| BBC Radio 1 Anthems | |
| Area: | United Kingdom via BBC Sounds (currently unavailable internationally)[1] |
| Frequency: | DAB (in future), BBC Sounds |
| Language: | English |
| Format: | Contemporary hit radio |
| Network: | BBC Radio |
| Owner: | BBC |
BBC Radio 1 Anthems is a British online-only radio stream, owned and operated by the BBC and run as a spin-off from BBC Radio 1. The station launched on 8 November 2024 and plays a wide range of music and acts supported by the main Radio 1 network in the 2000s and 2010s.[2] It broadcasts exclusively on BBC Sounds and will be fully launched on DAB+ in 2025. It is a commercial competitor to Capital Anthems, a Capital spin-off launched on September 12, 2024.
From as early as 2019, the Radio 1 Anthems brand began appearing on the main Radio 1 network. This allowed the station to offer a variety of playlist-style shows on BBC Sounds, which was launched in 2018[3] and identified as a strategic priority by the BBC to expand the platform's audience.[4]
The station rebranded its Radio 1's Greatest Hits show (Friday to Sunday, 10-11 am) as Radio 1 Anthems in July 2019.[5] This brought it inline with existing anthems show, Radio 1's Dance Anthems, which had been part of the Friday and Saturday evening schedule in its current inception since 2012.[6] Other playlist shows like Radio 1's Workout Mix were rebranded as Workout Anthems,[7] the Friday edition of Radio 1's Dance Anthems was rebranded as Party Anthems,[8] while Chillout Anthems launched in September 2019.[9]
In November 2019, reports showed that the BBC was considering launching 'spin-off stations' of their popular music stations in order to gain more listeners.[10] The first of these, Radio 1 Dance, launched on 9 October 2020 with Annie Mac, Danny Howard and Pete Tong hosting a 4-hour dance simulcast.[11] Following this, the BBC launched Radio 1 Relax on BBC Sounds in April 2021.[12] Radio 1 Relax closed on 24 July 2024.[13]
Additional Radio 1 Anthems playlists including Pop Anthems,[14] Festival Anthems,[15] Ibiza Anthems,[16] R&B Anthems[17] and Rap Anthems[18] launched on the network between 2020 and 2022.
In February 2024, the corporation announced plans to launch three new spin-offs, pending public consultation and regulatory approval: one from Radio 1 for “music from the 2000s and 2010s, catering to the appetite from young audiences for recent nostalgia”; one from Radio 2, with “a distinctive take on pop nostalgia’ from the 50s, 60s and 70s”; and one from Radio 3 for “calming classical music”. In addition, Radio 1 Dance would launch on DAB+ with expanded programming.[19]
Following regulatory approval from Ofcom, the BBC announced in September 2024 that the Radio 1 strand would be Radio 1 Anthems and would launch on BBC Sounds from Friday 8 November 2024.
Aled Haydn Jones, Head of Radio 1, said: “Radio 1 Anthems is going to be a great nostalgic trip for our young audience, and to make it happen we’re going to be giving some new opportunities to people from across the UK. Radio 1 plays a crucial role in developing new talent for the entire industry, and we can’t wait to bring this new offer for our listeners to enjoy and discover.”
Programming on the stream will be existing on-demand content from BBC Radio 1 and BBC Sounds.[20] This includes Radio 1's Workout Anthems, Radio 1's Chillout Anthems and Radio 1's Pop Anthems, and also the extensive Radio 1 archive.