Absolute Radio 90s Test Transmissions by Tony Moorey

10Jun

We’ve just begun test transmissions on DAB in London for our next radio station. Absolute Radio 90s will launch on Monday 21st June at 10am, but before then we’re playing announcements from the station’s presenters amid a stream of songs as we build the 90s library up, decide how often the songs are played, when we should play them and generally hone the mix ready for launch.

There’s still a lot of work to be done and what you are hearing now is very much a work in progress, but something of a debate has already been struck up in the building. So in the spirit of openness in which our company blog was set up I think it would be a wonderful opportunity to bring that here.

- Tony Moorey

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Comments (32)

Mike @ June 10, 2010 at 11:35 am | Permalink

Question I’m puzzled about: It’s “Absolute 80s” but “Absolute Radio 90s”. Why does the nineties station get “Radio” in its name??
Bobby @ June 10, 2010 at 12:10 pm | Permalink

I feel Absolute Radio 90’s has the potential to stand out from the crowd in the radio industry. From what I heard yesterday it was in some places predictable and was just repeating songs that are already are currently played in rotation on the main Absolute station and other competitor radio stations. You have the chance here to make a unique station that will stand out in a market full of predictable and safe playlists. If people want to listen to songs for example, Robbie Willams etc then they can do that on loads of other stations every day of the week and why would they change?. Surely the whole point of the station should be to attract a new audience who have never heard of Absolute Radio with the attraction of hearing songs from the 90’s that you have not heard in ages. What about having album tracks that make you remember an album you have not heard for years not just the singles which get played every day around the world anyway, it also give the chance for people to discover music they may have never heard. If the playlist features mainly songs that other stations are already churning out on a daily basis then why would someone stop listening to that station and change to absolute 90’s? The main Absolute station is there for people who enjoy mainstream rock and pop from 80’s through to today. Surely Absolute 90’s is an opportunity to break away from the norm so to speak and create a station that no other radio has dared make before? The other argument is that everyones tastes need to be catered for with pop songs etc… if thats the case then they can listen to 100 other stations, why would someone who likes your standard safe songs tune in when they already have that service somewhere else.
Dan @ June 10, 2010 at 2:10 pm | Permalink

As Tony mentioned in his post- yesterday in the home of Absolute Radio, there was much debate amongst some of us regarding Absolute 90s. Since I was one of the most vocal in the office, I shall attempt to explain my view on Absolute 90s.

I am a bit of an idealist when it comes to radio, and for me one of the most alluring things about radio as a medium is the sense of intimacy and connection a listener can get when that one tune comes on that you love and haven’t heard since you were a teenager, and suddenly you feel the radio is playing just for you. I had this experience yesterday when a track from Faith No More’s Angel Dust album was played on Absolute 90s- it was an album that reminds me of my teenage years like nothing else, and I was made happy for a few minutes whilst the song played.

Then, however, I stopped being happy, and instead started ranting at Tony because, although this was a tune I loved, it had been preceded earlier in the afternoon by The Rembrandts’ “I’ll be there for you” aka the Theme Tune from Friends, as well as “Millenium” by Robbie Williams- the horror! For me this just isn’t what I believe the new station should be about- Yes both of those songs were very evocative of the decade and yes, millions of people probably love those songs, but those people who like more mainstream music such as that are catered for by nearly every other big commercial station you care to name. Meanwhile, people searching for something else are left without much choice. I’m sure Robbie Williams has been played by a huge amount of stations in the last week, but I bet hardly anyone would have played Faith No More.

I think that rather than chasing listeners by playing the obvious big commercial hitters, we should be the station to say “no” to playing it safe for the masses, and play something else- the people who want to listen to Robbie Williams are catered for already, so let the rest of us enjoy what we at Absolute Radio call “Real music”, not manufactured pop, not catchy theme tunes, but those songs that give you goose bumps as you’re reminded of kissing that girl down the park for the first time when you were fifteen, (unless you were listening to Robbie Williams when that happened).

With the launch of Absolute 90s, we have an incredible opportunity to give people more choice, and not just take the schedule from Absolute Radio and cut out anything from decades other than the 90s.

I’m not saying that we should only play obscure music that only spotty music geeks know, but let’s credit our listeners as people who don’t just want the radio on for background noise, and actually care about what they hear, because wouldn’t it be great if instead of a listener saying “let’s turn the radio on”, they said “let’s have Absolute on”, because we’re different, not the same.
Geoff Lloyd @ June 10, 2010 at 4:06 pm | Permalink

What’s everyone complaining about? Absolute Radio 90s was on as I was pottering around the building yesterday and I heard Joan Osborne’s ‘What If God Was One Of Us?’, Ugly Kid Joe ‘Cats In The Cradle’, and ‘Jesus He Knows Me’ by Genesis.

All during the brief periods when I was going to the loo etc. In fact, I’d swear they helped loosen my bowel movements.

If we want to be unique, who could possibly criticise these songs? NOBODY else would play them in such a short space of time. (nb. I left out the words ‘in their right mind’ from the sentence, to help make my point.)

Here’s something to mull over: Who’s going to be interested in a 90s station? I’d guess it’s people who are nostalgic for the 90s, people whose music taste was formed in those years, people who were having the time of their life in those years. People who were in their teens and twenties.

Were people in their teens and twenties the ones buying the Genesis records? No. They were the ones who got excited by Britpop, and dance, and grunge, rap, R&B and even pop. They’re the ones who turned festival going and clubbing into mainstream cultural norms. They’re the ones who would get excited by the idea of a 90s nostalgia service. Whether we could shoehorn all of those genres in and maintain any kind of brand value is another question entirely.

So who was buying the Adult Orientated Rock? The adults, the dads, that’s who. And if they want nostalgia, it won’t be from a 90s service, they’ll get it from Classic Rock, or 80s. Because those stations are the ones playing the music from their heyday.

Playing bland AOR dad-rock from the 90s contaminates the whole brand for the people who are really hungry for their musical memories from that decade, and caters to those who probably won’t even be interested in listening to it.

That said, despite it being a shit record, I think we *should* be playing The Rembrandts. EVERYONE in the 90s loved ‘Friends’, didn’t they? Her with that hair and the big manly chin, him with that little monkey, her off of that Bruce Springsteen video, him with the forehead etc.
IanMelb @ June 10, 2010 at 5:02 pm | Permalink

I think the core of the music should be based on the bands/groups and genres that originated in the 90’s rather than existed before or *through* the 90’s.

Go for grunge, britpop, acid (even though I’m not a big fan of ‘dance’), etc …

Not sure where I stand on formulaic, manufactured boybands however – strikes me that they’re more of the 50’s/60’s than the 90’s (I may sound heretical, but wasn’t most of Motown ‘manufactured’ boy and girl bands?)
Alberto @ June 10, 2010 at 5:09 pm | Permalink

From Spice Girls to Nirvana. And I repeat what I said on twitter: Not just music nostalgia, try to make everything like it was actually a radio broadcasting in the 90’s
Reevo @ June 10, 2010 at 5:15 pm | Permalink

IanMelb, careful now: Nirvana were formed in 1987, Sonic Youth in 1981, The Charlatans in 1989, My Bloody Valentine in 1983. I’d hate to see all these struck off the Absolute 90s playlist ;)

I think Geoff hit the nail on the head, though I’ll definitely agree with @vicki_brown; NO REMBRANDTS!
Heather @ June 10, 2010 at 5:24 pm | Permalink

Honestly I hadn’t listened to the 80’s yet either, but I would expect an assortment not just Rock or Pop. Granted I’m mostly a Rock listener but listen to all sorts of music. In the 90’s I loved listening to Sting, Aerosmith, Nirvana, Suede, Levellers, Pearl Jam, Collective Soul, Dave Matthews Band, Blur, Supergrass, Pulp, Manic Street Preachers, Stone Roses, Oasis, Soul Asylum & an assortment of Pop, Hip Hop, & Dance. I still listened to Mariah Carey, Paula Abdul, Technotronic, C & C Music Factory, Big Audio Dynamite, Garbage, The Chemical Brothers, Depeche Mode, Daft Punk, The Boo Radleys, Bjork & all sorts of hits by the likes of Chumbawamba, The Spin Doctors, Toad The Wet Sprocket, & sooo many others that had at least 1 hit that got constant rotation on the airwaves. I wouldn’t dream of saying what HAD to be played but think it’s a good idea to get all sorts of input on possible music selections. & yes. I even bought the cd by the Rembrandts back in the 90’s. ( as well as a few of the “The Best… Album in the World…Ever!” cds)
Kieron Moyles @ June 10, 2010 at 5:37 pm | Permalink

In many ways the 90’s was the start of the i-pod age. The music was the foundation of most peoples collection, an eclectic collage of memories, beats and tunes. Where a little of everything can be mixed together.

I think the best way to get it to work for a wide audience is to run it as a current station. A more mainstream daytime playlist with the best of specialist dance, hip-hop, indie and rock mixed in as well as their own shows. But let’s steer clear of the first choice obvious play. Let’s not play Smell’s Like Teen Spirit, Common People etc on rotation. Let’s be exciting and interesting & choose some album tracks and singles such as Heart Shaped Box and Do You Remember The First Time.

How about guest DJ’s from 90’s re creating classic sets as well as comedians, actors and “personalities” curating playlists but ONLY if they have a passion about the music. Listeners playlists, hour long mixes compiled by listeners of their favourite 90’s tracks or perhaps music that they associate with specific events, school disco’s, college disco’s, indie disco’s Friday night dance sets etc

The British Isles produced some wonderful music in the 90’s & I think that can be reflected throughout the station not just in a Britpop ghetto because even as we bought Blur & Oasis we were also buying Iron Maiden and The Shamen.

I’ve put a few suggested artists on twitter at #absolute90s why not add your suggestions…
Vicki @ June 10, 2010 at 5:53 pm | Permalink

I was a 90’s kid and teen and to me it’s

Oasis (blah yea I know but srsly u guys), Blur, Supergrass, Elastica, Garbage, Foo Fighters, Shine albums, Kylie’s ‘Confide In Me’ era, Semisonic, Longpigs, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Cast, Stereophonics, Idlewild, Space, Bluetones, REM, Pulp, White Town (not sure where that popped into my brain from but I’m sticking with it), Boo Radleys, Soul to Soul, The Prodigy, Snap, Radiohead, Placebo, Green Day, The Charlatans, Alanis Morrisette, Massive Attack, Rage, Sleeper, The Divine Comedy, Spice Girls, Hole, Ash, Incubus, Air (I think?), Happy Mondays, Travis, Lush, Silverchair, Fatboy Slim, Ben Folds 5, Dodgy, No Doubt…

And it was surely a great decade of random 1 hit wonders, even discounting novelty songs.

Not all that I’d be proudly getting the album out for an evening of listening thesedays, but occasionally (ie on the radio), yeah.
(and obviously for those artists that are still around, I mean their 90s era…)
Natassia @ June 10, 2010 at 5:55 pm | Permalink

Hullo.

Please play: Hefner, Nirvana, Belle & Sebastian, Bright Eyes, Arab Strap, Malcolm Middleton, The Wedding Present, 90s Billy Bragg, 90s Daniel Johnston, Sebadoh, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Mountain Goats, Eels, Half Man Half Biscuit, Sleater-Kinney, REM, Yo La Tengo, Meat Puppets, Giant Sand, Prefab Sprout, The Hives, Grandaddy, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Mudhoney, …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds.

Thank you and good luck.
Natassia @ June 10, 2010 at 5:56 pm | Permalink

Oh also, please can there not be the same playlist every day like there is on Absolute Extreme. Thanks.
Gavin @ June 10, 2010 at 6:20 pm | Permalink

i was born in the 90s, 1992 and i think you should include the rembrandts , Deep blue something , Chumabawamba and loads of bands like that .
Kym @ June 10, 2010 at 6:54 pm | Permalink

I agree with Geoff wholeheartedly. When I think of the 90s, I think of Oasis, Blur, Bush, Radiohead, Supergrass, Pulp, The Verve, Ash, Kula Shaker, etc. That’s when I started discovering British music, and most of the credit goes to Britpop — not to Phil Collins! As others have mentioned, if I want easy-listening elevator music (and I certainly do not!), there are plenty of other stations I can turn the dial to!

Since I live in the States, the 90s also brings to mind Nirvana, The Offspring, Green Day, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Weezer, Sublime, 311, Stone Temple Pilots, and Third Eye Blind. Apart from Nirvana, Green Day, and the Foo Fighters, I’m not sure how big any of those bands were/are in the UK, but they really take me back to the days when I was buying my very first CDs and are still among my favorite bands to date.

These are the bands I would want to listen to–those who were, at the time, deemed “alternative.” Just because it was made in the 90s doesn’t necessarily mean it should be played on the station. There should be a certain level of quality control. Was the song influential in its time? Was it a hit with those in their teens-20s-30s back then? Did it represent a particular musical trend or strike an emotional chord with the younger generation?

There’s a relatively-new FM station in Philadelphia that does it right: Radio 104.5. Though they are not exclusively 90s, they’ve struck a good balance between appealing to nostalgia and playing decent music. (Fatboy Slim = yes! Backstreet Boys = no!) 104.5 has been really popular with listeners in their 20s and 30s for this reason, so it might be worth a look.
Marty from new yawk @ June 10, 2010 at 8:32 pm | Permalink

I think the point of these “specialist” stations should be to play things that you would not normally play on Absolute Radio. If you play the same stuff on Absolute 90s as you do on Absolute Radio, what’s the point. You bastardize (if it’s not a word, it is now) the specialist station when you do that.

Let me give you a fer instance. I have never heard U Can’t Touch This played on Absolute Radio except perhaps on Suggs Fri night programme or the new yrs eve programme. If you don’t play it on Absolute Radio, it belongs on Absolute 90s (why Absolute Radio 90s? legal stuff?). In fact, I think you should make it the first song and have MC Hammer involved. Hammertime!
IanMelb @ June 10, 2010 at 10:34 pm | Permalink

Reevo, fair point, well made – bad choice of words – how about replacing ‘originated’ with ‘emerged or became mainstream/popular’
Declan Moodie @ June 11, 2010 at 2:40 am | Permalink

My view on a 90’s based radio station, similar to the 80’s based on is that it is purely set up for nostalgia. Having a decade based radio station can be used as an opportunity to listen to music from a decade you may not have experienced (such as any 15 year old now). But I think the majority of listeners would be those seeking nostalgia. A record by Faith No More should be played, but Robbie Williams was an important part of the decade and part of what people remember, part of their experiences of the 1990’s. I think using the argument that the mainstream popular songs shouldn’t be played has to stop somewhere because the Britpop bands such as Blur and Oasis had songs which topped the charts and were by all accounts mainstream. The station shouldn’t be about what songs are mainstream or not, or which are ‘popular’. But if they fit into the station’s brand of what the 90’s is, the Absolute Radio brand of what the 90’s is.
That can feature obscure acts that really remind you of a specific time during the 90’s, because you haven’t heard the song since then, or more popular songs that more broadly remind you of the period. If it is the style, genre and feel that the Absolute audience has come to expect I think it should be part of the playlist. It is important to feature the more niche songs, people want and respect that. But I think it is important to find a middle ground, play songs people expect to hear if listening to an Absolute Radio 90s station, while equally playing great songs from the period that would surprise people because they feel they wouldn’t get it anywhere else.
Paul Gaskell @ June 11, 2010 at 12:41 pm | Permalink

will absolute 90s be on the sky platform?
Ry @ June 11, 2010 at 8:50 pm | Permalink

I am rather disapointed that Absolute Radio 90’s sounds virtually identical to Absolute Radio and I’m sorry to say that if this station will be playing the music they do on the current test transmissions then the station will be a failure. Dance music including alot of pop was born in the 1990’s, however as per Absolute Radio’s policy most of the music from the 90’s will not be played. I firmly believe the 80’s station has been a massive success however it seems from alot of discussion forums people are becoming bored due to the same old playlist, as well as the mass amount of listeners who dislike the breakfast show yet Absolute Radio have failed and will continue to fail in acting upon our concerns.
Martin Phillp @ June 11, 2010 at 10:58 pm | Permalink

Somehow I can’t see AR 90s playlisting MC Hammer or even The Prodigy’s early material such as Charly or Out of Space as it doesn’t consitute Absolute’s supposed “Real Music” policy.

Like the 80s station, it’ll get a lot of stick for not playing the songs we all remember from the time and yes guys, that does include the Spice Girls and Take That.

Go on Tony, I dare you, playlist more cheese on 80s and on 90s!
Alan @ June 13, 2010 at 1:15 pm | Permalink

Dear Absolute Radio,

I am in total agreement with Ry the 90’s station is virtually the same as Absolute Radio, in fact listening to both I wouldn’t know the difference. You need to look into your music policy forget just bands like Blur or Oasis or Robbie Williams, you have a chance here for both your 80’s and especially your 90’s station to play the full versatile music genres from the 90’s…Here have the full 100 hit list from the 90’s, chances are you won’t take any notice like you haven’t from the concerns of your 80’s listeners about the breakfast show issue and the same old music been played on a loop.

1. Things Can Only Get Better – D:REAM
2. Return Of The Mack – Mark Morrison
3. Stars – Simply Red
4. Ain’t No Doubt – Jimmy Nail
5. Keep On Movin’ – Five
6. C’est La Vie – B-Witched
7. Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me – Gloria Estefan
8. Mambo No.5 (A Little Bit Of) – Lou Bega
9. Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) – Backstreet Boys
10. I Quit – Hepburn
11. Mona – Craig McLachlan & Check One Two
12. Step By Step – New Kids On The Block
13. I Want You Back – N Sync
14. One For Sorrow – Steps
15. Ooh Ah Just A Little Bit – Gina G
16. Hurt So Good – Jimmy Somerville
17. Cecilia – Suggs
18. Cry For Help – Rick Astley
19. Crying In The Rain – A-Ha
20. Unchained Melody – Robson & Jerome
disc 2
1. All Together Now – Farm (The)
2. I Don’t Care – Shakespear’s Sister
3. Tell Me When – Human League (The)
4. Mulder And Scully – Catatonia
5. Put Yourself In My Place – Kylie Minogue
6. Lucky You – Lightning Seeds (The)
7. Great Things – Echobelly
8. I’ll Be There For You – Rembrandts (The)
9. Twist In My Society – Tanita Tikaram
10. Independant Love Song – Scarlet
11. Dreams – Corrs (The)
12. Steal My Sunshine – Len
13. Here Comes The Hotstepper – Ini Kamoze
14. I’ve Been Thinking About You – Londonbeat
15. Clementine – Mark Owen
16. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm – Crash Test Dummies
17. I’m Only Sleeping – Suggs
18. Give It Up – Hothouse Flowers
19. Crocodile Shoes – Jimmy Nail
20. Wonderwall – Mike Flowers Pops (The)
disc 3
1. Something Got Me Started – Simply Red
2. Right Here [Human Nature remix] – SWV
3. Happy Just To Be With You – Michelle Gayle
4. Feel So High – Des’ree
5. Mysterious Girl – Peter Andre
6. Show Me Love – Robyn
7. Missing [Todd Terry remix] – Everything But The Girl
8. Sweet Harmony – Beloved (The)
9. Part Of The Process – Morcheeba
10. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – Chimes (The)
11. Cleopatra’s Theme – Cleopatra
12. Crazy – Mark Morrison
13. If You Love Me – Brownstone
14. Money – Charli Baltimore
15. Guess I Was A Fool – Another Level
16. I Wonder Why – Curtis Stigers
17. Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover – Sophie B. Hawkins
18. Walking In Memphis – Marc Cohn
19. If I Let You Go – Westlife
20. Stay – Shakespear’s Sister
disc 4
1. Ready To Go – Republica
2. What Do I Do Now – Sleeper
3. Stop The Rock – Apollo 440
4. You And Me Song – Wannadies (The)
5. Good Morning Britain – Aztec Camera & Mick Jones
6. Road Rage – Catatonia
7. Hush – Kula Shaker
8. 21st Century (Digital Boy) – Bad Religion
9. Place Your Hands – Reef
10. Love Rear’s It’s Ugly Head – Living Colour
11. Midlife Crisis – Faith No More
12. Kinky Afro – Happy Mondays
13. Take It – Flowered Up
14. Insane In The Brain – Cypress Hill
15. One Week – Cypress Hill
16. Nothing Lasts Forever – Echo & The Bunnymen
17. Every Morning – Sugar Ray
18. I Think I Love You – Voice Of The Beehive
19. It’s About Time – Lemonheads (The)
20. Birdhouse In Your Soul – They Might Be Giants
disc 5
1. Groove Is In The Heart – Deee-Lite
2. Not Over Yet – Grace
3. Sun Rising – Beloved (The)
4. U R The Best Thing – D:REAM
5. You’re Not Alone – Olive
6. Children – Robert Miles
7. Where Love Lives – Alison Limerick
8. Key The Secret – Urban Cookie Collective
9. Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good) – Rozalla
10. Something Good – Utah Saints
11. Step On – Happy Mondays
12. Infinity – Guru Josh
13. Swamp Thing – Grid (The)
14. Things That Make You Go Hmmm – C&C Music Factory
15. Mr Vain – Culture Beat
16. It’s My Life – Dr. Alban
17. I’ve Got A Little Something For You – MN8
18. You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) – Jimmy Somerville
19. All I Wanna Do – Dannii Minogue
20. Them Girls Them Girls – Zig & Zag
Tim Vernon @ June 14, 2010 at 11:44 am | Permalink

Thanks for all your feedback so far – extremely useful.

We made lots of changes on Friday and will continue to make them throughout the week as we continue test transmissions.

We launch a week today, Monday 21st June, at 10am with Christian O Connell. Keep the feedback coming please!

Many thanks,

Tim, AR 90s HQ.
Sally Holness @ June 15, 2010 at 12:15 pm | Permalink

Dear Tim,

I’m afraid I agree with the rest of the comments made on this blog I have never been a ‘Absolute’ listener the station’s music just doesn’t appeal to me, however the 80’s station I could listen to and throughly enjoy plus it probably introduced lots of new fresh listeners to the Absolute family.

I have been listening to Absolute Radio 90’s for the past 7 day’s I think the music most of which is soft rock ballards (Yes the same as Absolute Radio) is pretty dull and boring. How can you say your introducing a 90’s station yet 70% of the music genre is missing because it’s not in Absolute Radios music policy?

I will re-tune to the 90’s station over the next month to see if you have listened and acted and played the full variety of music from the 90’s and this includes dance and pop music which was introduced and born in the decade.
Thomas Northall @ June 15, 2010 at 1:42 pm | Permalink

I have been listening to Absolute / Virgin since 1993 and I think Absolute 90’s should play brit pop indie music such as Oasis, Blur, Ash, Lightning Seeds, Kular Shaker, Shed 7, Sleeper AND Robbie Williams! Tracks like Lazy days, South of the border, Let me entertain you and Old before I die do have a place on the station. I would love to hear songs by Ash such as Kung fu, Goldfinger and Angel Intercepter not just Girl from Mars, the same with Oasis want to hear Stand by me, D’you know what I mean? and All around the world from Be here now
not just tracks off Definitley maybe and Morning glory. It would be great to hear stuff from bands like Echobelly aswell. Another great band is Pulp – please please please though play Dyou remember the first time?, Sorted for E’s and whizz, Razamatazz, Lipgloss etc not just Common peple and Disco 2000. When Friday nights on absolute became a 90’s show for a few weeks last year it was poor, no real surprises in there. Absolute 90’s has the chance to be different. I would love to hear different tracks from the lightning seeds also, they didnt just to the life of Riley in the 1990’s! I live in the Midlands and only have freeview however so wont be listening taht often but when I do online I would love the variety to be a lot better than normal Absolute and indeed Absolute 80’s which I listen to aswell.
Thomas Northall @ June 15, 2010 at 1:56 pm | Permalink

What happened to my comment?
Thomas Northall @ June 15, 2010 at 1:57 pm | Permalink

My comment is back!
Mark @ June 19, 2010 at 9:30 am | Permalink

@Alan

Whose hitlist is that? It can’t be a list of the best-selling singles of the 90s because Candle In The Wind by Elton John was the best-seller of the decade (and all time).

I agree that both the 80s & 90s stations should have a wider variety of music to properly reflect the musical tastes of the decade. Some news features and reports from the archives would be good as well.
Thomas Northall @ June 21, 2010 at 11:10 am | Permalink

I was live on Absolute radio this morning with Christian O’connell who said he would play Lucky you by The lightning seeds as part of the 90’s mix tape but it wasnt played. My other song Pulp’s Do you remeber the first time? was though. I have sent an email asking if it will be played. I really hope so, it is a great song that you never hear on the radio.
Tim Vernon @ June 25, 2010 at 11:22 am | Permalink

A new blog post has just gone up at onegoldensquare.com that you might be interested in – concerning Absolute Radio 90s
big dave @ July 3, 2010 at 9:00 pm | Permalink

wot hapend to virgin uk
Malcolm Ashley-Jones @ July 15, 2010 at 5:35 pm | Permalink

What about some coverage for absolute 90’s in the Midlands on DAB?
Stan @ August 30, 2010 at 10:45 am | Permalink

I like this idea of a 90s only station. Play anything and everything from that decade. After all, in a free country we are all supposed put up with each other’s tastes and views, aren’t we? You could make people happy if you had some specialist programmes featuring aspects of the decade and its music or go into particular subjects or have magazine or theme programmes. Look at dear old creaky Radio 2, wowing everyone with its documentaries, 60s and 70s magazine shows, old chart shows, live concert programmes, etc, etc. That way everyone will be happy (I suppose). The 90s was surely the most mixed up, diverse, anything goes decade with everything but the kitchen sink thrown into its music and it may be that this mixed up decade is best reflected with different types of show. You only have to listen to Absolute 80s for an hour or two and then listen to Absolute 90s – the two decades are poles apart muscially, real chalk and cheese stuff.

Remember, its Absolute Nineties, not Absolute Nineties for people who hate Robbie Williams, or Absolute Nineties for Britpop fanatics or Absolute Nineties for dance freaks. The onus is on the station programmers think about the whole decade and all that went on in it and try and accommodate and reflect this as much as possible. Not easy, I’m sure, and the advertisers will need to be kept happy if thry are going to promote their wares on there, but a good balance should be possible.

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