Hear the Year – the most memorable moments of 2016 across BBC Radio

As we wrap up 2016 - a year of amazing music and speech radio content across BBC Radio - I was asked what my favourite on-air moment of the year was.

I struggled to answer this without comingup with a long list of things, ranging from rapper Raxtar’s spoken-word piece for BBC Asian Network on what it means to British-Asian to when Andy Murray beat Milos Raonic to win Wimbledon for the second time. Or the many moments when we remembered Sir Terry Wogan on BBC Radio 2, including when Father Brian D’Arcy shared his memories of Terry, his lifelong friend, with Chris Evans. 

Choosing one feels like one of those impossible decisions, like having to pick your favourite album of the year, or worse, choosing between Last Christmas and Fairytale of New York as the ultimate Christmas karaoke song.

So here to help are the Controllers and Station Heads for BBC Radio. They’ve gone through the new digital collection Hear the Year, which brings together the most memorable moments of 2016 across BBC Radio in one place under six different moods, from hilarity to glory and revelation.

Each station lead was given one of the Hear the Year mood categories to choose from and asked to pick a moment which wasn’t broadcast on their own station. Here are the moments they picked:

Ben Cooper, Controller of BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra & Asian Network – Passion

In July Wales’ Euro 2016 dream came to an end as they lost 2-0 to Portugal in the semi-finals. Ben chose this moment from BBC Radio Wales.

Hearing your favourite artist perform or your football team score a winning goal on the radio can make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. You don’t ever get that listening to a streaming service. The noise of an excited crowd, a performer at their best and that sense of listening to something happening live in the moment – that’s what radio is brilliant at. It is better than a Tardis for transporting you into great moments of history. That is why I have chosen a moment from the Euros. A time when we all searched our family tree to find any relative who was Welsh. I think we all enjoyed the passion and determination of the Welsh team that saw them do so well. Enjoy.”

Explore the full Passion collection on Hear the Year

Lewis Carnie, Head of Station, BBC Radio 2 – Pain

Lewis chose a moment from the Pain collection, ‘A loss of a generation of children’ – 50 years on from Aberfan, which was broadcast on Good Morning Wales in October. Reporter Stephen Fairclough visited the Memorial dedicated to the victims, and was accompanied by Jeff Edwards, who survived the disaster.

I found this clip extremely moving and powerful. Produced by BBC Wales it took a survivor from the Aberfan disaster back to the site and the memorial that marks it.

I remember when this disaster happened quite clearly and seeing it on the news 50 years ago, knowing that it was people my age who were affected. It really was disturbing as a child to hear about it.

It was even worse of course for the interviewee here who lost virtually all his classmates and friends and was obviously still haunted by the memory.

Nonetheless he managed to communicate with compassion and authority the events of the time and its lasting effect on both him and the community. It did what radio excels at - it touched, gripped and moved the listener.

Explore the full Pain collection on Hear the Year

Alan Davey, Controller of BBC Radio 3, Proms, BBC Orchestras and Choirs - Hilarity

In September, BBC Local Radio’s Georgey Spanswick chatted to Kevin Beresford from Roundabouts of Great Britain, an appreciation society which had named their roundabout of the year and whose calendars were flying off the shelves. Alan said this moment made roundabouts sound delightfully quirky and nicely weird, and made him smile.

Explore the full Hilarity collection on Hear the Year

Gwyneth Williams, Controller of BBC Radio 4 & 4 Extra – Glory

In September, The Proms Youth Choir – made up of young singers who have come through the BBC Music Ten Pieces scheme – performed with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, conducted by Marin Alsop. Gwyneth chose this moment, Prom 74, ‘Dies Irae’ from Verdi Requiem, from the Glory collection.

Verdi’s tumultuous depiction of death and destruction points for me to the pain of Aleppo this year. The plight of this city and its people stand as an excoriating collective failure as I look back on 2016. ‘Dies Irae’ would be unbearable to listen to (as have been the reports we have heard and seen all year) were it not for the glorious voices of the Proms Youth Choir which hold us fast to the truth and draw us towards the future and renewed hope.

Explore the full Glory collection on Hear the Year

Jonathan Wall, Controller of Radio 5 live & 5 live sports extra - Joy

The 1975 performed an exclusive concert for BBC Radio 1 at The Blackpool Tower Ballroom with the BBC Philharmonic, rounding off the station’s Live Lounge Month in September. 

Look what happens when you put the brilliant BBC Philharmonic Orchestra with a great pop band and the brilliant creative producers at Radio 1. It’s the best of BBC Radio working together to deliver something truly magical. Joy!

Explore the full Joy collection on Hear the Year

Paul Rodgers, Head of Station, BBC Radio 6 Music – Revelation

Paul chose a moment from Radio 5live’s documentary ‘Hillsborough - The Truth’, presented by Kelly Cates, who as a 13 year old was there as the tragedy unfolded and whose father managed Liverpool FC at the time. The clip from April is part of the Revelation collection.

Like all news outlets, 5live and its journalists have carried much responsibility this year. The Station has needed to be on its mettle to report some huge stories of the utmost importance as they have developed throughout 2016, and the teams have made a consistent effort to ensure that 5live tells the story with all the attendant warts and complications, as well as taking care to give a voice to the opinions of its audience and the people of the UK wherever possible. The Hillsborough Inquest has been covered by the station with patience and persistence as 5live’s journalists and presenters have attempted to untangle the story on behalf of listeners. They have tried to reveal the details audiences need to know to help them understand what is happening whilst also taking care to represent and respect the feelings of those involved. It has been very sad, but very necessary, radio.

Explore the full Revelation collection on Hear the Year

Discover more about Hear the Year and download podcasts at the Hear The Year site