Easy Listening Secondary Stations


So here’s a set of secondary stations, playing sub-genres within the main “brand”. You’ll see that about 500-600 songs seems the standard for the commercial pretty much totally automated stations, though Jack & Chill (what a great name!) was right out there with over 1100, and even Radio 1 Relax also scored highly, during its relatively short (in radio terms) life of 3 years, being boosted by weekend apparently “handpick” shows.
Smooth Chill started mainly as a “something different” filler for DAB capacity and was used as and when required on various multiplexes that GWR/GCap/Global have had spare space on and/or needed to fill, though it now occupies a pretty Low-Fi slot on National D1 playing a fairly unique mix from the mainstream end of Ibiza style chilled house, ambient and lounge tracks. It has remained remarkably consistent since it started in 2005 as “Chill”, before being renamed more recently into the “Smooth” brand.
Jack 3, Mellow Magic and Magic Soul all play/played various combinations of the easy listening end of what you might call conventional oldies, while Magic at the Musicals does what it says on the tin. As you can see from the graph, all apart from Jack 3 very quickly ran/run out of variety after just a couple of days, with only a very few new tracks after as little as 5 or 6 days, though even jack 3 wasn’t playing anything different after 2 weeks.

Analysis: 26 days, up to 24-01-2025
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 5132
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 673
Variety factor for this station is : 13.1%
50% OF PLAYS is 192 Songs (28.5% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 118 MOST played songs (17.5% of the total)
or 396 LEAST played songs (58.8% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 1d 5h 42m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 10h 40m
118th most played song airs every: 2d 4h
192nd most played song airs every: 2d 8h 43m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 241 (35.8%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
1 after 17 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 690
..in 3 months: 1008, in 6 months: 1123
..in 9 months: 1165, in 12 months: 1199
Top 10 Most Played:
1 [21 plays] Ed Sheeran – Perfect
2 [20 plays] Oleta Adams – Get Here
3 [19 plays] Savage Garden – Truly Madly Deeply
4= [18 plays] each for…
+ Bryan Adams – I Do It For You
+ Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud
+ Pretenders – I’ll Stand By You
+ Smokey Robinson and The Miracles – The Tracks Of My Tears
+ Texas – Say What You Want
+ Tina Arena – Chains
+ Vanessa Williams – Save The Best For Last

Analysis: 25 days, up to 23-01-2025
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 8375
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 759
Variety factor for this station is : 9%
50% OF PLAYS is 204 Songs (26.8% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 120 MOST played songs (15.8% of the total)
or 445 LEAST played songs (58.6% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 13h 57m
10th most played song airs every: 19h 21m
120th most played song airs every: 1d 9h 20m
204th most played song airs every: 1d 16h
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 170 (22.3%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 14 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 812
..in 3 months: 821, in 6 months: 930
..in 9 months: 1038, in 12 months: 1040
Top 11 Most Played:
1= [43 plays] each for…
+ Goldfrapp – Lovely Head
+ Koop – Waltz For Koop
3 [38 plays] Freyr – Departure
4= [34 plays] each for…
+ Air – Ce Matin La
+ Hollow Coves – Coastline (Vancouver Sleep Clinic Remix)
6 [33 plays] Penguin Cafe Orchestra – Music For A Found Harmonium
7 [32 plays] Wilborn – Hideaway
8= [31 plays] each for…
+ A Man Called Adam – Easter Song
+ Erick Morillo – Live Your Life
+ Future Sound Of London – Papua New Guinea (Blue States mix)
+ Goldfrapp – A and E

The BBC killed off R1 Relax on 24th July 2024, stating that it was only really intended for the Covid Pandemic/Lockdown era, which has now long since passed. Here’s a historic analysis then from it’s last operating month…
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 7817
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 1075
Variety factor for this station is : 13.7%
50% OF PLAYS is 240 Songs (22.3% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 136 MOST played songs (12.6% of the total)
or 701 LEAST played songs (65.2% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 15h 48m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 0h
136th most played song airs every: 1d 22h 17m
240th most played song airs every: 2d 10h 54m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 503 (46.7%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 9 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 1099
..in 3 months: 2116, in 6 months: 3289
..in 9 months: 4388, in 12 months: 5241
Top 10 Most Played:
1 [33 plays] Billie Eilish – BIRDS OF A FEATHER
2 [30 plays] Frank Ocean – Thinking Bout You
3= [28 plays] each for…
+ Amie Blu – pretty
+ Dennis Ferrer – Hey Hey
5= [24 plays] each for…
+ Rihanna – Stay (feat. Mikky Ekko)
+ Tems – Love Me JeJe
7= [23 plays] each for…
+ Ariana Grande – needy
+ Brandy & Monica – The Boy Is Mine
+ Childish Gambino – Redbone
+ Klangkarussell – Sonnentanz (Sun Don’t Shine) (feat. Will Heard)

Analysis: 26 days, up to 24-01-2025
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 4993
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 790
Variety factor for this station is : 15.8%
50% OF PLAYS is 218 Songs (27.5% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 131 MOST played songs (16.5% of the total)
or 467 LEAST played songs (59.1% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 1d 2h
10th most played song airs every: 1d 17h 36m
131st most played song airs every: 2d 8h 43m
218th most played song airs every: 2d 21h 20m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 362 (45.8%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
2 after 17 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 835
..in 3 months: 999, in 6 months: 1147
..in 9 months: 1175, in 12 months: 1195
Top 22 Most Played:
1 [24 plays] En Vogue – My Lovin’
2 [19 plays] Donna Summer – Bad Girls
3= [17 plays] each for…
+ Detroit Spinners – Could It Be I’m Falling In Love
+ Shalamar – A Night To Remember
5= [16 plays] each for…
+ Candi Staton – Young Hearts Run Free
+ Delfonics – La La Means I Love You
+ Detroit Emeralds – Feel The Need In Me
+ Marlena Shaw – California Soul
+ Shalamar – I Can Make You Feel Good
10= [15 plays] each for…
+ Al Green – Let’s Stay Together
+ Alexander O’Neal – Criticize
+ Average White Band – Let’s Go Round Again
+ Average White Band – Pick Up The Pieces
+ Bob Marley and The Wailers – Is This Love
+ Curtis Mayfield – Move On Up
+ Heatwave – Boogie Nights
+ Johnny Bristol – Hang On In There Baby
+ Michael McDonald – Sweet Freedom
+ Narada Michael Walden – I Shoulda Loved Ya
+ Sylvester – You Make Me Feel
+ Tymes – Ms Grace
+ Velvelettes – Needle In A Haystack

Analysis: 27 days, up to 24-01-2025
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 5252
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 498
Variety factor for this station is : 9.4%
50% OF PLAYS is 143 Songs (28.7% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 89 MOST played songs (17.8% of the total)
or 293 LEAST played songs (58.8% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 1d 0h 55m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 5h 27m
89th most played song airs every: 1d 14h 7m
143rd most played song airs every: 1d 19h 12m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 149 (29.9%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 14 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 533
..in 3 months: 796, in 6 months: 1053
..in 9 months: 1220, in 12 months: 1346
Top 14 Most Played:
1 [26 plays] Six – Six – Finale
2 [24 plays] Tina – The Tina Turner Musical – What’s Love Got To Do With It
3= [23 plays] each for…
+ Back To The Future – The Power of Love
+ Commitments – Try A Little Tenderness
+ Dear Evan Hanson – You Will Be Found
+ Hair – Aquarius
+ Pretty Woman – I Can’t Go Back
8= [22 plays] each for…
+ Book Of Mormon – You And Me
+ Cher Show – If I Could Turn Back Time
+ Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – The Wall In My Head
+ Gypsy – Everything’s Coming Up Roses
+ Once – Falling Slowly
+ Starlight Express – I Am The Starlight
+ Waitress – She Used To Be Mine

Analysis: 25 days, up to 24-01-2025
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 4946
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 416
Variety factor for this station is : 8.4%
50% OF PLAYS is 122 Songs (29.3% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 73 MOST played songs (17.5% of the total)
or 232 LEAST played songs (55.7% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 19h 21m
10th most played song airs every: 23h 4m
73rd most played song airs every: 1d 7h 34m
122nd most played song airs every: 1d 16h
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 65 (15.6%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 13 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 416
..in 3 months: 418, in 6 months: 707
..in 9 months: 729, in 12 months: 729
Top 12 Most Played:
1 [31 plays] Madonna – Causing A Commotion
2 [28 plays] Madonna – Who’s That Girl
3= [27 plays] each for…
+ Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories – Stay
+ Patrice Rushen – Forget Me Nots
+ Ray Parker Jr. – Ghostbusters
+ Texas – Inner Smile
+ Wilson Phillips – Hold On
8= [26 plays] each for…
+ Bobby McFerrin – Don’t Worry Be Happy
+ Jamiroquai – Canned Heat
+ Miami Sound Machine – Bad Boy
+ Robert Palmer – Addicted To Love
+ Wham! – Young Guns

Jack 3 Chill ceased in Oct 2023 along with the other Jack Stations when Hits and Greatest Hits took over. Here is a Historic Analysis from the final month.
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 7613
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 1035
Variety factor for this station is : 13.5%
50% OF PLAYS is 273 Songs (26.3% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 154 MOST played songs (14.8% of the total)
or 606 LEAST played songs (58.5% of the total)
Most played airs on average every: 22h 9m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 1h 2m
154th most played song airs every: 2d 0h
273rd most played song airs every: 2d 16h
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 422 (40.7%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 13 DAYS
Different songs played in 1 month: 1049
..in 3 months: 1091, in 6 months: 1102
..in 9 months: 1214, in 12 months: 1339
Top 12 Most Played:
1= [26 plays] each for…
+ Kiss Me – Sixpence None The Richer
+ Save The Best For Last – Vanessa Williams
3= [25 plays] each for…
+ Always – Bon Jovi
+ To Be With You – Mr Big
5= [24 plays] each for…
+ Hazard – Richard Marx
+ Hold On – Wilson Phillips
+ Ocean Drive – Lighthouse Family
+ Sleeping Satellite – Tasmin Archer
+ You’re Still The One – Shania Twain
10= [23 plays] each for…
+ I Got You Babe – Sonny / Cher
+ My Girl – Temptations
+ Torn – Natalie Imbruglia
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