Why #R1review Just Works

I’m currently listening to the BBC Radio 1 Review Show with Edith Bowman (she’s on the radio, not in my room listening with me).

Usually I don’t listen to the show live (Tuesdays 9-10pm) but listen to the podcast the next morning, whilst on the train to work.

In the podcast they cut out most of the music, leaving only 30-60 seconds of each track. This means I don’t get the track in full, unless I go out my way to find it later on. But I do get the full opinion of the listeners and show guests, which would probably influence me as to whether I go and find the full piece.

But tonight I’m listening LIVE. There is an amazing feeling of listening live. Knowing that there are thousands of others across the country (and possibly the world) who are giving their opinions on tracks that they’ve probably never heard.

Today Lily Allen released her ‘mumback’ single Hard Out Here. I tuned in tonight just as the song was finishing and I heard the opinions of the guests and listeners. There was just something about hearing other’s opinions on a song that I heard a few hours beforehand which excited me again about listening to the show live.

The first time I listened live to the show was on 22nd October. I tweeted in to the show and go a reply from the BBC R1 Twitter!

@OliverNeedham welcome along to the live show! What’s your most loved track so far?

— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) October 22, 2013

This excited me massively! Not only because @BBCR1 had tweeted me (and favourited my original tweet) but it was radio in realtime with instant(ish) interaction from the station.

This is what radio is about. Getting the listener involved and acknowledging them in a tiny way; read out their 140 character message, favourite their tweet or let them vote live during the show.

There’s just something about #R1review which excites me and reminds me why evenings on BBC Radio 1 are a fantastic place to find new music and get involved with the show.