KUDOS to Gordon Smart for speaking out

 

ROBBIE WILLIAM 'TOO OLD' FOR RADIO 1

 

By GORDON SMART, Showbiz Editor

 

AS if the BBC haven’t got enough to worry about – an ugly row has kicked off over ROBBIE WILLIAMS.

 

According to the powers that be, Robbie — at the ripe old age of 38 — is too ancient to grace the airwaves of their flagship “yoof” station Radio 1.

 

Robbie’s latest single, Candy, couldn’t be aimed at young people more if it was tattooed to the omnipresent NICK GRIMSHAW’s spacious forehead.

 

But here’s where I’m a bit confused.

 

COLDPLAY, MUSE and even supergran MADONNA all get a chance to shine on the airwaves. How does that work?

 

Robbie has given them plenty to shout about over the years and deserves a spin off the back of his brilliant career.

 

This is how they work it out.

 

Radio 1 have a playlisting system run by a bloke called George Ergatoudis who, as Head Of Music, categorises tunes in order of importance.

 

So if your name is CALVIN HARRIS or TULISA you are straight on there without a fight.

 

But veteran Rob hasn’t even made the C-list.

 

It’s the radio equivalent of being told by your football manager not to bother getting changed for the game because your services won’t be required. And Rob has a fair few winners medals in his trophy cabinet.

 

Anyway, he might have the last laugh. He’s hurtling towards the top of the charts tomorrow without them — and that means Candy will HAVE to be played on Radio 1’s Official Chart Show. http://www.therobbiewilliamssite.com/thumbsup.gif

 

Many moons ago the station did the same thing to STATUS QUO.

 

But even though Robbie wears the odd dodgy purple turtle-neck, ;D he’s still ponytail and stonewash denim free.

 

So what’s the thinking? This is what Radio 1 had to say about it.

 

A spokesman said: “Radio 1 see it not as a question of age, but of relevance.

 

“They think there are acts more appropriate to their target audience of 15-29.”

 

I’ve thumbed through that list of “relevant” acts. It includes MISHA B. Hmmm.

 

They are happy to have Robbie on for an interview — he appeared on GREG JAMES’ show recently — but they won’t play his tunes?

 

And Radio 1 DJs VERNON KAY, SCOTT MILLS, ZANE LOWE and TIM WESTWOOD are all knocking on a bit.

 

Wonder what they’ll do next time U2 have a song out?

 

Implode over their hypocrisy I’d imagine.

 

The SUN UK

 

*** sings to Radio 1 bigwigs in a very childish fashion ***

 

 

Na, na, na, na, na .

 

 

Seriously though. How pathetic is that station? No wonder their listener numbers are plummeting. I think I last tuned in about 1985..... :arrr:

From

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showb...No1-charts.html

 

 

ROBBIE WILLIAMS is celebrating after bagging his first solo UK No1 single for eight years.

Candy is his 14th No1 including TAKE THAT – bandmate GARY BARLOW, who co-wrote Candy, has the same total.

The track is from Robbie’s new solo album Take The Crown, which is out tomorrow. He told the OfficialCharts.com: “Number one, yeah! Thanks to everyone who got it there.”

Some 137,000 singles have sold, with no support from Radio 1, who said Robbie was “too old” for their playlist.

He got an airing on the station when Candy was announced as No1.

It wasn’t Candy head of music George Ergatoudis was eating, it was humble pie. :P

 

 

 

** Unfortunately, I very much doubt Radio 1 bigwigs even care.....

 

 

 

I think that article is incredibly misleading, Madonna didn't get playlisted with any MDNA material for the very reason that she is also too old for their demographic, same goes for Kylie and a whole plethora of other acts of similar age. I don't agree with it as a rule, but it's applied to just about all older acts so it's at least fair in it's exclusion.

I copied and pasted this from the FAQ section explaining the Radio 1 playlist.

 

 

Do you always playlist the Number 1 record?

No. It depends on whether we feel the track will be of interest to listeners. Far fewer people buy singles than listen to Radio 1 and sales of some records are primarily to people who don't listen to the station - if we don't think listeners will like the track we won't playlist it and just play it as part of chart countdowns or other special features. Sorry Crazy Frog!

 

 

So there you go. Candy is of no interest to Radio 1 listeners and they wouldn't like the track. -_-

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/playlist_faqs.shtml

Edited November 4, 201212 yr by Jupiter9

Ha Ha.

 

It says they take account of listeners' comments on the Playlist Messageboard. So I went to see what the 'Yoof' of the country are saying. Looks like the Playlist Messageboard was closed in 2010... :rolleyes: Maybe there was a dissenting voice. :o

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbradio1/F2675884

I think that article is incredibly misleading, Madonna didn't get playlisted with any MDNA material for the very reason that she is also too old for their demographic, same goes for Kylie and a whole plethora of other acts of similar age. I don't agree with it as a rule, but it's applied to just about all older acts so it's at least fair in it's exclusion.

 

But why do they assume listeners only want to hear acts of a similar age as themselves? If, as it said in the papers, the Radio 1 demographic is 15-29, wouldn't that cause some problems? I mean, lets be honest. Would a 29 year old want to listen to One Direction or Justin Bieber?

 

Anyway, Coldplay will soon be disappearing from Radio 1 as I think Chris Martin is mid-30s. :lol:

 

Robbie Williams is off to the Bahahamas thanks to Candy

Take That star's last laugh on Radio One

 

 

Edited by Gordon Smart

 

ROBBIE WILLIAMS is going to reward himself for his latest chart success in true pop star style – by buying a new gaff in the Bahamas.

Rob, who went to No1 with new single Candy on Sunday, is about to taste a double triumph when his new album hits the top spot this weekend.

 

Take The Throne has flogged well in excess of 40,000 copies so far this week — which means a lovely fat royalties cheque will be on its way next year.

 

And that means the multi-millionaire dad-of-one will be able to treat his wife AYDA to her dream — a Caribbean bolt hole for sunshine holidays.

 

A source said: “Robbie, and particularly Ayda, have been feeling the effects of the cold in London over the last couple of weeks.

 

They are accustomed to the sunnier climes of LA — so they started talking about sunny holidays.

 

“Ayda has spent most of her life in the US so she loves the sunshine.

 

“The long-term plan is for Robbie and his family to stay in the UK while he works on his solo career and daughter TEDDY soaks up everything English, from friends to education.

 

“They’ve been looking at properties in the Bahamas because they’ve spent time there before and love the anonymity Robbie has there.”

 

The couple are currently living in London but Robbie owns two properties next door to each other on Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills.

 

Radio 1 must be feeling a bit sheepish after refusing to playlist his music.

 

Far more “relevant” acts such as LEONA LEWIS and JLS can’t compete with his sales. The lads have sold half the number of copies Rob has and Leona has dropped down to No44.

 

I think the question of relevance is wrong. It’s a question of popularity and how good the music is.

 

That goes for great guitar bands being overlooked too — including like REVEREND AND THE MAKERS, THE ENEMY, EUGENE McGUINNESS, THE VIEW and many more.

 

It’s not all bad news — their old boy CHRIS MOYLES looks like he’ll be in the Top 10 with his parody album this weekend.

 

That should give Radio 1 a bit of relevance... 8-)

 

 

 

 

The SUN UK

Edited November 7, 201212 yr by Sydney

I think Radio 1 will have the last laugh when his next single (with no X Factor support) goes in at No.41 because lets face it, outside of 30 and 40-somethings he is pretty irrelevant to music buyers.

I think Radio 1 will have the last laugh when his next single (with no X Factor support) goes in at No.41 because lets face it, outside of 30 and 40-somethings he is pretty irrelevant to music buyers.

 

Well the fact that is is looking likely that Candy will get a second week at #1 this week proves the theory that it's all down to the XF performance wrong (afterall he was zooming up the Itunes chart and was already #2 before the performance). He's done no TV performance of Candy this week and yet is still selling very strongly and considering his core fanbase would be buying the album this week and not downloading the single - it's clearly appealing to younger music buyers than you suggest. Many Robbie fans don't even like Candy and the initial reaction was very mixed but I knew it was clearly released to appeal to a younger crowd and it paid off for him.

 

Why would the second single fail to make the top 40? The only flop single he's had is 'Morning Sun' and that was because he did no promo for it and had forgot he even had an album out at that stage and moved onto the whole TT reunion. His last second single (You Know Me) went to #6 and sold more than the lead single (Bodies). Different should go top 10 if it's promoted and has a good video. Radio airplay should be good as it's commercial - he will probably do it at the Royal Variety and is likely going to appear on SCD. And who knows - he may well be back on the XF final too.

 

Most of the younger pop acts in the UK come, have a few hits and then very quickly lose relevance as the kids move on - Rob is the biggest selling British solo act in history and 22 years in the business and still having #1 singles and #1 albums and will no doubt sell out stadiums all over the globe next summer. He's certainly not irrelevant - if he was he simply wouldn't be selling singles by the bucket load, he'd only be an album seller. Or he would be properly irrelevant like so many older acts and sell feck all new music and would be reduced to doing a greatest hits tour and maybe release a Xmas covers album. It's very rare for someone around as long as he has and especially these days with downloading to still be getting #1 singles.

Grimshaw 'total nob' for calling Robbie Williams too old for Radio 1

The Guardian

 

 

Magic DJ Neil Fox in Twitter tirade after rival breakfast host defends station's decision to omit Candy from playlist

 

BBC Radio 1 breakfast host Nick Grimshaw has been branded a "total nob" by a rival breakfast DJ for declaring Robbie Williams "irrelevant" to his listeners, despite the artist claiming the No 1 slot in the charts for his latest single, Candy.

 

The Tuesday morning war of words was sparked after Grimshaw told 5 News that Williams was too old for his audience, confirming that Radio 1 has deliberately omitted Candy from the station's playlist.

 

"I don't know if he's now for a Radio 1 audience. I've never listened to a Robbie Williams song, but I really like him," said Grimshaw.

 

"To 13- and 14-year-olds, he's not relevant – they've got One Direction. I liked Take That when I was little, but I'm not little anymore," the Radio 1 DJ added.

 

Williams's single, his 14th No 1, sold more than 130,000 copies last week to reach the top spot in the official chart on Sunday.

 

The 38-year-old is one of the most successful British artists of the past 20 years, launching a solo career in 1995 after quitting Take That and selling tens of millions of albums in the UK and Europe. He was reunited with Take That in 2010 for a new album, Progress, and sellout tour.

 

Radio 1's decision not to give Candy much airplay will be seen as part of a strategic repositioning for the station, which is seeking to focus more tightly on its target audience of 15- to 29-year-olds, as set out in its BBC Trust remit.

 

However, Magic Breakfast presenter Neil Fox reckons it is a sign of how out of touch Radio 1 is with its listeners.

 

He tucked straight into Grimshaw on Tuesday morning, tweeting "Brainless @grimmers @R1Breakfast claims @robbiewilliams is too old & irrelevant for today's teenagers! Some advice.. Stop being a total nob."

 

In a second tweet, Fox said: "Scary how many people seem to agree with my thought re @grimmers being a #totalnob over his @robbiewilliams comments! It's true though."

 

Agreeing with Fox, Andrew Gemmell, one of his followers tweeted: "@NeilDoctorFox @r1breakfast It's crazy that R1 have an age limit of 22 or so. Imagine who we'd have lost if that was true 20 yrs ago!"

 

Candy was left off the playlist at Radio 1 because station chiefs felt that it was too old for the station's demographic, whilst new acts such as One Direction and Calvin Harris are on heavy rotation according to Radio Today.

 

Fox told Radio Today the decision "smacks of desperation" and will backfire on Radio 1.

 

"I'm not the voice of youth but Radio 1 are crazy for saying they're not playing his new song. He'll still be popular when One Direction have split up," he said.

 

"I don't know Nick – I'm sure he's a nice guy, but it will be interesting to see how long he lasts now his honeymoon period is over."

 

A spokesman for Radio 1 said Candy was not banned from the station but was not on the A list of highly rotated tracks, adding that Grimshaw had played the track on Monday's show.

 

"Each track is considered for the playlist based on its musical merit and whether it is right for our target audience, with decisions made on a case-by-case basis. It is not a question of an artist's age but whether they are appropriate for our target audience of 15-29 year olds," he added.

 

Insiders said artists like Adele and Ed Sheeran cross both Radio 1 and Radio 2, but Williams is deemed more suitable for the older audiences of the latter.

 

The controversy was further fuelled after Jamie Oliver waded into the row demanding Radio 1 put him on the playlist. "We love Robbie what's the matter with them are they mad?" he said in an interview on 5 News.

 

Radio 1 controller Ben Cooper, who took over in October last year, has been seeking to make the station appeal to a younger audience, following BBC Trust criticism that it was not focusing enough on its 15-29 target demographic.

 

Cooper's biggest move so far was replacing Chris Moyles – like Williams, 38 – with Grimshaw, 28, as Radio 1 breakfast show host last month. He has also moved on presenters of specialist shows including Gilles Peterson, who switched to BBC Radio 6 Music.

 

Since joining Radio 1 in 2007 on the BBC's youth strand Switch, Grimshaw has had a turbo-charged career ascent, standing in for fellow DJ Annie Mac for nine months in 2007 and 2008 and then quickly promoted to the weekend breakfast slot where he reigned for nine months up to May 2009. He then landed the 10pm to midnight slot once occupied by John Peel and vacated after the departure of Colin Murray.

 

The row has echoes of a dispute between Radio 1 and veteran rockers Status Quo, who started high court action after they were similarly kept off the play list for being "too dull" in 1996 as the station made a bid to improve its youth credentials. Radio 1 DJ John Peel applauded the writ as a cunning publicity stunt which got the band back in the headlines everywhere.

 

In the same year Radio 1 also refused to put The Beatles' Real Love on its playlist, saying it was not what listeners wanted to hear. Paul McCartney wrote an angry comment piece for the Daily Mirror criticising the "kindergarten kings of Radio 1". The song went to number four in the UK singles chart.

 

Three years later, Cliff Richard then 58, got his 14th UK No 1 with charity single The Millennium Prayer, despite being denied airplay on radio stations around the country including Radio 1 and Radio 2.

 

The charity single, which was the Lord's Prayer sung to Auld Lang Syne was panned by the critics but it became the third-best selling single of his career up to then after a campaign through churches and the internet.

 

Williams spokesman said he had no comment to make about Radio 1's decision.

 

Candy is Williams first UK No 1 in eight years and the 14th of his career including Take That, putting him on equal footing with his former bandmate Gary Barlow and on a par with Cliff Richard.

 

Candy is also Williams's fastest-selling single in the UK since Rock DJ hit the top spot 12 years ago, and with 137 000 copies sold this week, it's the fastest-selling male artist single of the year, and the third fastest-selling single of 2012 overall.

 

Williams has played four dates this year and has three further sell-out gigs coming up at London's O2.

 

 

 

Robbie Williams on Radio 1 row: If they play Madonna I'll break their legs

METRO

EXCLUSIVE: Robbie Williams says he’s not taking his Radio 1 ban to heart – but if the station plays Madonna or Coldplay, he’ll march over and ‘break their legs’.

 

The Candy singer was full of spirit as we caught up at his Marmite Oxford Street Christmas Lights gig as he also happily explained the intention behind a new song he features on, singing about penises.

 

On the Radio 1 row, the 38-year-old resisted rubbing his 14th No.1 in the station’s face... kind of.

 

DJ Nick Grimshaw earlier defended Radio 1’s decision to ban Robbie Williams’s chart-topping single, Candy, from the playlist, questioning his ‘relevance’ to the station’s target demographic of 15-29.

 

‘I don’t know if he’s now for a Radio 1 audience,’ said Grimmy, who was quick to point out the attack was not personal. ‘I’ve never listened to a Robbie Williams song but I really like him.

 

‘To 13- and 14-year-olds he’s not relevant... they’ve got One Direction. I liked Take That when I was little but I’m not little any more,’ the 28-year-old radio jock told Channel 5 News.

 

After topping the charts Robbie insisted he wasn't looking for revenge, saying: ‘It’s not really about having the last laugh. Radio 1 goes through the government. The government’s given them a remit to appeal to 17- to 24-year-olds, obviously I don’t fit in to that and that’s OK.

 

‘They’ve got a job to do and a business to look after and they’ve always been incredibly supportive of me and for that I thank them very, very much. If they never play a record of mine again, I thank them for the support they have given me and, if they do, then bless them too.’

 

Rounding off a sarcastic truce, he added: ‘Nothing’s personal, it’s not a vendetta against Robbie Williams but they better not play Coldplay or Madonna or I’ll break their legs.’

 

Turning his attention to his pants after featuring on a Chris Moyles track called I.L.M.P (I Love My Penis), he explained: ‘I haven’t written a song with Chris Moyles, I’ve appeared on a song that Chris Moyles has written and it’s about enjoying one’s penis.’

 

And in case you were wondering, the married star does that ‘by being an admirer of making love to yourself’.

 

Meanwhile, the singer says he’s ready to expand the family already after he and his wife, Ayda Field, recently welcomed daughter Teddy.

 

He added: ‘I do plan to have more kids. I don’t but the wife does.’

 

RW.com

Well the fact that is is looking likely that Candy will get a second week at #1 this week proves the theory that it's all down to the XF performance wrong (afterall he was zooming up the Itunes chart and was already #2 before the performance). He's done no TV performance of Candy this week and yet is still selling very strongly and considering his core fanbase would be buying the album this week and not downloading the single - it's clearly appealing to younger music buyers than you suggest. Many Robbie fans don't even like Candy and the initial reaction was very mixed but I knew it was clearly released to appeal to a younger crowd and it paid off for him.

 

Why would the second single fail to make the top 40? The only flop single he's had is 'Morning Sun' and that was because he did no promo for it and had forgot he even had an album out at that stage and moved onto the whole TT reunion. His last second single (You Know Me) went to #6 and sold more than the lead single (Bodies). Different should go top 10 if it's promoted and has a good video. Radio airplay should be good as it's commercial - he will probably do it at the Royal Variety and is likely going to appear on SCD. And who knows - he may well be back on the XF final too.

 

Most of the younger pop acts in the UK come, have a few hits and then very quickly lose relevance as the kids move on - Rob is the biggest selling British solo act in history and 22 years in the business and still having #1 singles and #1 albums and will no doubt sell out stadiums all over the globe next summer. He's certainly not irrelevant - if he was he simply wouldn't be selling singles by the bucket load, he'd only be an album seller. Or he would be properly irrelevant like so many older acts and sell feck all new music and would be reduced to doing a greatest hits tour and maybe release a Xmas covers album. It's very rare for someone around as long as he has and especially these days with downloading to still be getting #1 singles.

 

I'm not saying he isn't successful, I am saying that for anyone under 30 he is pretty irrelevant - therefore he should be on Radio 2's playlist and not on Radio 1.

 

I'm not saying he isn't successful, I am saying that for anyone under 30 he is pretty irrelevant - therefore he should be on Radio 2's playlist and not on Radio 1.

 

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22! :P (and not only feeling)

The girl I sit beside at work is a mega Robbie fan. And she's 24. Having been to Robbie concerts, I'm always surprised how many teenagers and twenty somethings are there. And on their own too. Not dragged along by their mammy. Robbie has a much wider appeal than Radio 1 seems to imagine. But hey, the man himself doesn't seem too bothered by not being played on Radio 1 so perhaps we shouldn't be either.

 

And if Radio 1 reduce their 'target demographic' much more, we'll be getting 'Puff the Magic Dragon' and 'The Wheels On The Bus Go Round and Round' on their playlist :lol:

Grimshaw 'total nob' for calling Robbie Williams too old for Radio 1

 

 

"I don't know if he's now for a Radio 1 audience. I've never listened to a Robbie Williams song, but I really like him," said Grimshaw.

 

"To 13- and 14-year-olds, he's not relevant – they've got One Direction. I liked Take That when I was little, but I'm not little anymore," the Radio 1 DJ added.

 

 

29 year old teenager Nick Grimshaw has gone through his life without listening to a single solitary Robbie song? But he really likes him anyway?

 

Oh dear. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: As bright as a blackout as they say... :rolleyes:

 

 

 

 

And if Radio 1 reduce their 'target demographic' much more, we'll be getting 'Puff the Magic Dragon' and 'The Wheels On The Bus Go Round and Round' on their playlist :lol:

 

Which is EXACTLY what "Candy" sounds like, some sort of bad Haribo advert.

Hey, no-one on here loves Candy. And it was Robbie himself who said it sounded like the Haribo advert. Ideal for Radio 1 I'd have thought. :lol:

Which is EXACTLY what "Candy" sounds like, some sort of bad Haribo advert.

 

 

Here's a bag all for yourself ;)

 

 

http://i47.tinypic.com/2rc5yqo.jpg

Edited November 9, 201212 yr by Sydney

I'm not arsed who the hell they decide not to playlist as for me - Radio 1 has been shite for about the last 20 years or so. Chris Moyles was its biggest offender for me - you could listen to a whole hour of his morning show (I did it a couple of times just to 'hear' what I was missing) and in one hour - he played four records - the rest of the time was him talking out of his back passage. I have no idea who this Nick Grimshaw is but I'm assuming he's just a younger version of the clown called Moyles.

 

I only listen to the radio in the car on the way to work and I always choose Wish, Smooth or local BBC radio (Lancashire). I do tune in to Radio 4 for the comedy panel shows though - especially when Jeremy Hardy is featured.

 

Back on topic though - I actually like 'Candy' - its light, fluffy and catchy (totally forgettable - but a nice little tune nonetheless). Its one of Gary Barlow's better tunes of late.

Moyles was really unbearable.. and so is Grimshaw.

 

On Grim:

 

Playing all low-quality music and drenched to the skin in it he suddenly confesses he likes Robbie but not his music... So is Robbie too old for R1 (10 years older than Grim) or just rubbish? How can a person who is living on this island and is willing to climb the ladder of the MAINSTEAM (and most commonly low-quality) radio say he has never listened to a Robbie song really? :o Grim is just rude and disgusting. Plus the fact that he is 'kind' enough to 'like the old mans personality even if he doesn't like his music' doesn't make things any better.

 

On R1's choice to make this demographic map:

 

FAIL. (I wouldn't be shocked if they change this policy very soon)

Calling a 40 y.o. man too old is offensive for the audience as well, almost racism. Music has no such borders. What if they do not playlist the likes of Madonna, Coldplay or Robbie to make room of Minaj or Bieber? The joke's on them! I hate playlists to start with... If Grim and co. were any relevant or important themselves they wouldn't need them, they would have the right judgement, taste and authority to choose what to play rather than just push the play button.

 

On Candy:

 

If the point was x-29 R1 , 29-x R2 it would still be more suitable for R1 :lol:

Like almost every review has pointed out, Candy is, not representative of TTC. (thank god)