Dandelion Radio to host 2006's Peel-initiated Festive Fifty

Another reminder that John Peel may be gone but he's certainly not forgotten: his regular Festive Fifty countdown, which began in 1976, is to be handled by Dandelion Radio this Christmastime.

The online station was established in Peel's honour - Peel was the brains behind the label of the same name - and organisers of this year's Fifty are keen to keep the traditional end-of-year chart alive.

Say said organisers:

"John Peel started the Festive Fifty in 1976 as a listeners' poll of the best tracks of the year. It wasn't held the next year, resumed by popular demand in 1978, and has been held every year since, with an extra All-Time Festive 50 in 1999. Radio One has decided not to continue with it this year, but some of John Peel's old programme team, feeling that the tradition should be kept alive, have asked internet station Dandelion Radio to take over the sleigh reins and keep it going. So this year, the Festive 50 continues on www.dandelionradio.com."

A neat plug there at the end, but an essential one if you're the sort of reader who wants to register a vote for their favourite song/s of 2006. Click here to do just that.

John Peel died in October 2004. That year the Festive Fifty was presented by Rob Da Bank, with Huw Stephens taking over a year later.