25-55 Age Pop/General Range/Oldies Stations

Here we are then, the stations that play a cross section of pop music from across the years, targeting the 25-55/60 market, some with an element of current songs, (eg Ofcom FORCES BBC Radio 2 to play 20% “new music” in daytime hours) and some without any current songs at all. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the big groups are all in on the action in this genre with at least two offerings from each of Global and Bauer is this sector, (and each also with back up “decade” and other variations on the main brand, as you’ll find out on other pages). Once again the BBC’s Radio 2 is streets ahead with over 4000 different songs played, almost 3 times the next nearest commercial rival, but you may notice R2 doesn’t start off playing as many songs as the commercial stations (due to the Ofcom rule already mentioned), however after just a few days keeps it’s new plays going, where the commercial rivals with their far smaller playlists, quickly run out of “new song” steam.

Union Jack, playing just British artists, was a national DAB station opening in 2016, but it closed suddenly in early 2022. Even though no longer broadcasting, it’s data is still currently included in this list for interest. Virgin 80’s plus is the newest in this arena, it was launched on 1st Sept 2022. Off the back of the success of Bauer’s Greatest HIts, is Gold Radio looking forward to a revamp and relaunch by Global? Answers on a Postcard!

Analysis: 23 days, up to 23-01-2025
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 6076
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 3661
Variety factor for this station is : 60.2%

50% OF PLAYS is 886 Songs (24.2% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 381 MOST played songs (10.4% of the total)
or 2025 LEAST played songs (55.3% of the total)

Most played airs on average every: 9h 41m
10th most played song airs every: 20h 26m
381st most played song airs every: 7d 16h
886th most played song airs every: 11d 12h
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 3609 (98.5%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
68 after 22 DAYS

Different songs played in 1 month: 4514
..in 3 months: 8929, in 6 months: 14043
..in 9 months: 18318, in 12 months: 22073

Top 10 Most Played:

1 [57 plays] Deacon Blue – Late ’88
2 [53 plays] Myles Smith – Nice To Meet You
3= [47 plays] each for…
+ Franz Ferdinand – Night Or Day
+ Griff – last night’s mascara
5 [41 plays] Kim Wilde – Midnight Train
6= [35 plays] each for…
+ OneRepublic – Hurt
+ Sam Fender – People Watching
8 [28 plays] Will Brown – Better Man
9= [27 plays] each for…
+ Janet Devlin – Best Life
+ Shed Seven – All Roads Lead To You

Analysis: 25 days, up to 23-01-2025
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 9367
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 1470
Variety factor for this station is : 15.6%

50% OF PLAYS is 131 Songs (8.9% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 66 MOST played songs (4.4% of the total)
or 1253 LEAST played songs (85.2% of the total)

Most played airs on average every: 4h 6m
10th most played song airs every: 4h 36m
66th most played song airs every: 22h 13m
131st most played song airs every: 1d 4h 34m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 1124 (76.4%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
24 after 24 DAYS

Different songs played in 1 month: 1623
..in 3 months: 2391, in 6 months: 2724
..in 9 months: 2828, in 12 months: 2870

Top 10 Most Played:

1 [146 plays] Dasha – Austin
2= [141 plays] each for…
+ Myles Smith – Stargazing
+ Noah Kahan – Stick Season
+ Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)
5 [140 plays] Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen – I Had Some Help
6 [137 plays] Teddy Swims – The Door
7= [136 plays] each for…
+ Benson Boone – Beautiful Things
+ Hozier – Too Sweet
+ Teddy Swims – Lose Control
10 [130 plays] Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars – Die With A Smile

Analysis: 25 days, up to 24-01-2025
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 5020
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 1662
Variety factor for this station is : 33.1%

50% OF PLAYS is 342 Songs (20.5% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 198 MOST played songs (11.9% of the total)
or 1133 LEAST played songs (68.1% of the total)

Most played airs on average every: 1d 18h 51m
10th most played song airs every: 2d 2h
198th most played song airs every: 3d 13h 42m
342nd most played song airs every: 5d 0h
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 1356 (81.5%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
13 after 23 DAYS

Different songs played in 1 month: 1784
..in 3 months: 3439, in 6 months: 4953
..in 9 months: 5899, in 12 months: 6529

Top 12 Most Played:

1= [14 plays] each for…
+ Candi Staton – Young Hearts Run Free
+ Sylvester – You Make Me Feel
+ Yvonne Elliman – If I Can’t Have You
4 [13 plays] Al Green – Tired Of Being Alone
5= [12 plays] each for…
+ A-Ha – Take On Me
+ Curtis Mayfield – Move On Up
+ Earth, Wind and Fire – September
+ Gerry Rafferty – Baker Street
+ Mcfadden and Whitehead – Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now
+ O’Jays – Love Train
+ Squeeze – Cool For Cats
+ Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel – Make Me Smile

Analysis: 24 days, up to 23-01-2025
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 9292
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 952
Variety factor for this station is : 10.2%

50% OF PLAYS is 238 Songs (25% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 144 MOST played songs (15.1% of the total)
or 602 LEAST played songs (63.2% of the total)

Most played airs on average every: 17h 27m
10th most played song airs every: 21h 20m
144th most played song airs every: 1d 8h
238th most played song airs every: 1d 14h 24m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 351 (36.8%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 18 DAYS

Different songs played in 1 month: 1044
..in 3 months: 1131, in 6 months: 1298
..in 9 months: 1348, in 12 months: 1417

Top 11 Most Played:

1 [33 plays] Bruce Channel – Hey! Baby
2= [31 plays] each for…
+ Thunderclap Newman – Something In The Air
+ Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl
4= [29 plays] each for…
+ Equals – Baby Come Back
+ Jeff Beck – Hi Ho Silver Lining
6= [27 plays] each for…
+ Chris Montez – Let’s Dance
+ Dusty Springfield – I Only Want To Be With You
+ Love Affair – Everlasting Love
+ Small Faces – Itchycoo Park
+ Swinging Blue Jeans – Hippy Hippy Shake
+ Tom Jones – It’s Not Unusual

Analysis: 24 days, up to 24-01-2025
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 4785
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 584
Variety factor for this station is : 12.2%

50% OF PLAYS is 140 Songs (23.9% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 83 MOST played songs (14.2% of the total)
or 375 LEAST played songs (64.2% of the total)

Most played airs on average every: 20h 34m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 2h 10m
83rd most played song airs every: 1d 12h
140th most played song airs every: 1d 20h 18m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 263 (45%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
1 after 17 DAYS

Different songs played in 1 month: 614
..in 3 months: 1127, in 6 months: 1306
..in 9 months: 1436, in 12 months: 1537

Top 14 Most Played:

1 [28 plays] Cian Ducrot – I’ll Be Waiting
2 [26 plays] Deep Blue Something – Breakfast At Tiffany’s
3= [25 plays] each for…
+ Benson Boone – Beautiful Things
+ Natalie Imbruglia – Torn
5= [24 plays] each for…
+ No Doubt – Don’t Speak
+ Rembrandts – I’ll Be There For You
+ Wet Wet Wet – Love Is All Around
8= [23 plays] each for…
+ Myles Smith – Stargazing
+ Teddy Swims – Lose Control
10= [22 plays] each for…
+ Alannah Myles – Black Velvet
+ All Saints – Never Ever
+ Goo Goo Dolls – Iris
+ Ronan Keating – When You Say Nothing At All
+ Tom Grennan – Little Bit Of Love

Analysis: 25 days, up to 23-01-2025
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 10019
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 1604
Variety factor for this station is : 16%

50% OF PLAYS is 247 Songs (15.3% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 142 MOST played songs (8.8% of the total)
or 1215 LEAST played songs (75.7% of the total)

Most played airs on average every: 13h 57m
10th most played song airs every: 17h 38m
142nd most played song airs every: 1d 9h 20m
247th most played song airs every: 1d 18h 51m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 1043 (65%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
18 after 23 DAYS

Different songs played in 1 month: 1748
..in 3 months: 2307, in 6 months: 2693
..in 9 months: 3049, in 12 months: 3222

Top 10 Most Played:

1 [43 plays] Dirty Dancing – She’s Like The Wind
2= [38 plays] each for…
+ Lady A – Need You Now
+ Roxette – It Must Have Been Love
4= [36 plays] each for…
+ Berlin – Take My Breath Away
+ Maria McKee – Show Me Heaven
+ Spandau Ballet – True
7= [35 plays] each for…
+ Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes – Up Where We Belong
+ John Waite – Missing You
9= [34 plays] each for…
+ Cars – Drive
+ Olivia Newton-John – Hopelessly Devoted To You

Analysis: 23 days, up to 23-01-2025
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 7357
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 1727
Variety factor for this station is : 23.4%

50% OF PLAYS is 375 Songs (21.7% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 220 MOST played songs (12.7% of the total)
or 1167 LEAST played songs (67.5% of the total)

Most played airs on average every: 19h 2m
10th most played song airs every: 1d 2h 17m
220th most played song airs every: 2d 13h 20m
375th most played song airs every: 3d 6h 51m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 1073 (62.1%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
20 after 17 DAYS

Different songs played in 1 month: 1965
..in 3 months: 2780, in 6 months: 3352
..in 9 months: 3719, in 12 months: 3991

Top 11 Most Played:

1= [29 plays] each for…
+ Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen – I Had Some Help
+ Weeknd – Dancing In The Flames
3= [27 plays] each for…
+ Benson Boone – Beautiful Things
+ Dasha – Austin
+ Rose and Bruno Mars – APT
6= [25 plays] each for…
+ Sam Fender – People Watching
+ Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)
+ Tom Grennan – Higher
9 [24 plays] Hozier – Too Sweet
10= [21 plays] each for…
+ Ella Henderson – Filthy Rich
+ Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars – Die With A Smile

Analysis: 24 days, up to 23-01-2025
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 8249
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 5817
Variety factor for this station is : 70.5%

50% OF PLAYS is 1730 Songs (29.7% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 1043 MOST played songs (17.9% of the total)
or 2750 LEAST played songs (47.2% of the total)

Most played airs on average every: 2d 0h
10th most played song airs every: 3d 10h 17m
1043rd most played song airs every: 12d 0h
1730th most played song airs every: 12d 0h
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 5803 (99.7%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
128 after 22 DAYS

Different songs played in 1 month: 6649
..in 3 months: 9980, in 6 months: 11956
..in 9 months: 13089, in 12 months: 14010

Top 11 Most Played:

1 [12 plays] Coldplay – All My Love
2 [10 plays] Elton John And Brandi Carlile – Never Too Late
3= [9 plays] each for…
+ Al Green – Everybody Hurts
+ Lenny Kravitz – Honey
+ Mike Batt And Paul Carrack – Winter Song
+ Robbie Williams – Forbidden Road
7= [8 plays] each for…
+ Gary Kemp – This Destination
+ Tears For Fears – Say Goodbye To Mum And Dad
9= [7 plays] each for…
+ Eric Clapton – One Woman
+ Katrina – I Can’t Give You Anything But Love
+ Leo Sayer – Rainbow’s End

Analysis: 23 days, up to 24-01-2025
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 6507
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 550
Variety factor for this station is : 8.4%

50% OF PLAYS is 171 Songs (31% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 96 MOST played songs (17.4% of the total)
or 288 LEAST played songs (52.3% of the total)

Most played airs on average every: 17h 48m
10th most played song airs every: 20h 26m
96th most played song airs every: 1d 6h 40m
171st most played song airs every: 1d 18h 27m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 61 (11%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 9 DAYS

Different songs played in 1 month: 560
..in 3 months: 667, in 6 months: 785
..in 9 months: 1013, in 12 months: 1078

Top 11 Most Played:

1 [31 plays] Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill
2 [30 plays] Taylor Dayne – Tell It To My Heart
3= [29 plays] each for…
+ Chesney Hawkes – The One And Only
+ Michael Bolton – How Can We Be Lovers
+ Rozalla – Everybody’s Free
+ Weather Girls – It’s Raining Men
7= [27 plays] each for…
+ Aztec Camera – Somewhere In My Heart
+ Fairground Attraction – Perfect
+ Los Lobos – La Bamba
+ Men At Work – Down Under
+ Survivor – Eye Of The Tiger

** No longer broadcasting !! **
Historic Analysis: 24 days, up to March 2022
NUMBER OF PLAYS IDENTIFIED: 7948
Number of DIFFERENT Songs Played: 788
Variety factor for this station is : 9.9%

50% OF PLAYS is 136 Songs (17.2% of the total)
A THIRD OF PLAYS represents:
The 83 MOST played songs (10.5% of the total)
or 568 LEAST played songs (72% of the total)

Most played airs on average every: 6h 32m
10th most played song airs every: 16h 56m
83rd most played song airs every: 21h 20m
136th most played song airs every: 1d 2h 10m
No. of songs with 5 or less plays: 386 (48.9%)
Lowest Number of NEW SONGS on any day:
ZERO after 18 DAYS

Different songs played in 1 month: 1004
..in 3 months: 1334, in 6 months: 1560
..in 9 months: 1664, in 12 months: 1928

Top 10 Most Played:

1 [88 plays] George Ezra – Blame It On Me
2 [71 plays] James Bay – Hold Back The River
3 [65 plays] Freya Ridings – Castles
4 [64 plays] Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud
5 [58 plays] Sam Smith – I’m Not The Only One
6= [57 plays] each for…
+ Freya Ridings – Lost Without You
+ Sam Smith – Money On My Mind
8 [53 plays] Florence And The Machine – Shake It Out
9= [34 plays] each for…
+ Coldplay – Viva La Vida
+ Kt Tunstall – Suddenly I See

We’re monitoring all the most important UK radio stations 24-7, so if you’d like the full “chapter and verse” on what they’ve all been playing, and the full month most played songs lists, then we can provide them – We’ve even got some data going back to 2008!!  Our charges start at just £12 (exc VAT) for one station, so that’s a FULL LISTING of every song or classical piece a station has played, with dates and times, plus a stats package with the full “most played” chart for the month listing EVERY song they’ve played and how many times, ranked from most played to least…  so if they’ve played 3174 different songs, that’ll be a 1 to 3174 chart! 

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