Dance classics

[oli]

I was just wondering how much of the music the dj's actually get to pick. I know there is the playlist but do the dj's get to choose which songs they pick off the playlist or are they just lumbered with whatever happens to be on the playlist.

I can remember three occasions where Scott has played a song and then berated it, He said Black Eyed Peas- Imma Be was complete rubbish, Owl City- Umbrella Beach would be the theme tune of GMTV and Lady GaGa- Alejandro which he said was over hyped. And every time I thought why are you playing it but I suppose it might not be his decision.

I can also remember when it was bank holiday and it was the specialist takeover, On Breakfast was Andy George and Jaymo and they were talking to Scott and they were very happy they got to pick 70% of the tracks, I thought it would be more percentage given it's specialist takeover. So how much of the tracks do they pick usually on Radio One?

[the_grove]

So how much of the tracks do they pick usually on Radio One?

Zero.

There's the playlist, and a music departement at Radio 1, and this departement decides which songs are played in which order. They make sure that there are not three RnB tracks in a row. A-list tracks in hot rotation are played every three to four hours, approximately.

Listening to Jo Whiley, I gat the feeling that she has a bit more influence on what to play on her show, it sounds different from Radio 1's usual sound.

In some shows, DJs might get to pick a track that would not normally be played, as a sort of feature. For example, I think Scott played the German eurovision song on his show without it being in the playlist. He talked about the funny lyrics, then played the track. But most of the time, the DJs get told what to play and don't have any influence on what to play.

[Guest PineapplesLikeAarons]

Sometimes the listeners can decide: Greg does the ten minute take over, Reggie does the request show and there's probably more. But highlighted by Scott the other day when Beccy's dad texted in, you can't just request whatever, whenever.

[Viv]

Scott decides what he wants for the Wonder Years, so at least he gets to express himself a bit more then!! :-)

[oli]

Oh I Didn't know that but i do remember Matt Edmonson telling everyone on radio how he was "requesting" to play a song three weeks ago and then played it.

[aleksander]

I get the impression that the average daytime DJ gets to pick 1 track of their own per hour of the show. I notice that Jo Whiley seems to pick a new tune she is loving about 40-45 minutes past the hour, every hour and Greg James obviously has 3 random tunes in his 3 hour show in the form of the 10 Minute Takeover.

Scott doesn't seem to play 3 tracks of his choice every show, but he does have the Wonder Years and also every so often he chooses one such as the Revision Break and Riva Starr-I Was Drunk in recent weeks.

[Tom.]

I was always under the impression that it was about 60% playlist, 30% off playlist, and about 10% own choice...

[Robbie Keane]

Yeah, that sounds right. It may be stricter for other daytime DJs, but you'd figure from listening that Moyles gets far more choice to not play certain songs, reorder songs, and add a few of his own choice in there. Not 100% choice, but certain more than zero.

[Jugalug]

Yeah, it isn't zero. They get three plays.

[hobbs]

Yeah, that sounds right. It may be stricter for other daytime DJs, but you'd figure from listening that Moyles gets far more choice to not play certain songs, reorder songs, and add a few of his own choice in there. Not 100% choice, but certain more than zero.

not far more choice. He's scheduled 4 for every half hour, instead of 7. He can't move them songs from the half hour he's supposed to, else he'd mess up the scheduling for the rest of the day.