The Weekly DiScussion: Radio 1 at 40

in that its a bit of a chicken/egg situation. I'd say their playlist certainly appeals to a large demographic of the radio-listening public, and though you could say it is them mimicing and absorbing the music of other popular outlets i'd go the other way. I do think they set the pace when it comes to popularising music - they have the greatest opportunity of any musical outlet to make or break something through the main commercial (i.e. money-making) outlets. Not exactly giving the people what they want, but giving them what they think they want. I don't know the exact reason for this, maybe its the national angle, maybe its because the presenters are recognised "personalities" and so hold more sway with Joe B. Bloggs

Forget about the music though - a prepondency for bad music is a given in this situation. the real isssue i have with Radio 1 is the treatment of the presenters, lofted up to some godly status whereby every pointless little aspect of their life is part of the entertainment. It's pure egomania, the infatuation they each have with their own opinions and lives and the sound of their voices. Chris Moyles is pretty much the leading light when it comes to this rampant self congratulatory, self fellatory bullshit. He realised long ago that filling his show with as much egotistic chatter as possible was far more important than playing music - and now he's the rule rather than the exception. That so many people actually enjoy Moyles makes me very sad indeed

(part of the 40th anniversary day) just emphasised to me how nobody could ever do what he did on today's Radio 1. If he wasn't John Peel, he'd have been dropped from R1 or put in nightshift slot (a la Annie Nightingale) years ago.

Who'd get away with playing a black metal band called Cock And Ball Torture these days? If Rob Da Bank or Mary-Anne Hobbs did it I suspect they'd be sacked the following morning.

ALTHOUGH, I reckon Reggie = a well nice bloke who genuinely loves music, just a little poor as a presenter.

Chris Moyles: Cunt. Edith Bowman: Cunt. Annie Mac: Cunt. Jo Whiley: Massive Cunt! Judge Jules: World's biggest Cunt! Sara Cox: Cunt! Scott Mills: Wideboy Cunt! Trevor Nelson: Cunt! Vernon Kay: Utter Cunting Cunt Bubble Cunt! Colin Murray: Annoying Cunt!

Need I say more?

I had no elder peers in my family and I solely relied on Select magazine and radio 1 from 8pm onwards to provide me with new music, which it successfully did. I adored the summer holidays where I could listen to Mark & Lard (who else would play Tindersticks at 2.30pm in the afternoon?), Chris Moyles (when he was at his comedy peak), then have my tea and then Listen to Lamaq and then John Peel.

Radio 1 has gone downhill, simply because people like myself got the internet, found internet music sites like this and internet radio, got into different types of music which weren't played on radio 1 and ended up tuning off. I remember listening to some random station and got introduced to Jimmy Eat World, Fugazi, Saves the Day etc and loving it. Sadly, after Lamaq had been moved on, no one could provide me with this 'education' anymore.

I listen to Radio 1 out of pure laziness. I use to really enjoy Chris Moyles but now, I just turn it off or re-tune it to 6 Music. Listening to good music while you get ready for work really does make a difference to your day! My favourite DJ on there now is Colin Murray, I like the black hole idea and I wish I stole it for my show. He's good to have on in the background. Zane Lowe use to be about keeping it real (brand new era, MTV), but like mentioned in this article, he keeps the boxes ticked so he doesn't get thrown off. However, I do still love him because Gonzo is a good TV show and whenever I have emailed him or spoken to him on the phone (more times than you imagine...) he's been super polite and lovely. :)

Jo Whiley is in a different league to everyone else, she is AWFUL. Half the stuff she says makes me cringe and I doubt she has actually listened to half the bands she actually plays. She makes me, an amatuer radio wannabe, sound fantastic. When I went to Radio 1 and actually 'saw her at work', I was totally shocked, she had about 4 runners (one is mentioned on the show quite a bit, I think his name is Stuart) 2 to man the desk with the records on there and 1 guyto put pieces of paper in front of her to read. Gah, I hate her so so so much.

I have a massive interest in Radio, I present my own show and have done for the past 4 and a bit years. Last year I got a massive telling off as a couple of men wrote complaint letters saying that I knew nothing about rock music, what I played was Pop... and trust me it wasn't. The station manager had a nasty go at me, but I didn't give in and stood my ground. However, I reckon if I was on Radio 1, I would have been sacked mind you!

how Radio 1 is celebrating all these things it believes made it a great radio station over the past 40 years but no longer embodies any of these aspects. I don't have time to elaborate on this but it is definitely true.

EXCEPT, one example: they go on about how great John Peel was despite the fact they treated him really badly in the latter part of his career.

p.s. Huw Stephens is ok but plays some terrible stuff sometimes.

he is wonderful.