Today's - the way the radio industry measures how many people are listening to radio stations - show that has achieved what we refer to as a weekly reach of 2.08 million listeners. That figure makes 6 Music the first digital station in the UK ever to reach the landmark of 2 million listeners. A weekly audience of this size is quite a feat for a radio station anyway, but for a digital station which doesn't broadcast on FM, to attract such a healthy audience is a great achievement.
It's also a significant milestone for digital radio in the UK, one which underlines 6 Music’s importance to the sector. Most of all, this increase in listeners demonstrates that 6 Music continues to deliver to UK Licence Fee payers, responding with great positivity to the : ”to grow its audience without changing the aspects which currently set it apart from other radio stations.”
We strive to offer you the listener something different at 6 Music. We celebrate music and artists with an alternative spirit, something which complements the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ’s other national and digital radio networks. Together the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's radio stations deliver an unsurpassed range of music, speech, depth and distinctiveness to audiences across the UK.
6 Music’s presenters and production teams enjoy much (probably unrivalled) creative freedom to interpret this spirit and each day they apply their unique expertise with the ambition to make engaging and intelligent music radio for its discerning and passionate listeners. We do not take the appreciation of our audience for granted. Without you the station would not exist, nor would it need to. So, on behalf of all those who work at 6 Music, I want to take this opportunity to thank you all very much for tuning in and for supporting us with such passion over the years.
I believe our appeal is rooted in the great presenters we have on-air and the range of extraordinary music they play. Research over the last three years has consistently shown 6 Music’s support for a wide range of new music in daytime, with an average of 127 different new songs played during a typical week, 61 of which were by UK acts. In the most recent survey, 88% of all songs played on 6 Music in daytime, and 89% of new songs, were not played across the range of radio stations sampled. This demonstrates how 6 Music supports artists who find it hard to gain airplay elsewhere, and how station is a great destination for listeners who are seeking a broad diversity of songs.
We have an incredible array of presenters at 6 Music - the ultimate collection of trusted guides who connect with listeners through a shared passion for music. The line-up across the week is outstanding, with many presenters reaching out to new listeners.
During Quarter 4 2014, Steve Lamacq, Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie, Liz Kershaw, Maconie’s Freakier Zone, Cerys Matthews and Iggy Pop’s shows posted record audience figures. This builds on the good performance in the previous quarter surveyed (Q3 2014) when Lauren Laverne and Shaun Keaveny hit new heights. All our programmes and presenters contribute to the station’s success, of course. Ultimately, it’s great to see 6 Music growing across the piece. Jarvis Cocker returns to the Station in March 2015 with his Sunday Service show. Iggy Pop did a fantastic job in that slot during 2014 and I’m pleased to say that we will be soon be announcing news of Iggy’s return to 6 Music. The addition of both these fascinating broadcasters to the schedule will make 6 Music an even more distinctive destination for listeners.
To support our fantastic line-up of front line talent, 6 Music also features an intriguing mix of one-off and occasional presenters whose curation and musical insight regularly delights listeners. Over Christmas 2014, the Three Wise Women, Neneh Cherry, Alison Goldfrapp and St Vincent all loaned their talents to 6 Music. On New Year’s Day, Lemmy rocked up to our airwaves, and Pauline Black from the Selector has just completed a month-long residency.
All these artists have very much enjoyed the opportunity to play the music they loved to an audience of music lovers. Over the last 18 months or so, this chance has been seized by many others, including Josh Homme, Jamie xx, Daniel Miller, Philip Selway, Katie Puckrik, Terry Hall, Green Gartside, Amy LameΜ’, Dave Fanning, Rob Da Bank, David Roddigan, Viv Albertine, Miranda Sawyer, Alison Mosshart, Mike Skinner, Karl Hyde, Stewart Lee, Kate Tempest, John Cooper Clarke and many more.
This diverse range of talented music presenters understands that 6 Music is a station which shares the passion for music they want to share with people.
This passion is also demonstrated by our commitment to live music: we originate over 300 live sessions each year. A great achievement, lead by the efforts of Lauren Laverne, Marc Riley and their teams in London and Salford.
On a larger scale, an annual 6 Music Festival has now been established. from Salford was received with great enthusiasm and later this month, 6 Music will assemble another exciting bill, this time on . About 50 artists and performers have been invited to play and listeners can anticipate a range of great sets from Mogwai, Hot Chip, The Fall, Sleater Kninney, Jungle, Interpol, The Charlatans, Maximo Park, Kate Tempest, Neneh Cherry Royal Blood and many others.
In October 2014, 6 Music Live delivered one of the Station’s biggest multiplatform successes with five outstanding artists, Johnny Marr, James, Underworld, First Aid Kit and La Roux performing at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ’s famous Maida Vale studios to an audience of a million Red Button and digital viewers and listeners. These historic surroundings are a regular home for 6 Music sessions for both established and emerging talents, and this will continue through the year.
It was a huge honour when 6 Music won the . At that time the Station had an audience reach of around 1.4 million.
Now with an audience of over 2 million, a multitude of digital devices and new products offers many more ways to consume 6 Music. This trend looks positive for the station’s future, as people are accessing 6 Music in a variety of ways. While most listeners still choose DAB we can see other consumption trends emerging. For example, 6 Music is was the first UK national radio station to attract more than a quarter of its audience via connected device; listening in the car is also growing, with more people choosing 6 Music on the move than ever before.
Reaching 2 million listeners is great achievement for a digital radio station. I’d like to thank every one of you, however you choose to tune in. Here’s to the future.
Paul Rodgers is Head of Programmes, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ 6 Music