of modern jazz', Sarah Vaughan’s sassy interpretations of classic songs, from chart hits like Send in the Clowns to excerpts from South Pacific, will thrill anyone with a love for her music.

An unpredictable but joyous collection of weather-related chart hits, courtesy of two of the BBC’s most formidable forecasters, Carol Kirkwood and Tomasz Schafernaker. It’s a selection that covers all conditions, from Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone, to Why Does It Always Rain on Me, sprinkled throughout with fun facts and crucial context from Carol and Tomasz - clearly relishing this chance to step away from weather charts and test out the music charts

They first triumphed on the 2002 reality show Pop Stars: The Rivals, and over the next decade, dominated the UK charts, the tabloids and the affections of fans of pure pop perfection. Here are the group’s greatest musical moments and biggest hits, from their chart-topping debut Sound of the Underground to Something Kind of Ooooh, Can’t Speak French, Call the Shots and beyond.

The late 1970s to mid 1980s was a period when, in terms of international success, every little thing The Police did was magic – with Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland enjoying a run of chart-topping singles, best-selling albums and huge concerts all across the world. When the trio went their separate ways in 1986, it was Sting who then became even more of a wanted man, establishing himself as one of the UK’s most respected singer-songwriters. This collection of performances from the BBC’s archives celebrates the solo star and the band that brought him to the world's attention in the first place, including the very best of both careers with hits like Roxanne, Fragile, Message in a Bottle, Brand New Day and Every Breath You Take.

Gloria Gaynor had I Will Survive, Destiny’s Child sang Survivor, and for Survivor themselves it was the classic Eye of the Tiger from the soundtrack to Rocky III. These and many, many more are the songs in this selection from the BBC archives, an epic collection of over 40 tracks. Surviving to the end won’t be a challenge, as all the songs are bona fide classics from some of the biggest, best and most enduring artists of all time.

Described by Bono as 'the Noel Coward of our generation’, the singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl would have turned 65 this year had her life not been tragically cut short in December 2000. Signed at the age of just 19 after being the backing singer for a failed punk band, Kirsty went on to write and record songs that spanned genres, including rockabilly, pop and South American. She had hits like A New England and Days and sang a key part in one of the nation’s favourite Christmas songs, Fairytale of New York. Respected by those who worked alongside her, including Billy Bragg, Johnny Marr, Jools Holland and many others, she has left a legacy that is still valued today. This programme brings together performances that highlight the wit and intelligence of this unique performer.

Expect the unexpected on this journey through the BBC’s magical music archives, a Top 40 with a difference. In a Top of the Pops-free-zone, these are the surprising songs and rare performances that aren't seen every day, taken from shows that may have been forgotten - but that definitely deserve to see daylight once again. And whilst some of the musical moments may have been hidden away, the talents involved have always been prominent - ranging from Jimi Hendrix to MC Hammer, from Dusty to Tammy, and from The Beach Boys to The Pet Shop Boys.

A journey through a selection of some of the saddest but finest songs from the BBC’s music archives. Amongst the artists performing are Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, The Smiths, Randy Crawford, Coldplay, Dolly Parton and Eric Clapton, as well as Eric Carmen singing his anthem for the lonely, All By Myself.

A celebration of The Cure, Robert Smith and the unique songwriting talents that meant their long list of singles were always destined to break out from the bedrooms of tortured students and be embraced by a far wider audience. This archive collection of the Cure’s performances on the BBC goes from the early days with A Forest through to hits like Lovecats, Friday I’m in Love, Close to Me and Boys Don’t Cry, demonstrating why, in Britain and overseas, they enjoyed – or pretended not to enjoy – such huge success.

It’s time for a return trip through the best of the BBC’s music archives, celebrating more of the songs that are so good, other artists haven’t be able to resist recording their own versions. This extravaganza features the best in pop, rock and soul from the past five decades and features artists ranging from Adele and Annie Lennox to Happy Mondays and Manic Street Preachers.

From Take That to 1D, JLS to BTS, the Backstreet Boys to Boyzone and East 17 to Westlife, this is a celebration of the groups, made up of frequently gorgeous guys, who’ve always played a vital role in pop’s dominance of modern music – sometimes not taken seriously, despite some seriously catchy songs, but loved forever by those who fell for them first time around.

Forty years on from the release of the hit single by charity supergroup Band Aid, this documentary unearths 75 minutes of rare and previously unseen film footage from the day of recording.

Simple Minds: Everything is Possible tells the inspirational story of how a group of working class kids growing up in post-industrial Glasgow dared to dream. Those kids became Simple Minds, one of the most iconic and influential Scottish bands in history.

To mark 40 years since the release of their festive classic Last Christmas, Wham! icons Andrew Ridgeley, Pepsi DeMacque and Shirlie Kemp present a selection of the band’s biggest and best performances from the BBC archives. From Young Guns Go for It to Club Tropicana and on to The Edge of Heaven and beyond, these are the hits that made Wham! one of the hottest pop groups of the 1980s and first introduced the world to the unique songwriting talents of George Michael.

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, this Christmas special tells the story of how George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley’s Wham! turned one song into a cultural phenomenon. As well as new interviews with Wham! fans and friends, figures such as Mary J Blige, Sir Bob Geldof, Neil Tennant and Sam Smith give their views on the song’s themes of unrequited love and loss

A collection of Eurythmics' best moments from the BBC's music archives, showcasing the bold, innovative, stylish and unpredictable pair who became one of Britain's biggest bands of the 1980s.

Annie Lennox has been described as the most successful female artist in British music history, and this collection is a celebration of the stunning solo side of her accomplishments – which started in earnest with the release of her hugely acclaimed debut solo album, Diva, in 1992. Since then, Annie has shown time and time again exactly why she remains one of Britain's most popular and critically praised artists, and the evidence is shared here once again with a selection of her finest performances plucked from the BBC archives.