Music

Musical pioneers

From the golden age of rock 'n roll to the modern-day superstars of stadium rock

Electronic music

How innovators harnessed the power of electricity to help shape modern music

Musical curios

Some of the weird and wonderful musicians and innovations that have featured on the BBC

Music from the Mersey

The musical influence of a city that lays claim to more chart-topping hits than any other - Liverpool

Classical music

Hit all the right notes and raise the roof with our classical music selection

Two Composers - Davies and Moore, 1961

A fascinating look at two outstanding but very different young composers, Peter Maxwell Davies and Dudley Moore

Traffic Musician, 1961

Alan Whicker meets a tragically underrated barber-turned-musician whose muse is the North Circular road

Destroy to create, 1966

A piano gets obliterated in the name of art

Annea Lockwood - musical glass breaker, 1966

The composer and sound artist prepares for a series of ground/glass-breaking concerts

Last Night of the Proms debate, 1969

Would there be no Land of Hope and Glory in the 1969 Proms?

Home Wurlitzer, 1970

Nationwide features a family with their own rescued Wurlitzer - for when an ordinary piano simply won't do

The art of pop promotion, 1971

"One play on a Tony Blackburn programme is worth ten plays on a Top Gear"

Gilbert O'Sullivan, 1972

The singer-songwriter on writing, playing and tidying-up

Alice Cooper, 1974

Alice Cooper talks touring, MacBeth and Godzilla, with The Old Grey Whistle Test's Bob Harris

Horslips, 1974

The five piece Irish Celtic rock band from Dublin discuss their name, the joys of touring in Ireland, concept albums and accidental fire dancing

New olde instruments, 1976

Nationwide visited a village in Oxfordshire, where new incarnations of classic musical instruments were being made

Punk music, 1977

Is punk "degrading and evil" or "an exciting musical innovation"? Brass Tacks asks the big question

Ian Dury, 1979

The Blockheads frontman was featured on Nationwide, discussing disability, making music and the touring process with his band

Alice Cooper returns, 1978

The School's Out performer was back, discussing being clean from alcohol, collaborating with Bernie Taupin and restoring the Hollywood sign

A day in the life of The Sweet, 1974

"We owe it all to the kids who bought the records; no-one else helped"

Belfast punk scene, 1980

Something Else examines the punk landscape within the troubled city

Rudies Come Back, 1980

"We're not just a dance band, we have things to say." Arena goes to Coventry to quiz The Selecter and The Specials about the rise of 2-Tone

Tape Box Jury - RPM, 1981

Tommy Vance, Andy Partridge and Andy Batten-Foster work their way through a stack of demo tapes from West Country hopefuls

Toddler identifies classical composers, 1981

Young Vincent knows who composed a piece after hearing just a few notes

Martin Rushent and Clare Grogan, 1982

Riverside popped in on Enfield super producer and the Altered Images' singer, who were putting the finishing touches on a new single and dance remix

The Hacienda, 1983

Fraser Diagram tells the story so far of the iconic Manchester club

Rockschool: Bass and guitar techniques, 1983

Musicians from across the genres gave an insight into their playing styles

Rockschool: Tuning, 1983

Now don't tune out, this is a very important clip on how to tune your instrument - even the drums!

Band merchandise, 1985

"It is a con, of course it's a con, the whole thing is a con" Whistle Test looked at the boom in pop merchandise

Live Aid raises millions, 1985

Some of the biggest names of the 1980s rock Wembley Stadium for charity

Meet the goths, 1987

"Strange mutations from the tomb of punk rock"

Take That announce split, 1996

Solo careers beckon for Gary, Mark, Jason and Howard

Live8 global shows, 2005

The world's biggest pop stars perform at 10 concerts to raise awareness of poverty in Africa

Full programmes

Top of the Pops

Full episodes of the long-running music chart show featuring classic videos and performances

In Town Tonight 22/10/1955

John Ellison meets Italian opera star, Tito Gobbi and other interesting guests

The Blues

Blues programmes featuring influential musicians including B.B. King and Muddy Waters

Face to Face - Adam Faith

Adam Faith became the first pop singer to be interviewed by John Freeman

Arena - Desert Island Discs

A celebration of Roy Plomley's radio favourite, with some celebrity castaways' help

Arena: Into the Limelight - Tribute Bands

Meet the musicians who perform in tribute acts at the Limelight Club in Crewe

More archive things

Arts and entertainment

The world of showbiz, from Shakespeare to Saturday night telly

Children's

See how programmes for younger viewers have changed with the times

Sport

A grandstand view of sport, from grassroots fan culture to the superstars who thrilled us all