Radio songs

Back in April we did a little last.fm analysis to find what the four BBC music stations had been hammering for the last two years, coming up with some surprising results (Interpol second on 6 Music's all time list, Razorlight's America being all over Radio 2, whatever quirk the Holloways have taken advantage of to mean Generator is fourth in Radio 1's list) and some less so (Put Your Hands Up For Detroit, KT Tunstall).

We were going to go back six months later and see how things had progressed but only realised this week, about six weeks after the date. Still, waste not want not - here's what the same stations have been shovelling out for the six months up to midnight Monday:

Radio 1

1 Coldplay 422
2 Pendulum 397
3 The Ting Tings 386
4 Ne-Yo 341
5 Kings of Leon 298
6 The Kooks 296
7 Oasis 294
8 Rihanna 283
9 The Killers 256
9 Scouting for Girls 256
11 The Wombats 254
12 Vampire Weekend 244
13 Biffy Clyro 243
13 Eric Prydz 243
15 Duffy 241
16 Alphabeat 239
17 The Verve 238
18 Kaiser Chiefs 237
18 The Pigeon Detectives 237
20 Fall Out Boy 235
21 Katy Perry 228
22 MGMT 215
23 Black Kids 212
24 Gabriella Cilmi 210
25 Adele 207
25 McFly 207
25 The Automatic 207
25 Bloc Party 207
29 The Script 206
30 Madonna 205

1 Eric Prydz – Pjanoo 209
2 Ne-Yo – Closer 207
2 Biffy Clyro – Mountains 207
4 Oasis – The Shock Of The Lightning 201
5 The Ting Tings – Shut Up and Let Me Go 200
6 The Verve – Love Is Noise 193
7 Coldplay – Viva la Vida 185
8 The Automatic – Steve McQueen 181
9 Madcon – Beggin' 178
10 Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire 177
11 Sarah Bareilles – Love Song 170
12 Ida Maria – I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked 167
12 The Kooks – Shine On 167
14 Kaiser Chiefs – Never Miss a Beat 166
14 Gabriella Cilmi – Sweet About Me 166
16 Noah & The Whale – 5 Years Time 164
17 The Script – The Man Who Can't Be Moved 163
18 Pink – So What 156
18 Duffy – Warwick Avenue 156
20 Rihanna – Disturbia 153
21 Pendulum – Propane Nightmares 147
21 Madonna – Give It 2 Me 147
23 Iglu & Hartly – In This City 146
24 Coldplay – Violet Hill 144
25 Wiley – Wearing My Rolex 142
25 Pussycat Dolls – When I Grow Up 142
27 Katy Perry – I Kissed a Girl 141
28 Flobots – Handlebars 139
29 Sam Sparro – Black and Gold 135
30 James Morrison – You Make It Real 132

God, Pendulum. All the specialist DJs have started shovelling out drum'n'bass in the wake of this shit, which is like if they only got into rock music through Fightstar. Pink, by the way, is at 31, all the other Noah & The Whale songs have received 24 plays and if you can find anyone else still grimly hanging on to The Automatic then you're better people than us.


Radio 2

1 Coldplay 221
2 Sharleen Spiteri 181
3 Duffy 178
4 The Feeling 168
5 The Beatles 156
6 Sara Bareilles 155
7 Dolly Parton 135
8 Elbow 134
9 David Bowie 123
10 Snow Patrol 116
11 Kid Rock 113
11 Neil Diamond 113
13 Stevie Wonder 112
14 The Rolling Stones 109
15 Sugababes 105
15 Paul Weller 105
17 Madonna 102
18 The Kooks 97
19 Will Young 96
20 Adele 95
21 Keane 94
21 Bruce Springsteen 94
23 Razorlight 93
24 Bryn Christopher 86
24 The Beach Boys 86
24 ABBA 86
27 James Morrison 85
27 Tom Baxter 85
29 Kaiser Chiefs 84
30 Glen Campbell 83

1 Sara Bareilles – Love Song 146
2 Elbow – One Day Like This 118
3 Dolly Parton – Better Get to Livin' 112
4 Kid Rock – All Summer Long 104
5 Sharleen Spiteri – All The Times I Cried 99
6 Paul Weller – Have You Made Up Your Mind 96
7 Sugababes – Girls 94
7 Coldplay – Violet Hill 94
9 The Feeling – Turn It Up 91
9 Duffy – Warwick Avenue 91
11 Snow Patrol – Take Back The City 84
12 Bryn Christopher – The Quest 83
13 Tom Baxter – Miracle 81
14 Girls Aloud – The Promise 78
14 Will Young – Changes 78
16 Sharleen Spiteri – Stop I Don't Love You Anymore 76
17 Boyzone – Love You Anyway 75
18 Craig David – Officially Yours 74
19 Julian Velard – Jimmy Dean & Steve McQueen 73
20 The Kooks – Shine On 72
21 The Ting Tings – Be The One 70
22 Razorlight – Wire To Wire 69
23 James Morrison – You Make It Real 65
24 Leon Jackson – Don't Call This Love 64
25 The Killers – Human 62
26 Mêlée – Built to Last 61
26 Anthoney Wright – Reset to zero 61
28 Paul Carrack – Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City (City Mix) 59
29 Idina Menzel – Gorgeous 58
30 Dido – Don't Believe in Love 55

Kid Rock. Kid sodding Rock. Even as recently as five months ago you'd have been sectionable to even suggest it. Mind you, Sharleen Spiteri's solo project is doing more than its share up there, even if there's a blatantly obvious runaway leader. Actually, the top of the songs list is really interesting in total, with Elbow's due and Dolly Parton proving curiously resilient. The most bizarre track specific entries are in fact just below the 30 - Laura Critchley has a song at number 48, and we've genuinely never heard of her before*, while Ne-Yo is at 41 and at 55 we find those standard bearers for housewives' choice MOR AOR... AC/DC!

(* Literally within a day we'd had an response email from what we assume to be Critchley's management. So yeah, we've heard of her now.)

6 Music

1 Coldplay 264
1 MGMT 264
3 Vampire Weekend 253
4 Kings of Leon 241
5 Oasis 240
6 Elbow 227
7 CSS 225
8 Ladyhawke 211
9 Glasvegas 205
10 The Ting Tings 202
11 Kaiser Chiefs 197
12 Black Kids 194
13 The Cure 190
13 The Verve 190
15 Bloc Party 189
16 Mystery Jets 187
16 Santogold 187
18 R.E.M. 180
19 Paul Weller 179
20 Primal Scream 177
21 Lykke Li 172
22 The Last Shadow Puppets 171
23 Radiohead 170
24 Keane 167
25 Friendly Fires 163
26 David Bowie 161
27 Beck 160
27 Ida Maria 160
29 Sigur Rós 157
30 Foals 155

1 The Verve – Love Is Noise 152
2 MGMT – Kids 130
2 Kaiser Chiefs – Never Miss a Beat 130
4 Ida Maria – I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked 120
5 Elbow – One Day Like This 116
6 Coldplay – Viva la Vida 115
6 Oasis – The Shock Of The Lightning 115
8 Ladyhawke – Dusk Till Dawn 114
8 MGMT – Electric Feel 114
10 Neon Neon – I Told Her On Alderaan 113
10 The Ting Tings – Be The One 113
12 Mystery Jets – Two Doors Down 107
12 Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire 107
14 CSS – Move 96
14 Glasvegas – Daddy's Gone 96
16 Bloc Party – Mercury 95
16 M.I.A. – Paper Planes 95
18 The Last Shadow Puppets – Standing Next To Me 94
19 Friendly Fires – Jump In The Pool 93
20 Santogold – Lights Out 92
21 Florence and The Machine – A Kiss With A Fist 90
21 The Hold Steady – Sequestered in Memphis 90
23 Ladyhawke – Paris Is Burning 89
24 Black Kids – Look At Me (When I Rock Wichoo) 88
24 David Holmes – i heard wonders 88
26 The Ting Tings – Shut Up and Let Me Go 87
27 Vampire Weekend – A-Punk 86
27 Glasvegas – Geraldine. 86
29 Black Kids – Hurricane Jane 85
29 Lykke Li – Breaking It Up 85

Meh. The Cure are going well. Incidentally A-Punk has recently taken over as the all-time 6 Music track leader, which demonstrates...erm...


1Xtra

1 Ne-Yo 776
2 Jay-Z 729
3 Kanye West 597
4 Wiley 578
5 Dizzee Rascal 552
6 Taio Cruz 548
7 Lupe Fiasco 483
8 Mary J. Blige 458
9 Kano 452
10 John Legend 429
11 Jay Sean 423
12 Chris Brown 394
13 Tony Matterhorn 392
14 Snoop Dogg 384
15 Cassie 382
16 Alicia Keys 376
17 Mariah Carey 366
18 Donae'o 361
19 T.I. 358
20 Beyoncé 357
21 Roll Deep 353
22 Mavado 344
23 Beenie Man 339
24 Nas 334
24 Justin Timberlake 334
26 Nathan 325
27 Damian Marley 324
28 Elephant Man 316
29 Amerie 313
30 Rihanna 310

1 DJ Paleface – Do You Mind (Crazy Cousins Mix) 188
2 N*E*R*D – Everyone Nose 165
2 John Legend – Green Light 165
4 Jazmine Sullivan – I Need You Bad 160
5 Ne-Yo – Miss Independent 158
6 Tinchy Stryder – Stryderman 157
6 Sway / Lemar – Saturday Hustle 157
8 Nas / Keri Hilson – Hero 154
9 Skepta – Rolex Sweep 146
10 Dizzee Rascal / Calvin Harris / Chrome – Dance With Me 141
10 Donae'o – Devil In A Blue Dress (1Xtra Edit) 141
12 Common / Pharrell – Universal Mind Control 140
13 Tinie Tempah / Cleo Soul – Tears 132
14 Rick Ross / Nelly / Avery Storm – Here I Am 131
15 Ne-Yo – Closer 129
16 Wookie / Ny – Falling Again 127
16 Mavado – So Special 127
18 Wiley / Kenna – In The Summertime 126
18 DJ Perempay & Dee / Katie Pearl – In The Air 126
20 Madcon – Beggin' 124
20 Lil Wayne / Babyface – Comfortable 124
22 Kano – Hustler 123
22 Mariah Carey / T.I. – I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time (Remix) 123
24 Taio Cruz / Busta Rhymes / Sugababes – She's Like A Star (Remix) 118
25 Chris Brown – Forever 117
26 Lil Wayne / Static Major – Lollipop 116
27 Rick Ross / T-Pain – The Boss 114
27 Roll Deep ft Janay – Do Me Wrong 114
29 Robin Thicke – Magic 113
30 DJ Ironik – Stay With Me 107

DJ Paleface? We've missed something here. What did happen to all that Rolex Sweep Craze business?

Absolute Radio, of pitiful advertising fame (qv), added its stations on 1st September, so while we're here we might as well have a two and a bit month progress report:

1 Snow Patrol 315
2 Kaiser Chiefs 295
3 Coldplay 283
4 Oasis 263
5 Razorlight 251
6 Kings of Leon 243
7 U2 239
8 Keane 226
9 The Killers 223
10 Queen 220
11 The Verve 211
12 Elbow 194
13 R.E.M. 190
14 The Rolling Stones 179
15 David Bowie 177
16 Nickelback 173
17 The Beatles 163
18 Red Hot Chili Peppers 160
19 The Police 153
20 Stereophonics 138
21 Bon Jovi 127
22 Duffy 125
23 The Kooks 123
24 Bruce Springsteen 117
24 The Jam 117
26 Blur 112
26 Guns N' Roses 112
28 The Cure 103
29 Simple Minds 101
30 Blondie 100

They've given Bernard Cribbens two plays!

1 Snow Patrol – Take Back The City 279
2 Kaiser Chiefs – Never Miss a Beat 261
3 Razorlight – Wire To Wire 201
4 Elbow – One Day Like This 191
5 Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire 184
6 Oasis – The Shock Of The Lightning 142
7 Coldplay – Viva la Vida 123
8 Keane – The Lovers Are Losing 112
9 The Killers – Human 103
10 Kid Rock – All Summer Long 92
11 Nickelback – Gotta Be Somebody 84
12 Coldplay – Lost! 81
13 Biffy Clyro – Mountains 80
14 The Verve – Rather Be 78
14 Keane – Spiralling 78
16 The Verve – Love Is Noise 77
16 The Kooks – Sway 77
18 The Ting Tings – Be The One 71
19 AC/DC – Rock and Roll Train 66
20 Nickelback – Far Away 59
21 Noah and the Whale – 5 Years Time 54
22 Vampire Weekend – A-Punk 48
23 Duffy – Rain On Your Parade 45
24 Kings of Leon – Use Somebody 44
25 The Last Shadow Puppets – My Mistakes Were Made For You 42
26 Stereophonics – You're My Star 41
27 Katy Perry – I Kissed a Girl 40
28 The Zutons – Valerie 36
28 Duffy – Mercy 36
30 The Automatic – Monster 34


Only slightly less white bread than its parent station, AbsoluteXtreme (formerly Virgin Xtreme - it's on Sky Digital, honest):

1 Bloc Party 617
2 Kaiser Chiefs 610
3 Razorlight 511
4 Kings of Leon 503
5 The Killers 495
6 Coldplay 487
7 The Pigeon Detectives 453
8 Oasis 452
9 The View 437
10 MGMT 436
11 The Ting Tings 434
12 The Kooks 419
13 Biffy Clyro 418
14 Elbow 410
14 Vampire Weekend 410
16 The Verve 366
17 Primal Scream 354
18 Noah and the Whale 340
19 Flobots 331
20 Pendulum 306
21 The Streets 292
22 M.I.A. 291
23 The Courteeners 287
24 Kasabian 286
25 The Last Shadow Puppets 281
26 Muse 269
26 Laura Branigan 269
28 Iglu and Hartly 256
29 Arctic Monkeys 231
30 Foo Fighters 224

Yeah, 1980s soft rock singer Laura Branigan. The mystery becomes clearer, as does Absolute/Virgin's lax tagging, in the tracks list:

1 Razorlight – Wire To Wire 425
2 Kaiser Chiefs – Never Miss a Beat 419
3 Biffy Clyro – Mountains 418
4 Flobots – Handlebars 331
5 The Ting Tings – Be The One 330
6 The Kooks – Sway 328
7 Oasis – The Shock Of The Lightning 327
8 The View – 5 Rebeccas 312
9 MGMT – Kids 307
10 Pendulum – Granite 306
11 The Killers – Human 303
12 Vampire Weekend – A-Punk 289
13 The Courteeners – That Kiss 287
14 M.I.A. – Paper Planes 282
15 Laura Branigan – Bathroom gurgle 269
16 The Streets – Everything Is Borrowed 265
17 Iglu and Hartly – In This City 256
18 Primal Scream – Uptown 251
19 Elbow – The Bones of You 242
20 The Last Shadow Puppets – My Mistakes Were Made For You 233
21 The Pigeon Detectives – Sat it like you mean it 232
22 The Verve – Love Is Noise 220
23 Coldplay – Lost! 219
24 Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire 206
25 Bloc Party – Talons 202
26 CSS – Move 193
27 Cage the Elephant – In One Ear 180
28 Noah and the Whale – Shape of My Heart 175
29 Foals – Olympic Airways 166
30 Noah and the Whale – 5 Years Time 165

Never mind such stellar names as Hot Melts and The King Blues being in the track top 50, that's equal 22nd place (adding Heartbeat's 22 plays) she's deprived Late Of The Pier of there. Can't say it's entirely unfair, mind.