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Â鶹ԼÅÄ Music was created in Autumn 2014 with the purpose of bringing together the music producing components of the Â鶹ԼÅÄ to work more closely. This has resulted in many new initiatives, partnerships and programming including Bafta-nominated Adele at the Â鶹ԼÅÄ, Â鶹ԼÅÄ Music Awards, The Mercury Prize returning to the Â鶹ԼÅÄ, Â鶹ԼÅÄ Music Day and the classical music educational initiative Ten Pieces.

Â鶹ԼÅÄ Music’s next project has now launched with a cluster of a year-long planned season of music programming across television, radio and online.   charts the history of pop music across the decades, from the mid-1950s to mid-1990s through the eyes and memories of both fans and the artists.

The programming kicked off last week on Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 6 Music with 50s specials including Iggy Pop, Richard Hawley and, which is available on Â鶹ԼÅÄ iPlayer.  On the 1950’s, Richard says "The '50s was an amazing decade because it was a time of fearless alchemy in design, clothes and technology. Out of all that melting pot of hope, fear and ignorance came rock n roll possibly humanities greatest invention it's up there with the tea bag." And he’s right.  His show perfectly demonstrated the range of music that came out of the decade, from gospel, rockabilly to blues.  Many of the tracks he played I’d never heard before, but it’s a testament to the quality of the music of that time, and Richard’s choices, that they sounded just like old favourites.

Today Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 2 launches a pop-up digital radio service - - which broadcasts until Sunday. The service will celebrate the music and culture of the decade that spawned popular music and features shows from Len Goodman, Sheila Hancock,  Marty Wilde, Imelda May and Jamie Cullum.  And in a one-hour special today at 1pm, , sees Chris and his seven year-old son make their radio presenting debut together, sharing their love for the music of an artist that bridges generations, the brilliant Buddy Holly. The show was recorded in their garage at home in the 'cassette car' and Chris has revealed that many tears were shed during the recording – by him!   The pop-up digital services are a great way to delve deeper into a musical genre and this latest one follows Radio 2 Eurovision in 2014 and 2015, Radio 2 Country in 2015 and 2016, and Â鶹ԼÅÄ Music Jazz in 2015.  I’m keen to commit to further digital radio pop-up services focussing on other musical genres. 

Attention turns to Â鶹ԼÅÄ Four on Friday night as  charts the UK’s popular music heritage with presenter, Twiggy, guiding viewers through music fans’ stories and memories of this explosive time in music.  Independently produced by 7Wonder, the series has been crowd-sourcing memorabilia and memories from music fans across the country, and they’ve unearthed a treasure chest of stories. Look out for the Teddy Boy twins, the boy who jammed with Lonnie Donegan in his living room, and the lucky schoolgirl who met The Beatles.  

Music fans around the UK have submitted over 3,000 items to  - these include photos, videos and audio - but we need more!  Please search your attics – and your parents’ attics – and upload images of your musical treasures and the stories behind them, and you could find yourself as part of a future episode as the My Generation season continues across the year.

On Â鶹ԼÅÄ Two this Saturday at 9pm, Sir Tom Jones presents , a documentary which explains what made him such an enduring success.  The programme paints a real picture of life in Wales and the rest of the UK in the mid 50,s and Tom obviously loved returning to Treforest and Pontypridd to visit his old haunts, including the hall where he used to dance with his beloved wife Linda. The programme was made before this week’s sad news of his wife’s passing.  

Music fans can wallow in a feast of other 50s themed programming on Friday 22 April on Â鶹ԼÅÄ Four with a double bill of music documentaries.  Billy Fury: The Sound of Fury looks at the career of one the UK’s first rock ‘n' roll stars, who incredibly had more Top 40 hits than The Beatles during the 1960s. He was signed - along with Marty Wilde, Vince Eager and Tommy Steele - by the equally fascinating Larry Parnes, who could arguably be called the first ever pop impresario. The Everly Brothers: Harmonies From Heaven features Don Everly himself telling their incredible story, giving viewers his own unique perspective on the brothers’ music, life and success. The film features interviews with Don Everly, Keith Richards, Art Garfunkel, Dave Edmunds, Tim Rice and Jake Bugg, who give their perspective on the brothers’ music, life and success.

In the next few weeks we’ll be announcing the presenters of the 1966 – 1976 season of programmes which will air in July.  Before then, the Royal Albert Hall hosts the Radio 2 Folk Awards on 27 April, the inaugural Asian Network Live takes place at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith on 30 April and we’re looking forward to Â鶹ԼÅÄ Music Day on June 3. This Saturday is  supported by Â鶹ԼÅÄ Music and tomorrow, Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 6 Music’s with a very special secret guest.

I hope you enjoy the first instalment of .

Bob Shennan is Director, Â鶹ԼÅÄ Music

• all of the Â鶹ԼÅÄ Music: My Generations programmes on the Â鶹ԼÅÄ Music website. 
• to Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 2's four-day digital-only pop-up station dedicated to the music from the 1950s, from midday on Thursday 14 April 2016.
• The presented by Twiggy is on Â鶹ԼÅÄ Four on Friday 15 April 2016.