25 Years of Rock

"25 Years of Rock" was a 25-part radio series originally broadcast on BBC Radio 1 from 22 June to 7 December 1980. Each hour-long episode featured a selection of music and news stories from a particular calendar year, starting with 1955 and finishing with 1979. This format - which was also notable for having no presenter - later transferred to television via the BBC series "The Rock 'n' Roll Years".

The series encapsulated the period from the birth of Rock And Roll in 1955 to the post-punk era of the late seventies, and charted world social and political events with a rock soundtrack. The series was repeated in 1981 between 4th April (1955) and 19th September (1979).

The series was produced by Trevor Dann. Its theme music was the instrumental section of "Oh Well" by Fleetwood Mac.

Original broadcast dates:1955 - 22/06/801956 - 29/06/801957 - 06/07/801958 - 13/07/801959 - 20/07/801960 - 27/07/801961 - 03/08/801962 - 10/08/801963 - 17/08/801964 - 24/08/801965 - 31/08/801966 - 07/09/801967 - 14/09/801968 - 21/09/801969 - 28/09/801970 - 05/10.801971 - 12/10/801972 - 19/10/801973 - 26/10/801974 - 02/11/801975 - 09/11/801976 - 16/11/801977 - 23/11/801978 - 30/11/801979 - 07/12/80

An extended version, entitled "30 Years of Rock", was broadcast on Radio 1 in 1985. This consisted of the original series plus five new episodes covering the years 1980 to 1984.

The first programme was introduced as follows:

“Five years ago Radio 1 first broadcast the series “25 Years Of Rock”.Taking 1955 as its’ starting point – the year when “Rock Around The Clock” by Bill Haily hit the British Top 20 – the series focussed each week on the music and the events of the years up to 1979. Now you can hear those years brought to life again, plus the five years that bring us up to the present.

“30 Years Of Rock” is not just another history of rock music - it’s not a history of world events of the last 30 years - although you will find some elements of both in the series. Each week you’ll hear some of the most significant rock records of each year set against national and international events; most loved, most hated personalities of the day; fashions and fads.

The music and the moments will, we hope, tell their own stories and jog a few memories, but most of all the series - like rock music itself - is something to enjoy whether you were around at the time or not.”

“30 Years Of Rock” was broadcast on BBC Radio 1 from 1-2pm each week from 20th April (1955) to 16th November (1984). A one-week gap in the broadcast was made due to the live broadcast of “Live Aid” on July 13th.